Colorado County Agriculture - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

03/26/2026

https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/03/19/producer-preparedness-critical-as-new-world-screwworms-approach/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20more%20about%20New%20World%20screwworm&utm_campaign=AT%20Newsletter%20March%202026

AgriLife Extension experts say livestock producers need to prepare now as the New World screwworm approaches the Texas-Mexico border.

02/19/2026

Colorado County members of the Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association are pleased to announce the upcoming Colorado County Lunch-N-Learn Series in Spring focused on gardening and horticulture!

Programs will be held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Colorado County Services Facility located at 305 Radio Lane in Columbus. Registration will open at 11:50 am with the program starting promptly at 12:05 pm and ending by 12:55pm. Attendees are asked to bring their own lunch. Light refreshments including coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. No preregistration is required for this free program.

The following is our program line-up:
• January 21st – Preparing for Spring Gardening
• February 18th – Petals & Prickles: Growing and Nurturing Roses
• March 18th – Lawn Care: Top 5 Mistakes Homeowners Make
• April 15th – Epiphytes, Mosses & Lichen
• May 20th – Herbs: From Container Plant to Kitchen

For more information please contact the Colorado County AgriLife Extension Office at 979-732-2082.

09/11/2025

Colorado County members of the Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association are pleased to announce the upcoming Colorado County Lunch-N-Learn Series in Fall 2025 focused on gardening and horticulture!

Programs will be held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Colorado County Services Facility located at 305 Radio Lane in Columbus. Registration will open at 11:50 am with the program starting promptly at 12:05 pm and ending by 12:55pm. Attendees are asked to bring their own lunch. Light refreshments including coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. No preregistration is required for this free program.

The following is our program line-up:

• September 17th – Rainwater Harvesting
• October 15th – Show and Tell Your Favorite Garden Tool – Please bring your favorite, or least favorite garden tool.
• November 19th – Night Pollinators

For more information please contact the Colorado County AgriLife Extension Office at 979-732-2082.

07/14/2025

Master Gardener Lunch and Learn is Back!

Our Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association is kicking off our summer/fall Lunch and Learn Program.

Programs will be held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Colorado County Services Facility located at 305 Radio Lane in Columbus. Registration will open at 11:50 am with the program starting at 12:05 pm and ending by 1 pm. Attendees are asked to bring their own lunch. Light refreshments including tea and snacks will be provided. No preregistration is required for this free program.

Our July program will be this, week on Wednesday July 16th. The topic for this program is Take Out Containers – starting seed in take out container greenhouses. This is something you can do at home, and don’t need a lot of space to keep it in. Local master gardener Lynda Duffy will be teaching this class, and we will have some hands on examples for everyone to see. We hope you’ll bring your lunch and learn with us!

This program will be the first of our summer and fall series. Be on the lookout for information about our upcoming lunch and learn programs in August through November!

Best Regards,
Laramie

Laramie Kettler, MS
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
County Extension Agent – Agriculture and Natural Resources

Colorado County
316 Spring Street
Columbus, TX 78934
P: (979) 732-2082

06/16/2025

Come out and join us for the Colorado County Row Crop tour!

The Colorado County Row Crop Tour will provide stops to view corn & cotton variety test plots for comparative purposes and to provide area producers updated information regarding production practices.

Cotton and corn will be the primary topics discussed at the stops. The tour includes two stops and will conclude with a BBQ meal. There will be 3 CEU credits offered for this tour.

When: June 19, 2025

Where: Nada Community Center

Registration: 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Contact: Laramie Kettler
316 Spring St.
Columbus, Texas 78934
979-732-2082

04/22/2025

04/17/2025

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Offices of Colorado and Fayette Counties are pleased to announce the 2025 Colorado/Fayette Pecan Field Day. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 14th, at the Looger Orchard. Registration will begin at 8:30 am with the program beginning at 9:00 am and concluding around Noon.

Dr. Larry Stein (Associate Professor and Extension Horticulturist) will be the featured speaker for the program. 2 CEU’s (1 General, 1 IPM), will be offered to private applicators. Please bring your lawn chairs for seating in the orchard. For more information, please contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offices at 979-732-2082 (Colorado County) or 979-968-5831 (Fayette County).

03/31/2025

Colorado County Homeowner Soil Testing Campaign
Urban/Turf/Garden Soil Testing Campaign March 31-April 11, 2025.

Proper soil nutrients are key in the success of a thriving lawn and garden. Starting with a soil test is the most important step to determining the amount of fertilizer or amendments needed each year. Homeowners and gardeners should consider soil testing as an investment in this year’s turf and garden, because the correct amounts and timing of fertilization can greatly enhance quality and growth.

Homeowners and gardeners in the Austin, Colorado, Fayette and Washington County area are encouraged to take part in the Urban, Turf, and Garden Soil Testing Campaign from March 31st, thru April 11th. Soil samples submitted during this time frame will be $8.00 for a routine analysis and $15.00 for a routine analysis including micro-nutrients. Residents of Colorado County may bring their samples to Colorado Feed, Eagle Lake General Store, M-G Farm Service, Bernardo Farm & Ranch, J&W Farm Ranch, Sheridan Memorial Library, AL&M Building Supplies, or the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office located at 316 Spring Street in Columbus. Soil sample bags and forms are available at the office.

For more information about soil testing contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Colorado County at (979) 732-2082.

Laramie Kettler, MS
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
County Extension Agent – Agriculture & Natural Resource
Colorado County
316 Spring Street
Columbus, TX 78934
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
316 Spring Street | Columbus, Texas 78934
Tel. 979-732-2082 | Fax. 979.732.6694 | Colorado.agriLife.org

The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, s*x, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, s*xual orientation, or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in this meeting are encouraged to contact the County Extension Office at (979) 732-2082 prior to the meeting to determine how reasonable accommodations can be made.

03/04/2025

“A dream to restore and steward a Texas ranch.”

Special thanks to AgriLife Today staff for putting together this piece on David and Lori Hessel with 3H Ranch in Weimar, highlighting their involvement in agriculture and the beef industry.

Lori and David Hessel weren’t always ranchers. But with the help of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, they realized their dream.

03/04/2025

Bluebonnet Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale

Saturday - April 12, 2025
From: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Levine Park Pavilion
406 Main St.
Sealy, Texas 77494

02/26/2025