My agricultural agents and I met this week to coordinate our plans for the next couple of weeks. This is an extremely busy time of the year for us, because we are trying to provide a lot of informational meetings for our farmers.

One of the major activities coming up soon is the Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet. Each year, the Robeson County Crop Promotion Association and North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, provide an opportunity to recognize the major agricultural accomplishments in the county during the past year.

This annual banquet has been conducted for more than 40 years as a way to recognize those individuals who have made significant contributions to agriculture in Robeson County. Many of the farmers and agribusinessmen who have been recognized over the years have been responsible for making Robeson County one of the leading agricultural counties in the state. Some of them have been strong community leaders and have taken the lead in adopting new technology and demonstrating its potential to other farmers. Others have worked on the regional, state, or national levels with commodity groups or agencies to make sure the voices and interests of their neighbors are properly considered.

The winners of the corn, soybean, and wheat yield contests are also recognized at this banquet each year. It is always a treat to see farmers recognized for achieving certified yields that, in some cases, are almost unbelievable.

Rodney McLaurin, Extension Crops Agent, is coordinating this banquet. This year, the Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet will be held Tuesday, February 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension Center located in the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center, Highway 72 West, Lumberton. The featured speaker will be Bill Melton who will tickle you with his humorous stories about farmers, agriculture, and just growing up on a farm.

Farmers and agribusinessmen, along with their guests, are especially encouraged to attend this banquet. Others who are interested in agriculture in Robeson County are encouraged to attend as well. There is no charge for attending, but please call 671-3276 by Monday, February 9, and let us know you are coming, so we can make the proper arrangements for food and seating.

Because of rising costs, increasing pressure from weeds and diseases, and erratic weather problems, farming is becoming more difficult every year. It is increasingly important that all farmers have access to the latest information and technology possible.

McLaurin will also be providing several meetings over the next few weeks for our farmers to receive pesticide recertification credits, so they can keep their Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification Card up to date. Some of these training sessions will provide recertification credits for dealers and commercial applicators as well.

McLaurin is working with the crops agents in Hoke and Scotland Counties to provide the Tri-County Cotton Meeting on Thursday evening, February 5. He will also provide several in-depth meetings for field crops producers. A meeting will be provided on Friday morning, February 13, that will focus on Corn Production and Disease Management in Wheat and Corn. Another meeting will be provided on Tuesday morning, February 17, that will focus on Soybean Production and Soil Fertility.

Last week, Michelle Shooter, Extension Livestock Agent, provided the information you read about in this column. She shared that an upcoming series of four workshops and a field trip (Business of Beef Classes) will provide in-depth training for beef cattle producers. These workshops will be held on Thursday nights, beginning February 5. The field trip will be held Saturday, February 28. Shooter just completed a two-day Swine Waste Certification Training for local hog farmers.

Jeff Floyd, Extension Agricultural Technician, will provide a Beginning Plasticulture Workshop on Tuesday evening, February 3, for current as well as potential vegetable producers. This meeting will provide in-depth information about how to increase vegetable yields and quality by using plastic mulch and drip irrigation. This meeting will be followed up by a series of on-farm demonstrations this spring that will allow interested producers to see the technology actually used in the field.

Floyd is also planning a Beginner Beekeeper School (starting February 12) for beginning and current beekeepers. These meetings will better train current beekeepers on how to care for and manage their bees but will also teach beginners the basics about beekeeping as a hobby or as a source of additional income.

Nelson Brownlee, Extension Farm Management Agent, is currently working with Robeson Community College to provide a series of computer courses for full-time and part-time farmers. Participants in these courses will learn how to use the Internet to search for information using the World Wide Web, how to development and maintain their own web pages to market their products, how to send and receive information quickly using E-mail, and how to use computers for farm recordkeeping.

As you can see, there is a lot going on at Cooperative Extension. I encourage you to take advantage of the banquets, meetings, tours, and field days we will be offering during the next few months. If you need more detailed information about any of the activities just discussed, give us a call at 671-3276.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 03/18/09