Mid-September 2025 TRFS Update

MID-SEPTEMBER SPOTLIGHT: FRESH LISTINGS AND MARKET UPDATES...

NEW! Norco Ranch West is a pristine river property located near the headwaters of the Blanco River, fronting on RM 1888 midway between Luckenbach and Blanco, and is just 20± minutes from the bustling town of Fredericksburg. Diverse natural features are abundant, including clean fields, towering ridges, lush hardwoods, and exquisite grottos. The river ownership includes almost a quarter mile of both sides of the clear flowing stream, which is lined with cypress, monster oak, and riparian vegetation.  Small holes, riffles, falls, and even dinosaur tracks are features of this charming body of water.

NEW! Whispering Oaks Ranch presents an exceptional opportunity to own a picturesque 38± acre South Texas ranchette just minutes from San Antonio. With sprawling live oak trees, open pastures, and a scenic wet-weather creek with a pond, this property offers the perfect setting for recreation, ranching, or building your dream homestead.

REDUCED! 221 Pyka Road is a rare find—a peaceful Hill Country property with mature trees, city utilities, and the benefit of R-2 zoning inside Fredericksburg’s expanding city limits. Tucked just minutes from Main Street, this property offers a comfortable home with room to grow, both inside and out. Whether you're looking to enjoy the home as-is or explore additional improvements or development, this site offers immediate appeal and long-term potential.

CONTINUING TO PRAY FOR THE HILL COUNTRY!

Our thoughts and prayers are still with everyone impacted.

RANCH NEWS ARTICLES!

You can see the latest ranch news articles under “Resources” then go down to the “Ranch Articles” tab. The latest article discusses livestock prices are on the rise, forecasting a higher income for farmers and ranchers... Read More. These articles are also featured in our bi-weekly email newsletter.

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Texas Wheat Farmers Prepare for Hessian Fly Threat

Hessian fly infestations are a concern for many wheat farmers

Hessian fly infestations are a concern for many wheat farmers.

“The worst part about the Hessian fly is you don’t realize it’s in your crop until it’s too late,” Rodney Schmalriede, a wheat farmer near McGregor, said. “They come in, lay their eggs and then the larvae eats on the inside of the stem of the wheat. If they get in there bad enough, it can be a complete loss of the crop.”

Warmer winters allow the Hessian fly to grow and spread through crops, wiping out an entire field.

The small fly can severely damage wheat and other small grain crops, like barley and rye, during its larval state. The cigar-shaped larvae have a creamy white body with a green streak down the middle of its back. The larvae then forms a puparium ranging in color from dark brown to black, resembling flaxseed.

Once fields are infested, there’s not much that can be done.

“I’ve probably experienced it 10 different times in my years of farming,” Schmalriede said. “But maybe two or three times it was bad enough to where we knew we had been hit, and it caused some financial loss.”

Farmers won’t know if their wheat was impacted by the Hessian fly until springtime when the crop is ready for harvest.

Currently, there is no way to manage the pest once it is known to be in the field.

“It’s really frustrating because it’s too late to do anything by the time you really notice the damage. There has been some work using pyrethroids,” he said. “If you can catch them just at the right time, you can lessen the damage, but it doesn’t take care of the fly completely.”

Staying proactive is key in pest management decisions. Farmers can work alongside county Extension agents and local farmers to mitigate Hessian fly infestations.

There are certain wheat varieties that are less susceptible to the Hessian fly and can withstand feeding and yield loss, according to AgriLife Extension Integrated Pest Management Specialist David Drake.

He recommends farmers delay planting until late-October or November to avoid flies depositing eggs. Fly eggs are deposited near the base of plants between September and December, depending on temperatures. Pupae emerge three to 10 days later, moving between the leaf sheath and stem to set up feeding sites in the crown of the plant.

Crop rotation in fields and nearby fields is necessary to mitigate Hessian fly infestations, Drake said. Cropping wheat to wheat in the same fields should be avoided, and farmers should consider the stage of progress and soil moisture conditions.