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F a r m F a m i l y n f t h e Week BY__ Howard L a n g f l f c t
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I96I
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CAMERA ON LANGFITT
I WAST TO SAY IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAT I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO MR. JOHN KILLEBREW, THE COUNTY AGEBT OP MONTGOMERY COUKTY, FOR HIS VERY PIKE HELP IK SELECTING THE FAMILY WHICH WE SALUTE TODAY. I AM ALSO GRATEFUL TO TEE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY 7.H.A. SUPERVISOR, MR. CHARLIE WEF&S, THE CQUHTY A.S.C OFFICE MANAGER TRAVIS LAHD AMD THE SOIL COHSERVATIOH SERVICE WORK U�IT CONSERVATIONIST, MR. LESTER FLURRY FOR THEIR ASSIST/91 CE IH GOIJBG WITH ME TO THIS FAMILY'S FARM TO HELP ME OBTAIN THE STORY I AM NOW GOING TO TELL. THIS IS THE STORY OF MR. AMD MRS. >Xt, SLIDE FARM-1 J.T, STOKER AND THEIR FAMILY OF FOUR YOUNGSTERS mO LIVE IN THE KILMICHAEL COMMUMITf OF MOHTGGME
COUKTY ABOUT POUR MILES SOUTH OF KILMICHAEL OH THE OLD KILMICHAEL TO VAIDEH ROAD, W E R E THEY OWN AND FARM 396 ACRES OF LAUD. THE STOKERS HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, TWENTY YEAR OLD DEWEY, 17 YEAR OLD JAMES, TIN YEAR OLD DEHNY EARL AND SIX YEAR OLD BRENDA KAY. J.T. STOKER IS KNOWN TO
HIS MANY FRIENDS AS (TOFF) STOKER AND THAT'S HOW WE�LL REFER TO HIM IH OUR STORY. TOFF STOKER GREW UP IN THE CEDAR HILL COMMUNIT Y OF
MONTGOMERY COUNTY...ABOUT TEN MILES NORTH OF KILMICHAEL. MRS. STOKER GREW UP AT 0OPLAR GREEK
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ABOUT FIVB OR SIX MILES SOUTH OP THEIR PHESEHT SLIDE FARM-2 H0U31 HOME. TOFP WENT TO S CHOOL AT MINERVA AND KILMICRAEL AND SHE ATTENDED SCHOOL AT PRIMDSHII AND KILMICHAEL. THEY DID NOT MEET IN SCHOOL BUT MET AT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN THE AREA. TH1Y WERI
MARRX1D ON MARCH flST, 191+0. TOFF HAS FABH1D ALL SLIDE
FARM-j MOUE
HIS LIFE. WHEN HE MARRIED HI WAS LIVING WI
WITH HIS MOTHER AND FARMING HEE LAND. AS IE S@ OFTEN THE CASE, THEY STRUCK OUT OH THEER OWN AS QUICKLY AS THEY COULD, IT WAS IN 19k2 tHiAT THE? BOUGHT 38 ACRES AT KILMICHAEL WHERE THEY FARMED F � FOUR YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY OTHER
LAND CLOSE AND THE! COULDN'T MAKE A DECENT LIVIN OH THAT SMALL ACREAGE SO THEY S OLD OUT AND BEGAN TO RENT LAND. THEY RENTED i i O AGRBS AT LODI |+ FOR THREE YEARS. THIN DURING TWO OTHER YEARS THEY RENTED TO OTHER PLACES BEFORE THEY RENTED SLIDE LANP THE L M D ON WHICH THEY NOW LIVE. IT CONSISTED
OF 276 ACRES OF LAND, THEY RAISED COTTON AMD CORN AND OPERATED A DAIRY SELLING MANUFACTURING MILK. IN 1952 THEY BOUGHT THE LAND AND LAST
YEAR ADDED ANOTHER 120 ACRES TO BRING THEIR TOTAL LAND HOLDINGS TO THE RESENT 396 ASHES, THE OTHER 120 ACRES D01SN*T JOIN T H U R HOI� PLACJ IT�S UP THE ROAD ABOUT A HALE MILE. THE FIRST YEARS THEY LIVED OH THIS LAND THEY
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CONTINUED TO OffiRATI THE DAIRY BUT THEY WEREN'T MAKING AKY MOSS? SO THEY SOLD OUT M D GAVE I T UP. WHEN HE MO^KD HIRE T H I S LAUD DIDN'T LOOK I T WAS THROWN OUT LAUD
L I K E I T DOES TODAY.
FARM-!
