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Agricultural
Forages for summer grazing
Livestock producers and horse owners who use summer annuals for grazing and/or haying are thinking about what to plant this year. Due to drought in the seed producing areas, the prices for summer annuals have practically doubled from last year. Even so, most producers will still plant the old standards, pearlmillet or sorghum-sudan hybrids, out of necessity. Some producers are now planting crabgrass, but that seed has gone up in price as well...
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Pictured is Sen. Brent Jackson; Dr. Bill Aiken, SCC president, and Heather Register, food safety coordinator for Jackson Farming Company. (Gloria Edwards/Special to the Independent)
Local workforce partners with SCC for customized training
Now, more than ever, is the perfect time for local business and industry to take advantage of the Customized Training opportunities offered through the Continuing Education Division at Sampson Community College. Smithfield Foods and Jackson Farming Company are two companies who have recently collaborated with the college in this initiative. Jackson Farming Company is a local distribution and warehouse operation for local farms and also spec...
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Jart Hudson Jr.
Local farmers elected to serve on Cape Fear Farm board
FAYETTEVILLE — Three southeastern North Carolina agribusiness leaders were recently elected to fill positions on the board of directors of Cape Fear Farm Credit. Ronald J. Allen of Bladenboro, P. Jart Hudson Jr. of Turkey, and Gene S. West Jr. of Newton Grove were elected to serve four year terms as directors for the Association. Ronald Allen is a lifelong resident of Bladen County where he has farmed since 1990. His farming operation consi...
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From left: Larry Edwards, Brian Carter, Edward Olive, and Hannah Singleton
Mount Olive College students attend American Farm Bureau YF&R conference
MOUNT OLIVE - Four Mount Olive College students attended the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan in early February. Edward Olive, Brian Carter, Larry Edwards and Hannah Singleton travelled to Michigan to meet with other Young Farmers and Ranchers, ages 18-35, from across the nation to discuss the future of the agricultural industry. The group attended workshops that focused on various agricultura...
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Gray mold on trees very common this time of year
Question: What is the gray mold like substance growing on the side of my tree? Answer : Lichens are a common site on branches of trees and shrubs. Seeing lichens can be an unusual site because it looks like a strange organism is taking over the plant. It is often thought that lichens are a fungus or disease that is damaging the plant but in reality that is not the case. Lichens are unique organisms. It is a fungus and algae combined to...
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Summer annual seeds scarce this spring
March is in its final days, and spring is in the air. Soon summer grasses will be greening up for a new grazing season. If your pasture rotation usually includes summer annuals such as Pearl Millet, you may be out of luck or out of cash. Remember that drought we had last summer? With the mild winter that’s brought several inches of rain, last year’s drought may have slipped your mind. However, if you go to purchase seed this year a sore rem...
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Fighting the bees that wreak havoc on your porches
Question: What type of insect makes holes in the wood of my porch? Answer: ALERT!!!! Bee on the lookout for Carpenter bees hovering around eaves of structures and other exposed wood areas such as porches, barns, and stacks of lumber. These bees become active during the spring and are black and yellow in color. People often mistake the carpenter bee for the bumblebee. One positive factor for determining which bee species you have is the ...
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Farm Bureau helps local FFA chapters Sampson County Farm Bureau, a grassroots, non-profit organization, recently presented $1,000 checks to the FFA Chapters in Sampson County. Pictured above, Harrells Christian Academy. From left, Christopher Bell, FFA advisor; Chandler Fryar; Amos Lanier; and Edward Tate Pope, Sampson County Farm Bureau president. (Courtesy Photo)
Farm Bureau presents checks to local FFAs
Courtesy Photo Sampson County Farm Bureau, a grassroots, non-profit organization, recently presented $1,000 checks to the FFA Chapters in Sampson County. Pictured above, Harrells Christian Academy. From left, Christopher Bell, FFA advisor; Chandler Fryar; Amos Lanier; and Edward Tate Pope, Sampson County Farm Bureau president. Courtesy Photo Union High School gets a check from the Farm Bureau. From left, Gerald Barlowe, FFA advisor; Gab...
