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FARMING ON THE HIGH PLAINS OF TEXAS • APRIL 2015 • ISSUE 6, VOLUME 1 HIGHPLAINSAG.COM
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE Texas Tech’s Meat Judging Team
CEILING BREAKTHROUGHS COTTON DAY AT THE CAPITOL THE NUT BEHIND THE SPREAD ECONOMICS OF GRAPE GROWING
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INSIDE: HIGH PLAINS AG MAGAZINE Efficient.Effective.Proven
Cotton
Corn
Peanuts
Texas Tech Excellence
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Gardening ............................................................ p16 Extension Update ............................................... p18 Farming Photos ................................................... p18 In The Field ........................................................... p19 Field To Fork......................................................... p19
ABOUT HIGH PLAINS AG MAGAZINE High Plains Ag Magazine, based in Lubbock, Texas, is proud to feature local articles about farming and ranching on the High Plains of Texas. For more information, please contact one of the representatives below:
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COTTON
Back row (L-R): Shawn Wade, Johnie Reed, Brent Nelson. Front row (L-R): Steve Verett, Mary Jane Buerkle, Martin Stoerner. Not pictured: Mike Hughes
COTTON DAY AT THE CAPITOL 2015
More than 40 cotton industry leaders from across the state converged on the Texas State Capitol in Austin on March 24 for “Cotton Day at the Capitol,” an event held each legislative session.
The goal of “Cotton Day at the Capitol” is to visit with legislators and agency leaders and extend the industry’s appreciation for their support of cotton, which is the No. 1 cash commodity crop grown in Texas. Issues discussed included water, boll weevil eradication, and research that has led to the development of new seed varieties, improving yield and quality. “We are fortunate to have many friends in the Texas Legislature who understand the cotton industry and its importance to the state’s economy,” PCG Executive Vice President Steve Verett said. “Cotton Day is an opportunity to remind them of the issues that are important to us as an industry and to cotton growers in particular. “For example, when it comes to boll weevil eradication, we certainly have come a long way and actually have been able to reduce the amount of funding we seek from the state because the program has been successful, thanks to the tremendous partnership between the state and our cotton producers. However, there still is work to do across the state to ensure that this devastating pest is eliminated from Texas cotton fields.”
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The event was led by Texas Cotton Producers, which is comprised of nine regional certified cotton grower organizations including PCG; El Paso Valley Cotton Growers Association; Trans Pecos Cotton Growers Association; St. Lawrence Cotton Growers Association; Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association; Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association; Blackland Cotton and Grain Producers Association; South Texas Cotton and Grain Association; and Cotton and Grain Producers of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Other organizations involved in Cotton Day included Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association; Texas Independent Ginners’ Association; Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council; Texas Cotton Association; Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation; and the Texas Pest Management Association. Those participating from PCG were producers Mike Hughes of Lamesa, Brent Nelson of Sudan, Johnie Reed of Kress, Martin Stoerner of Lockney, and PCG staff including Steve Verett, Shawn Wade, and Mary Jane Buerkle. _________________________________________________ Mary Jane Buerkle, Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. 806-792-4904 - maryjane@plainscotton.org Lubbock, Texas
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2014 / Page 7
CORN
PROMOTING A GROWING FUTURE Agriculture faces a number of obstacles. From the obvious hindrances of Mother Nature to the manmade hurdles of issues surrounding practices, health and more. Texas Corn Producers strives to continue market development on behalf of farmers, while engaging the next generation of agricultural leaders.