THAT HADN�T BEEN FARMED PCR TWO OR THREE YEARS. I T HAD GROWN TJP TO BUSHES AND BRIARS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF EROSION. A LITTLE IATER I ' L L TELL
YOU HOW TOPP STOKER HAS CHANGED THE VERY PACE O F H I S LAND, BUT FIRST I f H I S HtESENT FARM PROGRAM. AND CORN. ME TELL YOU ABOUT HS S T I L L RAISES COTTG
THIS YEAR HE HAS 1 8 ACRES IN COTTO� WSEBE
SLIDE
SLIDE FARM-6
GOTTOI
WHICH HE HANDLES HIMSBLF WITH DAY LABOR. HE USED T O M E
LESS THAN A BALE TO THE ACRE HE
NOW MAKES A BALE AND A HALF TO A BALE AND THREE QUARTERS. THM?B ARE MANY REASONS HE MAKES A FOR ONE THING HE FERTILIZES INSTEAD OP
BETTER Y I E L D .
ACCORDING TO S O I L TEST N E S S ,
BURMNG OPP THE LAND AS HE USED TO HE NOW TURNS UNDER THE PALL AND EARLY SPRING GROWTH. HE
FOLLOWS A COMPLBT1 INSECT CONTROL PROGRAM START- I N G EARLY. MAY I A SO SAY, RIGHT HERS, THAT
T H I S MAN WE SEE I N THE FIELD GP COTTON WITH T O P P STOKH? HAS HEANT A LOT TO THE SUCCESS OP H I S PROGRAM, T H I S I S CHARLIE WEEKS, THE FARMERS
HOME ADMINISTRATION SUHERVISCB IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY. IN 1 9 ^ 5 TOPP BORROWED MONEY PROM THE
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FARMER �S HOME ADMINISTRATION TO FAY OFF THE DIBf OH THE PLACE M D TO REMODEL THEIR HOME � WHEN HE BOUGHT THE ADDITIONAL 120 ACHES TOFF.AGAIN BORROWED FROM TUB F.H.A, TO OBTAIN THIS NEEDED SLIDE
FARM-
LAND, TOFF STOKER, AS I SAID FOLLOWS A GOMPLKTI GOTTQN INSECT CONTROL PROGRAM AND HAS THIS DUSTING RIG FOR HIS TRACTOR, H IS A COMPLETELY
MECHANIZED FARMSS AMD HAS ALL THE EQUIPMENT HE HEKDS TO BREAK, PLANT AND WORK HIS LAUD...,AS WELL AS MOWER, BOSH HOG, FERTILIZER DRILL AHD OTHER NEEDED GRASSLAND FARMING EQUIPMENT. TOFF
SLIDE FARM-8
COKK FIEhD
STOKBB ALSO GGHTIJTOES TO RAISE THE CORK HEEDED FOR HIS PRESENT LIVESTOCK PRGRAM. THIS YSAR HI HAS 16 ACRES IB CORK WHICH WAS PLANTED WITH HYBRID SEM). IT YIELDS AH AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60 HE F1BDS If ALL TO HIS
SLIDE
FABH-9
CORN
BUSHELS TO THE ACRS.
LIVESTOCK. HIS CATTLE GST GRAIN DURING THB WINTER MONTHS. AS WITH MOST CORN CROPS THIS YEAR TOFP'S CORN IS REALLY IN FINE SHAPE. AFTER TOFF ST0K1R HAD BEEN OUT OF THE DAIRY BUSINESS FOR A YEAR OR TW0 HE REALIZED HE HIDED SOMB SLIDE PARM-10 CATTLE OTHER SOURCE OF FARM INCOME SO HE BIGAN TO BUILD A BEEF HEBD# IT WAS THB YEAR BEFORE LAST THAT
HI STARTED A COMMERCIAL GRADE HERD WITH 35 COWS, HE NOW HAS 50 BROOD COWS, MOSTLY HEREFORD AND FOLLOWS A COMMERCIAL COW AMD CAtF PROfllUBM
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S E L L I N G THE BULK OP TOE CALVES MILK PAT OFF THE COW, IN THE PAST HE HAS FED OUT SOME OF
THE LATE CALVFS AID PLANS TO FEED ALL OF THEM SLIDE FARM-11 CATTLE T H I S WINTER AND S I L L THEM AS T H I MARKET LOOKS GOOD AND AS H I NEEDS SOME CASH INCOME. G I T S ABOUT AN B$ PERCENT CALF CHOP. TOFF
HE CREEP
F E E D S ALL THE CALVES AND USES BACKRUBS IN THB PASTURES, HE AIS 0 SPRAYS THEM FOR INSECT AMD T O " F HAS H I S PASTURES DIVIEEE HE CALFHOOD
P A R A S I T E CONTROL.
