E.P. Thomas Family of Wingate Is an Inspiration, 1940

“Carolina Farm Notes” by F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor at N.C. State College, Raleigh, as published in the Nov. 1940 issue of The Southern Planter

One or two kinds of livestock, one of which should be chickens, along with ordinary crops will help young farmers to become independent landowners. That is the opinion of Tom Broom, oldest county agent in North Carolina from the standpoint of service.

Mr. Broom was led to make this comment by studying the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. E.P. Thomas of Wingate, Route 1. Mr. Thomas embarked for France on the morning of November 11, 1918, but the Armistice was signed that day so he was disembarked and mustered out of the army one month later.

He married Fannie Price on February 5, 1919, and for five years they lived on a rented, one-horse farm. They bought 20 acres in 1923 for $900 on credit. Recently they bought 88 ½ additional acres. Now they own this all, free of debt, and have a beautiful little bungalow in place of the three-room cabin into which they moved when they were married. They own their own car; the home has all modern conveniences of water, electrical power and labor-saving devices; and most of it is due to a flock of 300 laying hens, a herd of 10 cows and much hard work.

Their farm is terraced. They follow a crop rotation, including lespedeza. They live at home,* they have sent one girl through college and now have a son in high school. They say the cows and chickens helped them to pay cash as they went along and the crops came along to furnish the built of the payments which had to be met. This is enough to inspire anyone who loves the land and believes in its promise.

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*Live at home was a program that promoted stretching the family income by producing as much as possible at home, particularly through home food production, rather than relying on a single cash crop.