"Automation boosted my yield and improved my quality of life"

For a grower like Gideon, with 50 years of experience farming high-value table grapes in a region with extreme temperatures, the daily battle against the climate is relentless. Managing the delicate balance inside his covered vineyard was a manual, high-risk effort—until he integrated the GrowDirector automation system.

"Before automation, my day was dictated by the thermometer," Gideon recalls. "I had to walk into the vineyard multiple times a day, sometimes every hour, just to check the temperature and decide whether to open or close the curtains." The constant travel and the ever-present risk of a sudden storm damaging the greenhouse structure made the operation incredibly stressful. "If you don't get there at the right time, you could lose a curtain or the roof," he explains.

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The turning point came when Gideon integrated GrowDirector directly into his farm's existing infrastructure. "Without needing to replace my motorized curtains or overhaul the greenhouse structure, the system took over," he says. It now autonomously manages the climate, opening and closing the curtains to maintain the optimal temperature.

This shift from manual reaction to automated precision not only eliminated the constant worry and travel but also unlocked a new level of insight. "The system records all the data," Gideon notes. "You begin to learn new things—insights you never had before, even after 50 years of farming. These are things that ultimately improve the crop."

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For Gideon, the move to automation was about more than just convenience. It provided peace of mind, enhanced crop management, and a better quality of life. "It changed my life completely," he concludes. His story demonstrates that adopting smart, non-disruptive technology can be a pivotal step for growers looking to increase resilience and focus on what they do best: growing.