| December, 1999 | THE LATEST SCOOP ON YOUR FARMLAND | Volume 11, Number 4 |
The 1999 Pima cotton yield was 1400 pounds per acre, which is 2.8 bales per acre. While this is a great improvement over the disastrous yields of 1998, it is still mediocre. The unusually cool weather of August seems to have had more of a negative effect on the Pima cotton than was previously suspected. The Pima cotton price was much lower this year. Our tenant received $.85 per pound for his first picking and only $.70 per pound for his second picking.
The land rent is slightly higher this year. This reflects our tenant's improved results with both his cotton and grain crops.
Some folks have the strange idea that farming is exciting or action-packed. They are wrong. This is a typical view from the tractor cab while discing. The driver, our tenant, sees this view for eight to ten hours every day that he is out driving the tractor. This is interesting for about 15 minutes. After that, it is boring.
After many long days of tractor work, our tenant has next year's wheat field planted and the furrows made for next year's cotton. As this is being written, he is irrigating his wheat field. This is what that looks like just before sunrise.
Robert Sturgeon
Publisher, Editor, Reporter, Ace Photographer, Newsroom Flunky, Webmaster
rsturge@inreach.com
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