We're back on the radio

   Thanks to the generous support of Greg and Karen Musson, of the GarTootelian Co., "This Week on the Farm' is back on the radio. If you are in the area you can now here us on KMJ radio on week days.

   I wish a photograph could show how the cotton has grown this week. 

Heck, I wish I could tell how pretty this cotton looks to a farmer. The cotton is loving this weather. It has really jumped this week. We got the fertilizer on this week and we started spraying herbicide on the weeds. By the end of next week we will start furrowing out. Then we wait. We will start the first irrigation by the tenth of June. The question is when to start? If we start too early the plants will bolt, growing stalks and not bolls. We don't get paid for stalks, we get paid for bolls. If we wait to long, the cotton will get stressed in the heat and not produce properly. I'll keep you posted.

   The wheat has really changed this week too. At the beginning the week it was mostly faded green like in the foreground. BY the end of the week the fields have turned to pale gold. The milk in each wheat kernel is starting to dry down and become doughy. Then it will dry down completely and be ready to harvest the end of June or beginning of July. We are done watering. Now we wait.

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 Advisors 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 thought I would leave you with a picture of the neighbors onion field.

I hope Y'all have a great week.