Imagine being able to control everything in your garden or even on a farm through a computer.
A project through Virginia Tech is testing that idea.
A beautiful plot of land looks like any Roanoke County farm.
But below the surface and behind the scenes, there's a lot more to it.
Soil sensors are just part of the Smart Farm at the Catawba Sustainability Center.
There's also an underground irrigation system; all controlled by computers.
The system allows farmers to control exactly what goes where.
This means nutrients aren't wasted, and less water evaporates, saving farmers money.
Everything is controlled by a computer in an old barn.
But the data is also available and can be controlled by a Smart Phone.
With the information, researchers can even analyze how one row of crops is healthier than another.
All valuable tools for a changing world.
The challenge now is making the technology affordable for the average farmer.