TCP serves the state’s corn farmers through two organizations, the Texas Corn Producers Board and the Corn Producers Association of Texas. TCPB is a statewide board funded by a voluntary checkoff program. Checkoff funds are used for research, education and promotion to further the corn industry in Texas, and to create better marketing opportunities for farmers. CPAT is the legislative arm of Texas corn farmer representation on both a state and national level. CPAT’s mission is to build a strong organizational support system for corn that will represent the interests and concerns of farmers from all regions of Texas. It is more important than ever that consumers, urban media and policy makers understand the importance of agriculture in their daily lives, as they are increasingly removed from the nation’s agricultural roots. TCP participates in a number of educational programs at state and national levels, and works closely with key thought leaders in the state to make them aware of the importance of agriculture to the state’s economy and consumers. These efforts help children, consumers, media and legislators understand agricultural practices and corn’s value to them, regardless of their distance from the farm. The organization partners with the U.S. Grains Council and the National Corn Growers Association to develop and maintain market opportunities for Texas farmers through corn export markets, as well as ethanol and its co-products. One such exciting promotion is held in conjunction with the AAA 500 NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway each fall. This year will be the third year of this outreach to race fans about American Ethanol at the track. To say that NASCAR has one of the most intense fan bases in sports would be an understatement. With that same kind of passion, corn farmers in the Lone Star State bring their message about the benefits of American Ethanol to race fans with one of the largest ethanol promotions of the year.
Page 8 \ April 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
“NASCAR races are a great opportunity for Texas corn farmers to make a connection with the public and speak with them about the importance of the ethanol market,” Scott Averhoff, the TCPB chairman from Waxahachie, says. “It also gives Texas Corn Producers an opportunity to dispel any myths and misinformation that consumers might have heard while giving them to the chance to ask their own questions.” TCP has placed a priority on equipping the next generation of farmers with the tools they need to play an active role in the industry. At its 2014 NASCAR event, TCP engaged new leaders in the corn industry. Several of these new leaders were participants in the organization’s inaugural Leadership, Activism, Networking, Development (LAND) program last fall. The program’s goal is to train young farmers to become more knowledgeable of the corn industry and gain insight to leadership opportunities available within the agricultural industry. TCP is beginning to accept nominations for its Second Annual LAND program to be held Sept. 18-20, 2015, in Fort Worth, Texas. Information about this program is available on the TCP website at www.TexasCorn.org. This year, TCP is furthering its leadership programming by holding an Advanced Training for Agricultural Professionals program in early September in Fort Worth, Texas. This program will provide valuable insight on advanced management of a farm, providing farmers the tools to have a thriving operation. Information on this new program can also be accessed on the TCP website.
An emphasis on nurturing leaders in the agricultural community is not a new concept for TCP. TCP has funded the Texas Agriculture Lifetime Leadership program since its inception. TALL is a valuable program that allows emerging agricultural leaders from across the state to gain a diverse insight into the industry on a state, national and international level. Additionally, the organization has long-funded congressional internship programs through the agricultural colleges at Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University. Promoting the industry and educating agricultural leaders is just a part of TCP’s mission. Learn more about the organization online at www.TexasCorn.org, or follow TCP on social media. _____________________________________________ Stephanie Pruitt, Communications Director Texas Corn Producers Board, Corn Producers Association of Texas Lubbock, Texas
PEANUTS
PEANUT...THE NUT BEHIND THE SPREAD Spending approximately $800 million a year on this spread, it is safe to say it is a love of many, if not most, Americans. Through its various applications on toast, in a sandwich, in a pie, and the always-favorite: with chocolate, peanut butter has stolen the hearts of the American public. What about the nut behind the spread? While March was national peanut month, Texas Peanut Producers Board encourages consumers to celebrate the nut everyday of the year. In March, the industry joined together to recognize all the peanut can do. With approximately 540 peanuts in each 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, the peanuts are more valuable than imagined. Throughout March, the peanut industry took social media by storm. The National Peanut Board kicked off the month with a #PeanutPower Twitter chat for dietitians and nutrition-minded folks. The chat covered a number of topics – focusing on the many benefits of a peanut-enriched diet. Peanuts alone have more than 30 essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients leading to balanced dietary health helping those with gluten intolerance or diabetes. Containing more protein than any other tree nut, peanuts are really a bang for your buck.
