EXTENSION REPORT

Harvest Time Is Here Again

This has been a very long, hot, dry and very trying crop year.  Some growers have suffered more than others.  Baldwin County in spite of the drought has a fairly good peanut and cotton crop.  However, at this point there are some parts of the county where the drought took its toll.  The drought has apparently sped up cotton harvest and delayed peanut harvest.  There is much to be gained by harvesting on time. 

Most everyone wants to know the acres of crops planted in this area. 

Row Crop Acres For Southwest Alabama 2006

Peanut acres dropped 23,743 acres, a 35 % decrease in this region from 2005 to 2006. 

Washington Co. increased by 112 acres while Baldwin dropped 4,052, Butler 325, Clark 264, Conecuh 267, Mobile 842, Monroe 6,486 and Escambia 11,748 acres.  Baldwin is still the second largest peanut growing county in AL second to Houston with 29,952 acres.  Total row crop acres in Southwest Alabama are 147,606 acres.

Boiling Peanuts:  This recipe was given to me by Glen Forrester with Forrester Farms near Columbia, Alabama.  First of all the best peanuts to boil are the peanuts that are two to three weeks prior to being mature for harvest.  When boiled these immature peanuts are the sweetest.  It is very important to thoroughly rinse your peanuts before boiling.  Rinse them until the water is clean, almost clean enough to drink.  For every five gallons of peanuts use one box of salt.  For every one gallon of peanuts use ½ cup of salt. Bring the peanuts to a boil and let them boil for one hour.  Then turn off the heat and let them set with the lid on until the peanuts have settled to the bottom.  Allow plenty of time for them to cool down.  During this cooling process the salt actually is absorbed from the water to the peanuts. 

Email address: rpetcher@aces.edu
Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.