Cotton Grower Rob Fleming Owns the Early
Growers know the importance of early when it comes to the field. Early planting can mean early harvest. Early planning can mean preparedness, possibly fewer challenges. But early for growers with families, that can mean more time with their loved ones, alongside copious amounts of coffee.
BASF met with Rob Fleming of Halifax, North Carolina, a Stoneville® cotton farmer that has been farming for more than 20 years, to discuss what “Own the Early” means to him and his team.
Fleming runs a 2,850-acre operation with his brother John Fleming. In addition to cotton, the Fleming brothers grow peanuts, soybeans, corn and small grain. Rob oversees the fields, while John handles the finances. Rob is no stranger to early mornings, with two small children and a long morning commute, early is all Fleming knows.
What is your morning routine like?
RF: I have a 65-mile commute every morning from home to the farm. This time is used more as an opportunity rather than a setback though. I typically will use this time to look at the weather, what happened the day before and take the time to make my management plan for that day. This is also a great opportunity to chat with my brother for about 15 minutes on the way in about the to-dos for that day.
How important is having a plan for your workday and team?
RF: Having a game plan is key. Again, that long drive to work really helps me comb through my thoughts and be ready for my workday. It allows me to think about my team, my fields, and my crops, how things are performing, what needs to get done to keep things running smoothly and keep our timeline on track. If I didn’t have a plan, nothing would get done and no one would know what to do.
When do you make your seed selection, and what kind of things do you consider in the early stages of that selection process?
RF: We get an extremely early start on this selection process compared to most growers. We are typically making this choice right after we finish harvesting. We make this decision based on performance. This allows us to make a blanket order right then and there. We know that varieties such as ST4990, ST5091 and ST4595 have worked very well for us over the last few years.
As a grower, when you hear the word “early,” what do you think of?
RF: I think of large seeding, early crop protection and early harvest, which results in coming home early to spend time with my family.
When it comes to that early crop protection, what products do you use on your farm to ensure strong yields?
RF: We use a lot of residuals. Things like Liberty® herbicide and Engenia® herbicide. We want to protect every little bit of our field block and find these products do a great job.
You have two small children. How are you preparing them for a possible future in agriculture?
RF: I have two daughters and two nieces. With women in agriculture growing and becoming more common, I have no doubt they will thrive in this world, if that is what they choose. If my daughters or nieces choose to come back one day and work on the farm, or if their husbands choose that, then great. However, if they choose a different route, that is okay too. That is why we do this — to provide them the best possible future no matter what that looks like.
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Engenia Herbicide is a US EPA Restricted Use Pesticide. Additional state restrictions may apply. A pH buffering adjuvant, like AEGOSTM or SentrisTM Buffering Technology, is required in every application of Engenia herbicide. Engenia herbicide is only approved for use in Dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybean (or DT cotton). See the label for more information. Engenia, Liberty, and Stoneville are registered trademarks of BASF. AEGOS and Sentris are trademarks of BASF.
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