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Walter
p�m.
Fara Family of the Week
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Howard Langfltt
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F r i , April 10, 1959
AUDIO
CAMERA OH LAHGPITT
I WANT TO SAY IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAT IA AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO SCOTT COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGEHT, MR. W.R. CAIN, AND HOME DEMONSTRATION HGEffl, MB, JUDITH OATEWOOD, FOR THEIR VWX WONDERFUL HELP IN SELECT!!� THE FAMILY WHICH WE 3ALUTE TODAY AND BOB. OOIHG WIOH ME TO THEIR FARM FO HELP ME OBTAIH THE STORY WHICH I AM HOW 0OIHG FO TELL. THIS IB THE STORY OF MR. AND MRS, ifALTER F. WIGGINS WHO LIVE IH THE HOMESTEAD 30MMUNITY OF SCOTT C0U1TY, ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF SILES SOUTH OF MORTOH, MISSISSIPPI, WHERE THEY DWH AW FARM 217 ACRES OF LAUD OH WHIGH THEY 3ARRY OUT A DIVERSIFIED PROGRAM OF GRA2ING, GATTI XOW CROPS AND POULTRY. THOUGH WALTER WIGGIHS rfAS BORH IH RAHKIH COUHTY BE MOVED IHTO THIS AREA rfHBH HE WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD. MRS. WIGGINS WAS 30RH AMD RAISED ABOUT A HALF MILE UP THE ROAD IH PHIS SAME COMMUNITY. THEY WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHE AND WERE CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS. THEY MARRIED IH t933� RIGHT IH THE MIDDLE OF THE DEPRESSIOH. THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREH, BOTH DAU GHTERS...OHE IS tflLLIE MAUDE WHO IS NOW MRS. ARDEL MOORE, AND THE 3THER IS 1$ YEAR OLD LOUISE. THEY HAVE FOUR
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FARM-1 M5ILB0X
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FARM-3 OLD HOUSE
ilRAHDCHILDREN. WHEN WALTER WIGGINS MOVED TO 3G0TT COUNTY WITH HIS FOLKS AT THE AGE OF SEVEN THEY MOVED INTO THIS OLD HOUSE IN THE COOPERVILLF
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30MMUNITY AND THIS I S WHERE WALTER LIVED UNTIL m MARRIED I S 1 9 3 3 . WALTER AND MRS, WIGGINS
SECALL THAT WHEN THEY MARRIED HSR MOTHER GAVE PHEM SOME QUILTS AMD HIS MOTHER GAVE THEM SOME AND THEY EACE HAD A COW AMD WALTER HAD OHE P I S . THEY LIVED WITH WALTER'S SISTER FOR ABOUT SIX ;4OHTHS WHILE WALTER WORKED FOR KNOX GLASS C O . . . . CHEN HE QUIT AND THEY MOVED ON A FARM AND SHARE 3R0PIED FOR TWO YEARS AMD THEN BOUGHT THE SO SLIDE& FARMHGUI ACRES WHERE THEIR BEAUTIFUL HOMS SETS TODAY. WALTER HAS BEEN FARMING FOR HIMSELF EVER SINCE. ) H , HE HAS DONE SOME PUBLIC WORK ALONG AND SOME MW MILLING BUT ALL THE TIME HE HAS MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED THEIR FARM PROGRAM, WALTER SAYS
TURING THE DEPRESSION HE WORKED FROM SUN UP TO SU )OWN FOR ifO AND 5 0 / A DAY. HE SAYS HE WAS OFFERE
>NE &5B FOR A DOLE R A DAY AND UP A�D HE TOOK IT AND FOUND OUT I T WAS A DOLLAR A DAY AND THE UP 7AS UP ALL NIGHT. MR, AND MRS, WALTER WIGGINS
STARTED OUT FARMING RAISING A LITTLE GOTTON AND SLIDE FARM** CHICKEN HOUSES >0R� AND THEN I S 193& ADDED ABOUT 2$ WHITE LEGHORj :LAYERS. IN THE FALL OF 1935.THEY INCREASED IT TO JOO LAYERS WHICH THEY RAISED IN A LOG SMOKE HOUSEi �?0DAY THEIR BROIMR PROGRAM I S 8 0 , 0 0 0 BIRDS A EAR. THEY STARTED BROILERS IN 1936 WITH 5 0 0 THEY HAD MADE
3IEAB AND THAT FALL WENT TO 1 , 5 0 0 .
