Michael Welch, of Troy, looks over a tractor with a GPS unit on Tuesday at the Blackland Income Growth Conference.
Michael Welch, of Troy, looks over a tractor with a GPS unit on Tuesday at the Blackland Income Growth Conference.

Central Texas farmers turning to GPS to increase efficiency

More and more Central Texas farmers are turning to GPS technology to increase their farming efficiency and save money.

Farm column

Shane McLellan: Dry and hot days give way to mild winter

Shane McLellan

With warm, sunny days, coupled with ample moisture, our winter annual forages have emerged and are growing well.

Farm & Ranch features

Lott farmer garners statewide award for excellence

Justin Young, with his wife, Shanda, and daughter, Addison, grows everything from pecans to chickens to wheat.

The Texas Farm Bureau has named a Central Texas man the state’s Outstanding Young Farmer and Rancher of 2011.

Local farmers welcome rain, but area still in drought

Paul Lockett fishes for catfish at Koehne Park on Lake Waco Tuesday morning. Rain in recent days has raised the lake level, but it is still below normal.

Recent rains have been a blessing for area farmers and ranchers, but meteorologists say the drought that has gripped Central Texas for over a year is not over.

Drought forcing Central Texas ranchers to sell herds

A weekly cattle sale late last month at West Auction barn included 1,660 cows, many of them high-quality breed stock. Industry experts say the drought will have a lasting impact on herds.

This summer's drought toll on cattle business could last years, industry experts say.

Despite drought, cotton making a comeback in Central Texas

A cotton harvester makes the rounds last week in a cotton field off Levi Parkway northeast of Lorena. Many local farmers planted cotton this spring for the first time in years.

Record-breaking drought and heat have hurt Central Texas cotton farmers’ prospects this year, but many say the once-abundant crop is making a comeback in the region.

Axtell resident sells hay to passersby in heat and drought

Dick Espin, 68, tosses a hay bale to his grandson Chip espin, 15, while unloading his trailer off Lake Shore Drive recently.

Drought and heat have forced hay prices up but that's still not good news for 68-year-old Dick Espin and his side-of-the-road hay business.

'Exceptional' drought causing problems for farmers, residents

More than half of McLennan County is now experiencing an exceptional state of drought, the highest designation, according to a Texas drought indicator map updated Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center.

Drought brings tough choices

McLennan County rancher W.F. Dieterich only has this cow and calf left. All his other cattle have been sold off.

Ranchers in Central Texas are facing tough decisions about their livestock as the weather gets hotter and drier.

Waco cotton consultant wins top industry award

Mark Nemec, of Waco, was named the Cotton Consultant of the Year.

Mark Nemec, a veteran cotton consultant from Waco, received one of the industry’s highest honors when he was recognized as the 2010 Cotton Consultant of the Year during last month’s Beltwide Cotton Conferences in Atlanta.

Facing drought, area farmers hope 2011 brings showers

Central Texas farmers are heading into 2011 hoping for rain, after a soggy 2010 that damaged summer crops.

Arid days ahead: Texas on track for driest October-December stretch since 1950s

A Texas corn field grows under a clear sky. Water reservoir levels in Texas are in good shape for now, but the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center expects a “persistence and broad exp

The great drought of 2011 may have started two months ago.

Poor pecan production this year offset somewhat by record-high prices

Area pecan producers are harvesting a worse than expected crop this year. But record-high prices for the nuts are helping to make up for the poor output.

New Waco legislators have farm lobbyists on alert

Clockwise from top left: John Cornyn, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Bill Flores, Chet Edwards

Farm support advocates hope to educate new lawmakers on importance of safety net

State Farm Bureau convention begins

Eminent domain, water rights, taxes and buttressing support for agriculture's needs in state and national legislation will be among discussion topics at the Texas Farm Bureau's annual state convention in Waco.

Troy couple finalists for Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher award

The Welches are raising their daughters, Lana and Madelyn, while they run their farm.

Michael and Leigh Welch, of Troy, are the Central Texas finalists in the 2010 Texas Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher Contest.

Man preserves farming history with antique tractor collection

Lou Buice is helping preserve examples of early 20th-century farm technology through his family’s hobby of restoring and maintaining some of the oldest farm tractors ever built.

Farmers watch estate tax deadline

Justin Young (left), who co-owns an McLennan County farm near Marlin with his father, Paul Young (right), said he wants Congress to eliminate the federal estate tax.

A deadline for Congress to take action on Bush era tax cuts and a suspension of the estate tax is approaching. Farmers have a keen interest in what happens with the estate tax.

