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Show SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 PAGE A5 Summit County News Conservation Corner Ski Magazine Ranks Park City Mountain Resort One of The Top Five Ski Resorts in North America Irrigation System Maintenance BY JASON H. ROPER P.E. As winter draws near, there are some simple steps you can do to ensure that your irrigation system is ready for the cold months ahead. These steps will help in preventing additional work for next spring. The first step is to ensure that you have turned off the main valve to your system. If the system is under an irrigation company or a secondary water system, these mainlines have probably already been drained. Once you have closed the main valve, go to your timer and turn on each station, to ensure that there is no pressure left in the lines and allow air to enter each line. If you have a garden hose connection on your system, crack it open. This will allow air into the system and help in the draining process. Most sprinkler systems for lawns and gardens have drains installed such that they do not require you to open them, once the pressure in the system drops they open and drain. If you desire you can have hire a specialist to have your system drained using compressed air. There are several companies who will do this for a fee, however it is not required. If you have a riser line for an agricultural system, locate the “lowest” riser in the system and open it. This will allow most of the water to drain out of the sys- tem. Once the riser has stopped flowing water, open any drains in the system. If these drains are located underground leave them open, for the winter months. If the drain “daylights” somewhere above ground, after the water has stopped flowing out, close these valves, thus preventing small rodents from climbing into the pipeline. The next step is to ensure that all air vents, pressure relief valves and risers in the system are free of water. This is also a good time to inspect the gaskets, and springs on the air vents, and pressure relief valves. If they require maintenance this is the time of year to complete it. This will have your system ready for next spring when the water is turned on. Along with checking the gaskets, and springs, ensure that weeds have not grown up and covered these thus preventing them from working properly. If you are using hand lines for your sprinkler system, you will want to remove these from the fields, either hanging them on a fence or placing them somewhere that livestock and wildlife cannot have access to them. As you pick up each length of pipe, inspect the gaskets, and sprinkler heads for worn out parts. You will want to inspect the sprinkler head ensuring that is it functioning properly. Inspect the nozzle for wear, over time these wear out and the nozzle orifice increases, thus you are applying more water than your system was designed for. To check this take a drill bit for the size of your nozzle and insert it into the nozzle, this should be tight. If it is loose you should replace the nozzle. If you’re using wheel lines for you sprinkler system, walk the system to a fence and secure it to the fence or some posts. Securing the system to a fence will prevent it from being blown around in a wind storm, and also prevent livestock and wildlife from rubbing against it and distorting the alignment of the wheels. You will also want to inspect each section of the wheel line and check the drains, sprinkler heads, and gaskets. If the drains or gaskets are worn out, you will want to replace them. Leaks will prevent your sprinkler heads from obtaining the coverage they were design for. Also, while inspecting the wheel line, you will want to follow the manufacture’s recommendation on winterizing the motor in the mover. These simple steps will help you maintain your sprinkler system, prevent future damage, and prolong the life of the system. If you have any questions on irrigation systems, efficiency, and management please feel free to contact us at the Coalville Filed Office at (435) 336-5853 or the Ogden Field Office at (801) 6290580. Deer Valley Resort Ranked #1 Ski Area in North America Again! Deer Valley Resort has been honored with being named the #1 ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI magazine for the second year in a row. In the past eight years, Deer Valley(R)’s rating hasn’t dipped lower than third, with a #2 ranking in 2001/2002; a #1 ranking in 2002-03; a #3 rating in 2003-04; a #2 rating in 2004-05; another #1 ranking in 2005-06, a #2 rating in 2006-07, a #1 ranking in 2007-08, and now a fourth #1 ranking in 2008-09. “We’re ecstatic, actually,” says Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley Resort president and general manager. “To receive this prestigious honor two years in a row is simply amazing. Everyone around here is all smiles. The fact that SKI magazine readers, who are avid skiers, travelers, and lifestyle enthusiasts, continue to give us the ‘thumbs up’ makes us very grateful and humbled to have received this award. Deer Valley Resort has been built around a commitment to excellence in service and to have achieved #1 among with other top world class resort destinations is truly an honor. As always, this award reflects the efforts of our many Deer Valley employees who give it their all every day to be the best, and to make Deer Valley the best.” Aside from being named the #1 Resort overall out of the 60 North American resorts that receive rankings, Deer Valley ranked winningly in many individual categories. Highlights included the Resort being given #1 rankings for grooming, service and on-mountain food, Deer Valley has placed #1 in these categories since SKI magazine has been tracking ratings. The Resort also received #2 rankings for access, lodging and dining. More than 20,000 SKI readers are surveyed for its “Top 60 Resort Guide” by an independent research firm. SKI readers ski an average of 23 days a year. The ski resort survey is the most comprehensive and longest-running in the winter sports industry. Some of the personal comments about Deer Valley in this year’s surveys include: “These people know how to care for their clients and their snow”; “It’s hard to go to any other resort after you