Heck of a spring!

I am finally back online, after ignoring my blog in favour of the stream of face to face contact with customers! That sounds like a tech-unfriendly note, but I revel in seeing my longtime customers and truly enjoy visiting new customers and getting to know their operations in favour of the shiney beads that this web 2.0 world is laying out in front of us. Plus I have the new vehicle (see the PMR blog posts), which has made road work a dream: incredible mileage, comfortable cruise and a few tech goodies to pass the time (like on-board navigation on my Archer or Mesa).

I am so excited to be working with a bevy of new customers and I am gratefull for the continued support of many of you who have been AgTech stalwarts since the early days. (Yes I am talking about the olden days of the mid-90s.) This has been a banner year for AgTech: our 15th anniversary; consolidation of our product line; launching our first Android App (VERY cool Rob!); the launch of the AgTech IS-Instuctional Series site for subscribers, updated hardware in our mapping center; software updates galore and the beginnings of our main office renovation.

Our suppliers (AgLeader, Farm Works-Division of Trimble and Juniper Systems) have pulled out all stops too. We have an incredible lineup of GPS/Guidance advancements for application monitoring and control, interface with a host of big market brands, upload and download freedom to any colour iron with SMS advanced and Farm Works office software, Connected Farm-remote access data management and the best in breed rugged handheld technology for data logging, mapping, scouting and data collection thanks to Juniper Systems Archer with submeter GPS XF101 and the tablet style MESA.

Georeferencing images, like crop scouting pictures of crop stress conditions, insect or disease pressures, is now so easy to accomplish with either SMS Mobile 5.0 or Farm Works Mobile 11 on any device running windows mobile OS with an integrated camera! Truly the spring of 2011 will be remembered, as much for the late plant as for the explosion of incredible technology ripe for the picking.

Last, but not least we have entered the social media world by offering product updates via YouTube videos, and now timely tweets on our thoughts about mapping, Ag GIS and all things precision ag via Twitter: @AgTechGIS. Follow us! It promises to be an even better summer.

Karon Cowan AgTech GIS

mapping@agtechgis.com

@AgTechGIS