Man preserves farming history with antique tractor collection

Lou Buice is helping preserve examples of early 20th-century farm technology through his family’s hobby of restoring and maintaining some of the oldest farm tractors ever built.

Wild hogs pestering Waco-area farmers; state sponsors eradication contest

The Texas Department of Agriculture says wild hogs cause about $400 million in damages each year in Texas, which is home to about 2 million of the feral animals. In response, the department this m

The state is sponsoring a competition for counties to kill wild hogs and earn grant money.

Many wheat growers don't expect to benefit from boost in prices

When Russia announced in August it would ban wheat exports, demand for U.S. wheat surged and prices soared. But not all farmers are benefiting.

Aflatoxin again strikes Central Texas corn crop; research center proposed

Foreman Gerald Freeman explains testing methods for aflatoxin at Jarvis Paris Murphy Grain, the McLennan County grain elevator.

Aflatoxin has long been a significant drain on corn crops, especially in the South. Efforts are under way in the industry and in Washington, D.C., to create an institute to address the problem.

Many Waco, Central Texas farmers leaning on crop insurance this year

Erratic weather, along with cases of aflatoxin contamination, played havoc with the crops of some area farmers during the 2010 growing season. High heat resulted in underdeveloped ears of feed corn.

McLennan County farmers will rely on insurance after the local corn crop took a licking this growing season.

Grape crop strong, but Texas vineyards unable to keep up with wine demand

Vangie Martinez cuts grapes at the Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery on Highway 6.

Some locally have turned their land over to vines as the demand for Texas wine outstrips the production of grapes.

McLennan County wheat farmers may profit from overseas price shifts

With wheat prices having doubled in recent weeks and with lower production expected from fields overseas, Centext farmers, such as Vandiver Grain and Gin in Moody, may benefit from next year’s harvest

Local farmers affected by a weak corn crop may see some relief in next year's wheat crop.

More Central Texas farmers are cultivating crops of tourists

Richard and Toni Kaska operate the Kaska Family Farm near West, which offers seasonal activities like a 10-acre corn maze, haunted trail and pumpkin patch.

Many farm and ranch owners are considering other uses for their property that could bring a cash flow. Zip lines, family outing opportunities, hunting leases and wildlife photography are among the emerging enterprises by landowners.

Dangerous toxin ruining some Waco area corn farmers' crops

To test for aflatoxin, corn farmers use test rows such as this field near Moody. Poor yields and aflatoxin seem prevalent in western McLennan County, where some farmers may have to resort to crop insu

Excessive levels of aflatoxin are a bad sign, farmers said this week as harvest time arrives.

Central Texas rural land values outperform statewide numbers

Land and ranch real estate agent David Harris Sr., of Legacy Approved Properties in Waco, visits a corn field near Lorena, which his company has listed.

Rural land in Texas dropped 7 percent in value in 2009. But Central Texas came out ahead with the median price climbing 6 percent.

Goat herds increasing in state's livestock circles

Joan Compton, who runs a small goat operation in Crawford, unlocks the gate to get to her herd of 44 goats.

Beef cattle and longhorns likely won't be shoved aside as bulwarks of Texas' livestock enterprises, but goat farming is getting attention as a major growth industry in the state.

Corn crop concerns: Late plantings, heat, prices batter Waco-area farmers

Farmer Kevin Huffman said the weather and late planting have caused problems with corn.

McLennan County farmers are toughing out a year fraught with weather problems, planting delays and market declines.

Loss of pollinating bees a mystery to experts

Some beekeepers are struggling to rebuild colonies after the disappearance of the pollinating insects caused by Colony Collapse Disorder.

Mother Nature’s pollinator, the bee, is creating a buzz without even being present.

A vanishing breed: Young people dwindling in farming and ranching due to costs, risk

Justin Young, 32, serves as general manager of the livestock and row crop operation of his family's 20,000-acre farm near Marlin.

Nationwide and in Texas the average age of farmers is creeping upward.

Bobby Horecka: Training provided on farm, rural emergencies

Williamson County farmer Bob Avant (in tractor) explains how simply clipping the battery cables on many tractors will not shut them down. Avant and other area farmers recently held a program in Taylor

In late May, a dozen county Farm Bureau leaders turned out for the second biannual farm safety training session with emergency responders.

Bobby Horecka: EPA to reconsider controversial proposed spray rules

Conserv FS Terra Gator floater operator Phil Ettner sprays glyphosate, a herbicide, in a field near Hampshire, Ill., where farmers were trying to protect their crops from herbicide-resistant superweed

More than 30,000 public comments were submitted to the EPA over its highly controversial proposal to ban the drifting of herbicide, pesticide and fungicide sprays.