“It is great to celebrate the nut, not only in March but all year long, and educate others on the nutritional value in everyday living,” Shelly Nutt, the TPPB executive director, said. “Peanut farmers always love to share the value of the peanut and this is the perfect opportunity to spread the knowledge.” According to a study conducted by Vanderbilt University and the Shanghai Cancer institute, among 200,000 people in the study, peanut-eaters decreased deaths by 21 percent and reduced cardiovascular deaths by 38 percent. Because of all of these health benefits and the delicious taste, peanuts are the leading snack nut, accounting for two-thirds of the snack nut market. But peanuts and peanut butter are not the only applications of peanuts. Either boiled in shell, roasted, covered in a chocolate candy coating, ground into peanut flour, extracted for peanut oil, or creamed into a delicious spread, the peanut is an essential piece to a healthy and “nutty” life. Don’t limit yourself, eat more peanuts and other peanut products to celebrate an amazing nut! Visit the TPPB website, www.TexasPeanutBoard.com, or follow TPPB on social media for more ways to celebrate the underrated legume, the peanut. __________________________________________________________
Stephanie Pruitt, Communications Director Texas Peanut Producers Board Lubbock, Texas
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FEATURE STORY
Pursuit of Excellence
“We fight like a family. We love e other like a family. We are toge all of the time like a family. I feel re close to these people. I feel like are going to be a part of my life here on out. There is no getting out of it.” - Erin Klein
Texas Tech’s Meat Judging Team
The tradition of excellence continues within the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech after the meat judging team made a clean sweep at the Houston Livestock Show Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in March. During a contest, participants evaluate, rank, and defend their ranking on different species and cuts of meat. The contest is composed of placing classes, in which 4 exhibits are ranked based on economically viable traits such as meat quality and cutability; reasons, where participants defend the placing of their class; specifications, where the participants evaluate sub-primal cuts of meat to ensure they are cut to industry standards; and grading, where participants assign USDA quality and yield grades to numerous carcasses. The team took first place in Houston by winning the beef judging, overall beef and reasons categories. This win made Tech undefeated for the season. “The team’s success so far this year is solely attributed to the work ethic, determination and outstanding character of the students on the team this year,” said Bo Hutto, meat science graduate student and meat judging coach. “I have never seen a group of people who work so hard to ensure the success of their team by working together so unselfishly.” Page 10 \ April 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
Hutto has been coaching the team since last fall, alongside fellow meat science graduate student Dan Crownover and Mark Miller, professor and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Distinguished Chair in Meat Science. “Meat judging is a great opportunity for students to develop themselves into great leaders and communicators,” Hutto said. “The process of making critical decisions in a stressful and intense environment and then defending those decisions is a skill that will be invaluable to the students as they leave the program.” Clay Bendele, team member and sophomore meat science business major from Hondo, Texas, placed first individually in Houston. “The tradition of success here at Tech is something I have admired since high school,” he said. “All of the National Championship banners Tech has hung in recent years definitely encouraged me.”
e love each e together I feel really el like they my life for
Photos By: Ashley Saed “Have fun and have faith,” Klein said. “If you have those two things, you are going to be successful at anything you do.” The team has a motto: “Striving for Honor in the Pursuit of Excellence.” Team member Darby Gonzales, a sophomore from Hondo, Texas, said she lives by this motto every day.
The skills learned through this contest are not the only things students take away from being on the team. Bendele said the relationships he has gained will continue throughout his life and career. “I think that judging has helped me come out of my shell,” Bendele said, “and it has given me the opportunity to meet tons of new people and friends.” Bendele said he describes the team as a family and believes their relationship has led to the success of the team.
“I could never have imagined that being on the meat judging team would impact my life so much,” she said. “I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to be involved in such a prestigious organization.” Earlier this spring, the team also won meat judging competitions at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver and the Southwestern Livestock Exposition Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in Fort Worth. The team will return in the fall to continue the 2015 judging season. They will compete in Pennsylvania; Omaha, Nebraska; Friona, Texas; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the National Championship Contest.