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Summer annual seeds scarce this spring
March is here and spring is in the air. Soon summer grasses will be greening up for a new grazing season. If your pasture rotation usually includes summer annuals such as Pearl Millet, you may be out of luck or out of cash. Remember that drought we had last summer? With the mild winter that’s brought several inches of rain, last year’s drought may have slipped your mind. However, if you go to purchase seed this year, a sore reminder will be...
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Sampson County Farm Bureau, a grassroots, non-profit organization, recently presented $1,000 checks to the FFA Chapters in Sampson County. Pictured above, Midway High School FFA, from left, Scott Jolly, FFA Advisor; Brandon Honeycutt; Meagan Honeycutt; and Edward Tate Pope, Sampson County Farm Bureau president. (Courtesy Photo)
Sampson County Farm Bureau presents checks to FFA organizations
Courtesy Photo Sampson County Farm Bureau, a grassroots, non-profit organization, recently presented $1,000 checks to the FFA Chapters in Sampson County. Pictured above, Midway High School FFA, from left, Scott Jolly, FFA advisor; Brandon Honeycutt; Meagan Honeycutt; and Edward Tate Pope, Sampson County Farm Bureau president. Clinton High School, from left: Ronnie Warren, FFA advisor; Colby Royal; Lydia Strickland; Breanna Worrells; Edwar...
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Why do I have raised tunnels through my yard?
Question : What makes raised tunnels throughout my landscape? Answer: Two possibilities come to mind when someone asks this question. They are small furry pests often referred to as moles and voles. These animals can tunnel all around your plants and even in your lawn. They are not completely bad for our landscapes; in fact they do have several positive benefits. A vole is a small like rodent that lives around shrubbery and field type ...
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Courtesy photo As part of being a Century Farm, Alan Parker, has to ensure that his farm is protecting and providing wildlife habitats. As a means to that end, Parker is involved with the Cooperative Upland habitat Restoration & Enhancement C.U.R.E. program.
Parker — one of Sampson’s recent New Century winners
NOTE: This is a correction to an error made to this article. Alan Parker and Century Farm LLC was awarded the North Carolina Pork Council's Environmental Steward Award and not the Century Farm award as stated in this article. The NCPC Environmental Steward Award is a program to annually recognize a N.C. pork producer who excels in on-farm environmental stewardship. The NCPC Environmental Stewards program is similar to the national program ad...
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Several key elements needed to start a garden
Question: What does starting a new vegetable garden involve? Answer: Many people choose to garden because homegrown fresh vegetables exceed supermarket quality in taste, quality of produce, and freshness. Many gardeners grow vegetables they enjoy, but are hard to find in the supermarket industry. There are several key factors to consider before starting a garden. The first consideration is site selection. For beginners, you should sta...
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$-H Judging in January Thirteen 4-H youth from Sampson County participated in the annual Judging in January Competition at the N.C. State Beef Unit in Raleigh. The local 4-H Department had two junior and two senior teams participate in the first livestock judging competition for the year. Junior Team A, consisting of Hannah Horne, Wyatt Kendall, Amber Lackey, and Denisse Sada- Romero placed 3rd overall for the day. Seniors Josh Page, Carlie Piercy, and Chase Piercy received ribbons for having one or more top 10 species placings. If you would like more information on how you can get involved with the 4-H livestock program or a variety of other programs, please call the Extension Office at 910-592-7161. From left, are senior team members Nicholas Usher, Heather Goodrich, Max Shafer, Carlie Piercy, Chase Piercy, Laura Page and Josh Page. (Courtesy photo)
4-H Judging in January
Courtesy Photo Thirteen 4-H youth from Sampson County participated in the annual Judging in January Competition at the N.C. State Beef Unit in Raleigh. The local 4-H Department had two junior and two senior teams participate in the first livestock judging competition for the year. Junior Team A, consisting of Hannah Horne, Wyatt Kendall, Amber Lackey, and Denisse Sada- Romero placed 3rd overall for the day. Seniors Josh Page, Carlie Piercy,...
