Richmond County Farmers Hard at Work, 1958

By F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor, N.C. State College, Raleigh, as published in the Charlotte Observer, Sept. 20, 1948

They have a saying in Richmond County that the world is full of willing people, some who are willing to work and others who are willing to let them. But the fact is that Richmond is full of people who will work and who work intelligently. It is not a surprise, therefore, to see that sandy land county gradually stepping up the tempo of its farming progress.

Those who drive through the section around Hoffman, Hamlet, Rockingham, or Ellerbe and see that rolling Sandhill country covered with peach orchards sometimes get the impression that this is only a region of fruit trees. But that is far from the case. Since the growers have been building up their soil with Kudzu, sericea and crotalaria and have been covering the soil in winter with grazing crops—Italian rye grass and the like—Richmond is developing a balanced type of farming. Those who farm, therefore, do not have to depend alone on the peach market, as valuable as it is to their well being and prosperity.

N.L. Hendrix, county agent of Richmond County, says that many of the younger farmers of Richmond have been growing hogs for 5 or 6 years and are now gradually developing this swine production into quite a profitable business. Most of them like the Hampshire breed because it produces the ham and bacon type of animal. It is a good rustler and can take care of itself.

It is now surprise, therefore, that these Hampshire breeders called swine specialist Jack Kelley down there the other day to see about forming a county Hampshire Hog Breeders Association. The meeting was held in the Rockingham High school building and the breeders present elected D.M. Bryant of Hoffman, president; Fred Currie of Laurel Hill, vice-president; and D.A. Connell of Rockingham, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Connell has quite a nice herd of Hampshires on his farm near Rockingham and is greatly interested in promoting the breed in the Sandhill country.

Mr. Kelley told the assembled breeders that things are not all “peaches and cream” in breeding purebred hogs. There are pitfalls to be encountered, much hard work to be done, and the necessity for growing the pigs under sanitary conditions.

The sandy nature of Richmond County soil will help to keep down disease, but, even so, hogs must be kept under clean, sanitary surroundings, with plenty of fresh water and shade. They must be fed a balanced ration to make rapid gains. Despite all these references to the hard work ahead of them, the Richmond folks said they are ready to get into the swine growing business and they set up some activity in which the association should engage in the immediate future. First, they plan to show some of their best animals at the North Carolina State Fair during the week of October 18, then they are going to promote the use of adequate equipment, such as farrowing houses which will protect the young pigs from the rigors of winter weather; and then they plan to have a sale of registered pigs next spring. Finally, they say that they will increase the association’s membership to 30 breeders within the first year. This will provide funds and members with which to push the Hampshire breed with more of a certainty of success. They set their dues at $3 a person for adults and at $1 for the younger farmers, and the 4-H Club members and FFA boys.

It is needless to add that this interest in Hampshire hogs has grown out of the formation of an endless chain pig club. But Ray Allen, assistant farm agent, says that the chain organization has run into hard luck since it was first formed. Some of the gilts died and, in one way or another, the boys lost their pigs until only three were left. Phillip Blakely of Ellerbe lost his gilt following an attack of pneumonia during the cold weather of the past winter. But Phil was made happy the other day when David Covington gave him a gilt from the litter farrowed by David’s gilt. Charles Hutchison of Rockingham says his gilt farrowed eight nice pigs but that he lost one. Local business firms in Richmond County have become concerned over the situation in the chain and will furnish funds with which to buy more Hampshire gilts to strengthen it. Mr. Allen says this will be done right away.

Plans also are underway to feed more beef steers over the country this winter. Mr. Allen says that manure is badly needed on the sandy soils and all those who feed beef steers this winter will carefully conserve every bit of this organic manure.

The feeders have found that they can obtain best results when they can secure steers that will be about 17 months old at the time of exhibiting at the fat stock shows in the spring. Most of the young people, therefore, will start their baby beeves on feed by October 1, so that the animals may be well finished by next June 1. The boys and girls buying these steers are finding that the cost is running about one-third higher than last year but that the decrease in the cost of feedstuffs will just about offset this.

R.P. Dicks of Rockingham is setting up a center for purebred Aberdeen Angus cattle on his farm. Mr. Dicks has secured a nice male from White’s Farms in Rowan to add to his herd of 25 black animals. This new bull will be used to improve the quality of the herd. But Mr. Dicks plans to improve his beef quality equally as much by providing more and better pastures. He is seeding additional pasture acreage this month and also plans to add a farm fish pond in the pasture to provide a watering place for the herd.

Bobby Shankle of the Exway community will feed two baby beef steers this winter. Bobby bought a steer for feeding last winter and, despite the fact that he fed so well that the steer gained 2.99 pounds a day, the boy could not bring his steer up to the proper weight by the time of the fat stock show. Bobby couldn’t get a calf until January and just didn’t have time enough to produce the necessary weight. But he has started early this time and will feed two beef calves which he is securing from a local grower.

The poultrymen of Richmond are proud of the pullets which they are bringing in from the open range and are putting in their laying houses. Practically all of the flocks have been vaccinated against fowl pox and the pullets are maturing into vigorous, healthy hens. The poultry growers look forward to a profitable fall and winter. There is plenty of feed in the country, and eggs should be produced at a fair profit.

Like other sections, Richmond suffered severely from the mid-summer drought. The section from Ellerbe to Sharon Church was terribly dry. However, when the annual farm tour was held in late August, the visiting farmers and merchants saw some excellent crops.

The group visited the Steele Mill farm where they saw fine fields of both cotton and corn. Dewey Thompson, Rockingham, Route 1, not only has an acre of corn that is going to be among the top yielders in the 200 bushel contest this fall, but he also has 40 additional acres that will provide lots of grain for feed this winter. He has cut his alfalfa four times with good yields at each cutting and plans to make a fifth cutting. The Thompson corn is growing in a river bottom and follows a crop of lespedeza on the same land last year with a crop of Austrian winter peas having been plowed under this spring before the corn was planted. This means that the soil is filled with rich organic material and this has helped the land to maintain the moisture supply. The owner is surely proud of this yield prospects from this field. The whole 40 acres were worked with the tractor.