“I attribute our team’s success this spring to our coaches, and our cohesiveness as a team,” he said. “The coaches have not only coached us to the best of their abilities, but have emphasized the meaning of being a team.”
“I am very hopeful that our success will follow us through the last four contests,” Gonzales said. “Win or lose, though, it is sure to be an unforgettable experience.”
Along with being a family, Erin Klein, a team member from Littlefield, Texas, said there are two other things that made the team successful.
Michelle Hochstein Agricultural Communications Student Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
_____________________________
www.HighPlainsAg.com / April 2015 / Page 11
WINE GRAPES
This is a harvest of my Merlot winegrapes grapes from 2014.
THE SHORT VERSION ECONOMICS OF WINEGRAPE GROWING. With depressed prices on traditional row crops, it would be easy for me to say that now would be the time to invest in wine grapes. Which, you probably should. As a winegrape grower, my goal is to grow maximum quality grapes that make at least $7,000 - $10,000 per acre. That’s my goal. The investment in winegrapes can be significant but if you want to make money, you have to spend money. On average, growers will spend about $10,000 per acre establishing a new vineyard. Costs include vines, planting labor, irrigation, trellis systems, t-posts, etc. The plants will live as long as 50, 75 or 100 years and begin producing a crop in it’s 3nd year after planting. Once established, my goal is to not exceed expenses of $3000 per acre, per year. That includes pruning, labor, fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide and harvesting. If I’m over that number, it’s because I invested in a new piece of equipment like frost protection or a new tractor. How much can I harvest in a single year? Well, that depends on the variety. Some grapes will produce 10 tons to the acre and some will produce 2 tons to the acre. As growers, we have to find that middle ground between tonnage and quality. Just like with cotton, you have to produce a quality product if you want to be paid well. Contracts on winegrapes start at $1500 per ton and can go as high as $3000+ per ton, depending on the quality of your fruit, tonnage, type of grape grown, etc. Traditonal stalwarts like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir do not grow as well as Tempranillo and Sangiovese. Chardonnay does not grow well here either but we do grow a white grape called Viognier which is leading our Texas white wine grape
revolution. In order to be profitable, it’s important to choose the right variety that can produce quality fruit and command a good price. Most vineyards have multiple grape varieties which helps increase the odds of having a successful harvest each year. We see the future for winegrapes and it’s full steam ahead. Over 350 wineries in Texas cannot buy enough of Texas’ grapes. Right now, we have almost 5,000 acres of winegrapes planted statewide and that number grows every year. We need more than 25,000 acres of winegrapes to meet AND exceed our state’s growing consupmtion for wine for this year alone. That number will grow next year when more wineries open and increase the need for more wine grapes. Short story, we need more growers. On Friday, April 17th, Neal Newsom will host his annual Newsom Grape Day in Plains, Texas. He’ll have a host of speakers that will talk about grower challenges and solutions, winery needs and an opportunity to meet other growers from all over the state. It’s a free event that lasts all day and is a great place to start. On Saturday April, 18th, the High Plains Winegrowers will have their annual Soiree Party at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock. Attire is “Texas After Five” and this premiere event will feature Texas Wine paired with Texas Cuisine. Tickets are avilable online at www.highplainswinegrowers.org. __________________________________________________ Rowdy Bolen is Publisher of High Plains Ag magazine and grows wine grapes in Smyer. He is also on the board of the High Plains Winegrowers association. Visit www.highplainswinegrowers.org to learn more about growing wine grapes
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2014 / Page 13
SORGHUM
BREAKING THROUGH THE YIELD CEILING Mike Henson knew his crop looked good, but he wasn’t expecting what he saw on the yield monitor as his combine passed through his Hockley County sorghum field last October. Producing a winning yield wasn’t on Henson’s mind when he planted the crop last April. Sorghum had become an important part of his crop rotation with cotton, and although he had grown 200-plus bushel sorghum in the past, the lingering drought left him cautiously optimistic for high yields in 2014. However, with a good fertility system, some beneficial summer rains, and a little luck, Henson found himself looking at a whopping 245.94 bushels per acre on the yield monitor as he slowly maneuvered his combine through the thick field. The soaring yield from his Pioneer 84P80 irrigated grain sorghum earned him the Irrigated Bin Buster Award in NSP’s 2014 Yield Contest. “I remember looking at the field thinking it would do well, but I never imagined we would hit what we did,” Henson said. “I made about a half a pass around the field and then just parked the combine, called my elevator and county agent, and said ‘Y’all are going to have to get out here to see this for yourselves.’”
