Getting Warm in Cotton Country, and That's OK!

...for the cotton.
   Our cotton seedlings are up and growing. The weather has been fabulous. As long as it stays under 95 it will be perfect ...for the cotton. The first true leaves started growing.
   We got the beds cultivated to keep the weeds down. This next week we will start fertilizing. The soil sample results came back and we shall fertilize accordingly.
   We have been putting the final irrigation on the wheat. I got the lab results back on the wheat tissues. They have plenty of nitrogen, so we don't have to have to add any more fertilizer. We'll finish watering the first field on Monday and start the final irrigation on the second field.

This is a neighbor's well. As things start warming up there will be a whole lot of irrigation going on.

   The almond leaf samples showed we are s little low on nitrogen and phosphorus in the almonds. We will spoon feed a little more fertilizer on with the next irrigation. There's always something going on.

It’s Not Just for Doctors, Nurses and Lawyers

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright February 2013

               You may be surprised to know there is continuing education for farmers.
            As a kid I was surprised to learn that our neighbor, who was a nurse, had to go to school. I didn’t know grownups had to go to school, I thought that was just for kids. [ Like most kids, part of me was wondering, will I ever get out of school?] Mom explained that there were always changes in medicine and nurses had to take classes to keep up and keep their licenses.

            When I started farming I found out there is continuing education for farmers too. To keep my applicators license I have to take so many hours of classes every year. In addition to required classes the Farm Advisers and the universities constantly offer classes, workshops and field days to report their latest findings and introduce the latest technologies.

            It’s pretty interesting. In one sense farming is an ancient profession- one of my main jobs is to stick seed in the ground like farmers have done for ten thousand years. But, farmers today also use computers, satellites and lasers every day.

            I need to keep going back to school to keep up on the latest innovations in an ancient profession.

I hope you all have a great week.

P

"A Second Gold Rush"

   You can find beauty almost anywhere. I have been driving by these fertilizer tanks for years. I have thought about taking a picture of the shadow from the stairs, but it wasn't until this week I took the time to stop.

   Another busy week on the farm. We finally got the almonds at the house irrigated. The wind died down and we started the water. The trees seem to have appreciated it. They perked up almost immediately. I hate no-win decisions. I was stuck with; 1- water them and have the wind knock some down, or 2-don't water them knowing it would hurt the trees and the crop. I work hard to not get backed into corners like that.

   We got the tissue results back from the lab and the wheat is fine. We don't need to fertilize again. One more quick shot of water and we are done.

   We could 'row out' the cotton this week. I walked across the fields pulling soil samples and it was great to see the cotton coming up. It will be a long season, but we are off to a good start. The forecast is for warm weather and that will help the cotton grow.

A Second Gold Rush

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright January 2013

               At the Agriculturalist of the Year luncheon last November, Barry Kriebel, President of Sun Maid Growers, said that dried fruit was California’s “second gold rush.” You know, he’s on to something. Dried fruit isn’t as sexy and exciting as a good, old-fashioned gold, gold rush, but it was a great thing for all of us. On top of that it has lasted longer than California’s first gold rush. Farming is a renewable resource. We have been shipping dried fruit from the Valley, all over the world for over a hundred years now.

            I think dried fruit is another one of those things we take for granted because it’s all around us. I am a big fan. Golden raisins are my favorite. I put them in when I make granola. I love dried apricots. I first ate them when I would go hiking, now I’ll eat them anytime.

            I don’t know about your doctor, but mine wants me eating more fruits and vegetables. Dried fruit is just another way for me to chow down on the good things we grow here in the Valley. Barry Kreibel is right, dried fruit is a second- and yummy, gold rush.

I hope Y'all have a great week!

Cotton Planting 2013- The Seedlings Are Up!

   I wish I could explain to you how beautiful this is for me as a farmer.

The cotton seedlings are coming up. The weather this week has been a little unstable. It was windy and cold for a few days. Then beautifully warm. There is more wind on the way. I still haven't watered the trees here at the house. Too risky. We will wait until after this next wind storm.

In the meantime-
   We have been watering and fertilizing the wheat. We have also finally finished the replants in the orchard. Another busy week on the farm.

You Can Take the Kids Out of the Country…

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright January 2013

               I am proud of my kids. Neither one wants to farm and that’s OK. We raised them to be independent and they are good at it. What I have noticed is-you can take a kid out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the kid.

            Our daughter teaches fifth grade. Last summer she finishes a long, hard school year. Does she take a break? Nope. She spends three weeks painting the insides of her new home and then starts her masters program.

            Our son just finished five and a half years in the Army. Two of those five years were extended camping trips in Afghanistan. Not farming, but lots of long days working outdoors.

            Our son-in-law was raised on a turkey ranch. He worked for a food processor a good chunk of last year. He had a lot of ten, twelve and fourteen hour days. No clock punching for him.

            None of them farm, but they took the lessons they learned growing up on the farm and applied them in their work. You can take the kids out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the kids. Fortunately they learned a few good habits growing up on the farm.

I hope Y'all have a great week.

Cotton Planting 2013

This is what the planter looks like from the tractor seat-

Talk about gambling. What would you do? Soil temperatures and weather forecast were above average, but there was a storm forecast to come through the Valley the end of the week. Do you plant or not plant? 
    Did I mention there is a lot at stake on this roll of the dice? The University of California has done research that shows the first week can make a bale to the acre difference in yield. Blow this and there is no way to make it up. (Do you see why going to Reno or Vegas just doesn't seem like a challenge?)
   We went ahead, and so far it looks good. By Friday we had an inch and a quarter root on seeds we had planted on Monday. That is very good. We started pulling caps off on Saturday. Maybe by next weekend I can show you pictures of little, baby cotton plants.

In other news-
   Do you remember those almond buds and blossoms from last month?

They grow up fast don't they?
This week we have also been irrigating wheat and re-planting almonds. Spring gets busy on the farm. Next week we will- finish de-capping the cotton, keep watering the wheat,finish re-planting almonds, spread an bait, start watering the trees again ---there's always something to do on the farm.

Baling Wire

            Farmers are notorious for fixing things with baling wire- because it works!

            You can use baling wire to fix all sorts of things. I have seen baling wire-

            Hold on hub caps

            Stitch a fan shroud together

            Used as fence ties

            Tie down tools and tool boxes

            Clean out plugged fertilizer tubes

The list goes on and on. There are times when you are just not near town to get what you need from the store and you gotta get the job done. So, a lot of farmers keep baling wire under the seat in their truck or stowed in the bottom of their tool box with the duct tape and the vise grips.

            Modern life has created a new problem. Hay growers aren’t using wire to tie bales anymore. They have gone to using polypropylene twine. That may be handy for the dairy guys, but I can’t make an emergency muffler hanger out of twine. The heat will burn right through it. So, instead of recycling used baling wire, I now have to buy wire to have on hand for emergency repairs.

            They may not be making baling wire anymore, but that doesn’t mean my need for quickie repairs has gone away.

I hope Y'all have a great week.

P