| June, 2002 | THE LATEST SCOOP ON YOUR FARMLAND | Volume 14, Number 2 |
Our tenant reports that his wheat crop yielded about 2.77 tons (92 bushels) per acre (6210 kilograms per hectare). The protein was high, averaging 15%. Unfortunately, the price was once again low this year. The price hasn't been settled yet, but even including the Federal Loan Deficiency Payment, it will be less than $120 per ton.
Our tennant has planted 100% of his cotton acreage to Pima cotton this year. He used a neighbor's GPS system to guide the planting. As you can see, this resulted in very straight rows with no "guess" rows.
This year our tenant has acquired 60 additional 30 foot (9.144 meters) long 10 inch (254 millimeters) diameter gated plastic irrigation pipes, allowing him to divide the half mile (805 meters) long furrows into quarter mile (402 meters) long furrows. This should result in more efficient irrigation and a much more even distribution of water across the fields. This requires much more work to manage the irrigating, but it should have a substantial payoff in a higher cotton yield. If you look carefully, you can just see the white pipes in the distance in the picture above. And I hope all you danged foreigners are happy with those metric conversions!
Robert Sturgeon
Publisher, Editor, Reporter, Ace Photographer, Newsroom Flunky, Webmaster
rsturge@inreach.com
http://www.vistech.net/users/rsturge