11 minute read
October/November 2022 | Southeastern Peanut Farmer
A Look Inside October/November 2022 | Peanut Harvest Guidebook
IN THIS ISSUE
10 | WILLIAMS FAMILY SERVES AS GRAND MARSHAL
The Williams family were honored as the Grand Marshal of the Plains Peanut Festival parade.
13 | PEANUTS FOR THE WIN
Organizations partner with college football athletes to promote peanuts.
14 | YOUNG LEADERS TAKE ON TEXAS
Peanut Leadership Academy Class XII visit Texas to learn more about peanut production and media training.
19 | GEORGIA PEANUT ACHIEVEMENT CLUB
Fifteen Georgia farmers were recently recognized for their 2021 high yields.
DEPARTMENTS
8 | CHECKOFF REPORT
20 | WASHINGTON OUTLOOK 22 | SOUTHERN PEANUT
6
Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association
FIELD ROWS AND FIELD SHOWS
Jim McArthur, better known as Randy the Farmer, has taken the social media platforms Tik Tok and YouTube by storm. McArthur educates his followers about agriculture through educational and humorous videos.
On The Cover GROWERS UPDATE Jim McArthur, owner of Field Rows, shoots a video clip with his smartphone for another episode on his YouTube channel.
SEPF TEAM
Editor Joy Carter Crosby joycrosby@gapeanuts.com 229.386.3690
Director of Advertising
Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com 229.386.3472
Contributing Writing
Abby Himburg Richardson abby@alpeanuts.com 334.792.6482
Southeastern Peanut Farmer is published six times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April, May/June, July/Aug., and Oct./Nov.) by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. The publisher is not responsible for copy omission, typographical errors, or any unintentional errors that may occur, other than to correct it in the following issue. Any erroneous refl ection which may occur in the columns of Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-386-3690.)
Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.
Circulation is free to qualifi ed peanut growers and others allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton, Georgia and additional mailing offi ce.
Editorial Content: Editorial copy from sources outside of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with offi cial Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies. Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the editor. By-lined articles appearing in this publication represent views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.
Editor’s thoughts Events
Milestones
Our life is fi lled with different milestones, such as starting school, entering adulthood, getting married or having children. For those involved in agriculture, milestones may include winning their fi rst belt buckle at a livestock show, growing their fi rst crop of peanuts, receiving the American FFA Degree or becoming a Master 4-Her. This fall two farmers have reached milestones in their farming career - one with a prestigious award and another through harvesting their 71st peanut crop and an upcoming 100th birthday!
Scotty Raines didn't grow up on a farm, but his father kept a large garden at home. His mother, a beautician, had a beauty shop behind their house. So, Raines began his agrarian career by selling produce from the garden to his mom's customers. In 1991, Raines married Melanie and two years later began farming full-time with his father-inlaw. The farm has grown from 1,000 acres to 2,300 acres of cotton, peanuts, corn, watermelon, along with beef cattle. Recently, Raines was named the Georgia Farmer of the Year for the Swisher - Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Program. He was recognized during the 2022 Sunbelt Ag Expo. Another farmer reaching a milestone this year in birthdays is St. Elmo Harrison of Whigham, Georgia. Harrison will turn 100 on Nov. 27, 2022. He recently wrapped up harvesting his 71st peanut crop with the help of his family. Harrison is reaching a milestone most of us hope to reach one day. Congratulations and Happy Birthday from the entire peanut industry!
Scotty and Melanie Raines of Turner County were recognized as the Georgia Farmer of the Year during the Sunbelt Ag Expo. St. Elmo Harrison will celebrate his 100th birthday on Nov. 27, 2022.
Joy Carter Crosby
SEPF Editor
Alabama Farmer’s Federation Annual Meeting
Dec. 4-5, 2022, Montgomery, Ala. For more information visit alfafarmers.org.
Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
Dec. 4-6, 2022, Jekyll Island, Ga. For more information visit gfb.org.
American Peanut Council Winter Conference
Dec. 6-8, 2022, InterContinental Buckhead Hotel, Atlanta, Ga. For more info visit peanutsusa.com.
American Farm Bureau Convention
Jan. 6-11, 2023, San Juan, Puerto Rico. For more information visit fb.org.
Georgia Peanut Farm Show
Jan. 19, 2023, University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Ga. For more information, gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470.
Georgia Agribusiness Council Legislative Breakfast
Feb. 1, 2023, Atlanta, Ga. For more info visit ga-agribusiness.org or call 706-3366830.
Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show
Feb. 2, 2023, National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan, Ala. For more info call 334-792-6482 or visit alpeanuts.com or fl peanuts.com.
Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meeting
Feb. 7-8, 2023, Forrest County Multipurpose Center, Hattiesburg, Miss. For more information call 601-606-3547 or visit misspeanuts.com.
Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day
Feb. 8, 2023, University of Georgia National Environmentally Sound Production Laboratory (NESPAL), Tifton, Ga. For more info visit gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470.
Field rows and field shows
Jim McArthur is a Farmer to Follow
By Maddie Frost
Jim McArthur, better known as Randy the Farmer, has taken the social media platforms Tik Tok and YouTube by storm. He is well known for his comedic videos, especially when it comes to his infamous tripping and crazy wig. His fame due to his farming was a long time coming though. McArthur had always grown up around the farm, but farming had not always been in his plans. “Growing up, I wasn’t your normal farm kid that was all about farming and loved it,” McArthur says. “I tolerated farming, but dad always had me doing the grunt work that he couldn’t ask his main guys to do like leveling peanuts in the wagon at harvest.”
