We are wrapping up peanut harvest in north Florida, and farmers are reporting variable results this year. Irrigation had some benefits in our drier areas, although it did not completely alleviate effects of high temperatures this season. Harvesting weather has been near ideal, with few rain events during the months of September and October. The sandy …
Continue reading ‘Feeding America…..One PEANUT at a Time (video)’ »
The Tri-State Row Crop Climate Learning Network was treated to a tour of several farms in the Monticello area, hosted by UF/IFAS Extension Jefferson County. The tour included a visit to the Brock Family Farm, where Kirk Brock utilizes a rotation of corn, peanuts, and soybeans. Kirk described the land he farms not as dryland, but rather “irrigated by God.” If my memory …
Continue reading ‘Jefferson County Farm Tour Part 2 (Video)’ »
There is a rich history of tobacco production in Columbia County. In the 1950s, there was over 20,000 acres of tobacco grown in the state of Florida. That is reduced to just a handful of growers on a small number of acres today. However, several local growers are optimistic that organic tobacco production will offer an opportunity …
When farmers in the area gain or lose cropland from year to year, sometimes a center pivot irrigation system needs to be relocated to another farm. In one recent case, the property was sold, and the farmer owned irrigation system was moved to a nearby property. It is usually mid-winter when I see one of these …
Continue reading ‘Moving Irrigation Systems (down the road)’ »
We were able to get in to harvest the Columbia County Corn Hybrid Trial in between rain showers last week. I’m really thankful for the effort of the team from 83 Farms, as well as all the help from our seed industry, including Monsanto, Pioneer, and Croplan Genetics. This was a late planted field of …
Continue reading ‘Columbia County Corn Hybrid Trial (Video)’ »
North Florida farmers have been working hard to get their corn crops harvested. Silage harvest is mostly finished, and the earliest planted corn has air dried to about 16% moisture for those who don’t use driers. Late-March planted corn is being harvested and dried in between rain showers. Throughout North Florida, farmers are collecting data …
It has been quite a relief to some local farmers, with the grain markets heading upwards and corn mostly past the dent stage, that we will pull off harvest of this corn crop. Corn silage harvest is well underway, and in just a few weeks grain combines will begin harvest. They tell me that the escaped …
I have been part of several meetings where we asked agriculturalists to identify potential uses of UAS, or Unmanned Aerial Systems for agricultural applications. Most of the suggestions are consistent; scouting, biomass measurement, precision pesticide mapping, checking remote fields, etc. The experts tell me we are just scratching the surface of possible uses in agriculture. …
After a slow and soggy start to peanut harvest, the dust is flying across North Florida. Here is a short video from the Starling Farm in Suwannee County. The peanuts were dug in good soil moisture and much of that soil dries around the plant roots. The job of the combine head is to knock some …
I have summarized the corn yields from the Columbia County Grain Corn Trials hosted by 83 Farms, LLC at a farm in Ellisville, FL. This local information helps our farmers, Extension, seed dealers, and seed industry to make better management decisions including hybrid selection, and responses of hybrids to particular field conditions and management practices. …