You Won’t Find Cotton Growing in Your Backyard Garden; Tour Takes Visitors to the Heart of SJ Valley Cotton Country

 Every summer, home gardeners reap a bountiful harvest of tomatoes, potatoes, beans, melons, squash, corn and the like in their backyards and patios.

Whether you live in a big city or a tiny town, gardening allows everyone to share the experience of nature. Of course, there are some crops you won’t find growing in backyards.

Getting a first-hand look at cotton being harvested.

If you want to see cotton grow, for example, you’ll have to head to the Central Valley.  For more than a decade, hundreds of people have done just that, attending the annual Cotton Farm Tour sponsored by the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP), a California nonprofit.

Indeed, nowhere else in the country can one spend an entire day learning about good bugs and bad bugs, watch a harvester rumble through a cotton field, pick colored cotton, talk to cotton farmers, watch lint and seed get separated, dried and baled up at a cotton gin.

“For most people it’s like a different world. People don’t get to see a cotton gin up close,” says SCP field scout Carlos Silva.

Over the years, visitors travel from across California and even Japan to the great Valley to learn about cotton production and sustainable cotton practices aimed at protecting the health of the community, land and air.

Last Friday (October 21), more than four dozen men and women, including fashion industry representatives, once again boarded a bus to tour the region’s cotton industry as well as learn about innovative practices to produce a cleaner fiber called Cleaner Cotton™ grown by farmers enrolled in the Sustainable Cotton Project.

Getting a close up look at colored cotton.

They learned about cotton production and water management from Dan Munk, a cotton production and water management expert and farm advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Fresno County. 

Visiting a perennial hedgerow in the west side of the Valley.

They saw rows of trees, shrubs and perennial grasses that surround farm fields and learned about the benefits of a perennial hedgerow from Dr. Pete Goodell of UC Integrated Pest Management. He explained hedgerows provide shelter and nectar for insects, mammals and birds and offer air and water quality protection, weed control, protection against soil erosion, increased biodiversity and beneficial insect activity.

Cotton farmer John Pucheu talked about the harvester working his field during this warm fall day. Participants saw cotton modules being made in the field and got to step up on to a harvester to see just what its like to ride in one of those big machines.

Watching gin machinery.

Frank Williams of Windfall Farms, a second generation farmer in the area, invited folks to pick a few bolls of his specialized colored cotton – naturally brown and green lint popping out of the bolls. This year the exciting news is that the colored fiber has all been sold to specialty yarn producer Quince and Co.

For years, Windfall Farms have reduced their pesticide use by implementing more biologically-based practices in cotton. These innovative growers have grown colored cotton for year and even given organic cotton a try. Frank described the colored cotton and how they make selections from plants and how they are working on a longer, stronger colored fiber.

The first stop on this year's tour was Pacific Pima Gin. Plant manager Matt Toste, assisted by former manger Louie Colombini, led everyone through the noisy gin operations, describing the ginning process. Certainly, cotton production has come a long way since the days of Eli Whitney and the invention of the cotton gin.

ALMOND FIELD DAY: Attention almond growers. Don’t forget to save October 28 on your calendar for a morning-long field day in Fresno. You will receive valuable tips about almond tree pruning, salinity management and controlling navel orangeworm during the fall and winter months, The free field day will be from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rushing Ranch, 11599 West Shaw Ave. The featured speakers are: University of California Cooperative Extension pomologist and almond specialist David Doll of Merced County; UCCE Fresno County farm advisor Mae Culumber ; and UCCE farm advisor Kris Tollerup. You can contact Marcia for more information about the field day. Continuing education credits have been applied for.

 

To Rain or Not to Rain, That is the Quandary in Farm Country

You might call it the October quandary for Central Valley farmers.

There’s no debating we need rain.  But growers still working the harvest will say we don’t need the rain – right now.

For farmers, they’re caught between the proverbial rock and the hard place, the hammer and anvil or Scyclla and Charybdis. Ok, you get the message.

Dark clouds loom over a cotton harvester.

