Thursday, July 17, 1997

Kidd Crop Dusting is new business for Colorado City

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

The boll weevil war has brought business to Colorado City.

Kidds Crop Dusting has set up operations there. It's the first new business in many years to be located at the Municipal Airport.

The company first had an aerial application contract with the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation in 1996 in Stamford.

When the contract with the district office in Colorado City was awarded to Kidds Crop Dusting earlier this year, owner Clifford Kidd established his operation at the airport in Colorado City.

Kidd says that with a permanent, fixed base at the Municipal Airport, his business will provide custom application services for area farmers year-round.

When not making applications for cotton, Kidd says his business will do custom spraying for wheat, brush control work, and so forth.

Kidd purchased an airport hangar from J.O. Dockrey, a Colorado City pilot . He since has brought six airplanes to the aiport - mostly Cessna 188 Ag Huskies.

In addition to his own airplanes, Kidd will subcontract with about 20 more airplanes during the peak of the boll weevil spraying season.

The high-tech operation uses the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) guidance systems in meticulous spraying applications. A computer printout can show a farmer precisely what has been sprayed.

Colorado City officials expect the business to help increase general traffic at the airport. An upgraded classification could lead to more grant funds for airport improvement.

The FAA currently classifies the Municipal Airport as a general airport.

<B>Weed and brush control tour slated for July 22<B>

A Brush Control Demonstration Tour is Tuesday in Eastland County, beginning with registration on the parking lot of Catfish Corner in Carbon at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at about 11:30 a.m.

M. Davy Vestal, Eastland County Extension agent, said the tour will feature chemical applications for mesquite and greenbriar management as well as weed control plots in native range pastures.

Private applicators can earn 2-1/2 continuing education units by attending the entire tour. DowElanco will provide refreshments.

Texas wheat crop is pegged upward

The 1997 wheat harvest in Texas was one of the slower harvests on record.

Nevertheless, the crop is pegged at 118.9 million bushels in the July estimate, up 15 percent from the June estimate.

The Texas Agricultural Statistics Service (TASS) attributed the increase to immproved yields and more acres of Texas winter wheat.

TASS notes that the average yield in Texas is now estimated at 29 bushels per acre, up three bushels from last year.

Harvested acreage, at 4.1 million acres, is expected to be up 41 percent from 1996 and 11 percent more than was forecast in June.

Angora goat field day

The annual Angora Goat Performance Test Field Day and Sale is July 24 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station 28 miles south of Sonora.

Goats can be inspected in the morning. An 11:45 a.m. lunch precedes the 2 p.m. sale. Call Dr. Dan Waldron or Dr. Frank Craddock at (915) 653-4576, or Don Spiller at (915) 387-3168 for more information.