Crop

The Lincoln County Farm Service Agency is currently taking crop acreage reports. Producers are urged to report their crops to FSA to have a record of plantings on file for future disaster programs. A full cropland acreage report is required for farms that are participating in the Direct and Countercyclical Program (DCP) otherwise known as the Corn Program; and producers who may be requesting Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) or Commodity Loan on 2007 crops; and acreages covered by NAP policy.

Farmers in Lincoln and surrounding counties probably won't know until today or tomorrow just how harmful the recent freeze has been on their crops, said Dan Grigson, county extension for agriculture. "Basically, we'll have to wait until the end of the week and sunshiny days to see the results for forage crops," Grigson said. "The biggest damage could be to alfalfa. If it's taller than two inches, it probably will survive. " Otherwise, Grigson said, "a lot of damage" may have occurred.

The Farm Service Agency is currently taking crop acreage reports. Because of the delay in announcing the provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill and extreme weather conditions, this date was extended for the 2008 crop year only to Aug. 15. Late fees will not be applied if the acreage is reported by Aug. 15, and other reporting requirements are met. Crop acreage reports are the historical basis for establishing program bases, as well as a record for...

Fifteen-year-old Makenzie Adams maneuvers a tractor down a row of burley, cultivating a crop of tobacco growing on Ecton Road. The 10-acre crop belongs to Shane Wiseman.

Alvin Pasley III slowly guided a tractor and workers down the many long rows for his brother, Tommy Pasley, left, and other works to transplant this season’s tobacco crop, top photo. Manning the setter with Pasley were, second from left, Sue Miller, Antonio Garcia and Carlo Garcia. After a quick stop for a drink of water and more tobacco plants, it was Carlo Garcia’s turn to follow the setter and transplant by hand any missed plants, bottom left photo. Tommy Pasley held two plants in one hand while his other hand placed a plant in the setter, bottom right photo.

Rep. Don Pasley, D-Winchester, took a John Deere out to transplant tobacco. This was the tractor's 50th tobacco crop. The tractor was purchased by Pasley's father, the late Lindbergh Pasley, in 1955 for $2,850.

Frank Means, left, and Bill Boggs slowly work their way through the longs rows of burley growing on the Thompson Station Road, top photo. They were hoeing out the weeds growing in the nine-acre crop being raised by Joe Pasley. Left: After finishing several rows, Boggs used a file to restore the sharp edge on his hoe.

Joe Robinson raked a field of hay near Ecton Road, preparing to bale the hay for a neighbor. Spring rains helped to produce a good crop of hay for feed this winter. James Mann/jmann@winchestersun.com

The 2009 tobacco growing season is nearing an end, and farmers need to begin preparing now to manage diseases in the 2010 crop. There's no way to tell what disease pressures growers will face in the coming growing season. Much depends on the climate when dealing with diseases like blue mold and target spot. However, some problems will show up again and again once certain pathogens become established in a transplant system or the field. It is important to think about managing diseases like Pythium root rot, target spot, black shank and Fusarium wilt now and not wait until the upcoming production season.

The 2010 tobacco growing season is nearing an end and farmers need to begin preparing now to manage diseases in the 2011 crop. There’s no way to tell what disease pressures growers will face in the coming growing season. Much depends on the climate when dealing with diseases like blue mold and target spot. However, some problems will show up again and again once certain diseases become established in a transplant system or the field. It is important to think about managing diseases like Pythium root rot, target spot, black shank and Fusarium wilt now and not wait until the upcoming production season.