Cotton Grower Chris King Owns the Early
The word “early” often elicits a positive response. It means you’ve planned ahead; you’re prepared and you’re ready. For cotton growers, it’s no different. Being early with your planning, planting and harvest can all be key factors to a successful season. BASF sat down with Chris King of Worth County, Georgia first-generation farmer, Stoneville® cotton customer, and proud new father to son Campbell — to talk about what it means to “Own the Early” in cotton farming.
King started his 600-acre cotton and peanut operation in 2017. He is also a farm manager for a local produce company. While King has a full plate like most farmers, unlike many, he doesn’t start his early mornings with a pot of coffee.
No coffee? What keeps you standing throughout the day?
CK: Yep, and I don’t drink a lot of soda either. It’s weird, but I don’t require a lot of caffeine.
So, what does an early morning look like to you?
CK: I wake up between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., usually out and about before daylight. I’ll grab a biscuit from the store, and if there was rainfall, I’ll ride around the farm and check it out. Then I’ll check my emails.
You just had your first baby though, right? Do mornings look different to you now?
CK: Yes, I try and help my wife out as much as I can in the morning. And I have to be quieter getting ready. There is no waking the baby!
How do you get an early start on seed selection?
CK: I usually make my seed decisions before the end of the year. I reach out to the University of Georgia and see what trials they have. I’ll check with BASF on their Stoneville cotton plots. I take variety trials into consideration every year when choosing my seed.
When is early planting to you?
CK: Depending on the weather, I try and plant the week after Easter. I’ve been really happy with Stoneville cotton seed because of the early emergence, which means my cotton is getting out of the ground quicker than others.
Why is early emergence key for you?
The earlier the crop gets out of the ground and establishes stand means it’s going to be stronger. A stronger crop equals higher yields for me. It also means I’m harvesting sooner, likely missing a chance of a hurricane or frost.
Most important question: How early are you going to get your son Campbell involved in the operation?
CK: He already is. He was born on Oct. 4, right during harvest, and at about three weeks old, he was plowing peanuts with me. He was asleep in his mother’s arms the entire time, but he was there.