For the hobby or small farmer, grains and cotton can be very nice little crops grown on as small a patch of ground as a quarter of an acre. Nonetheless, the basic practices of harvesting still apply if you want to make the most of your crops.

To protect horses from potentially deadly diseases, owners regularly vaccinate for a variety of common diseases. However, there is a somewhat forgotten foe not always included in every horse’s vaccination regimen.

Every breed of horse has special qualities that more often than not mirror the personality and disposition of their owner. This is certainly true of DeDe Marshall, a loyal Southern States customer, proud Walking Horse owner and longtime member of the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA).

Put your money to work today!
Southern States has been farmer-owned since 1923. And, our years of working with farmers have taught us what farmers, like you, need. That’s why, unlike a lot of other pre-payment programs, Southern States pre-payment credits can be used for anything we sell, including fuel and fencing. There are no limitations. The dealers participating in the program have the equipment and supplies you want, when you want them. So, placing your hard earned dollars with a Southern States pre-payment program makes a lot of sense.

Fall and winter are traditionally the toughest seasons for animals that spend the majority of their time outside. For farmers there are choices to be made as to just how many and which beef or dairy cattle that they want to carry through the winter. For the small or hobby farmer this choice may not be as commercially driven as a larger operation. Small farm cattle may be special breeds and sometimes even old fashioned sentiment may be a factor. However, there are challenges to be met both practical and financial if your cattle are going to emerge healthy and happy into spring pastures.

When winter chills strike we can put on a sweater, crank up the heating, or put another log on the fire. Your pets grow a winter coat but it is not always enough. There are things you can do to make your pets healthier, safer, and more comfortable through the winter months.

There is nothing nicer than harvesting your own produce. Healthy fresh vegetables picked straight from your plot retain considerably more of the nutrients that are often lost in transport and storage. Furthermore, a comparatively small investment in seeds and fertilizer added to a little diligent elbow grease can save you hundreds perhaps even thousands of dollars off your grocery bill.

Growers using NutriSphere-N Nitrogen Fertilizer Manager qualify for payment through the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) because of its role in reducing nitrogen fertilizer volatilization and protecting against denitrification. CSP, a voluntary conservation program created by the 2008 Farm Bill, provides financial and technical assistance to conserve and enhance soil, water, air and related natural resources. The program encourages agricultural producers to improve conservation systems by undertaking, improving, maintaining and managing existing conservation activities.

• News Release
• Program Information
• USDA web site

Co-op Connection is published quarterly by the Marketing & Corporate Communications Department of Southern States Cooperative. Our purpose is to connect with our farmer-members, customers and key stakeholders, keeping them up to date with news, special reports and timely information.  Highlight of this quarter's issue includes:

• Annual Meeting Notice
• Southern States at the State Fair of VA
• October is Co-op Month
• Net Promoter® Score
• New Mebane, North Carolina Store
• Clovers All Over Campaign

Check out this quarter's issue!  Registered users are welcome to provide feedback using the comments form available at the bottom of the Co-op Connection page.

Welcome to the new Southern States Web Site! We have a new look! In addition, there are a host of additional improvements that we would like to share with you. We hope you enjoy our new web site and make the most of this growing resource.

• Product Catalog
• Product Reviews & Blogs
• Wish List Coupons
• Personalized Coupons
• E-Mail Offers
• Updated Store Locator
• Online Gift Card Sales
• Site Map

Welcome to our new site!  We hope you enjoy this rapidly expanding resource provided to our customers and all those searching for solutions to their growing needs.

Fertilizer prices have dropped considerably from a year ago and are below the five-year averages. Now is the time to take action and book and apply your fertilizer needs. See your local Southern States dealer today!

Soybean rust is a fungus that targets the foliage of the soybean plant. Previously prevalent in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and India, the disease has since found its way to South Africa, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. There are two types of fungi that cause soybean rust. Phakopsora pachyrhiz is the most aggressive form of soybean rust and was first identified in the U.S. in 2004 in Louisiana. Read more about soybean rust, its effects and how it may affect our farmers.

• Soybean Rust Profiled
• Strategies for lessening the impact of Asian soybean rust

Crop rotation planning is not a new tool in the farming armory, the Romans practiced a system known as, “food, feed, and fallow” 2,000 years ago. The basics haven’t changed that much. Crop rotation promotes soil fertility, can contain plant disease, help prevent weed infestation, and last and by no means least, lessen the risk or impact of insect infestations and thus lessen the need for costly and sometimes environmentally unfriendly pesticides.

Spray drift is a serious concern for agricultural property owners, their neighbors and crop protectant spray operators. When crop protectants drift off-target, they can cause health issues and property damage, and can harm the environment. Knowledgeable spray operators understand what can cause drift and then they work diligently to mitigate those factors in reducing spray drift.

• Don't get the drift - spray drift that is
• Using the proper equipment can reduce spray drift

Potash is a potassium-rich, pink-hued salt found in minerals and chemicals. Potash also is found in animal feed supplements, and it can be used in industrial applications as part of manufacturing processes. More recently, potash is used to improve the yield and quality of crops that comprise ethanol and other crop-based biofuels.

• Potash in the United States
• Potash Around the World