Glenn Heard is a third generation farmer from Brinson, Georgia. He farms in Seminole and Decatur counties. On his farm, he grows wheat, milo, corn, cotton, peanuts, sweet corn and carrots. The peanuts on Glenn Heard’s farm are mostly irrigated and he plants the GA O6-G variety along with a few High-Oleic and FloRunner 107. Problems Heard faced on his farm this 2015 growing season included insects such as nematodes, and diseases like white mold and leaf spot. The weather was also an issue this season, which has put him behind on his harvesting schedule.
While visiting the Heard farm, attendees were able to see peanuts being harvested and loaded into wagons. Most of the equipment Heard uses is driven via GPS. This allows for their farming practices to stay accurate and to do a better job. In the beginning of the season they spread lime and fumigates by GPS, which allows them to vary the rates across the fields, then they can plant in straight rows. Heard says during digging it is critical to stay within a couple of inches of the rows in order to minimize loss.
Also at this stop, Rome Ethredge, Seminole County Extension Agent, explained to tour attendees how to determine maturity in peanuts using a Peanut Profile Board. The board is color coded from lighter to darker colors so researchers and extension agents can separate them via color on the chart to determine the number of days until maturity.