Owen Yoder, Dallas County, Alabama, is a dryland peanut farmer, but says that didn’t make much difference this past year. “Although I don’t irrigate, it was as if we had irrigation because the rainfall was so timely in our area. It seemed like we always received a shower at just the right time,” he says. Yoder considers himself to be a relatively “new” peanut grower, having planted his first crop in 2011. He says timeliness, diversification, and paying attention to the small things are critical factors in producing an economical peanut crop. This year, his crop mix includes 150 acres of peanuts, 350 acres of cotton, and 200 acres of grain sorghum. He’ll also have between 200 and 250 acres of soybeans. He’s certain that planting on fresh ground is contributing to his excellent peanut yields. In 2013, he averaged 5,591 pounds per acre on 138 acres of peanuts. His 2013 peanut crop was good enough to earn him the Farm Press Peanut Profitability Award for the lower Southeast region. "I’ve always wanted to grow peanuts. It’s a different crop to grow, but I like new challenges and I enjoy it," says Yoder. He attributes his success to God and says he is truly a blessed man.