TAHOKA, TX – South Plains farmers hope to alleviate low cotton prices by growing sunflowers.
Since April, Jason Bass has planted and grown sunflowers in his cotton fields. This gave his fields a bit of relief from the cotton crop, but also alleviated the stress of low cotton prices. This has been his first year growing sunflowers, and with the help of his father-in-law, Ty Askew, he said his first harvest will be profitable.
Jurassic Park live coming to Buddy Holly Hall
Bass landed on sunflowers because of their low entry cost and because he purchased a combine this year. He said one big advantage of sunflowers is that they don’t require as much watering as cotton does. “A rule of thumb with sunflowers is they need about 6 inches of water […] But with cotton, right now, we got the water on and you don’t turn it off. It just stays on.”
Bass grows his sunflowers in one half of his circular cotton fields. Though he’s reduced his cotton yields by doing this, he makes up the profit by growing multiple rounds of sunflowers, which are selling at a decent price. The flowers mature quickly, and they stop growing when it is time to focus the water back on the cotton plants.
The Human Bean to raise money for South Plains Food Bank on Aug. 8
As pretty as they look, Bass and other growers ask that visitors first ask permission before entering a sunflower field. Avoid cutting and taking home flowers because that’s the farmer’s livelihood. Also, make sure entering the field is safe. Bass said he and other farmers try to put up signs when pesticides have been sprayed and make the field hazardous to enter…