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33rd Ag Day is dedicated to Jack Robison
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| Leonard Elmer, of Eastern Arizona Ag Center in Thatcher, brought a Case IH tractor for display at Ag Day in 2011, however, Abi Tingle of Willcox thought it was more of a playground. (AINSLEE S. WITTIG/ARN) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
A brief but interesting seminar on aerial photography will be offered at the 33rd Annual Ag Day next Wednesday.
Warren Thetford will present "Aerial Photography for Early Insect Detection and Irrigation Problems," from 9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Willcox Community Center.
Ag Day Chairman Claire Owen said that Thetford, of Lubbock, Tex., would talk about "aerial photography and its role in insect detection and water problems."
The infrared photography can detect agricultural issues such as insects such as spider mites, as well as whether or not sprinklers are working, as you can see discolored areas in the photographs, Owen said.
This year's Ag Day is dedicated to the memory of Jack Robison of Willcox, who passed away Jan. 8.
"Jack was on the Ag Day Committee since it started 33 years ago," Owen told the Range News.
"Jack has been farming in Kansas Settlement on Baker Road since 1953," he said.
"He and his boys farmed approximately 1,700 acres, growing milo maize (grain sorghum), then put in the first pecan orchards around here," he said.
Chase Farms later purchased Robison's farm "but the whole family still works on the farm," Owen said.
Milo and pecans are just two examples of many agriculture commodities grown in the Willcox area.
An agriculture commodity is something grown on a farm or ranch.
Among the rotation crops are corn, barley or wheat, pinto beans, alfalfa, cotton, oat hay, rye hay, corn silage, alfalfa silage, chilies, and milo, Owen said.
Orchards include pecans, pistachios, apples, and pears, he added.
Since its beginnings 33 years ago, Ag Day has been organized "to try to get a lot of information out in one day - timely and pertinent information," that is.
Owen explained that times have changed and the program changes with it -- if people want it to.
There is even something for the general public who are not interested in getting CEU (Continuing Education Unit) update training.
"We have a session on harvesting rainwater on your property to save and use as needed," he told the Range News.
"Harvesting Rainwater" will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in the Dining Room, presented by Cado Daily, program coordinator with the Cochise County Cooperative Extension Water Wise Program.
"This is one hour and should be interesting and informative," Owen said.
Another program of interest to the general public will be "Timing Home Irrigation Systems" by Instructional Specialist Cyndi Wilkins, also with the Water Wise Program.
It will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Dining Room.
Other featured speakers this year are Richard Evans, agronomist for Redox Chemical Company, and David F. Dickson with Agronomic Services, LLC.
They will speak from 9:15 to 9:30 a.m., continuing from 11 to 11:30 a.m., and then again from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m., in the Fireplace Room.
Dickson, president of Dickson Agronomic Services, LLC, does consulting, pesticide training, and contract sales.
A 1978 graduate of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Dickson earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Agronomy.
He then completed one year of post-graduate work in Insect Pest Management.
Dickson is also a graduate of Project CENTRL, which he describes as "a two-year program of leadership training in the needs of rural Arizona."
Active in school, community, and church activities, Dickson is the recipient of the Boy Scout's "Silver Beaver" award - "the highest honor an adult Scouter can receive on a state level."
Dickson brings to Ag Day 32 years of experience with soils; soil remediation; water application and management; soil microbiology; organics; crop nutrition and stress management; salinity and fertility management; pest management; IPM; pesticide application supervision; pesticide advising; crop management; and growing produce, turf, and ornamentals.
The other speaker, Evans, works as an agronomist for Redox Chemical Company in Burley, Idaho.
He earned a Master of Science degree in Plant Science from the University of Idaho and has worked in agriculture more than 40 years, Owen said.
Evans' experience has "covered a wide swath of agricultural fields," including research with HybriTech Seeds (a subsidiary of Monsanto), production management with Bing Frost Ranch and South Valley Farms, Harris Woolf Almonds, and Sierra Valley Almonds; and agronomy with Redox Chemical Company.
"Richard has a wonderful wife of 34 years, six great children, and seven phenomenal grandchildren," Owen said.
The combined talks of these two speakers will be on disease and insect control with proper plant nutrition, Owen said.
"Most problems thought to be diseases are a biotic, non-disease related," he said.
"Items discussed will be soils, water holding capacities, what makes a healthy soil, salinity and nutrition," said Owen, adding, "This leads to plant defenses and nutrition problems."
The program will also discuss three natural plant defense mechanisms, he said.
Ag Day attendees will hear about "passive diffusion; the movement of water in the roots; plant stresses; soil fungi and bacteria; fertilizer leaching; reduced pesticide usage and crop management," Owen said.
"This program will be of vital interest to anyone growing plants including feed crops, vegetables, trees, fruits, and nuts," he said.
Other speakers include Dr. Randy Norton, director of the Safford U of A Experiment Station; and Jack Peterson, associate director of the Environmental Science Department Service Division.
From 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Fireplace Room, Norton will present "the 2011 Field Crop test results from the U of A Experimental Station in Safford, with tests in Graham and Cochise Counties," he said.
"The test will include corn, cotton, barley and pinto beans," said Owen, adding, "Varieties, insect damage of all sorts and yields will all be reported."
Peterson will talk about pesticide regulation update.
"All the new regulation or changes in regulations or procedures will be discussed," he said.
Pesticide application testing for private, commercial, and fumigation will be available from 10 a.m. to Noon during Ag Day.
The test takes from one hour to 90 minutes, thus the reason for the short testing span, Owen said.
For the fumigation test, call (602) 542-0903 for a free study guide, due to the difficulty of the test.
