First Baptist Church

Information may not be reliable

John was appointed as Colorado's Commissioner of Agriculture by Governor Ritter in January 2007...
follow this link to his official website
You may email John at the Colorado Department of Agriculture

By request blizzard photos from 2006-2007 still posted...
...blizzard photos...click to view slide show

Very dry - last good general moisture came in July - some isolated moisture
Wheat drilling was later than usual because of dry conditions
Drilled wheat stands are spotty
Some wheat dusted in and waiting for moisture to see if seed is still viable
Fall harvest almost complete (sunflowers / millet / forage sorghum)

WHEAT IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO
Hard red winter wheat is planted in the fall in late September and October, depending on the moisture. The seed germinates, and grows into a small plant which remains dormant through the winter. As soon as the growing conditions are right in the spring, the small plant hopefully grows and matures in late June and July. At that time the wheat is harvested.
Many natural perils can reduce or annihilate the wheat crop:

insufficient fall moisture for the seed to germinate and push through the ground
insufficient winter moisture to keep it healthy until spring or to keep it from blowing out
insufficient spring moisture to help it develop and mature into a healthy productive plant
late spring freeze which sterilizes the wheat bloom preventing kernel development
too much wind that shatters the grain after it has developed
a hail storm that can destroy an entire crop in a matter of minutes
Russian Wheat Aphid infestation which can severely decrease production if not sprayed quickly

It takes two years to grow a wheat crop in Southeast Colorado because of low moisture. Half the acres are planted one year, while the other half acres remain fallow accumulating moisture. The following year the fields reverse.

Transportation is another factor that has to be considered in this area. The farmer has to deduct anywhere from 10 cents to 60 cents per bushel from the Kansas City Board of Trade price because the wheat has to be moved to market.

Several conservation practices in order to enhance the soil and production, to conserve moisture, and to reduce erosion are used:

Wheat varieties planted in 2009 and harvested in 2010 include

Colorado State University wheat variety performance database ...search for Lamar for results of test plots on our farm
Colorado State University Wheat Field Days schedule

The annual precipitation is supposed to be 14"; however, we don't always get that much, or we may get half of it in one night.
The wind may vary from 0 mph to 80 mph gusts.
The temperature may vary from a frosty 25 degrees below zero (January, 1996, with the wind chill) to a sweltering 112 degrees during harvest.
No two years are the same.

Cattle still out on pasture
Early summer rains made good grass growth that has carried through to this fall
Calves will soon be weaned
Moisture would be very beneficial before weaning

Southeast Colorado is a good area for livestock production. Stulp Farms manages a Cow-Calf operation and a Feeder operation using English cross breeds. Calving begins in the spring with the difficult deliveries needing assistance. The calves are weaned as yearlings and additional yearling calves are purchased in the fall. Purchased calves begin their feeding cycle in the feedlot after being vaccinated, dehorned, and processed.
A mixture of corn silage, grain, and protein supplement with sorghum or alfalfa hay are fed in a rationof approximately three percent of their body weight on a dry matter basis.
Depending on the moisture and the weather, the calves are either kept in the feedlot and fed twice a day or they are turned out to pasture. Volunteer wheat is an excellent resource to feed during the winter if enough moisture has been received to have a good stand, and if not covered with snow. In the summer months the calves graze primarily on buffalo and grama, native grasses.
Under average conditions the carrying capacity for a cow during summer months is from 15 to 20 acres; for year around pasture the number of acres per animal unit increases to approximately 40 acres. Supplemental feed and protein is needed in the winter months. On an average yearlings can be run for about 5 months on about 10 acres. Each year is different depending on pasture conditions.
Surface water is not available on most pastures. Water in stock tanks must be pumped from wells (anywhere from 20' deep to 400' deep) by windmills or electric pumps.
Several options are considered for the cattle when they reach 700 to 800 pounds. They may be fed out in a commercial feedlot or sold to a commercial feedlot; heifers may be bred and calved out the next spring or sold as bred heifers. Determining factors:

Cattle price...Corn price...Hay price...Availability of grass and volunteer wheat...Weather