California is in the midst of an historic five-year drought and the Golden State certainly welcomes any kind of rainfall. But growers in the backstretch of the fall harvest would prefer the wet stuff hold off for a while so they can finish harvesting cotton, sweeping up the last of the almonds drying on the ground and picking tomatoes and other crops.

“Whenever there is a change in weather things really pick up,” says almond field scout Jenna Mayfield. “Everyone is working 12 to 16 hours a day.”

Across the Valley, roadways and highways are buzzing with farm equipment at harvest time. Machines are moving from field to field or orchard to orchard. Other equipment is hauling harvested crops to packers or processors.

The skies darkened over the weekend as scattered showers fell throughout the Valley. Madera County received about an inch of rain while neighboring Merced County received around two-tenths of an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Fresno only had a trace of rain.

Threatening skies can worry growers ready to harvest cotton.

While the rain wasn’t enough to cause major problems for farmers, the storms did signal a change to cooler day and night temperatures and unpredictable weather for the rest of the season. The threat of rain is one more thing to worry growers.

In past years – prior to the drought – we often saw October storms send Valley growers scrambling to harvest their cotton before rainfall. After the rains, growers delayed harvesting to allow the fiber and ground dry out.

“Growers are checking the weather forecast on a daily basis,” cotton field scout Carlos Silva says. The cotton wasn’t affected by the showers. However, Carlos adds, “If there is more rain ahead, they will be worried.”

So what happens if you get soggy cotton? First, it can become mildewy, like a wet towel left rolled up for several days. The lint can get spots or become discolored, which translates in a drop in quality and a cut in revenue.

If there are heavy rains and winds, bolls could drop or the lint could become strung out and fall onto the ground. Wet cotton also can gum up the spindles on the harvesters. It also can clog machinery at the gins. If the ground becomes saturated, the machinery can get stuck.

For almond growers who finished their harvest, windy wet weather still poses a threat right now. Trees remain full of leaves. “We haven’t had a lot of cool days,” Jenna notes.

Wet leaves and wind can lead to broken tree limbs.

Cold weather is nature’s way of telling trees winter is approaching and it’s time to shed their leaves.

Jenna also adds the winds have been picking up in the past week. Wet leaves can weigh down limbs and any wind gusts can snap them right off. Trees can even topple. In the long run, broken limbs and branches can add up to a drop in yield next year.

COTTON FARM TOUR: Want to get a behind-the-scenes look at California cotton production? The Sustainable Cotton Project’s annual Cotton Farm Tour is scheduled for Friday, October 21. Every year, dozens of people take advantage of this unique experience, where they can inspect the crop being harvested, tour a colored cotton field, see a perennial hedgerow and meet with farmers before visiting a cotton gin. If you can make it, please join us, and pass the information on to a friend or colleague. You canregister hereor contact SCP Program Director Marcia Gibbs at (530) 370-5325 or Marcia@sustainablecotton.org for more information.

  

ALMOND FIELD DAY: Learn valuable tips about almond tree pruning, salinity management and controlling navel orangeworm during the fall and winter months at an October 28 field day in Fresno. The free event will be from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rushing Ranch, 11599 West Shaw Ave. The featured speakers are: University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) pomologist and almond specialist David Doll of Merced County; UCCE Fresno County farm advisor Mae Culumber; and UC IPM advisor Kris Tollerup. You can contact Marcia for more information about the field day. Continuing education credits have been applied for.

The Fall Harvest is in the Air for Central Valley Cotton Growers

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As the almond and alfalfa season starts to wind down in the Valley, we now turn our attention to the cotton harvest.

The fall is always an exciting time of the year for cotton growers. It’s been a long six months and now they can start reaping the fruits of their labor.

In the northern part of the Valley, harvesters already have been working the fields. “In Dos Palos growers are really going along,” field scout Carlos Silva says about harvest activity in Merced County.

Cotton plants drying in the sun after they were defoliated.

Further south in Fresno County, many growers in areas such as Firebaugh are waiting for the right time to defoliate. One grower had to ground the defoliation treatmentdue to windy conditions and had to finish over the weekend.