McLennan County 4-H youths shine at district contest

McLennan County 4-H members pose with their awards from the recent Worldwide-District 8 livestock judging contest at Tarleton State University.

A senior team of McLennan County 4-H members claimed overall first place in last month’s Worldwide-District 8 livestock judging contest.

Waco Rep. Chet Edwards becomes lone Texan on Agriculture subcommittee

Chet Edwards

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, is the newest member of a House subcommittee with influence over the country’s farm and ranch programs.

Bobby Horecka: Easement, eminent domain battles persist with utility companies

Doug Eastland believes some of the trees on his property in Bosqueville are threatened by an easement held by Atmos Energy.

This horror story about eminent domain abuse hits close to home.

Acupuncture effective in treating ailments in horses, house pets

Tracy Kelly performs acupuncture on equine patient Rusty at her McLennan County veterinarian clinic.

An ancient medical practice from the East is helping treat illness in an animal that’s a symbol of the American West.

4th place goat wins more than money for grieving boy

Dustin Mangus, 10, tends animals on his family’s Mills County ranch.

Fourth place is no contestant’s dream. But what if it meant $150,000 for a young boy?

Texas FFA students test judgment skills at Waco contest

Lorena's Austin Cook, 16, looks over a market goat at the McLennan Community College Agriculture Invitational on Wednesday.

The first thing one could notice at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex on Wednesday was that the 50 or so school buses and vans in the parking lot were from as far away as Texarkana and Laredo and as near as Pflugerville and Plano. The occasion was the third annual McLennan Community College ...

Horse prices hit bottom for many breeds

Mary Bauer walks Annie’s Gotta Gun, an American Paint Horse, at her Painted Ridge Farm in Lorena.

Tough economic times have made their mark on the horse business, significantly reducing prices for the animals.

Waco-area corn crop remains in question

Rodney Schmalriede, who farms near McGregor, said he plans to devote 600 of his 1,800 acres to corn, with the rest set asidefor wheat and milo.

McLennan County’s corn farmers continue to be vexed by wet weather, which is forcing them to choose between planting later and risking lower yields, or changing crops.

Deer ranching a major business in Central Texas and across state

Randy Rainer, manager at Parsons Whitetail Deer Ranch, gets some love from one of the facility’s fawns.

One of Texas’ fastest growing ranching businesses has nothing to do with what people usually think of as ranch animals. Deer ranching has become a big-time business in the state, as well as across the country.

Foul weather puts local corn crop in question

Rodney Schmalriede and other Waco-area farmers are dealing with a stretch of cool, wet weather that has delayed the planting of their corn crops.

Central Texas farmers are hoping to get a break from the wet and cold weather in order to plant their corn crops soon. A delay in planting means a delay in the harvest, which could be hampered by excessive summer heat.

Bobby Horecka: Troy senior to share insights at conference

Dakota Fleming, 17, will discuss the results of her 4-H project on where to inject cows during the 48th annual Blackland Income Growth Conference Tuesday and Wednesday at the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum.

Spend a little time with Troy High School senior Dakota Fleming and you’ll come away impressed. She has a contagious sort of energy, a knack for conversation that nimbly flits from French horn performances in the school band to serious contemplations of what the weather may hold for ...

48th annual B.I.G. conference, Mid-Tex show to tout modern farm management

The Equipment Depot Mid-Tex Farm and Ranch Show will exhibit the latest products and services for farmers and ranchers Feb. 9-10 in Waco.

Farming and ranching have changed in the years since grandfathers walked the family acreage in bibbed overalls. Producers at the upcoming Blackland Income Growth Conference and the Equipment Depot Mid-Tex Farm and Ranch Show in Waco will likely be donning crisply creased blue jeans or khakis. They ...

Latest headlines

Central Texas farmers turning to GPS to increase efficiency

Central Texas crop report

Shane McLellan: Dry and hot days give way to mild winter

Now is the time to aggressively control wild pigs

Farm briefs: Jan. 29, 2012

Rains raise hopes for Waco farmers, ranchers and lakes

Central Texas crop outlook: Jan. 22, 2012

Shane McLellan: Producers would welcome more rainfall

Crop report: Rains help to green winter crops, slow herd reductions

Crop report: Cotton growers should sell soon

More headlines


 

 

Links

McLennan County Extension Office

Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Texas Farm Bureau

American Farm Bureau

Buy, sell & more

 

 

 

Waco marketplace

 


  

Home | News | Sports | Business | Entertainment | Lifestyles | Opinion | Events | Classifieds | Blogs | Archive | Customer Service | Multimedia | Advertise | Site Map