It's #NationalPecanMonth​! Working with his father, uncles, and brothers, Brandon Zinser of Morrilton (Conway County) is hoping to turn Petit Jean Pecans into one of the largest pecan orchards and agritourism businesses in central Arkansas.
The Lonoke School district recently began construction on a 30,000-square-foot Agriculture Business Academy, the first of its kind in Arkansas. The facility will house five hands-on programs of study designed to prepare students for skill-based careers right out of high school and/or for continuing education opportunities after high school. Elizabeth Anderson, of I.F. Anderson Farms and school milage campaign chair, explains the benefit the academy will have for Lonoke students, surrounding schools, and the community.
Sam Whitaker, farms cotton, rice, corn and soybeans in southeast Arkansas with his brother, Jim. He took some time to tell us about their approach to planting and how they were able to get an early start with corn planting this year.
Tomorrow is #NationalFarmAnimalDay​, and to celebrate we learned all about mules! Post Farms Mules owners Robin and Marlan tell us about their journey to become a mule breeding operation and what makes these animals so unique.
Judith Allen, of SalScilla Farms in Mayflower, explains how she grows fresh produce year-round in their hydroponics building. Using only the constant flow of water and nutrients, they are able to grow a wide variety of chemical-free produce to sell at their on-farm store and the Conway Farmers Market.
Crop-planting delays seem to be the new normal in Arkansas, but farmers like Adam Chappell in Woodruff County hope heavy rains hold off in spring 2021 so they can get their seeds in the ground earlier.
Gentry Groves is 7 years old, a 4th-generation farmer and a fierce show cattle competitor. Watch as she explains what goes in to showing cattle and teaches Jenny how to walk the arena with her heifer Hannah Montana.
Last Thursday, Arkansas Farm Bureau staff had a chance to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at an on-site clinic. We talked to Farm Bureau State Affairs Director Jeff Pitchford as he received his first dose, and he shared his thoughts on the importance of being protected against the virus and having an employer offer the opportunity to get the vaccine.
Jamison Orchard, a peach orchard, in Nashville has been producing and supplying the sweet summer fruit to faithful customers for decades. Joey Jamison passed away two years ago but his widow Lou is keeping the multi-generation operation going without him. But she's had to fight the elements including flooding rains, late spring freezes and this year the first sub-zero temperatures she's ever encountered. Temperatures that reached -8 degrees during the February winter storm killed the buds on all but 200 of her 3,500 trees. This is not the first peach crop they've had damaged or destroyed and like Joey, Lou Jamison is a survivor. And Lou wants her loyal farmers market customers to know that though it may be a much smaller crop, she hopes to have some of her favorite varieties ready to sell this summer.
Chicot County row crop farmer and former state representative Sammy Angel wears many hats. He was recently elected president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. He is also chairman of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture board, chair of the Chicot Memorial Medical Center board, Lake Village Fire Department Chief and he manages the historic Epstein Cotton Gin in Lake Village.
We visited with him recently for a tour of the more than 100-year-old gin and let him share the importance and mission of his new role with the Ginners Association.