“Everything has to fall into line,” Carlos points out about defoliation and harvest timing.
One consideration for growers is the farm’s harvest capacity.  As a rule, farm advisors say growers should defoliate just the amount of acreage that can be harvested within 12 days after treatment. That will help cut down lint exposure to poor weather, which can lead to possible pricing discounts due to a lower grade for quality.

Windy conditions forced one grower to delay defoliation.

This time of year the weather generally cools down and there always the threat of rain – although the drought the past five years has played havoc with traditional weather patterns. It’s critical to harvest before rain or fog arrives. In the past, we’ve seen growers rush to harvest – working all night long – to pick their cotton before a downpour. Other times, we’ve seen harvesters sit idle in the morning, waiting for a dense fog to lift and the lint dry a little to reduce the amount of moisture in the cotton.

 Growers often will use harvest aid chemicals to speed things up. UC IPM cites these reasons:

·         Stimulate boll opening and maturation.

·         Achieve more efficient mechanical harvesting during good weather conditions and the availability of harvest equipment.

·         Maximize the collection of harvestable crop.

·         Preserve high fiber quality to provide maximum economic returns.

To help growers determine what type of chemicals to use, go to theUPM IPM cotton site about harvest aid chemicals.

COTTON FARM TOUR: Want to get a behind-the-scenes look at California cotton production? The Sustainable Cotton Project’s annual Cotton Farm Tour is scheduled for Friday, October 21. Every year, dozens of people take advantage of this unique experience, where they can inspect the crop being harvested, tour a colored cotton field, see a perennial hedgerow and meet with farmers before visiting a cotton gin.If you can make it, please join us, and pass the information on to a friend or colleague. You canregister hereor contact SCP Program Director Marcia Gibbs at (530) 370-5325 or Marcia@sustainablecotton.org for more information.

The Sticky Cotton Threat Ain’t Over Till Defoliation Is Over

Yankee great Yogi Berra.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

For baseball fans, it’s a popular rally cry popularized by the late New York Yankee baseball great Yogi Berra to never give up until the last out is made. For music fans, it’s the title of a Lenny Kravitz song about keeping relationships alive.

For Valley cotton growers this time of year, it’s a strong reminder to remain vigilant about sticky cotton until the plants dry up after defoliation and aphid and whitefly populations go away.

Whiteflies on a cotton plant leaf.

“The pests are still relevant. The numbers can really blow up in a few days,” field scout Carlos Silva says.

Whiteflies and aphids feed on the plant sap and then excrete sweet, sticky honeydew that gets on open cotton bolls. The sticky cotton will gum up machinery in ginning and spinning mills, bringing operations to a sudden halt.

Sticky cotton is a real threat to the industry, which has spent millions in the past to control whiteflies and aphids.

Sticky cotton can gum up mill machinery.

From 1992 to 2001, for example, California growers spent $220 million to combat sticky cotton. Studies indicate sticky cotton can reduce prices by 3 to 5 cents a pound.

It was a dozen years ago when a number of Valley growers ignored the late-season pest threat and their harvested sticky cotton created quite a stir among mills worldwide. The Valley’s reputation for producing high quality cotton, especially Pima – the Cadillac of cotton – was at stake.

As a result, UC IPM advisor Dr. Pete Goodell and other University of California experts gathered growers and pest control advisors for talks about how to economically control whitefly without building up pesticide resistance or resorting to expensive treatment programs. 

This season Carlos has found only a few fields with moderate whitefly and aphid counts and evidenceof honeydew build up on the fluffy cotton.  “One farmer had to treat his field,” Carlos points out.

 

Defoliation warning sign.

.Fortunately, the pest populations have been relatively low in the fields that Carlos monitors weekly. The threat will lessen as more fields are defoliated.  (Carlos notes that a few fields were being harvested last week.)

For those growers still waiting to defoliate, though, the threat of sticky cotton “ain’t over till it’s over.”

Meanwhile, Carlos reports alfalfa growers are winding up their season. Some fields are still being irrigated. In other fields, the alfalfa plants are measuring up to 15 inches tall and are couple weeks from harvest.