For large-scale leafy greens production, precision, productivity, and reliable support are essential. One family farm in the Desert Southwest is acting proof to how Ecorobotix’s ARA Ultra-High Precision sprayer can help meet those demands.
For leafy greens growers, weed control is a race against time. Large acreages, changing weed pressure, and tight operational windows leave little room for delays. Finding a solution that combines effective thinning and weeding with consistent field productivity is increasingly important. For David Nickerson, a grower on his family farm in the Desert Southwest, cultivating approximately 6,000 acres of leafy greens, Ecorobotix’s ARA precision sprayer offers a promising way to address these challenges.
Working alongside Keithly-Williams Seeds, an agricultural equipment & seed dealer serving the western United States, Nickerson has been evaluating how ARA fits into his operation. His experience highlights three priorities for modern lettuce production: maintaining ground speed, adapting field practices to precision technology, and having the right support when it matters most.
Maintaining Ground Speed When Field Conditions Change
One of the biggest advantages Nickerson sees in ARA is its ability to maintain a consistent working speed across different field conditions.
“To me, the biggest thing that sets it aside from its competitors is the ground speed. It doesn't matter if you have heavy weed pressure, light weed pressure, or you're thinning. You can almost always do the exact same ground speed,” Nickerson explains.
For a large-scale leafy greens operation, consistency in the field can make a meaningful difference. When weed pressure changes, growers need equipment that can keep pace with their operational demands rather than forcing them to slow down. Nickerson also explains that heavier weed pressure may require adjustments to the amount of product applied, but he values the machine’s ability to maintain its speed.
“You use a little bit more chemical if you have heavy weed pressure, but nothing slows the machine down, and that's what I love about it.”
For growers managing large acreages, this consistency can help make field operations more predictable across changing conditions.
Precision Technology Requires a Different Approach
Adopting new technology also means being prepared to adapt existing practices. Nick Copass, Sales Manager at Keithly-Williams Seeds, explains that ARA met the needs of Nickerson and many other customers by helping lettuce growers thin and weed their fields more quickly and at a reduced cost.
As Nickerson explains, adopting the technology initially required some consideration.
“When we were first introduced to the ARA, we were a little skeptical at first, but once we continued to see it run, saw other growers starting to implement it, I really started thinking about the ARA and how it's going to be as good as the grower makes it.”
Nickerson also highlights the importance of adapting planting practices to get the most out of the machine.
“You do have to change how you plant to be able to thin. You do have to change some parts of your operation, but they kind of give you the free will to do whatever you want with the machine, and the company backs and supports you.”
For growers considering precision spraying, this is an important part of the evaluation. Technology adoption is not simply about adding a machine to an existing workflow. It is about understanding how equipment, planting practices, and field management can work together to achieve the desired results.
Support That Extends Beyond the Equipment
For both the grower and the dealer, reliable support was a key consideration in evaluating ARA. Copass emphasizes that even the best dealer cannot deliver a successful customer experience without a manufacturer that stands behind its equipment. Growers need confidence that help will be available when questions or technical issues arise.
“The one thing that was important for me in the evaluation of the ARA was the support that we're going to get from the company itself,” Copass explains.
He describes why manufacturer support is essential to building confidence among growers:
“I could be the greatest dealer in the world, but if the equipment doesn't work and the manufacturer doesn't support the dealer and the dealer can't support the grower, they're fearful and they're not going to try the piece of equipment.”
Copass praises Ecorobotix for listening to the needs of the U.S. market and working with its dealer network to establish the right support structure.
“I think what's been masterful on Ecorobotix's part is the fact that they recognize that we've had long conversations about what staff and support look like, and they actually listen to the US consumer.”
For Nickerson, access to technical assistance is an important part of operating advanced agricultural equipment.
“When you have issues, you call somebody domestically, they remote in and they try to get you going as quick as they can because it is technology and we are going to have issues with it.”
Copass adds that the ARA team is readily available to support growers and dealers in the U.S. market. He explains that the combined support network helps growers understand that assistance extends beyond the local dealer to include the manufacturer and its technical team. From initial setup and training to troubleshooting and adjustments, this collaboration helps growers integrate the technology into their operations and address challenges as they arise.
For growers adopting advanced agricultural technology, reliable support can be just as important as the equipment itself. Having access to people who can help get the machine running, make adjustments, and provide guidance in real time can make a meaningful difference in a demanding production schedule.
See What Precision Spraying Could Mean for Your Lettuce Operation
Every growing operation has its own challenges, from weed pressure and planting practices to labor availability and the need to cover large acreages efficiently. The right approach starts with understanding those challenges and evaluating how precision technology can fit into an existing system. Ecorobotix’s ARA precision sprayer is designed to bring a more targeted approach to crop care, helping growers rethink how they manage weeds and thinning in their fields.
Interested in exploring precision spraying in lettuce and leafy greens? Learn more about ARA.