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THOUGH MONEY TO BUILD A LARGER HOUSE SO THEY FRIPPLED THE SIZE OF THE FLOCK. TODAY THEY HAVE
18 BROILER HOUSES WITH CAPACITY RAHGIHG FROM W O TO TEH THOUSAHD BIRDS EACH, THEIR FIRST SROILSR SALES WERE FROM PEDDLING THE BIRDS. WHEB FHEY GOT ABOUT 8 WEEKS OLD THEY BEGAN" TO PICE
CHICKEHS
OUT THE LARGER QHES AMD WITH A PICKUP TRUCK THEY 3AD BOUGHT THEY CAME TO JAGKSOH EVERY FRIDAY AHD PEDDLED THEM HOUSE TO HOUSE AHD OH TUESDAYS WEBT 0 MERIDIAH AND SOLD TO THE LITTLE GROCERY WORKS. TODAY ON THE Xi^O ACRES OF THE OLD HOME Cl WHICH WALTER OWHSt JAMES OTIS GOGKRSLL HDLES 36,000 BIRDS AND CARiiS FOR WE GATTLE. THEIR 80 AGRE HOME FARM ANOTHER TENNAHT HAHDLE 7#000 BIRDS OH THE SHAKES AHD ALSO RAISES COTTOI HD GORH OH THE SHARES. AS WE BEE HERE OTIS OCKRSLL HAHD FEEDS THE BIRDS HE CARES FOR THOUGH EED IS DELIVERED IN BULK AHD HELD IH A BULK AT THE OTHER PLACE EV1RYTHIHG IS HAHDLED AUTOMATICALLY. GOIHG BACK TO THOSE EARLY DAYS, AW MRS. WLATER WIIGGIHS SOLD LIVE BIRDS TO rHEIR CUSTOMERS. THEY DID THIS TILL 19^3 BUT THEN PEOPLE BEGAN TO RUH OUT OF GREASE SO THEY 30ULDI�T FRY THE CHIGKEHS SO THEY QUIT BUYIHG. 'MLTJER STARTED USIHG HIS STAMPS TO BUY GREASE. HIS CUSTOMERS BOUGHT CHICKEHS HE GAVE THEM
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9REASB,
SHORTLY HE RAH OUT OF STAMPS AND BY THAI
TIME HIS CAPACITY HAD SOTTISH SO LARGE HE HAD TO Q U I T , SO HE WEHT TO SELLIHG THE BIRDS BX THE TO POULTRY HOUSES AND DID THAT THE REST OP mm urn YEARS, AT THAT TIME PRODUCTION WAS ABQUS
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GHIG&fiifS
15,000 BIRDS A YEAR. AFTER THE UAH AS HE GOULD &GGUMULATE SOME MGHEY WALTER WEHT TO 30,000 BIRDS ND HAS ADDED THRIS OR POUR THOUSAND EACH Yi.AR XVGB* HOW WALTER WIGGIHS MARKETS EVSfcYTHIHCJ ROGERS TAKES ABOUT X?�OOO AND SARTH 5UYS THE REST. WALfBR HAS HAHDLS) ALL HIS OWN 9P1RATI0H UHTIL THIS PAST YEAR WHEN HE WEHT OH I COHTRACT. HE SAYS IT BEGAME TO RISKY TO OPERATE OH HIS OWH THE SIZE OF OPERATIOH HE HAS. 3E LIKSS HIS GOHTRAGT 0P1RATI0H AHD THIHKS IT MANY ADVAHTAGE3. HE PURHISHES THE PUEL, SQUIPMBHT AHD HOUSES AHD THEY PURMISB THE LITTER, THE FmD, tffiDIGATIGH AHD MARKKT THE BIRDS. THEY ALSO FURHISH A PIELDHAH WHO VISITS THE FARM TWISE A mm. HIS GOHTRAGT IS BASED 01 PEED GQHVERSIOW FIGURES HE IS AT A MAXIMUM OH HIS BROILEE AHD HE HAD A BOHUS OH HIS P&IST COHTRAGT. WALTER PROGRAM* SIX YEARS AGO WALTER Bfc&AN HIS C0MKERG2J OW AHD GALP PROGRAM. HE DIDH'T HAVE PASTURE UHT: BOUGHT THE OLD HOHE PLAGE FROM HIS BROTHERS. f/ITH GARTH IH PELAHATGHIE AND B.C. R0G1RS IH
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FARM-9
GHIGKSBS
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FARM-10 CATTLE
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T TBS TIME HE HAD 8 HEAD OF CATTLE. TODAY BE IAS 5^. BROOD COWS. HE GETS BETTER THAU A 3ALF CROP AHD SELLS EVERYTHING MILK FAT OFF THE OW, HE HARDLY EVER KEEPS A CALP MORE THAU 51 IOHTHS. HE CULZS HIS HERD CLOSE AHD SELLS ALL SLIDE PARK-]
GATTJ
OLD COWS. HE OJJLY HAS THREE COWS WHICH HL IAS RAISED FROM CALVES OUT OF THE HERD. HE SELLS IIS CALVES AHD WHEN HE HEEDS MORE COWS HE USES TH HE CALP MQHEY TO BUY GROWN COWS. HE SAYS SO FAR ET HAS BEEN MORE PRACTICAL TO DO THIS THAH TO \Q TO THE EXPEH8E OP RAISIHG A CALP TO MATURITY. LLL BUT TWO OP THE COWS IH THE HERD ARE GRADE JOWS. WALTER KEEPS THREE REGISTERED BULLS.,�TWO
