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Big Data

Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

By Lyndsey Gilpin May 7, 2014, 7:53 AM PDT

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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

The Jones family farm

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

The Jones family farm

Farmers are rapidly adopting high-tech equipment, cloud services, and data analytics to increase cop yields. TechRepublic visited a large farm operation in Indiana to see the tech in action.

The Jones family, who owns a farm in Palmyra, Indiana, is one of the leaders in the area for precision agriculture. Robert Jones said he wants to be proactive, rather than reactive, with this movement.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Working in the barn office

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Working in the barn office

Robert Jones and his son, Chris, look at the soil map of their field in Palmyra, Indiana.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Buying the Climate Corporation service

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Buying the Climate Corporation service

Jeff McGee buys a Climate Corporation subscription to monitor his fields in Brandenburg, Kentucky.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Analyzing soil data

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Analyzing soil data

Representatives from Helena Chemical perform soil test analysis for the Jones farm.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Analyzing nitrogen levels

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Analyzing nitrogen levels

George Bercaw, a Climate Corporation representative and good friend of the Jones family, demonstrates how the platform analyzes soil nitrogen levels.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

The Climate Corporation website

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

The Climate Corporation website

Climate Corporation is a weather monitoring service. The company was bought by Monsanto in October 2013.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

The Climate Corporation app

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

The Climate Corporation app

The Climate Corporation app is available on mobile devices. The farms, soil, and weather can be monitored from anywhere.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

The barn office

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

The barn office

The barn office overlooks the main storage space for the machines used on Jones farm.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

An 80-foot combine

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

An 80-foot combine

This 80-foot wide combine is used on the Jones corn field in southern Indiana.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Precision technology in the combine

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Precision technology in the combine

Chris Jones sits in the cab of the family’s combine and demonstrates how the precision technology works.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Ag Leader crop yield technology

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Ag Leader crop yield technology

Chris Jones looks at the Ag Leader monitor, which shows the productivity of the family’s main corn field in Palmyra, Indiana.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

A glimpse into modern farming

A glimpse into modern farming

 recision technology is a farming management concept that measures and responds to field variability for crops, often using satellites and GPS tracking systems.

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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Ag Leader analytics

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Ag Leader analytics

The Jones family uses this Ag Leader monitor for guided steering, crop yield monitoring, and mapping.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

An iPad supplies the updated data

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

An iPad supplies the updated data

In the Jones’ main barn, an iPad sits on the tire of a tractor. iPads are used like monitors in the cabs of machines.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Precision Planting advertisements

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Precision Planting advertisements

Precision Planting was bought by Monsanto in 2012 and was the seed giant’s first hardware acquisition for field technologies.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

The Jones farm

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

The Jones farm

The Jones family, who are second-generation farmers, tend about 5,000 acres in Washington and Harrison counties in Indiana.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

A busy day on the farm

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

A busy day on the farm

After working in the office on a rainy day, Robert Jones and representatives from Helena Chemical head to lunch.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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Photos: How big data is changing the modern farm

Robbert Jones in his office

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic

Robbert Jones in his office

Robert Jones looks out over his farm from his barn office window as he talks on the phone.

Image: Lyndsey Gilpin/TechRepublic
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By Lyndsey Gilpin
Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.
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