Peanut Field Days set in July

Writer: Tim W. McAlavy, (806) 746-6101, email: t-mcalavy@tamu.edu
Contact: Calvin Trostle, (806) 746-6101, email: c-trostle@tamu.edu

LUBBOCK – Farmers can get a hands-on look at peanut production on the South Plains during a week-long series of peanut farm and education tours set for July 23-26.

“Some of the topics we will cover include narrow and twin-row peanut production, Spanish peanuts, Rhizobium nodulation, and insect, weed, and disease problems,” said Calvin Trostle, Extension agronomist based at Lubbock. “Exact topics will vary, county by county, but these tours will provide producers a chance to discuss production problems and issues with Extension specialists who work with peanuts every year.”

Robert Lemon, statewide Extension peanut agronomist, and Chip Lee, Extension peanut plant pathologist at Stephenville,
will join Trostle as featured speakers on these tours. County Integrated Pest Management (IPM) agents will also be on hand to discuss pest management considerations.

The tours will also feature a discussion of farm bill legislation and its effect on growers and the peanut industry, provided by representatives of the Western Peanut Growers Association in Seminole.

The week-long tour schedule includes these meetings:

• July 23, Hockey-Cochran County tour; begins at 10 a.m. at Ronnie Alexander Farm
 (FM 1585, 1½ mi. East of Hwy 385) , light lunch and one CEU offered. Call 806-894-3159
 for more information.

• July 24, Gaines County tour; begins with registration at 8:30 a.m. in the Gaines County
 Civic Building in Seminole, tour commences at 9 a.m., lunch and two CEU’s offered.
 Call 915-758-4006 for more information.

• July 25, Crosby-Lubbock-Floyd County tour; begins at 4 p.m. at the Rusty Buckman farm, meet at Texaco
Food Mart (one mile east of Loop 289 on Idalou Highway), refreshments and one CEU offered. Call 806-767-1190
for more information.

• July 25, Dawson County tour, begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Dawson County Community Building (South 8th and Houston)
in Lamesa, lunch and two CEU’s offered. Call 806-872-7539 for more information.

• July 26, Terry-Yoakum County tour; begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Terry County
 Livestock Barn in Brownfield, breakfast and two CEU’s offered. Call 806-637-4060
 for more information.

“Those who are late, or go astray, can call 806-777-0247 to get the current location of any of these field tours,” Trostle concluded. Persons wanting more information on South Plains peanut production can call Trostle at 806-746-6101, visit
with their local county Extension agent, or visit http://lubbock.tamu.edu on the Internet.