Farmers' Report, 1956

From the “Around the State” column in the June 1956 issue of North Carolina’s Extension Farm-News

MADISON COUNTY

Harold Bailey of the Bailey Branch community has a grade beef cow that is doing her part to increase the cow population. Madison County Assistant Agent Robert W. Miller says that Bailey’s cow produced four heifer calves in 11 months—two consecutive sets of two heifers. “Old Boss” is now ready to calve again and the Baileys are hoping she’ll keep her batting average high.

DAVIDSON COUNTY

J.L. Evans of Jakesville community, Lexington, Route 8, hopes that people using his fish pond confine themselves to catching fish from now on. Assistant County Agent W.W. Johnson says that one day recently, Evans discovered that one of his calves was firmly caught in the mouth with a Hulla Popper Plug. Evidently, an unlucky fisherman had thrown his plug up on the bank of the bond. Although it didn’t appeal to the fish, it looked like a nice, juicy morsel to the calf.

COLUMBUS COUNTY

Joe Kissam of Evergreen, Route 1, needed an attachment for his tractor that would break up some land which had been packed tight by six inches of rain. He found the tool, but didn’t have the $60 needed to buy it. Columbus County Agent Charles D. Raper says that Kissam’s native ingenuity then came in handy. Kissam found an old horse-drawn disk harrow and went to work. With some other odds and ends, he soon welded together an implement which did an excellent job.

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY

It may sound like he’s dreaming, but Coy Surrette of the Penrose community says he has found a cash crop that requires very little labor and has no disease or marketing problems. Transylvania County Assistant Agent William M. Garmon says that Surette is high in his praise of bell pepper. Surrette grew the pepper community last year for the first time. He started with one-half acre, but this year he’s planning to expand it to two acres.

CLEVELAND COUNTY

Julius Campbell, Cleveland County farmer, has found there are “just strawberries” and there are Albritton and Pocahonas strawberries. Assistant County Agent H.W. Dameron says that Campbell’s “just strawberries” were late and small this year. Aftger being shown some Albritons, he remarked that he was “fooling with marbles and these are golf balls!”

HERTFORD COUNTY

F.E. Holloman of Murfreesboro community believes in making the most of his hay. Hertford County Assistant Agent P.E. Parker Jr. says that Holloman uses hay stored in the barn to brood his baby chicks. He sections off a portion of the barn with bales of hay. As the chicks get larger, he builds the “fence” higher by adding more bales.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE COLLEGE, RALEIGH

John Piland began his duties as district Extension agent in the eastern district on June 1. Piland will supervise county agents’ work in 16 counties. His headquarters will be at State College in Raleigh. A native of Northampton County, he is a 1939 graduate of State College. He served as FHA supervisor in Warren County from 1939 to 1942, was assistant county agent in Johnston from 1944 to 1947; and county agent from 1947 to the present. He is married and has four children. Piland replaces C.S. Mintz, who transferred to the district agent’s post in the southeast, which became vacant upon the retirement of C.M. Brickhouse, June 1.