January 2019 Stories
Women of the Mississippi Agricultural Aviation Association Educating the Masses about Ag Aviation
By Mark H. Stowers She was told by her mother not to marry a farmer, – much less an ag pilot. But Vicki Lawson did
5% Rule Increases Net Profit
By Patrick R. Shepard During their winter planning, Delta and other Midsouth growers should consider using the 5% Rule. Several years ago SouthernAg Consulting, headquartered
Pecans: A Southern Delicacy Big Business for Some Deltans
By Greta Sharpe Pecans play a starring role in most Southern holiday tables. From roasted and salted pecans for snacks to pecan dressing to everyone’s
Kin Growers of Rolling Fork Second Generation Strong
By Mark H. Stowers Family farms abound in the Delta with some dating back generations with more than a century of labor. In Rolling Fork,
Jan Gray Walton An Inspiration to Many
By Aimee Robinette There is nothing Grenada Extension Agent III Jan Gray Walton appreciates more than educating others to improve their quality of life. Whether
The Delta Ag Expo A Delta Farming Tradition Going Strong
By Erin Williams If one could go back in time to the 1970s and walk the grounds of a Delta farm, the differences in management,
Before Cotton Was King
By Hank Burdine The Mississippi Delta, as we know it, is the alluvial floodplain of the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers—bounded on the north by the
MirTech Harvest Center
Bringing CLASS to the Mississippi Delta By Angela Rogalski • Photography by Rory Doyle MirTech Harvest Center was founded in 1996 by Colorado native Robert Krattli and his wife Natalia. The large dealer group has a multilocation operation in Eastern Europe and has had a longstanding history with CLAAS Manufacturers. MirTech established its first branches in the Delta in 2016. Along with CLAAS, MirTech is the official dealer and distributor of manufacturers known worldwide, such as MacDon, Manitou, Salford, and many others. In July 2018, MirTech opened its Boyle, Miss. location and continues to expand its footprint in and across the entire Delta. John Oursler is the branch manager in Boyle. Oursler says that MirTech had three existing locations in the region before opening up in Boyle: Jonesboro, Ark., Stuttgart, Ark., and Sikeston, Mo. “We came to Boyle to establish our fourth location,” Oursler says. “We’re a full line CLAAS dealership. We sell combines, tractors, hay equipment, all types of mowers; so we’re a full line agriculture dealer here in Boyle.” Oursler says some of the other services they provide are 24/7 infield parts support, 24/7 service support, and continuing education for their service techs about the equipment they sell. And they are very proud to offer CLAAS to this particular area of the Delta. “CLAAS is brand new to this area,” Oursler continues. “My goal with our branch is to continue to grow our presence and our footprint in the Mississippi Delta. We want to continue to develop relationships with our customers. And since July, we’ve actually experienced growth already with our business. Not only from selling new machines, but from the service side as well. We go out in the field and repair equipment, work on existing combines , so being here in Boyle, centrally located in the Delta, we’re able to service our customers from the north end of the Delta to the south end of the Mississippi Delta.” And offering farmers replacement parts for the equipment they sell is a significant part of their 24/7