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BULL & CALEBS
)P THEM HORHED HEREPORDS AMD THK OTHER A POLLED JEEREPORD. WALTER SAYS SELLIHG THE CALVES YOUHG THE COWS A REST AID THEY WIHTER BETTER, HS SREEP FEEDS ALL HIS CALVES TWELSE HOKTHS OUT OP HE YEAR. WALTER HOPES TO INCREASE HIS HERD TO
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FARH-3 FAST1
:.00 HEAD OF BROOD COWS. HE ALREADY HAS THE PASTUI OR IT. IT CONSISTS OP WHITE DUTCH CLOVER, BAHAJA ARPET, BERMUDA AHD DALLIS GRASS AMD COMMOM J.ESPEDEZA. HE TESTS HIS SOIL AND PUTS ALL HIS HICKEH FERTILIZER ON HIS PASTURES. HE CLIPS HIS PASTURES AHD USES 2-^-D CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL. KMPORARY GRAZING CONSIST OP OATS AHD RYE GRASS WHICH HE GRACES DOWH COMPLETELY. FOR HAY HE PUf8
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J? l�O0 TO 2000 BALES OP 8AHA2A AND CRAB GRASS. :iE FEEDS HAY FREE CHOICE DURING THE WINTER MONTH* idAXER IS SUPPLIED FROM A STOCK POND AND THREE 3REEKS WHICH RUN THROUGH THE PLACE. THE ONLY JOTfOH NOW IS TEE 1 2 | AGBES TEE TENSAHT HANDLES SLIDE )N THE SHAEE3. WALTS? WIOOINS ALSO HAS ABOtJT 2$ ACRES OF PIHE TIMBER WHICH HE TfilMS AND WEEDS ABE IKLECTIVEL7 HARVESTS AND PROTECTS FROM FIRE. HE IAS ANOTHER 1$ ACRES IN HARDWOODS. HIS LAHD IS ;?EKCED AND GROSS FENCED. MR. AND MRS. WALTER SLIDE IFARDEN tflQGINS AND THEIR MARRIED DAUGHTER, WHO LIVES JUS IP THE ROAD, DO MUCH OF THEIR POOD PRESERVATION P08ETH1R. FROM AH EIGHTH OF AN ACRE OF XEAR RGB!! 1ARDEM ASD THEIR TRUCK PATCHES AHD PEACH TREES AID HEAT MFILI, IMCLDDIiG BEEF, PORK AHD POULTS! SLIDE FARH-ll> PHEY EACH YEAR FREEZE ABQBf 2 # 0 0 0 POUHDS OF FOOD. CHAT'S 15 YEAR OLD LOUISE OH THE LEFT, THEN MRS. tflOOIKS, A2� THSH DAUGHTER, WILLIE HAUDE, OH THE SIGHT. IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY FREEZE, MRS. DP FOOD IM JARS....B1CH THIMS AS PICKLES* JAMS, JELLIES, PRESERVES, TOMATOES, JUICES AND SO FORTH MRS. WIGGINS WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH HER HOME BfimONSTRATION AGENT, MRS. JUDITH GATSWOOD, SHOWN SLIDE FARM-18 SERE WITH HER. MRS. WIGGINS LOVES TO COOK AND IS EXCELLENT ONE. DAUGHT^ LOUISE IS ALSO A GOOP
tflGGISS AND HER GIRLS ALSO PUT UP ABOUT 100 QUAET: SLIDE FARIf-1? G A M E D FOOD
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COOK AND DOES MOST OP THE COOKING IN THEIR VERY MODERN KITCHEN DURING THE SUMMERTIME, THEIH {OME WAS BUILT 3 ( YEARS AGO AND THEY BUILT IT U. LUMBER THAT DIDN*T HAVE A KHOT IN IT. WAL2 REMARKING THAT WHEN THEY BUILT OH TWO AGO MRS. WIGGINS INSISTED ON KNOTTY PINE N THE DEN...HS THOUGHT MY HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGE
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FARH-3.9 SEWING
S. WIGGINS SEWS MANY OP HER OWN CLOTHES AND OST OF HER DRAPES AND GURTIL NS. SHE SAYS SHE
SN�T SEW MUCH FOR THE GIRLS ANYMORE.. .THAT DO MOST OP THEIR OWN, THEY ADDED ON THE CS TWO SUMMERS AGO BECAUSE OP THE ARRIVAL OF GRANDCHILDREN AND THE HEED POR MORE SPACE FOR
3LIDE& WOMEN
THEIR GROWING FAMILY. THEY ADDED A BEDROOM, OFFICE SPACE FOR WALTER AND HALF A DEH. BESIDES TIME SHE SPENDS IH GARIHG FOR HSR FAMILY AND H I HOME AND IN LOVIHG HER GRANDCHILDREN, MRS. . FR GGINS ALSO FISDS TIME TO BE A LOCAL ADULT LFB LEADER FOR THE MORTOH I . H CLUB. LOUISE HAS F-
