Jennifer Blackburn is the External Affairs Director for National Sorghum Producers and the Sorghum Check-Off. We talked about some of the interesting new uses for grain sorghum, why agriculture means everything to her, and the Sorghum Smart Talk podcast. (Plus fun fact, she was on the National Champion Livestock Judging team for Tech a few years back -- wreck 'em!) Go check out Sorghum Smart Talk Podcast (iTunes + Spotify + all other podcast platforms)! Podcast Music: Kody West || "Melody ..read more

Dwight Roye is a farmer in the Ralls area and along with his two sons, he is the co-owner/operator of Beta Ag, Inc., a custom application business that also sells seed and fertilizer. He talks about the golden years of irrigation in Crosby County, some equipment history (sandfighters, buster planters, etc.), and why technology will become even more vital to the cotton industry on the South Plains.  ..read more

Katy Jane Seaton owns Farmhouse Vineyards in Meadow, TX, along with her husband and his sister and their brother-in-law. We talked about how she got into the wine industry, the grapes that they grow and the wines that they sell as part of their own brand, as well as the obstacles and best parts of growing grapes on the South Plains.  Farmhouse Vineyards has a tasting room in Brownfield open Thursday- Saturday, as well as one in Johnson City, TX in the Hill Country. --------------- www.farmhousevineyard.com -------------- Podcast Music: Melody - Kody West ..read more

Allen Crausbay owned and operated Crosby County Pump and Machine for over 40 years, a business that his family started in the 1950s. He talked about how his business has helped farmers, how to fit the right pump to the right well, and how to treat people right in "If you can control your own destiny, that’ll be the best position you’ll ever be in." Music: Kody West "Melody" (used with permission ..read more

Dr. Katie Lewis, a professor and soil scientist with a joint appointment between Texas Tech & Texas A&M AgriLife Research, talks about her passion for soil, the delicate balance between ensuring profitability and taking care of the soil, as well as why her connection to farming is the basis of her research. Music: Kody West "Melody" (used with permission ..read more

Gary Evitt is a recently retired farmer from the Idalou area (Lubbock County). We talked about how he started using cover crops on his fields and switching to no-till, his thoughts on the future of cotton farming on the South Plains, and the peaks and valleys of his farming career.  ..read more

Chaney Light is a farmer in Lubbock, Hale, and Floyd County. We talked about why he loves farming dryland cotton, farming on his own at such a young age, and how to avoid comparing yourself to other farmers.  Special Guest: Savana Ware --- Podcast Music: Kody West "Melody"  ..read more

Dr. Peter Dotray is a professor of weed science at Texas Tech University and holds a joint appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension, where he is the Extension Weed Specialist on the High Plains. We talked about what first piqued his interest about weed science, the updated dicamba label, and the challenges of controlling weeds on the South Plains.  Podcast Music: Kody West || "Melody" (used with permission ..read more

James Santucci, who farms cotton in the Mississippi Delta and worked at the Stoneville Experiment Station for almost 50 years, talks about how the farming landscape in the Delta has changed in recent years and the many mechanical experiments (such as the parabolic subsoiler) that he worked on while at Stoneville.  “You better think twice before you just jump into cotton. If you’re gonna get into cotton, you need to be there for the long haul.” Music: Kody West “Melody” (used with permission ..read more

Shannon Adkins, a cotton farmer in Crosby and Lubbock County, talks about weed control and cover crops on his farming operation and why he loves to farm on the South Plains. “I always enjoyed planting something and watching it grow… try to keep it clean, make it look as good as you can, and make it produce as good as you can. Taking that to harvest and completing it, there’s just a fulfillment in that.” Music: Kody West "Melody" (used with permission ..read more