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GIPSA rules are finalized
The new GIPSA (Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration) final rules were passed on Dec. 9, 2011, and will become effective on Feb. 7, 2012. A summary provided by the poultry industry was published in the Jan. 2, 2012, issue of “Poultry Times”and is reprinted below for your information. If you would like to read the rules in their entirety you may go to the following website: http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/Farm_Bill.html. USDA has p...
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Pruning blueberry bushes should start now
Question: When is the best time to prune blueberry bushes? Answer: Blueberries can be a great plant to have in the home garden. Blueberries are a great tasty fruit during the summer months. Besides having fruit in the summer, blueberries have attractive white or pink flowers in the spring and red to yellow foliage in the fall. Now that we are in late winter with spring just around the corner, now is the time to prune blueberry bushes be...
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<p>Courtesy Photo</p><p>Kaylee Lackey with the Champion Dutch and Best of Show rabbit named &#8216;Prince.&#8217; In February, Kaylee and several other local youths from Sampson County participated in the Sand Hills Rabbit Fanciers Youth and Open shows in Sanford. An additional highlight for the show was Jack Davis receiving Best of Breed Mini Rex. Showmanship winners were 1st- Amber Lackey, 2nd- Charles Key, &amp; 3rd- Kathryn Cortez. Thanks to Hippity Hop Club leader Rob Richardson for all of his dedication to these youth. If you would like more information on how you can get involved with 4-H, call the Sampson County Extension Office at 910-592-7161.</p>
Rabbit show winner
Courtesy Photo Kaylee Lackey with the Champion Dutch and Best of Show rabbit named ‘Prince.’ In February, Kaylee and several other local youths from Sampson County participated in the Sand Hills Rabbit Fanciers Youth and Open shows in Sanford. An additional highlight for the show was Jack Davis receiving Best of Breed Mini Rex. Showmanship winners were 1st- Amber Lackey, 2nd- Charles Key, & 3rd- Kathryn Cortez. Thanks to Hippity Hop Club le...
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Fertilize pecan trees by early March
Question: When is the best time to fertilize my pecan trees? Answer: First, before broadcasting fertilizer it is recommended to take a soil sample to determine the nutrient needs of the plant. As a good rule of thumb, it is ideal to have your soil analyzed every two years. The ideal soil pH range for pecan trees is 6.0 to 6.5 based on the standard pH scale. The optimum time to fertilize pecan trees is between late February and early M...
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Pesticide workshops begin Feb. 17
Looking for an alternative to the 1990s video to train your Spanish-speaking workers on pesticide safety? Want a training program that prepares workers for your specific crop and workplace—with up-to-date pesticide information for North Carolina? Then plan to attend one of six workshops offered this winter all across North Carolina to prepare you to use the Pesticides and Farmworker Health Toolkit! Workshops will offer three hours of pestic...
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N.C. Pecan Growers Association’s meeting planned for Feb. 18
RALEIGH — The N.C. Pecan Growers Association will host its annual educational workshop and orchard tour Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Sampson County Agri-Expo Center, 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton. The event is open to anyone involved, or interested, in pecan farming. Topics to be covered include marketing resources, orchard equipment, orchard management and production practices. Special guest speaker will be Dr. George Ray McEachern, Pecan Extensio...
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USDA announces Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up
Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation’s natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural commun...
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<p>Courtesy photo</p><p>Sampson County farmer Jay Sullivan, left, shakes hands with Darren Armstrong.</p>
Sullivan named president of Corn Growers Association of N.C.
Sampson County farmer Jay Sullivan was recently elected president of the Corn Growers Association of North Carolina at a Board of Directors meeting. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Joint Commodities Conference of Corn, Cotton, Small Grains and Soybean Producers at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Raleigh. Sullivan has served the past two years as vice president of the association. While serving in this capacity, he was chairman...
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