Northern Cochise Community Hospital will be on hand to offer cholesterol, glucose, and triglyceride testing from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (No eating after midnight.)
Ag Day will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Willcox Community Center, with registration at 7:45 a.m.
For further information, contact Claire Owen at (520) 384-2012.
Warren Thetford will present "Aerial Photography for Early Insect Detection and Irrigation Problems," from 9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Willcox Community Center.
Ag Day Chairman Claire Owen said that Thetford, of Lubbock, Tex., would talk about "aerial photography and its role in insect detection and water problems."
The infrared photography can detect agricultural issues such as insects such as spider mites, as well as whether or not sprinklers are working, as you can see discolored areas in the photographs, Owen said.
This year's Ag Day is dedicated to the memory of Jack Robison of Willcox, who passed away Jan. 8.
"Jack was on the Ag Day Committee since it started 33 years ago," Owen told the Range News.
"Jack has been farming in Kansas Settlement on Baker Road since 1953," he said.
"He and his boys farmed approximately 1,700 acres, growing milo maize (grain sorghum), then put in the first pecan orchards around here," he said.
Chase Farms later purchased Robison's farm "but the whole family still works on the farm," Owen said.
Milo and pecans are just two examples of many agriculture commodities grown in the Willcox area.
An agriculture commodity is something grown on a farm or ranch.
Among the rotation crops are corn, barley or wheat, pinto beans, alfalfa, cotton, oat hay, rye hay, corn silage, alfalfa silage, chilies, and milo, Owen said.
Orchards include pecans, pistachios, apples, and pears, he added.
Since its beginnings 33 years ago, Ag Day has been organized "to try to get a lot of information out in one day - timely and pertinent information," that is.
Owen explained that times have changed and the program changes with it -- if people want it to.
There is even something for the general public who are not interested in getting CEU (Continuing Education Unit) update training.
"We have a session on harvesting rainwater on your property to save and use as needed," he told the Range News.
"Harvesting Rainwater" will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in the Dining Room, presented by Cado Daily, program coordinator with the Cochise County Cooperative Extension Water Wise Program.
"This is one hour and should be interesting and informative," Owen said.
Another program of interest to the general public will be "Timing Home Irrigation Systems" by Instructional Specialist Cyndi Wilkins, also with the Water Wise Program.
It will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Dining Room.
Other featured speakers this year are Richard Evans, agronomist for Redox Chemical Company, and David F. Dickson with Agronomic Services, LLC.
They will speak from 9:15 to 9:30 a.m., continuing from 11 to 11:30 a.m., and then again from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m., in the Fireplace Room.
Dickson, president of Dickson Agronomic Services, LLC, does consulting, pesticide training, and contract sales.
A 1978 graduate of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Dickson earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Agronomy.
He then completed one year of post-graduate work in Insect Pest Management.
Dickson is also a graduate of Project CENTRL, which he describes as "a two-year program of leadership training in the needs of rural Arizona."
Active in school, community, and church activities, Dickson is the recipient of the Boy Scout's "Silver Beaver" award - "the highest honor an adult Scouter can receive on a state level."
Dickson brings to Ag Day 32 years of experience with soils; soil remediation; water application and management; soil microbiology; organics; crop nutrition and stress management; salinity and fertility management; pest management; IPM; pesticide application supervision; pesticide advising; crop management; and growing produce, turf, and ornamentals.
The other speaker, Evans, works as an agronomist for Redox Chemical Company in Burley, Idaho.
He earned a Master of Science degree in Plant Science from the University of Idaho and has worked in agriculture more than 40 years, Owen said.
Evans' experience has "covered a wide swath of agricultural fields," including research with HybriTech Seeds (a subsidiary of Monsanto), production management with Bing Frost Ranch and South Valley Farms, Harris Woolf Almonds, and Sierra Valley Almonds; and agronomy with Redox Chemical Company.
"Richard has a wonderful wife of 34 years, six great children, and seven phenomenal grandchildren," Owen said.
The combined talks of these two speakers will be on disease and insect control with proper plant nutrition, Owen said.
"Most problems thought to be diseases are a biotic, non-disease related," he said.
"Items discussed will be soils, water holding capacities, what makes a healthy soil, salinity and nutrition," said Owen, adding, "This leads to plant defenses and nutrition problems."
The program will also discuss three natural plant defense mechanisms, he said.
Ag Day attendees will hear about "passive diffusion; the movement of water in the roots; plant stresses; soil fungi and bacteria; fertilizer leaching; reduced pesticide usage and crop management," Owen said.
"This program will be of vital interest to anyone growing plants including feed crops, vegetables, trees, fruits, and nuts," he said.
Other speakers include Dr. Randy Norton, director of the Safford U of A Experiment Station; and Jack Peterson, associate director of the Environmental Science Department Service Division.
From 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Fireplace Room, Norton will present "the 2011 Field Crop test results from the U of A Experimental Station in Safford, with tests in Graham and Cochise Counties," he said.
"The test will include corn, cotton, barley and pinto beans," said Owen, adding, "Varieties, insect damage of all sorts and yields will all be reported."
Peterson will talk about pesticide regulation update.
"All the new regulation or changes in regulations or procedures will be discussed," he said.
Pesticide application testing for private, commercial, and fumigation will be available from 10 a.m. to Noon during Ag Day.
The test takes from one hour to 90 minutes, thus the reason for the short testing span, Owen said.
For the fumigation test, call (602) 542-0903 for a free study guide, due to the difficulty of the test.
Northern Cochise Community Hospital will be on hand to offer cholesterol, glucose, and triglyceride testing from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (No eating after midnight.)
Ag Day will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Willcox Community Center, with registration at 7:45 a.m.
For further information, contact Claire Owen at (520) 384-2012.
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