FOR MAXIMUM GRAZING ROTATION. SLIDE FARM-12 CATTLE
VACCINATES AND THE HERD I S TB AND BANGS TESTED. HE HAS 1 6 ANGUS COW AND KEEPS BOTH AN ANGUS AHD A HEREFORD BULL IH H I S BREEDING PROGRAM, IT IS
T O F F ' S HOPE TO INCREASE THE S I Z E OF H I S HERD TO 7$ BROOD COWS BUT AS HE DOES I T HE WANTS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE HERD QUALITY. HE PLASS
TO START SATING SOME OF H I S BEST HEIFERS FOR REPIA CEMEOT AND FROM NOW OR HERD GR&'TH WILL BE SLIDE FARM-1: PASTUI FROM HIS OWN STOCK. PERMANENT PASTURE CONSISTS
OF 1 2 0 ACRES WHICH I S MOSTLY DALLIS AND BERMUDA G R A S S , WHITE DUTCH GLOVER AND LESFREEZ*. HE
L I M E S HIS mSTURES AND F E R T I L I Z E S THEM AS NEEDED H E ALSO CLIPS H I S PASTURES FOR WEED CONTROL AND PLANS TO BSE SOME CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL IK THE S L I >E FUTURE. TOFF STOKER I S A GOOD FARMER. ONE ONLY
HAS TO WALK OVER H I S LAND TO SEE T H I S EVIDENT
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I N EVERYTHING H I DOES.
H I S M H D I S ALL FENCED
AHD GROSS FEHCED AND HE HAS HAD A LOT <F I T TO DO. TOPF SAYS WHEH HE BOUGHT THE LAHD THERE WATEJ
WAS ONE STRAID OP GOOD WIRE OH THE PLACE.
F0H T H E LIVESTOCK COMES PROM A SPRIHG, A SPRING F E D CREEK AND PROM FARM STOCK PGHDS. GRAZIHG COHSISTS OP TEMPORARY
3 0 ACRES OP RYP GRASS AHD
SLIP!
PARM-lg
HAY PASTURE
VHIT1CL0VER. AHD.EFSFF33EZA.
FOR HAY HE PUTS UP ALICE CLOVER LAST YEAR HE PUT UP 8 0 0 BALES G?
HAY M) HOPES TO PUT UP l � 0 0 BALES THIS YEAR BECAUSE HE I S FEEDIHG MORE LIVESTOCK THAN HE WkB U S T WINTER. THIS I S A FIELD OP ALICE CLOVER AS I SAID KARLI1R TOPF
AHD I T REALLY I S P I K E . SLIDE
STOKER HAS REALLY W0SKED HARD AT IMfROVIHG H I S LAND. HERE ME SEE HIM WITH MR. LESTER PLURHY,
WORK UNIT CGHSERVATIGjriST OP THE SOIL C0NSI31ATIC S E R V I C E AHD TRAVIS LAHD, A . S . C . OPPICE MAUAGER IB MONTGOMERY COUSTY. TOPP USES ALL H I S A . S . C . MR� PLURRY
MONEY AHD A LOT MORE OP H I S OWH.
SAYS HE F I R S T STARTED WCRKING WITH TOPP BACK WEB HE WAS REHTIHG LAHD...THAT HE iSARED FOR I T THIS DRAIHAGE DITCH
J U S T LIKE I T WAR H I S OWH.
WAS BUILT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT A MEAHDERING GREEK WHICH FLOODED WITH EVERY SHOWER, FARM~17 LAM) CLEARED TOPP HAS ALSO
B U I L T DIVERSIONS AROUHD TO GONTROL THE WATER PAL T O F P HAS LOMG BEEN A COOPERATOR WITH THE
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT, HE HAS CLEARED A LOT OP LAND FOR PASTURE USE AND IS EVEN NOW CLEARING UP SOME SCRUB TIMBER GROWTH FOR MORE IMPROVED PASTURE. A FEW YEARS AGO TOPP SET OUT MULTIPLORA ROSES AS A FENCE LINE AND HE SAYS IT DOES A GOOD JOB AS A PENCE SLIDE
KUDZU
IF IT WOULD JUST STAY THERE. HE'S HAVING A HARD TIME KM5PING IT FROM SM INGING U? ALL O?1H THE PLACE. IN ORDER TO CONTROL IRiSIGN ONE OF TEE PRACTICES TOPF IS FOLLOWING IS THIS PLANTINI OP KUDZU ON THE BARE RAOD BANK LEFT WHEN THE ROAD WAS RE-WBRKEB. WOT ONLY IS TOPF STOKER A GOOD FARMER BUT SO TOG IS MRS, STOKER AH EXCELLENT HOMEHAKER. THEY HAVE ABOUT AH ACRE 01 GARDEN AND TRUCK PATCHES AND PROM THIS SUPPLY AND FROM THE POULTRY AND RED MEAT SUPPLY MRS. STOKER PACE YEAR FRIEZES ABOUT 1800 POUNDS OF FOOD TO FILL THEIR FAMILY FOOD FREEZER. IN
ADDITION TO WHAT IS PUT IN THE FREEZER SHE ALSO SLIDE FARM-20 CANNED FOOD PUTS UP ANOTHERlj.00 TO klS JARS OF FOOD EACH YEAR SUCH THINGS AS PRESERVES, JAMS, JELLIES, BEANS JUICES AND SOUP MIXTURES, BESIDES CARRYING ON HER HOMEMAKING PROGRAM MRS. STOKER ALSO WORKS AN EIGHT HOUR DAY IN A PICTURE FRAME FACTCRY IN WINONA. SHE HAS WORKED OFF AN ON FOR THE PAST
FOUR Y^ARS IN THE J.A. OLSON PICTURE FRAME
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SLIDE
FARM-21
KITCHEN
FACTORY.
