Kansas
By Richard C. Snell
Barton County Extension Agriculture Agent.
One crop that really has become more popular in the last couple of years, in our part of the state, has been sunflowers.
Part of it has been, with more no-till crop production, producers are looking for more crops, because rotation is key in that system. Maybe the biggest reason has been the attractive Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) on sunflowers.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, there will be a Four-County Sunflower school for farmers in Lyons. It will be held at the Rice County Extension Building, 701 East Main, in Lyons. It will start at 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. There is a noon lunch catered by Schirer's Restaurant. The cost is $10 and we need your pre-registration by Feb. 21.
Many farmers are first-time growers, and I have been asked many questions about how to grow sunflowers. Hopefully, we will answer many questions at this meeting. Not only that, but if you are an experienced grower perhaps you can throw your experiences in and even learn a thing or two.
The program looks like this: Stu Duncan, south central Extension area agronomist, will talk about Sunflower Production Practices; Curt Thompson, resident expert on sunflowers and K-State area agronomist for northwest Kansas, out of Colby, will give a sunflower herbicide update and an explanation of sunflower types; Doug Jardine, K-State plant pathologist, will wrap up the morning part of the program with a discussion of sunflower diseases.
After lunch, Phil Sloderbeck, southwest area Extension entomologist, will update us on sunflower insect management. One of the highlights I am looking for will be the producer panel of farmers who have grown sunflowers. That will be the last item on the agenda.
We have registration forms at the Extension offices in Barton, Stafford, Reno and Rice counties. However, if you live outside of those counties, we still want you to come, so call me, at 620- (new area code) 793-1910, and I will get your information and you can mail me a check or pay at the door.
If you are planning to grow sunflowers this year or next, you need to be at this meeting.
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