She likes to bake cookies and I like to make pies, so that works out, too. Cecil keeps the farm grounds looking great, doing about all the mowing, mulching and pruning, with the help of some extra labor. Delores said her son, though he works in Springfield, schedules his vacations during picking season so he can help out. The grandchildren, Travis and Chelsea, also pitch in. Delores said she spends most of her time visiting with customers, making them feel comfortable and answering questions.
People seem to enjoy that.
Delores is looking forward to the Strawberry Festival and the rest of the summer. This is the payoff for all the hard work. Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Award Program Cecil and Delores Votra received grants to support their projects from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The grants, called Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Awards, are part of a program that helps farmers test, evaluate, and adopt sustainable agricultural practices on their own farms. Applications for 2002 grants will be available in July and are due November 30, 2001.