CULLMAN, Ala. – Peinhardt Living History Farm recently partnered with retired Assistant Cullman Police Chief Jason Mickle and his crop spraying business Sky Spray for crop protection.
Mickle said this is the first season for Sky Spray, which uses drone technology, and the first time he has sprayed at Peinhardt Farm.
“My partner, Chris Thrasher, and I want to thank Peinhardt Farms for reaching out and trusting us to provide this service,” Mickle said. “We also want to thank Peinhardt Farms for all they have done over the years for the children of this community and know what a difficult decision it was to cancel this year’s events. We will be praying for healing and comfort for their family.” (Peinhardt Living History Farm recently announced the cancellation of its public and school activities for this fall.)
Mickle said Sky Spray sprayed fungicide and insecticide on a patch of pumpkins and small area of sorghum at the farm.
“The fungicide is to kill and prevent the growth of fungi which can lead to different types of rusts, blights and mildews which can damage the plants,” he said. “The insecticides were for army worms which are rampant right now in Cullman County. The majority of spraying I have done recently has targeted these worms. They can decimate crops and pasture overnight it seems.”
Sky Spray uses a DJI AGRAS T40 spray drone.
“It can spray pesticides on row crops, pasture and right of ways,” Mickle said. “It also has a dry hopper for spreading cover crops and dry fertilizer. The drone is battery powered, using a generator to recharge a rotation of three batteries. The drone allows us to operate when fields are wet, and we can do so without damaging the crop or compacting the soil. For row crops this means higher yields. The drone is precise, using GPS and RTK to create accurate mapping and grid patterns. This produces uniform and consistent application of pesticides and cover crops which lowers input cost on chemical and seed.”
Mickle shared that although drones in agriculture are probably new to most people, they have been used extensively in the Midwest and other areas of the country, spraying hundreds of thousands of acres.
“This technology improves every year and will only expand in the future,” Mickle said. “Very excited to be working with the people of Peinhardt and the history they give to Cullman.”
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