McArthur is now a secondgeneration farmer but his family’s involvement in agriculture goes back further generations. His grandfather owned the peanut mill, which back then was known as McArthur Croft Peanut. It is now Malone Peanut in Malone, Florida. Also located in Malone is the chemical and feed store that his father currently runs. The feed store began back in the early eighties. His father began farming in 1974 and is still producing crops to this day. Forty-eight years later, McArthur is still producing peanut, cotton, and small grains on the family farm.
McArthur’s interest as a young child was not in farming, it was in another evident love of his - video editing. He remembers at a young age playing with the old VHS type cameras. It was not long until he upgraded to the Hi8 camera, which was the fi rst digital camera. He remembers getting the new Hi8 camera when he was about in the 8th grade.
“I bought it from Sears, I remember that. It was like 600 bucks which was a pile of money back then,” McArthur says.
Soon after, McArthur began learning the process of editing videos. When it came time for college, he chose to go to Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida. McArthur continued to chase his love for video production with the end goal of being an editor.
Life quickly took off for McArthur. After two short years in college, he met his future wife, Damara, while on a cruise ship. She followed him to Panama City and their life began.
He stated that around that time he “just kind of got lazy to be honest. We were just at the beach all the time and I dropped out of college.”
After dropping out, he began a job with Sallie Mae Student Loans. He quickly realized he was not content answering phones. He felt it was best if he moved back home, and he would fi gure it all out once he got there.
It was 2009 when he decided to move back and once he got home, he never left. A few short years later, McArthur and his wife welcomed their fi rst child. Years continued to pass by, and McArthur continued to make videos for himself of small things around the farm. He quickly realized that YouTube videos heavily focused on farming were becoming a big hit and he decided to take a shot at it in 2020.
McArthur’s original game plan for his YouTube channel was for it to be cartoon-like and centered around kids. That was when his fi rst video was created called the “Kitty Kat Seafood Bar.” Regulations and restrictions got in the way and his channel then morphed into the farm video channel it is today throughout multiple social media channels. His channel is now widely known as "Field Rows."
Although McArthur’s success with "Randy" was never planned, he has become widely successful with roughly 339.2K followers. "Randy" began as a joke with his kids.
Jim McArthur shoots a video discussing peanut production at his farm in Malone, Fla.
McArthur’s children loved the idea of crazy Uncle Randy and Aunt Sandy. The crazy wig, tightly tucked in shirt, and constant falling brought humor for the kids, but what McArthur did not realize was the humor it would bring for the entire world. “Randy’s” career on Tik Tok took off when one of McArthur’s close friends, Jeff, suggested he should try out the new social media platform Tik Tok. From the very fi rst video, "Randy" was receiving a lot of traction. "People like to be entertained," McArthur says. "You can go out here all day and try to get into the science behind agriculture and there is defi nitely a demographic for that, but keep it light, maybe learn a little bit."
McArthur said the creation of the "Field Rows" videos has made him a better farmer because he has to ensure that what he is saying is factual. He does not want to tell his followers something incorrect, so he ensures that he fact checks himself and therefore he gains additional knowledge.
McArthur and his wife now have three kids all while running a farm and a successful social media platform and business. Although his plate stays quite full, he still gets to follow his true passion of creating videos. McArthur truly is living his best life doing the three things he loves most, raising his kids, farming and creating videos. His success now gets him noticed in public places, but he would not have it any other way.
Agronomist David Wright Retires from Florida
David Wright, agronomist at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida, retired recently after 45 years of service.
Wright's career with the University of Florida started in 1977. He has developed and delivered information to support farms across the state on agronomic crops with a signifi cant focus on conservation technology in the production of peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans, small grains, and oil seed crops.
Wright worked to improve best management practices like crop rotation, farming in the winter, and crop-livestock integration has
Ken Barton, Florida Peanut Producers Association executive director, presents a plaque of appreciation to David Wright, agronomist with the University of Florida, during the retirement celebration.
transformed how crops are being produced in many ways. His legacy will continue through his efforts to improve the agriculture industry.
Flint irrigation well program sign up
The sign-up period for a new cost-share program for irrigation wells in Southwest Georgia is now open.
Drought SWAP is a project designed to install deep aquifer wells for irrigators who rely on surface water in the Lower Flint River Basin.
If farmers are interested in participating, please visit the Drought SWAP webpage at https://ga-fi t. org/drought-swap/) to learn more, check their eligibility and submit an application.
The deadline to apply is December 15, 2022.
Drought SWAP is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Offi ce of Planning and Budget via allocations.
This Grant was established by the American Recovery Plan Act for infrastructure development and administered by the Georgia Water Planning & Policy Center at Albany State University.
Drought SWAP is a component of the Georgia Flow Incentive Trust (GA-FIT) which is an effort focused on enhancing drought response capacity to protect farmers, regional economy and natural systems.
For more information, visit the website, GA-FIT.org, email info@ga-fi t.org or call 229-430-2900.
The West Florida Research and Education Center celebrated their 75th anniversary in August following their fi eld day. Initial research at the farm included soil fertility requirements for all major crops grown in the area, as well as cultivar research on corn, peanuts, soybeans, grain sorghum, small grains and forages.
In the late 40s and 50s the WFREC was utilized to produce foundation seed of peanut, oat, soybean and bahiagrass cultivars which led to the beginning of the Foundation Seed Program in Florida.
The WFREC has always worked in close cooperation with the county Extension faculty of the Northwestern panhandle of Florida. Throughout its 75-year history, the research center has worked in close cooperation with growers, land managers and ranchers of the area, and with manufacturers and suppliers of agricultural products.
The research center also hosts a Farm to City event every year prior to Thanksgiving. The center uses school children to help gather and harvest the crops grown at the center. Then the food is distributed to help feed more than 1,000 families in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.
To learn more about the WFREC visit wfrec.ifas.ufl .edu.