Henson farms a total of 9,000 acres on the South Plains of Texas near Levelland where he grows cotton and sorghum in a rotation along with some wheat ground. He also grazes 500 mamma cows on his sorghum stalks following harvest, which allows him to take advantage of high cattle prices. It should come as no surprise that Henson would achieve a high sorghum yield. Even before his hefty yield success during the 2014 growing season, he was an advocate for sorghum in the heart of cotton country, encouraging fellow growers to treat it like a primary crop. While participating on a grower panel during a Jan. 2014 Sorghum U event, he made it clear sorghum plays an important role on his farm. “For years, all I was focused on was cotton,” Henson told a crowd of growers. “I knew I had to get to the point where I wasn’t treating my milo like a stepchild. I needed to start treating it like my cotton.” He began mixing sorghum into a rotation with his cotton years ago, but didn’t see significant yields until he began treating it like a primary crop. “It is not uncommon now for me to hit between 10,000- and 12,000-pound milo (214 bu/ ac),” Henson said. “That’s a good range. If everything falls right, and I’ve got the fertilizer down, that’s when it starts inching up above 12,000 pounds.” “On a 100-acre farm with 75 acres of cotton and 25 acres of sorghum, I can make as many bales of cotton on that 75 acres as I could on the 100,” Henson said. “Sorghum is the cherry on top.” That primary crop treatment centers on a good fertility system in sorghum, he said. Henson applied a total of 240 units of nitrogen to his winning crop last year. “It does take a lot of nitrogen to get over 12,000-pounds,” he said. “I put nitrogen down three times, including composted manure and liquid nitrogen. On my irrigated sorghum, I got the rains at the right time, so I came back and kept fertilizing.” Page 14 \ April 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
Sorghum allows Henson to get the most out of his available water. He plants the crop in mid-April, applies needed irrigation throughout the growth process, and then pulls back irrigation on his sorghum by July 4. “By planting [sorghum] early, I can water it, get it up, and then start watering my cotton,” he said. Unless something changes in the next 30 days, he said he will go half dryland milo and half dryland cotton. “I’ll do that for the simple reason of milo prices are good and we had great winter moisture, and cotton prices are low,” he said. “Cotton is an expensive crop to grow. Plus, after having cotton after cotton after cotton planted, the rotational benefits of sorghum are the biggest thing.” Henson said the total irrigation applied to his 62 acres of 246-bushel milo was 600 gallons. “Then that same water went on 116 acres of cotton and produced 1837-pound lint in the same year,” he said. “That’s the big reason I use milo.” “My grandfather instilled in me years ago that you have to take care of the land if you want the land to take care of you,” Henson said. “And, I think growing sorghum as part of a rotation is part of what he was trying to get across to me.” Thanks to hard work by the sorghum industry, Henson said there are now more options available to make the crop increasingly attractive to growers. “We now have options in the form of better hybrids and strong markets that we just haven’t had in the past,” he said. “But now we have those options, and things are looking really good when it comes to sorghum.” In an effort to reduce the number of trips through the field, Henson plans on trying out 20-inch rows, as opposed to his normal 40-inch rows, on one sorghum block this year. “I think it will help get the ground covered quicker, which will keep the weed pressure down and prevent moisture loss,” he said. “Plus, I won’t disturb the soil as much, so it will be more like a minimum-till situation.” Henson’s 246-bushel yield was enough to earn top honors in the 2014 NSP Yield Contest, but it was oh-so-close to earning him an even bigger prize—a pick-up truck. NSP and the Sorghum Checkoff offered incentives to growers entering the 2014 yield contest to reach the 250-bushel mark. Henson was a mere 4.06 bushels away from driving away with a three-year lease on new pick-up of his choice. Despite the close call last year, he isn’t shying away from giving 250 another shot in 2015. “I’m definitely going to do everything I can to get there,” he said. “We’ve had great winter moisture, so all we need is a little heat and we’ll be ready to go.” ________________________________________________ Lindsay Kennedy, National Sorghum Producers United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Lubbock, Texas As published in the Spring 2015 issue of Sorghum Grower Magazine
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GARDENING
GARDENING ON THE HIGH PLAINS
People are really starting to get the gardening bug, with all the warm weather in late March. With plenty of moisture this winter, this is coming together as a great gardening year.
