MOULTRIE, Ga. — In the winter and early spring of each year, the Colquitt County Extension Service holds several production meetings to educate local producers about new production practices.  Dates for the 2018 Colquitt County Extension production meetings are listed below:

Vegetable Production Update – January 9, 2018 at noon.

Tobacco Production Update – January 30, 2018 at 10 a.m.

Peanut Production Update – February 1, 2018  at 6 p.m.

Cotton Production Update – February 8, 2018 at noon.

Weed Management Update – February 19, 2018 at 6 p.m.

Row Crop Disease Meeting – February 26, 2018 at noon

Pecan Production Update – March 1, 2018 at noon.

All production meetings will be held at the Colquitt County Extension Office. If you have questions please feel free to contact the Extension office at 616-7455.

Thoughts on Christmas Trees

If you are like me then you are still looking for that perfect Christmas tree to place in your home. Planning ahead: Check the height of your ceiling before leaving the house and buy a tree a foot shorter so it will fit comfortably inside. Tree taper and fullness of the tree are also considerations for tree selection.

Picking the tree: The freshest trees will be available at choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms. Buying trees from farms also supports local farmers. Shake the tree before you buy it. Lots of needles falling off is a bad sign that can indicate a dead tree. Check for insects and dead needles around the middle of the tree as these could also indicate a dead tree. Be careful not to pick a droopy looking tree, this probably means it’s gone too long without water. Pick a tree with a straight trunk that is between six and eight inches long. This will make it easier to cut the base and put it in a stand.

Caring for the tree: When you get home with your tree, cut an inch off of the base and immediately put it in water. The tree should go in a stand that holds at least one gallon of water. Plain water, without sugar or fertilizer, is best for the tree. Make sure to check the water supply for the tree, especially when you’ve just gotten it because the first couple of days the tree will go through a lot of water.

How much hay do I need for my beef cattle herd?

This is a common question from beef cattle producers and often a little difficult to answer. A brood cow will consume about 2 percent of her body weight everyday. A 1,200-pound cow will need 24 pounds of dry hay per day. A good rule of thumb is to allow for one 1,000 pounds hay bale per cow per month. Hay requirements could increase by 10 to 30 percent based on feeding and storage method that is utilized on the operation.