have been pampered at Deer Valley”; “Deer Valley is great for families – we love just about everything about it”; “Nice terrain variety – love the lack of snowboarders”; “Deer Valley continues to improve a platinum product year after year”; and “Deer Valley has it all – a skier’s paradise.” For more information on Deer Valley Resort or its #1 SKI magazine ranking, please contact Resort Communications Manager Erin Grady at (800) 424-DEER (3337) or (435) 645-6522, or visit deervalley.com. Park City Mountain Resort has once again been ranked a top five ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI magazine. Park City Mountain Resort first broke into the prestigious top-five in the 2004-05 season and since then, has received this top ranking three times. “It is an honor to once again be ranked as one of the top five ski resorts in North America,” said Peter Curtis, president and general manager of Park City Mountain Resort. “Over the years we have directed a lot of our resources to enhancing the on-mountain experience for our guests. Specifically, identifying ways to allow more of our guests to explore the 3,300 acres of terrain our mountain has to offer. It’s certainly not coincidental that the categories where we saw the most improvement in the surveys were terrain variety/challenge, service and family programs.” Park City Mountain Resort started implementing changes as it related to the on-mountain experience two years ago. The first enhancement was the development of the Resort’s groomed Signature Run program which allows intermediates the opportunity to experience advanced terrain. While black diamond runs are typically not groomed because of their difficult nature, the Signature Runs tame some of the challenge while still providing a sense of accomplishment. The Resort also developed a new mountainzone concept by sectioning out the trail map and color-coding it. Each mountainzone features a variety of terrain so nearly every ability level can enjoy the area. In addition, the Resort integrated a new interactive tool where guests can create tailormade tours based upon their ability levels and terrain preferences. Over 100,000 tours have been printed off by guests and used to explore the 3,300 acres Park City Mountain Resort has to offer. The Resort was also the first in North America to guarantee a maximum class size of five children or less in its Kids Signature 5 Program, for skiers and snowboarders ages six to 14, every day of the season. Plus, students can choose lunch of their choice in one of our on-mountain restaurants. In addition, the Resort’s new Online Vacation Planner, introduced last season, allows families to explore all of the adventures that Park City has to offer before even packing their bags. Personal itineraries that include details on all activities can then be printed and used as a guide once they reach Park City. “We have also placed a strong emphasis on cultivating a work environment where team member take pride in what they do and how they do it. “Without the hard work and dedication of our friendly employees, we would never be able to maintain a high level of service to our guests,” added Curtis. More than 20,000 SKI magazine readers are surveyed for its “Top 60 Resort Guide” by an independent research firm. The ski resort survey is the most comprehensive and longest-running in the winter sports industry. Playing It Safe on The Farm How safe are you on your farm or ranch? According to the National Safety Council, during the past year there were 715 deaths and 80,000 disabling injuries attributed to agriculture. This year, the council recognized National Farm Safety and Health Week Sept. 21-27. The week was dedicated to the wellbeing of America’s farmers and ranchers. The Farm Bureau Safety and Health Network sponsors a national safety week every spring. Its educational efforts, coupled with those of the National Safety Council each fall, reach farm and ranch families at two key times of the year—planting and harvest. Since children especially are at risk for farm-related injuries, many Farm Bureaus are focusing on talking directly to school students about farm safety. For example, the Uintah FFA Chapter recently hosted A.J. Ferguson, Utah Farm Bureau Director of Farm Safety, who came and shared messages with students about the importance of tractor safety on the farm and roadways. Ferguson also talked to kids about the need for operating other equipment safely and paying special attention in compromising situations, such as being tired or otherwise impaired. A similar training took place in Sanpete County, where elementary school students attended a Farm Field Day and learned about agriculture, in addition to ATV safety and the potential dangers of playing around tractors. The Farm Safety program has also been active in the community, with the only state-wide bilingual safety program, aimed at helping migrant workers perform safe farm practices. Working with the Utah Labor Commission, the Utah Farm Bu- reau Farm Safety program visits Utah Farming operations to ensure worker safety and productivity in the agricultural community. There are many factors to consider when it comes to farm safety, such as hearing, skin, lung and vision protection. Safeguarding measures like putting rollover bars on tractors, wearing goggles and applying sun block all play important roles in a producer’s well-being on the farm. The Farm, Bureau would like to encourage all to make safety a habit. Take the time to ensure your safety and the safety of others. To learn more about how you can play it safe on the farm, contact A.J. Ferguson at 801-2333006 or check out the Farm Safety and Health Week Web site at: http://www.nsc.org/necas/Healt hWeek2008.aspx. Photo of The Week Go Classifieds! It Pays! 336-5501 Optical Illusion - not really - truck is tipped downhill (and on its side) and everyone is standing upright with gravity. Check through your photos and send us your best ones. Sharing with others help to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Grandparents especially need to show off those precious little ones!!! Wives can showcase their hubbies greatest moments for posterity or a cute moment involving your pets. Just bring them to the office or send them by mail. |