Why Northern Indiana Farmers Trust Chester Ag Systems for Drought Defense

Farming has never been a profession for the faint of heart, but ask any multi-generational farmer in Northern Indiana, and they will tell you: the game has changed. The margins are tighter, the technology is faster, and the weather is less predictable than ever.

We understand that modern agriculture, while full of benefits, is far from easy. A unique kind of stress settles in around mid-July when the corn is tasseling, the beans are podding, and the forecast shows nothing but sun and wind for ten days straight. The tension in your chest intensifies when you look at the radar and see the rain splitting around your county, leaving your fields in a dry pocket.

You need assurance in those moments, not just equipment. You need a defense strategy that works.

We have spent decades standing in those fields right beside you here at Chester Ag Systems. We know that when you invest in a Valley irrigation system, you aren’t just buying steel and tires; you are buying sleep. You are purchasing the certainty that when the rains fail, your operation won’t. Investing in a relationship with a local partner who has the boots on the ground to keep that water flowing matters most, beyond just the machinery.

The Reality of Northern Indiana Weather: Why You Can’t Wait for Rain

Many farmers in our region relied on the “wait and see” approach to moisture for generations. But the climate in Northern Indiana is shifting, making that strategy riskier each year.

Some parts of the state might see relief, but our northern counties often face a different reality. We have seen patterns where, despite decent spring moisture, the critical late-summer growth periods turn aggressively dry. Data from late 2025 highlighted this stark reality, with certain cities in our region recording their driest months on record while southern counties received rain.

This volatility is the enemy of yield. You cannot afford to let a three-week dry spell in August undo months of hard work and input costs when you are operating on thin margins. The shift from dryland or flood irrigation to precision irrigation pivots becomes not just an upgrade but a survival necessity here.

The Efficiency Equation: Making Every Drop Count

We must talk about the physics of water before we talk about service. You might have relied on flood irrigation in the past if you had water rights and a pump. Relying on flood irrigation during a drought year proved to be financially unsustainable, while it provided some relief.

The science is precise: flood irrigation is surprisingly inefficient, often resulting in only about 50% of the water being absorbed by the crop. The rest is lost to evaporation, runoff, or deep percolation where the roots can’t reach it. Wasting 50% of your resource is bad business when water levels are low and every gallon costs money to pump.

Modern center pivots utilizing sprinkler technology, by contrast, can achieve application efficiencies of 85% to 90%. This is a massive leap in resource management. It means that for every dollar you spend pumping water, nearly 90 cents of it is going directly into crop production.

Achieving that efficiency requires more than just dragging a system into the field, however. It requires a system designed specifically for your topography, your soil type, and your water source. Our trained experts confidently identify your agricultural needs and offer the most efficient, cost-effective solutions—saving your business time, money, and stress.

The “July 4th Test”: Why Service Beats Sales

This episode brings us to the core of why Chester Ag Systems exists.

Buying a system is the easy part in the world of ag sales. Plenty of dealerships can sell you a pivot in January. They will shake your hand, drop off the load, and cash the check. The true test of an irrigation partner isn’t what happens in January; it’s what happens in July.

Picture this: It’s 95 degrees. The humidity is low. Your corn is at a critical growth stage, and you are running your pivots 24/7 to keep up with transpiration rates. A gearbox fails suddenly, or a span gets out of alignment. The water stops.

A “salesman” is useless in that moment. You don’t need a quote; you need a mechanic. You need a part. You need someone who answers the phone on a holiday weekend because they know that 24 hours without water could cost you bushels per acre.

This is the Chester Ag Systems difference. We don’t just sell units; we support livelihoods. We know that machinery breaks—it’s the nature of iron fighting against mud and gravity. The speed of the solution defines the quality of the partner when it does break.

We are proud to say that today, Chester Ag Systems services over 1,500 irrigation systems. That number is significant for two reasons:

1. Experience: We have seen every breakdown, every error code, and every field challenge imaginable. You cannot surprise us, which means we can resolve your problem faster.

