Return to TFB Main Page
Return to Current Edition
Texas Agriculture Archive

February 6, 2004

TFB sponsor of alfalfa workshop

Texas Farm Bureau is sponsoring an Intensive Alfalfa Production Workshop at the Blackland Research and Extension Center in Temple, Saturday, March 6, 2004.

The day-long seminar, which promises a thorough study of all aspects of alfalfa production, begins with registration at 8 a.m. and concludes with a farm field tour. Attendees will have opportunities to accrue six credits for Certified Crop Advisor and three CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for Pesticide Applicator's License.

"Alfalfa topics from pre-plant to animal nutrition will be explored," said Don Petty, Texas Farm Bureau's associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. "We have a lot of material to cover and plan to run a tight agenda, only pausing long enough for participants to get a plate of food at noon and eat it as the next presentation continues."

According to Petty, Charles Brown, chairman of the Texas Farm Bureau Hay/Forage Advisory Committee and Brazos Valley Hay Producers Association, Robertson County, will welcome participants and make introductions beginning at 8:30. The comprehensive morning session features the following topics and speakers, in order of appearance: "Fertility," Rich Haney, United States Department of Agriculture; "Stand Establishment," Twain Butler, Texas Cooperative Extension Service; "Diseases," Tom Isakeit, Texas A&M University; "Insects: Importance and Identification for Seed Selection," Jerry Gano, WL Seeds; "Seed Selection," Dr. Geoff Thomas, Boomerang Seed Co.; "Weed Control," Twain Butler, Texas Cooperative Extension Service; "Insect Control," Dale Mott, EA-IPM, Georgetown, and/or Dirk Aaron, Bell County Extension; "Climate," Bill Dugas, Blackland Research and Extension Center director; and "Economic Considerations for Alfalfa," Ken Stokes, Extension Economist, Texas Cooperative Extension Service.

After the short lunchbreak, sessions resume at 12:20 p.m. with "Grazing Alfalfa," Monty Rouquette, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Overton; "Hay Harvesting," Don Lowe, Hesston Equipment; "Effectiveness of Equipment to Speed Hay Drying," Dr. C. Alan Rotz, USDA/ARS, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit; "Forage Yield," and "Irrigation," Dirk Aaron, Bell County Extension; "Uses for Alfalfa," Dr. Ellen R. Jordan, professor and Extension Dairy specialist; and "Hay Storage," Charles Brown.

"At 3:15, the group will depart for a field tour of Wilson Farm at Little River/Academy," said Petty. "We should wind things up by 4:30. But those who want to can retire to a café for a dutch treat supper to continue the talks."

The Blackland Research Center is southeast of Temple, on Blackland Road.

"Those who preregister will be assured a three-ring notebook with references. Limited extra materials will be available for those who register at the door," Petty added.

Preregistration is $50. Send to: Dotty Phillips, Texas Farm Bureau, P. O. Box 2689, Waco, TX 76702-2689. Registration at the door is $75. Fees include meal, snacks and a notebook.

For more information, call 254/751-2667; e-mail dphillips@txfb.org. A printable registration form is available online at www.txfb.org.