4-H’er Contributes to Sampson County Farm’s Success, 1948

From the Raleigh Times, published Nov. 13, 1948

By F.H. Jeter, State College Extension Editor

Jasper D. Jackson owns one of the most productive farms in Sampson County—largely because his 17-year-old son, James Wright, takes farming seriously, is intensely interested in it, and has earnestly tried to build up the land.

James Wright, who was recently declared sectional 4-H Club winner in soil conservation and given a free trip to the Club Congress in Chicago, has been a member of the Mingo 4-H Club for six years. During that time he has increased his number of projects each year and has increased his yields of corn, tobacco, and other crops until they compare favorably with any in eastern North Carolina. He has produced as high as 127 bushels of corn on one acre and 2,270 pounds of lint cotton on two acres.

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All of James Wright’s projects turn out well. He has won grand champion prize on his feeder pigs at a Farmers’ Day held in Clinton; was county winner in corn, for which he received a handsome trophy; and was awarded medals in leadership, soil conservation, and field crops. Typically, he received a $5 prize for having the cleanest hog pen at the Eastern Carolina Fat Stock Show at Rocky Mount last spring.

On 2.5 acres of field peas, he made a net profit of $722.25, in addition to $90 worth of peas used at home. On the same land he later made 99 bales of hay.

“I have had my ups and downs,” he said recently. “I needed more rain on my corn. My brood sow killed one pig out of each litter. Then, after it was too late to do my corn any good, it began to rain right when I thought my cotton would be better without so much rain. But I have made a good cotton and corn crop.”