Video: Winston Farm Field Day

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LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Farmers in Louisville and Winston County are spending the day out on the farm.

Its a time for small vegetable and beef cattle growers to learn new techniques for meeting the growing demand from everything from farmers markets to everyday consumers who want fresh-grown food.

These vegetable growers are learning new techniques to grow fresh wholesome edible produce. New approaches like building a hoop house have helped Winston County farmer Peggy Miller and her husband, Alonzo, expand their harvest and find new customers.

“We also have a drip irrigation system installed in the hoop house that allows us to control the watering of the vegetables. The hoop house is a little different from the greenhouse. It doesn’t have a thermostat or anything controlling the temperature,” said Peggy Miller/AM & PM Beef/Vegetable Farm.

“It extends your growing season in the winter time. And it gives you like six weeks extended in the end of the growing season. It’s very important, especially if you grow for the market. It’s extending your money if you have success with it,” said Shelton Cooper/Small Time Farmer.

“In February, we planted tomatoes which are already bearing again. We planted green, red, and yellow bell peppers, Jalapeno peppers, also banana peppers. We are also growing herbs in there like rosemary and basil,” said Miller.

The Millers have been raising beef cattle since 2008 and will admit, even though they had about 30 head, they don’t know everything there is to know about farming. However, these field day events help these small-time farmers share their successes with others and learn new ones themselves.

“I have a few cows I’ve been using the program the NRCS Program, and they are here today and they’ve been telling us what we qualify or how to get qualified. And it’s a good program to use, especially whether you are getting started or in the business,” said Cooper.

Networking and sharing… everyone and everything seems to be growing.

“It’s about sharing knowledge with one another and then everyone wins. Everybody helping each other,” said Miller.

Farmers markets are popping up in almost every town across the region. The farmers hope what they learn will help make those markets a bigger success.

Those Winston County farmers get together twice a year for these farm field day events.

Categories: Local News

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