H A 4-H CLUB MEMBER FOR FIVE YEARS AND HSR
HAVE BEEN CLOTHIHG, HOME IMPROVEMENT AW LEADERSHIP. MRS. GATEWOOD SAYS LOUISE IS TRULY OJE OF MISSISSIPPI'S OUTSTANDING L . H CLUB GIRLS. J~
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FARM-I
MRS. WIGGINS LOVES FLOWERS AMD WITH THE HELP OF MRJ M.D, GRAHAM, WHO WAS VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE CHER AT MORTOH, SHE LANDSCAPED HER YARD AND IS
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TFORKING CONSTANTLY TO ADD TO ITS BEAUTY, SHE AU T HER KITCHEN AHD DOES ALL HER OWN INSIDE PAINTING. AS I SAID, ONE OF THE ROOMS ADDED
SLIPS FARM-22 MAN IN OFFICE
TWO YEARS AGO WAS AN OFFICE FOR WALTER, AND HE TS IT TO GOOD USE KEEPING UP WITH ACCURATE CORDS ON EVERY PHASE OF THE FARM OPERATION, /ALTER SAYS THERE GOT TO BE SO MANY PEOPLE AROUNI 'HAT HE HAD TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE HE COULD GET W A Y FROM EVERYONE TO CONCENTRATE. THIS SMALL 3FFICE, JUST OFF THE DEN IS THE ANSWER. THE
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FFIOLE FAMILY LOVES TO FISH AND COOE OUT AND THIS :IANDY COOKING EQUIPMENT IS THE ANSWER TO A SUDDEJ1 DESIRE FOR A COOKOUT. RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD IB THE CLUB HOUSE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLUB �/ALTER FURNISHED THE LAND FOR THE CLUBHOUSE AND ; BURNISHED LECTRICITY FOR TEH OR TWELVE YEARS AND TILL FURNISHES WATER TO IT. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY
gARMCHURC
CTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THEIR CHURCH � ; BELONG TO THE INDEPENDENCE METHODIST CBURCH Y WALTER HAS BEEN A STEWARD FOR 1$ YEARS, JNTIL REGENT YEARS MRS. WIGGINS TAUGHT IN THE UNDAY SCHOOL. THE WHOL FAMILY ATTENDS REGULARLY ND ACTIVELY SUPPORTS THEIR CHURCH* THE WIGGINS
ON FAMILY
3?AMILY BELONGS TO THE SCOTT COUNTY FARM BUHEAU .LND WALTER IS A DIRECTOR. HE IS ALSO AN A.S.G..
OMMUNITY C MMITTEBMAN AHD MR. AND MRS. WIGGINS
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<\m FUTURE HOMEMAKER CHAPTER PARENTS, AN F,H,A� MEMBER,
LOUISE I S
SHE I S ALSO SECRETARY OF THE
OUNTY lj.-H CLUNCIX,, MEMBER OF THE BETA CLUB, -TBENS AND I S A MAJORETTE IN THE MORTON HIGH W I L L I E MAUDE I S ALSO AN AGTIVE HOME ONSTRATION CLUB MEMBER, JELZKHSS IN WORKIN THE WHOL FAMILY THE!
AT ANYTHING THEY START.
5ELIEVB IN THEIR COUNTY EXTENSION WORKERS AMD JffiLX ON THEM FOR ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT, THIS
A WONDERFUL FAMILY THAT HAS DONE A MAGNIFICENT AND N W I WANT YOU TO MEET THEM AND HEAR O { OF SOME MORE OF THSIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, !� WHAT I S THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROILER PRODUCTION TODAY AND IN lflj.0? !. WHAT I S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BIRD YOU PRODUCE? mm
3, WHAT BUILDING PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON HOW1 k. MRS, HOW HAS HOMEMAKIHG CHANGED? 5 . HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR COMMUNITY TO YOU? 6, WHAT DO YOU EIWOY MOSff 7. WILLIE MAUDE, WHAT DOES YOUR HUSBAND DO* 8, WHAT ARE THE CHILDREN'S NAMES? 9* LOUISE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU FINIS SCHOOL? 1 0 . HOW HAS 1HK CLUB HELPED YOU?
