The Sprinkler Nerd Show

This week, I'm in Palm Springs, California, helping build a LoRaWAN data layer across a private golf course. The first use case is simple: BLADE soil moisture sensors in the greens, giving the superintendent real-time insight without relying entirely on manual field scouting. But the bigger opportunity is the network itself. This isn't command and control. The irrigation controller already owns that job. This is a separate, open data layer — one that can support soil moisture, pressure, rainfall, water level, weather, flow, and whatever else we become curious enough to measure. Every golf course needs a data layer. And maybe every large landscape does too. Follow your curiosity. Try something. See what happens. Stay curious, my friends.

What if you could spy on an irrigation system without ever touching the controller? Welcome to Irrivoyeurism. In this quickie episode, Andy explores how a simple soil moisture sensor can reveal the hidden behavior of an irrigation system—from how often it waters and how long it runs to how quickly the soil dries down between irrigation events. For decades, if you wanted to understand an irrigation schedule, you went to the controller. Now you can go straight to the soil. Because every irrigation event leaves a signature. The soil becomes the diary of the irrigation system, recording what actually happened instead of what the controller says was supposed to happen. Drop in a sensor. Watch the data. Follow the evidence. The soil tells the story.

What does it really mean to be real? In this short solo episode, Andy shares why authenticity has become one of the most important ideas shaping his life, business, and leadership. From admitting you don't have all the answers to trusting data over assumptions, this episode is a reminder that curiosity and honesty often build more trust than certainty. Andy also reads a heartfelt message from a young irrigation professional whose journey perfectly captures the spirit of the Sprinkler Nerd community—a group of people committed to learning, improving, and raising the standard together. Whether you're leading a team, serving customers, or simply trying to become a little better every day, this episode is an invitation to show up as yourself. Sometimes the most powerful words we can say are: "I don't know... but I'll find out."