Aim For The Best Yield With The Most Profit
⋅ BY CARROLL SMITH ⋅
EDITOR
In 1872, Ben Huerkamp moved from Germany to the United States and settled in Ohio. His son, Frank, farmed there until the 1960s when he got tired of milking cows in the frigid weather. Frank decided to swap cold for mud, moved south to east Mississippi and bought 1,000 acres.
Not being familiar with growing cotton, he partnered with the man from whom he bought the farm for several years while he got his feet under him as far as learning about this new crop. Today, two of his sons — Jack and Joe — farm cotton and corn in Noxubee County near Macon with their sons Brandon and Tyler, respectively.
“Jack and I grew up playing in cotton wagons, following the help around and bothering them and enjoying everything else young kids do on a cotton farm,” Joe said. “All together, there were five siblings — three brothers and two sisters — and we all helped with the farm. We are very steeped in cotton.”
Jack and Joe both completed degrees in agricultural economics at Mississippi State while continuing to farm with their dad. As time went on, they bought land of their own. Jack and his wife operate Lamp Partnership, while Joe and his wife call their farm The Oaks. Each of the farms is about 75% irrigated.
The brothers both work with crop consultant Nelson Stevens, who grew up with them in Macon, and base their treatments on Stevens’ recommendations.
“He walks the fields and really covers the ground,” Jack said.
Long Time NPE Growers
They also participate in the Deltapine New Product Evaluators Program and have been since it began in 2008. Jack and Joe alternate growing the NPE candidates from year to year, but they both walk the plots and pay attention to the varieties throughout the growing season.
PHOTOS BY BRIAN PRIDE PHOTOGRAPHY
In 2024, Joe conducted the NPE trial at The Oaks.
“We had all ThryvOn varieties in the plots, and they were comparable to our other varieties,” he said. “We are seeing a progression where the yield is picking up on the ThryvOn varieties.”
Jack says he loves being in the program and building knowledge in agronomy.
“We learn about the new varieties from growing them on our land under our management,” he said. “We feel like it’s worth the effort.”
Outside of the NPE plots, Joe pointed out that the varieties they choose to grow on their farms every year have to fit their operations.
“We’ve got to plant what gives us the best return and the best yields,” he said.
Jack added, “When we are choosing varieties for the upcoming season, we look at yield, yield and yield. We also want good quality characteristics. We farm for the best yield with the most profit. That’s not necessarily the highest yield we can make.
“In 2024, I grew 2328 B3TXF, 2211 B3TXF, 2127 B3XFand 2333 B3XF. This year, nearly half my acreage will be 2211 and most of the remaining acres will be 2333. I also will plant a little bit of a couple other varieties just to see how they do.”
Joe said he planted a large amount of his acreage in 2024 to 2333 and plans for it to be his primary variety this season based on its yield performance.
“In this Black Prairie, we tend to have higher yields — usually around a 1,550-pound average,” he said. “Barring hurricanes, our grades are typically very good since our ground is so strong. Our farms are rolling. We are not in the hills. We build terraces, catch the water in the winter and pump it out — mostly with center pivots — during the summer. Everything we do revolves around water management.”
In the fall, the Huerkamps take their cotton to Bogue Chitto Gin on Deerbrook Road in Noxubee County. In fact, they were part of a group of farmers who pledged money in 2012 to get the facility built and expand the ginning capacity in the county. This past season, Bogue Chitto ginned more than 100,000 bales under the direction of general manager Aaron Litwiller and ginner Jonathan McBride.
“This gin has been an economic boost to our county and surrounding counties,” Joe said. “It’s allowed people to plant cotton when they couldn’t before.”
Cover Crops
Jack and Joe are also proponents of wide beds and cover crops. They use this practice on 100% of their acres.
“I plant black oats behind cotton because the cover crop goes in later in the year compared to planting one behind corn, and crimson clover doesn’t grow off very well at that time,” Jack said. “I’m also looking for a biological balance of fungi and bacteria — a soil/nutrient balance.
“Your nutrient balance pushes your biologicals, which grow the best when all your nutrients are in balance. And most of the fertilizer comes out of biological activity by breaking it down and releasing it to the plant. The fungi and bacteria need to have access to a plant growing out in the field with living roots.
“The cover crop has root all through the winter, and in the spring the roots really build up. They send sugar down to the fungi and bacteria, and then the fungi and bacteria send fertilizer up to the plant.”
Jack also noted cover crops help with erosion and produce organic matter.
“Erosion itself is enough reason to plant cover crops, but as a bonus, you have these other advantages that go along with it,” he said. “My excitement right now is gearing everything up to enhance all of that.”
Inspired To Farm
Despite all the challenges involved with farming, Jack said he is inspired by watching the crops grow.
“From the time I drop the first seed in the ground, I can’t wait for the cotton to come up,” he said. “I watch the cover crop grow, too. I love to watch all my crops grow throughout the season, from the beginning to the end.”
Joe said he enjoys working with his son and is beginning to work with his grandchildren on the farm when they are not in school. “Working with them keeps me interested, and to stay in business in today’s environment, we have to farm politics as much as we do row crops. Until the day I don’t enjoy it, I am going to keep farming.”