Summary

Footage Information

CONUS Archive
55411
SUNFLOWER HARVEST FEATURE (10/05/1995)
WESTERN MISSOURI
PKG
10/5/1995
37:39
1:55
Sheldon, Missouri Clark Wood, Sunflower Grower :20 Steve Grant reporting :45 Greenfield, Missouri 1:08 Kevin Neill, Pennington Seed Inc. 1:16
LOTS OF SUNFLOWERS, FIELDS, HARVEST, MACHINES, SEEDS, SOUNDBITES
PRETTY TO LOOK AT AND PROFITABLE TO HARVEST. CLARK WOOD'S FAMILY HAS BEEN GROWING SUNFLOWERS ON SOUTHWEST MISSOURI'S FLAT FERTILE FARMLAND FOR FIVE YEARS. TEN DOLLARS OF SEED PER ACRE CAN YEILD AT 110-DOLLARS PER ACRE, LATER: SUNFLOWERS GROWN AS A GRAIN CROP ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THEIR WEEDY COUSINS. THE PLANT WATERS ITSELF WITH DEW EVEN IN DRY WEATHER. THE HEADS BEND EAST TO SHIELD THEMSELVES FROM HAIL AND BIRDS. BUT FALL HARVESTING HAS TO BE TIMED JUST RIGHT OR A LOT OF SEED FALLS ON THE GROUND. PENNINGTON SEED COMPANY PACKAGES SUNFLOWER SEED FROM THE MIDWEST AND PLAINS AT ITS GREENFIELD MISSOURI PROCESSING PLANT. AND PENNINGTON IS PICKY AOUT IS BIRD SEED, NOBODY, ESPECIALLY WALMART, ITS LARGEST CUSTOMER, WATNS A BUG IN THE BAG. MOST SUNFLOWER FARMERS GROW THE OILIER SEED VARIETIES. THAT WAY, IF THEY'RE NOT SOLD FOR COOKING OIL, THEY QUICKLY BECOME BIRDSEE BY THE TRUCKLOAD. STEVE GRANT REPORTING. GTAG: SUNFLOWER SEEDS THAT PEOPLE EAT ARE KNOWN AS CONFECTIONARIES. BUT, SMALLER YIELD IN THE FIELD MAKES FOR HIGHER PRICES IN THE STORE BECAUSE THEY'RE A HIGHER FOOD QUALITY AND ARE ROASTED AND SALTED TO IMPROVE FLAVOR.
LEAD: KANSAS IS KNOWN AS THE SUNFLOWER STATE...BUT THE DAKOTAS, NEBRASK AND NOW MISSOURI ARE SUPPLYING MOST OF THE OIL-LADEN SEEDS THAT FILL BACKYARD BIRD FEEDERS ACROSS AMERICA. IN THE OZARKS, ITS AN ALTERNATIVE CROP THAT'S GROWING IN POPULARITY WITH SOME GRAIN FARMERS. STEVE GRANT EXPLAINS.
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