Early summer across the Cotton Belt often means weed and disease pressure, but it also signals that coveted first cotton bale of the season.
This year Wesley Vanderpool in Alamo, Texas, harvested that first bale June 23 at 1,989 lbs of cotton with the Stoneville ST4990 variety. Vanderpool’s harvested bale was then ginned at Willacy Co-Op Gin in Sebastian, Texas, by manager Chris Breedlove.
The bale will be auctioned off at the annual First Bale of Cotton Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser happening on Sept. 15 in Harlingen, Texas.