This year’s O.D. Butler Field Day (Friday, May 20th) will be an in-person event. This year’s field day will address high input cost such as fertilizer & preparing for this years predicted drought. The field day will be held at the Camp Cooley division of Circle X Ranch. The GPS location of the ranch is 4297 Camp Cooley Ranch Rd, Franklin, TX 77856.

The format for the day’s activities will be like past field days. We will gather at the sale headquarters from 8 to 9 am to register and visit with Ag Industry booths and view farm equipment displayed outside of the sale pavilion. We are expecting 25 to 30 industry booths, and 5 to 7 farm equipment dealers to be present. Three CEU’s will be awarded (2 General & 1 Laws & Reg’s) to eligible participants.

After some brief introductions and instructions, we will proceed to three outside tour stops. We will have trailers available to transport participants to the stops. Each stop is scheduled to last about 45 minutes. Below is more information for each location.

• Pasture Weed Control Products. Dr. Scott Nolte will tie together new products and how they can save fertilizer dollars and save forage if we get into a drought situation, as is predicted.

• Saving Your Fertilizer Dollars. Dr. Vanessa Corrifer-Olson will address ways to use fertilizer dollars more wisely. Discussion items will include alternative fertilizer sources, can we adjust type of commercial fertilizer used, the value of timing of application and use of weed control.

• What can we do to Minimize Hay Loss? Dr. Larry Redmond will discuss the benefits of hay barns, wrapping hay & pads to store hay. Every pound of hay we save will reduce fertilizer cost & save hay during times of drought.

Late morning, we will return to the A/C at the sale pavilion. We will have brief updates from participating farm equipment dealers on new farm equipment and technology available to producers.

Following the brief farm machinery presentations, we will have lunch and time to visit with the Ag Industry booths. We will also have a contest for field day participants. You will have a chance to win cash if you finish in the top three placings.

After lunch, Dr. Don Renchie will discuss Pesticide Laws & Regulations presentation. His program will include new and updated laws and regulation information. If you have not heard Dr. Renchie before, you are in for a real treat.

Our final speaker will be Dr. Barron Rector. Barron will give the results of the contest. He will also address why proper weed and brush identification is important to save us chemical dollars, fertilizer dollars and help produce valuable pounds of grass during drought periods.

Pre-registration & pre-payment is required. The Cost of the program registration will be $30. Please feel free to call the Robertson County (979-828-4270) or the Brazos County (979-823-0129) Extension Offices for information about the program.