Specialists Speaking

I hope 2021 started out right for you. Here in the Texas High Plains, we have finally been blessed with some moisture, even if in the form of snow. The first half of January brought anywhere from 4 to 9 inches to much of West Texas. After melting, that may not amount to much, but we are certainly grateful for ... Read More »

We met in a conference center lobby at Jekyll Island. I didn’t know him or what he did. It was his first day on the job. I was there to recap the season for growers at a Farm Bureau policy convention. I later realized, he, as president of a large seed company, was there to take a tongue lashing about ... Read More »

There was promise for a great cotton crop in Florida this year until late in the season after the weather had been good for the rest of the growing season. As cotton began opening, several tropical storms and hurricanes delayed both peanut and cotton harvest with peanuts being harvested first as is normal. Peanut harvest was delayed two to three ... Read More »

So far, 2020 is the year that keeps on giving. We can’t seem to catch a break, and most folks are ready to get this year behind us. Despite all the challenges we’ve faced, we have a substantial top crop — albeit late maturing — that has developed since early August. We were all hoping for fall weather similar to ... Read More »

With limited irrigation water in many areas and some difficult early and midseason problems with lygus in parts of the San Joaquin Valley, we have a wide range of yields across fields this year. Under limited water situations and generally warm, dry weather this fall, many growers are seeing good to very good performance of harvest aid chemicals. Preparations for ... Read More »

October is the main month for cotton harvest in Florida. There are often tropical storms or hurricanes that can affect harvest timing and result in low yield and quality even though a good crop is made through good management over the previous four months. Many of our peanut/cotton farmers set a priority on getting peanut harvested before cotton harvest begins ... Read More »

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a saying first attributed to a 1530s animal husbandry book in reference to sheep dogs. I’d like to think it doesn’t apply to cotton growers and ag professionals. With that assumption, I’d like to propose two harvest-time challenges. • A Quick Plant Map. After defoliation but before harvest, take 5 minutes ... Read More »