Long-leaf pine seedlings growing on raised beds and irrigated by a circular pivot micro-irrigation system at Lewis Taylor Farms co-owned by William L. Brim and Edward Walker, one of several crops, such as cotton, peanut, vegetable and greenhouse operations in Fort Valley, GA, on May 6, 2019.
Long-leaf pines are an indigenous tree in the Southeast. Growers are working to increase the number of this slower growing hearty hardwood tree in this region.
The Taylor Farms operation includes bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon and a variety of specialty peppers on 6,500 acres; and cotton and peanuts on 1,000 acres.
Following Hurricane Michael, USDA helped this farm with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) for structural damage cleanup. He also mentions the importance of having Secretary Sonny Perdue, a person with agricultural background, come visit and listen to 75 producers six months ago, in southwest Georgia.
USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
FSA www.fsa.usda.gov/index
ECP www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-progr...
. Original public domain image from Flickr