Expecting the Unexpected
March 2, 2009 When I decided to grow a half acre of cotton, the purpose was to learn more about the production process and experience on a small scale what growers endure every season. I knew the journey would include some twists and turns – teaching me along the way – but I wasn’t expecting any hiccups the first week. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Lesson Number One: Anything can happen. You’ve got to have a good plan, but you’ve got to be flexible as well.
The first hurdle I had to cross was my late start. Because I wasn’t sure Drew’s Half Acre was going to be a reality until early March, I’ve had to play catch-up fairly quickly. Not sure where to start but wanting to jump right in, I drove down to my farm one Saturday afternoon to take a few soil samples. The most fertile fields at my family’s farm are currently planted to wheat and will rotate to soybeans later this year. The remaining acres are in timber and grassland, mostly used for hunting and recreation.
I had a couple of spots in mind for my half acre, so with sample boxes and a sharpshooter shovel in hand, I went to collect my dirt. Not a glamorous job, but a necessity none the less. I followed directions on the internet for taking soil samples, and it only took about 30 minutes to get what I needed. That was easy enough, I thought to myself – this farming thing is no big deal. I tossed the boxes in the back of the truck and grabbed my fishing pole to see if I could entice a spring bass with a spinner bait.
The first curve in the road came when I received my soil test results. The two places where I wanted to grow my half acre weren’t ideal, to say the least. The pH was at 5.1 and my values for phosphorous, potassium and boron were very low. For these fields to grow cotton well, I needed almost two tons of lime applied – about nine months ago.
Fortunately, I could grow my cotton in the third field I tested. The pH was 6.0, and other nutrients measured at optimum or near-optimum levels. I hadn’t planned on farming this field and only took the soil sample there as an afterthought. But in farming, plans change, and now this was going to be my half acre’s home.
The next Saturday, April 7, I planned on spraying my half acre with Roundup to clean up the field before disking and other preplant preparations. When I cranked the tractor on that “spring” morning, I understood why farmers also have to be weathermen – conditions can change in a moment’s notice. I don’t have any past experience to base it on, but I am told that driving a tractor in 37-degree weather isn’t a common occurrence. Neither is wearing a heavy coat and scarf during April in Mississippi.
The cold front hit all across the Cotton Belt that weekend, from West Texas to Florida. I talked to a few producers at the Texas Gin Show in Lubbock who said they had snow on Easter morning. I was there the very next day for a fairly intense dust storm. Farmers can plan a lot, but some things are out of their hands. To help mitigate those unforeseen circumstances, planning is an integral part of a successful farming operation. Helping me along with that process is John Bradley, director of research at the Agricenter International. If that name sounds familiar, it should be. For years, John organized the Milan (TN) No-Till Field Day and was an early advocate of no-till crop systems. John has been gracious enough to help guide me along this season, and his advice is well appreciated.
By next month’s column, my cotton “operation” should really get cranking. I should have my field planted and looking for good weather. Until next month, see you in the field …
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