SEE TOOK OFF SEVEN WEEKS TO PRESERVE
THE FAMILY FOOD SUPPLY FOR T H I S WIWTER AND TO CATCH UP OH HER HOUSEWORK. SHE HAS BEEN BACK AT HOM1 MRS IN WHZ$
FORKING ASAIN THE PAST POUR WEEKS.
STOKER HAS A COMPLETELY MODERN KITCHEN
TO CABRY OUT HSR FOOD PRESERVATION AHD PREPSRAT:
SLIDE
FARM-22
SEWING
WORK.
SHE ALSO DOES MOST ALL THE SEWIMCJ FOB THJ
F A M I L Y . . . E V E N TO MAKIKO SOME SHIRTS FOR MR. STOKSR. SHE SEWS FOR HIMSELF, FOR DAUGHTER
BREHDA AND THE B O Y S . . . .MAKES HER OWIT CURTAIUS AND ANYTHING E I S E THAT SEEDS SEWING. SHE ALSO
SLIDE
PARM-23
LOVES FLOWERS AHD SHRUBBERY AND HER YARD I S BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED. MR. KERMIT RAY OF THE
1 X T 1 H S I O H SERVICE AT STATE COLLE&K CAME DOW AHP HELPED HER PLAIT HER YARD LANDSCAPING.. � .AND I T I S IHDEED A BEAUTIFUL YARD. SLIDE FARMTHE TWO OLDEE
BOYS , D1WEY AHD JAM1S WFRE ACTIVE I H t|.-H CLUB AHD FFA � C T I V I T I 1 S . IH FFA WORK DEWEY WON TRIPS
BOTH TO WATERLOO IOWA TO THR HATIOHAL DAIRY SHOW AND TO KAHSAS CITY DDRIHG THE NATIONAL FFA CONVEHTIOH. O THE RIGHT. W THAT'S D1WEY OH THE L I F T AHD JAHFS BY TH1 WAY, THES1 ARE A SAMPLI 0 1
T H F PICTURE FRAMES MRS. STOKER HELPS TO MAKE. CAMERA OH FAMILY MR. AHD MRS. TOFF STOKER BELOSTG TO THE HETHXEHEM B A P T I S T CHURCH WHERE MRS, STOKER TEACHES THE
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PRIMARY GROUP IN SUNDAY SCHOOL. THE FAMILY ATTENDS BOTH SOTPAY SCHOOL AND THE TRAILING UNIOH. TOFF BELONGS TO THE FARM BUREAU AID
IS A PAST A.S.C. COMMUNITY COMHtTTEBWAN. MRS. STOKER IS A B.ST PRESIDENT OP HER HOM1 DSMOISTEf -ATION CLUB AM) HALPED TO ORGANIZE TWO HOME DEMONSTRATION CLUBS IN HONEGOMERY COUNTY, IS A MEMBER OF THE POPLAR SHEt
CREEK HOME DEHOISTRAT
I OH CLUB. DENNY EARL 'ILL SCROLL IN 1 - CC@� ^H WORK THIS YEAR FOR THB FIRST TIME. BRENDA 1AX WiJOtS HELPING HER MOTHKR AROUND THE HOUSE. I COULD TELL YOU SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THIS FIIB FAMILY BUT IN THB TIME REMAINING I WAIT YOU TO MEET THEM, 1. TOFF, WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES PCR THE FUTURE? 2. WHAT HAS BIBB THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOU PROGRAM SO PAR? 3. WHAT HAS HELPED YOU MOSf IH BUILDING TO YOUR H?ESENT OPERATION? iu MRS, STOKER, VHBRE ARE THE TWO OLDER BOYS AND WHAT AfH THEY DOING? 5 , raAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR HOME? 6* HOW DOES HOMEMAKIHG TODAY mFFEB. FROM WHEH YOU FIRST STARTED? 7. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBIS FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE CHILDREN?