year with very limited success, because I also had mine in the air with legs, and this proved disastrous because at night the air temperature would not let the soil stay warm.
Many of you may remember your parents or grandparents planting gardens, for some of those it was a necessity to feed their families. Now, it is a great hobby and also a great opportunity to enjoy fresh produce for you and your family.
Other ideas include hanging tomatoes, which are great for apartments; aquaponics, which are great for those into symbiotic environments; and also container gardening, which utilizes pots, old shoes, and troughs.
As I have talked to many friends who garden, there seems to be some history with each one. Whether what Grandmother would say is the time to plant, or maybe what your father always said grew the best in West Texas. There usually is a connection to family in each person’s garden; which makes it even more of a great family activity.
A great way to garden is all organic. This means that no pesticides or added chemicals for nutrition are added. This takes more thought and time, but there are many natural methods to growing a garden that make it even more worthwhile.
Scott Stephenson, a home gardener from Shallowater, has spent several years building up a compost layer of wood chips and cotton burrs to establish a weed barrier for his row vegetables. This 2-3 inch packed layer keeps weeds from emerging and holds in valuable moisture. Once you add the ability to water directly to the roots via an underground drip line, you have a great setup to grow a strong vegetable plant. Scott usually creates a large vegetable garden with Squash, Black-eye Peas, Okra, Tomatoes, Onions, and assortment of peppers. There are many new fads to home gardening and some are great ideas. The raised garden beds are popular, since they “raise” the plants closer to you off the ground usually 12”-16” inches. Also, many are using wood pallets. I tried this last
Growing a garden is something that is inherently part of our High Plains culture. Whether you are growing your own garden in your backyard or picking up vegetables from a local farmers market, there is a sentiment of simplicity from eating a “home-grown” vegetable; and for me the benefits both in nutrition and soul are well worth the time. What are some secrets to your gardening? What types of vegetables are you growing? And what stories could you share about gardening in your family? Please share for our May Magazine! Anthony@highplainsag.com ______________________________ Anthony Maye, High Plains Ag Magazine
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BIG ENOUGH TO SERVE YOUSMALL ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU. www.HighPlainsAg.com / April 2015 / Page 17
EXTENSION UPDATE DAWSON COUNTY: Dawson County Extension Agent Gary Roschetzky reported having approximately 45-47 thousand of irrigated cotton and around 220 thousand acres of dryland cotton among other crops for this growing season. The annual cotton growers meeting will also be held in Lamesa on April 7, 2015; Mike Conaway will be speaking at this event. _________________________________ HOCKLEY COUNTY: Producers in Hockley County are preparing to plant a strong cotton crop among other crops. Extension Agent Wes Utely said, there will be an event hosted in the coming month within his county that would be greatly beneficial to growers. The regional sorghum
meeting will be held in Levelland on April 6, 2015 and is open to all growers in the area that are interested in growing grain sorghum in the 2015 year. _________________________________ GARZA COUNTY: Garza County youth is heavily involved in many upcoming spring contest. Extension Agent Greg Jones said, many students are preparing for the upcoming shooting sports contest to be held in Garza County. From an extension standpoint, Jones will be representing extension at a wildlife program meeting, Tex-Dot will be hosting, to prepare farmers and ranchers for the upcoming wild fire season. _________________________________
LUBBOCK COUNTY: Lubbock County has been buzzing with excitement between producers preparing for the 2015 planting season, 4-H youth gearing up for spring contest and many workshops hosted throughout the county. Extension Agent Mark Brown said most producers are prepping their fields with herbicides and hoping for another rain now. Brown also said Lubbock County is striving to better prepare producers by hosting a series of profitability workshops in the area. These workshops are open to all growers and more information can be found at: agrilife.org/southplainsprofit. ________________________________ Kayla Wilkins Agricultural Communications Student Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
FARM PHOTOS - SUBMIT YOUR PICTURE VIA EMAIL TO ANTHONY@HIGHPLAINSAG.COM
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IN THE FIELD
WHERE WILL COTTON BE IN 2015?
