agriculture

16-month-old Maizlee Raesz sits with her grandmother Kari Raesz as the farm crew takes a supper break along County Road 414 during corn harvest of brothers Shaun and Steven Raesz on Friday, July 10, 2026. Kari is Shaun’s wife. Maizlee is the daughter of Shaun’ and Kari’s son Montgomery and his wife Madalynn. The ear of corn she’s holding was just a play toy for Maizlee. These East Williamson County farmers are harvesting over 4,000 acres of corn this year. Photo by Andy Sharp

16-month-old Maizlee Raesz sits with her grandmother Kari Raesz as the farm crew takes a supper break along County Road 414 during corn harvest of brothers Shaun and Steven Raesz on Friday, July 10, 2026. Kari is Shaun’s wife. Maizlee is the daughter of Shaun’ and Kari’s son Montgomery and his wife Madalynn. The ear of corn she’s holding was just a play toy for Maizlee. These East Williamson County farmers are harvesting over 4,000 acres of corn this year. Photo by Andy Sharp

Family, corn continue to grow on 4,000 acres

Andy Sharp
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Photographing the corn harvests of the Raesz family through the years has been a blessing. Brothers Shaun Raesz, 51, and Steven, 49, continue the work begun by their father, Arnold Raesz, who turned over the mantle to them a few years back.
A New World screwworm fly. (Mexican-American Commission for the Eradication of the Screwworm)

A New World screwworm fly. (Mexican-American Commission for the Eradication of the Screwworm)

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Destructive livestock parasite makes its way to Central Texas

Kaitlyn Wilkes
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Earlier this month, the Texas Department of Agriculture confirmed its first cases of New World Screwworm, one of which was in Central Texas in Gillespie County near Fredericksburg. Texas has confirmed 15 total cases across the state as of June 22.
Sourdough focaccia bread made during a Extension Office class seen before and after being baked.

Sourdough focaccia bread made during a Extension Office class seen before and after being baked.

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Wilco AgriLife Extension Office offers resources for bakers, gardeners

Kaitlyn Wilkes
Saturday, May 30, 2026
While some residents were in line to vote or attend court hearings at the Williamson County Annex last Thursday, others enjoyed the Williamson County AgriLife Extension Office’s Lunch and Learn sourdough breadmaking class.
A tractor makes its way along West Davilla Street in downtown Granger on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Photo by Andy Sharp

A tractor makes its way along West Davilla Street in downtown Granger on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Photo by Andy Sharp

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Across the tracks

Andy Sharp
Thursday, February 26, 2026
A tractor makes its way along West Davilla Street in downtown Granger on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Photo by Andy Sharp
A close up shows a large broken limb that’s harmed the Story Tree on the Southwestern University campus.

A close up shows a large broken limb that’s harmed the Story Tree on the Southwestern University campus.

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Science will try to save Southwestern's historic Story Tree

Williamson County Extension Office
Thursday, December 4, 2025
The famous and majestic live oak Story Tree is located on the Southwestern University campus in Georgetown. This tree has partially succumbed to the effects of its age, pathogenic fungi, bacterial infections, and who knows what over its 100 years of life.

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Fall welcomes harvest, sneak peak of hunting season

Kaitlyn Wilkes
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
As the summer winds down into autumn, spring rains and mild summer temperatures have made way for plentiful vegetative cover and forage that will support many wildlife species for the fall hunting season, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Office.

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The Ag Account: Wet year prompts weed challenges in crops

Nalani Nuylan
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Uncharacteristically wet weather this year has left many producers across Texas with a growing weed problem, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.Widespread drought during previous seasons allowed producers to keep weed growth in check.
Kyle Kokel, standing at left, works to free up wheat lodged in a combine during Aaron MartinaÕs wheat harvest on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Martinka is getting harvest help from friends Larry Svehlak and Kyle Kokel. Martinka and his helpers are harvesting 700 acres of wheat this season. Photo by Andy Sharp.

Kyle Kokel, standing at left, works to free up wheat lodged in a combine during Aaron MartinaÕs wheat harvest on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Martinka is getting harvest help from friends Larry Svehlak and Kyle Kokel. Martinka and his helpers are harvesting 700 acres of wheat this season. Photo by Andy Sharp.

Wheat harvest time in Williamson County

Andy Sharp
Thursday, May 29, 2025
A few years ago, after my lungs were straining after breathing in massive amounts of dust, I said that was the last time I’d do photographs during a wheat harvest. The fault was of my own making.
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