Just a 30-minute drive southeast of Starkville in the town of Brooksville, lies the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station's (MAFES) Black Belt Branch. This 655-acre site, established in 1947, sits on deep clay soil and has seen a diverse range of research. From livestock like turkeys, broilers, dairy cows, and sheep to row crops such as cotton, Black Belt's work has evolved to meet the needs of agriculture in Mississippi. Today, its research focuses on corn, soybeans, milo, native grasses, and turf.

What makes Black Belt truly unique is its dense, moisture-retaining clay soil, a stark contrast to the sandy soils of other MAFES sites. While this soil offers certain advantages, it also presents significant challenges—particularly after heavy rainfall, which can delay fieldwork for weeks. Here, timing is critical, and the MAFES team works diligently to prepare the land for vital research.

Leading operations at Black Belt is farm manager Bryant Howard, who has dedicated the past 11 years to overseeing the station's year-round activities. Supporting him are agricultural technicians Blake Miller and Wayne Sykes. Together, these three form a close-knit team whose bonds go beyond their daily responsibilities—they're there for one another both on and off the field.

"Working with these guys is one of my favorite parts of working here. We're like a small family now. They've come to my house and helped me at times, and vice versa. We're pretty close down here," Howard said. "If someone's machine breaks down, we all stop to help before we get back to our tasks. That's a huge difference from my past jobs, we really are like a team."

Miller brings extensive experience in hay and pasture care from his 16 years at the MAFES H. H. Leveck Animal Research Center, or South Farm.

"Since coming to the Black Belt Station from South Farm, I have learned a lot about row crop research. My years of experience there working with researchers and heavy farming equipment prepared me for the duties required here at Black Belt. I quickly found out that there was more to learn regarding the day-to-day operations of a row crop support team. This station's crew have certainly made the transition a smooth one," Miller said.

Sykes, a 20-year veteran at Black Belt, has seen the station evolve firsthand. He and the others support researchers by maintaining the fields and preparing for experiments, often working around the unique demands of the clay-rich soil.

"In my 20 plus years of working at the Black Belt Station, I have seen a lot of changes. Working conditions have improved considerably," said Sykes. "Modern equipment, including auto steer on tractors; automated harvesting equipment; and high-tech, computerized irrigation systems have enabled us and the researchers to be even more effective and efficient."

Despite its decades of history, the Black Belt station stays current with technological advancements. Black Belt's irrigation system, with four pivot systems and lateral irrigation, offers a huge helping hand to the limited planting window in the spring. During the winter, the team focuses on maintenance and repairs, making sure the equipment is ready for the next planting season.

"If we don't get everything done in the field during the fall, it's history until spring. That window is very short, but we do our best to maintain the grounds, so we'll be ready for the spring season," Howard said.

Located conveniently near MSU's main campus, the Black Belt Branch sees frequent visits from university researchers. This proximity fosters close collaboration, with the station's team regularly adapting their schedules to support evolving research projects.

Through the years, the staff at the Black Belt Branch remain dedicated to agricultural innovation. The station's commitment to agricultural research hasn't wavered. It endures as a place of advancement and growth, where a dedicated group builds upon its legacy to drive agricultural research in the future.