North Carolina Cotton Grower, Stuart Askew, “Owns the Early”
Askew, a fourth-generation cotton farmer in Eure, NC, is a prime example of someone who embodies the spirit of “Own the Early.” With a passion for agriculture dating back to his childhood, he began growing Stoneville® cotton with his father and now manages a thriving 800-acre farm that yields cotton, soybeans, wheat, and corn.
BASF sat down with Askew, husband and father of three, to discuss how he “Owns the Early.” From farming at a young age to always having a proactive approach in his operation, Askew exemplifies the power of preparation and hard work in the agriculture industry. Discover how his early start has been beneficial to his business and how he continues to lead the way in cotton farming.
What is your morning routine like?
SA: The first thing I do is fix my wife’s coffee and then feed my three little ones. Sometimes I take two of them to school, and the third one to the babysitter. I spend time with the kids a lot during mornings in the spring because there’s a lot of nights I’m not home to help put them to bed.
When are you making your seed selection?
SA: Most of the time when I get done with harvest. When I start getting my general reports back, and I’m looking at my data. I’ve already ordered my seed for this year back in January.
How do you make your seed selection? What do you consider?
SA: It helps that I’ve grown Stoneville cotton all my life with my dad. In 2019, we won the Stoneville Legacy Club contest with ST 4990B3XF, but I’ve learned to try out a variety every year, and if I like it, the next year we might keep it. I also pick my cottonseed based off of soil type too. I try to watch weather patterns to help determine if I need to plant early that year. I look at PGR response and stress tolerance for lack of rainfall. I put a lot of emphasis in the expertise of our Extension Cotton Specialist for North Carolina. I look at all their data plus BASF’s APT trials because they’re testing new stuff before I’m testing it.
What is your experience in growing Stoneville cotton?
SA: We’ve had very good luck growing it throughout the years. We have really seen an increase in yield and vigor as far as the seed coming out of the ground. And their support behind the cottonseed is phenomenal.
What does own the early mean to you as a grower?
SA: This year they call El Niño year, which means we’re going to turn into a wet off-and-on pattern throughout the rest of the year. When I hear that, it means I need to be planting early. So when I plant early, that means now through the time of planting, I’m gonna be going through my equipment and will have my planters in the shop. They’re gonna be going through everything with a fine-tooth comb because that’s my biggest tool in the spring. I don’t have time for breakdowns. I put a lot of time in preventative maintenance.
How do you take an early approach to managing weeds?
SA: I’m getting ready to do a burn down now. And the earlier I can get those sprayers n the field, the better because that’s kind of our weakest link because it’s so time-consuming. Throughout the season I use a combination of Liberty, Engenia and Outlook herbicides.