Probably the biggest question mark of the year. But with cotton in the 65 cents range, making a profit this year is possible. Look, I don’t know everything there is to know about growing cotton. But I do run several successful businesses and that’s what farming is, a business.
We all recognize the need to take care of weeds early and take care of them fast before they become a problem. Having to spray multiple applications of Roundup will eat any farmer’s profits this year. Moisture has been good this year. At my farm in Smyer, we received 26 inches of rain from June 1st to November 30th. That’s a lot of water! On top of it, we’ve added snow and rain this winter and it’s helped fill our moisture profile.
My one word of caution would be to not skimp on the inputs this growing season. If you cut back on pre-emergent, you’ll have to spray more herbicide later in the spring. If you cut back on fertilizer, the crop won’t be as big. If you cut back on weed control, you’ll be fighting the weeds all summer. If you neglect to fix equipment this summer, it could cause you delays in harvest. Farmers have to be more like businessmen than ever this year. I suspect I’ll see spreadsheets filled with equations determining profit/loss breakdowns on laptop computers sitting in trucks in the field. Unfortunately, you’ll spend hours modifying these spreadsheets only to have that looming question, how much will the crop will bring when it’s harvest time? We are in the perfect setup for a great crop this year and something tells me that cotton will be higher than we expect in the end. Have faith and run your farm like a business. ____________________ Rowdy Bolen - Publisher, High Plains Ag
FIELD TO FORK - ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS...MMMMM ! Have you started planning your summer garden yet? Bell Peppers are a vegetable that even I (a non-greenthumb person) can grow. So, after making my list of seeds for the garden, I went grocery shopping. It is no wonder that the fresh, beautifully colored bell peppers that you see pictured, called my name. Of course, having a hankering for fresh veggies anyway, I responded! And, they did not disappoint! Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers make any meal elegant, the children love them and best of all - you will be surprised at how easy this recipe is to whip up! No one would ever guess! But, now that you know, let’s keep it as our little secret! ________________________________
Dina-Marie Oswald is the author of Cultured Palate blog and lives with her family in Brownfield where they work their family vineyard.
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INGREDIENTS: 6 bell peppers 1 lb ground beef or sausage, preferably grass fed 2 c. water 1 c. rice 1 onion, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce 1 1/2 Tbsp oregano 1 1/2 Tbsp basil 1 tsp cilantro 1/2 tsp garlic 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper butter or olive oil INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small pot, bring water to a boil and add rice - cook until tender. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the
seeds. I use the tops diced in salads or you may saute them with the onions. While the rice is cooking, in another boiler, saute the onions in butter or olive oil until translucent. Add the ground beef to the onions and brown. Add the remaining ingredients including the cooked rice to the ground beef mixture and stir well. Place the bell peppers in a baking dish and fill with the stuffing mixture. Add 3/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Place in preheated oven and cook for 45 minutes - the peppers should be tender but not limp. Enjoy!
www.HighPlainsAg.com / April 2015 / Page 19 10/17/2014 4:33:06 PM
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