2. Scale: We maintain an inventory of parts that smaller operations simply can’t match because we support such a large volume of irrigation pivots. Odds are high that we have the replacement component for your Valley irrigation unit on the shelf, not in a warehouse three states away.

The Valley Advantage: Durability Meets Technology

We are selective about the iron we stand behind, while our service is our backbone. We ensure your irrigation equipment is the best in the field as a Valley Irrigation reseller.

We choose Valley because Northern Indiana is tough on equipment. Our systems have to survive freezing winters, muddy springs, and blistering summers. Valley irrigation systems are engineered with that durability in mind. They are built to resist corrosion, handle rough terrain, and maintain structural integrity year after year.

Modern Valley irrigation is about more than just durability; it’s about control. We fully equip our agriculture management systems to assist you in navigating the challenges of modern farming.

You can monitor your center pivots from your truck, your office, or your kitchen table thanks to the integration of smart panels and remote management. You can adjust application rates based on real-time weather data. You get an alert immediately if a pivot gets stuck in the mud at 2:00 AM, allowing you to address it before it damages the crop or the machine.

This technology allows you to be proactive rather than reactive. Managing your entire operation from a screen saves fuel, time, and labor, removing the need to drive the perimeter of every field to check for flow.

Trusted by Neighbors, Rooted in Community

We know that in a farming community, reputation is everything. You talk to your neighbors at the co-op; you compare yields and notes on equipment. Word travels fast if a company doesn’t stand behind its work.

Chester Ag Systems has built its reputation on the simple premise that we treat your farm like our own. We don’t oversell you on features you don’t need, and we don’t disappear after the installation. We help with spring start-up, mid-season emergencies, and winterization.

We work with operations of all sizes. We are here to support you whether you are a young farmer just starting to irrigate 80 acres or a large multi-generational enterprise managing thousands of acres of seed corn. We approach every project with the same level of seriousness and dedication.

Conclusion: Your Yield Is Our Priority

The weather data remains uncertain as we look toward the next planting season. We can hope for rain, but a business plan based on hope is a gamble. Installing or upgrading to a Valley irrigation system is an investment in certainty. It is the best way to drought-proof your legacy and ensure that your yields are determined by your management, not by the clouds.

Remember, when you make that investment, you are choosing a partner for the next 20 years. Choose the partner that has the parts, the people, and the proven track record in Northern Indiana.

Every agricultural business we serve receives our absolute best, no matter how big or small the operation.

 

Chester Inc. Agricultural Systems have always been to bring revolutionary technological solutions right to your fields, helping you optimize yields, manage precious resources more efficiently, and ensure your operations’ long-term sustainability. This commitment leads me to discuss the transformative power of valley irrigation systems, particularly the significant impact of valley irrigation pivots.

Northern Indiana is, without question, synonymous with agriculture. Our fields are a vital part of the heartland, primarily dedicated to corn and soybean cultivation, crops that feed into the national food supply chain. Yet, as you know better than anyone, irrigation, while essential for consistent crop management, has often presented unique challenges in our backyard. We’ve contended with everything from sandy soils that drain quickly to heavy clays that hold water differently, not to mention those unpredictable stretches of dry weather or sudden, intense downpours. Issues of water usage efficiency have been a persistent roadblock to consistently maximizing our yield potential.

Valley Irrigation pivots are implemented and supported by us at Chester Inc. Valley irrigation is a global leader in precision water application. Valley Irrigation manufactures both center pivot and valley linear irrigation system technology, and their pivots offer a reliable, incredibly efficient, and sustainable method to water your crops. These are not just fancy valley sprinkler systems but engineered solutions designed for optimal performance. A valley irrigation pivot is a mechanized sprinkler irrigation system where the equipment rotates around a fixed central pivot point, methodically irrigating a vast, circular area. This design allows us to cover large fields with remarkable ease and precision, applying water exactly where and when needed, which translates directly into minimal water waste.