Because we live in such a fast-moving world these days, bombarded by hysterical Chicken Little cries that “the sky is falling,” it’s often difficult to maintain a positive perspective. I believe the antidote is to slow down for a...
One of the big questions in the cotton industry is what does the millennial generation think about farming in today’s economic environment? The market is not that great, inputs are costly, and the global trade situation is iffy at...
In the world of agriculture, a lot can happen in a year. During the early months, your equipment may be sitting idle in the shed most of the time, but your mind is already shifting gears in preparation for...
For me, Nov. 1 signals the approach of Thanksgiving and brings to mind all the ways in which we are blessed. It’s ironic to be writing this with only a scrap of filtered light coming through the window and...
Shared memories from our past are the links of an invisible chain that create a sense of place and a permanent bond among those who experienced a common geography.
I belong to a Facebook group made up of folks from...
As members of the agricultural community, everyone works hard. You set lofty standards for yourselves because achieving goals is hardwired in your psyche. You consciously or unconsciously set the bar higher and higher and convince yourself if you try...
Within a few years, California farmers will have to pay $15 an hour minimum wage and time-and-a-half overtime for anything over eight hours under new regulations. That is, if they can even find reliable workers.
A number of producers have...
As part of their daily routine, farmers stand in the fields looking up at the sky to try to determine what cards the weather is holding. They can’t control what is going to happen, but they can make decisions...
Technology is a tool that when paired with know-how can change our lives for the better. Over the past century, technology has revolutionized cotton farming. The list is extensive, but this issue of Cotton Farming talks about a few...
While interviewing University of Georgia cotton specialist Dr. Jared Whitaker about cotton blue disease, he wrapped up by saying, “The more people we have working on this issue, the quicker we can figure it out.”
It occurred to me that...
Sometimes it’s fun to look back 10 years to see where we stand in relation to that time. In March 2009, former Cotton Farming editor Tommy Horton’s cover story was titled “Don’t Mess With Texas: Lone Start State Proudly...
When Bon Jovi’s hit song “Livin’ on a Prayer” was released three decades ago, it quickly rose to the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 chart on Valentine’s Day 1987, according to Billboard. The lyrics particularly appeared to...
An anonymous quote that popped up recently on my social media feed says, “A rich man buying you something means nothing, but a busy man giving you his time means everything.” I am not sure I agree with the...
When a new baby comes into the world, everyone scrutinizes each little detail to see what has been passed down from one generation to the next.In this month’s My Turn column, Tennessee cotton specialist Tyson Raper recalls “farming a...
In looking back at the 2018 season, a multitude of adjectives come to mind that describe the weather and field conditions. Wet, hot, dry, windy, sunny, muddy — they ran the gamut this year. Some areas fared well, while...