Rate of gain
Weather: blizzard or drought conditions - no volunteer wheat or grass
Usually a combination of all

Commercial Feedlots in Lamar Area feed approximately 75,000 to 80,000 head:

(click on our name to write us e-mail or visit our homepages)

JOHN STULP, III at work - or JOHN and LYNDSEY at home --- See photos

John - CSU mechanical engineer graduate - Control Systems Engineer for Woodward Governor in Industrial Controls
Lyndsey - North Central University (Minnesota) graduate in Psychology and Bible Studies and currently is a counselor for Larimer Center in Fort Collins
See their family page

JANEA STULP BHALLA and husband SUNIT BHALLA or JANEA & SUNIT at home --- See their family page
Janea - CSU Mechanical Engineer graduate, Sunit - NMSU Electrical Engineer graduate - Univ of Mass Computer Engineer Masters
Janea is engineering manager with PELCO...and Sunit is switching careers from engineering management to brand new business startup OakTree Financial Planning

JASON STULP at work, MEGAN STULP at work, or JASON and MEGAN STULP at home--- See their family page
both CSU Mechanical Engineer graduates---Jason University of Utah Engineering Masters in robotics control systems
Megan and Jason both hold engineering positions with Alliant Techsystems ATK

JEREMY STULP or CHRISTI STULP ---see a few photos
Jeremy a CSU Mechanical Engineer graduate - was a mechanical engineer for Deere & Company in the Waterloo Iowa engines controls group, but returned to farm in Colorado. After managing the family farm for several years, he and Christi have taken on a new farming operation in Kiowa County
Christi has bachelors and masters degrees in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University and the University of Florida ---
She left her career as Services Director for the National Sorghum Producers and is currently a MaryKay Consultant

JENSEN STULP or MEGHAN STULP --- See JENSEN and MEGHAN STULP

Jensen - Graduate studies in the Professional Veterinary Medicine Program at CSU with undergrad degree from Colorado State University in Animal Sciences
Meghan - BS degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion CSU Pueblo - Meghan is also certified as Equine Sports Massage Therapist
After practicing 2 years in Pueblo, and a year at the Redstone Clinic in Littleton, Dr. Jensen returned to practice in the Lamar area. He and Meghan have opened "Great Plains Veterinary Service" serving "all creatures great and small" (No website yet but the clinic phone number is 719-336-5509) Meghan is the clinic's business manager and their new associate is Dr. Kathy Gagliardi.
Jensen has stepped into management of the Stulp family farming operation

Would you like to take a peek at the grandbabies?
and at "great" nieces?

Stulp Farms has hosted Colorado Institute for Leadership Training, known as CILT for several years

Jensen's a "COVER BOY" of the Insight Veterinary Magazine - the story is on page 4

Jensen travels to Honduras with a Christian Veterinary Mission delegation

We've committed land sites to the Pierre Auger Project to assist them locating their northern hemisphere observatory in Prowers County.

Jensen talks on video about the CSU vet college...scroll down to college of veterinary medicine and click on video download

The Stulp kids are interviewed for a CSU Engineering publication Ask Stulp to do it...

The NY Times drought story was printed in several regional papers including the Unknown Country

What will generate more income per acre than wheat on this dryland farm? ...these will!

Johnny, Jeremy and Jensen in their AV's jerseys after the Bolder Boulder in the Longmont Times-Call

The weather station located on our farm can be monitored at The Colorado Climate Center
...link to CoAgMet monthly summaries for Lamar #1

Jimmy Carter's diary mentions meeting with John during his tenure as President (page 4)

Still have the wedding photo of the four "bridesmen" brothers and Janea posted

Photo of Southeast Colorado sunset from a tractor cab

Want to stay overnight in Lamar? Try our friend's great bed and breakfast

Stulp Farms, a family operated dryland wheat farm and cattle ranch in Southeastern Colorado, invites net browsers to visit our homepage to learn more about production agriculture in this area. Click on a picture for more information about
wheat, cattle, kids or Ragsdale Farms, Inc...