Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1927-03-10
LIVING AT HOME
BY J. w. Stephenson, County Agent,
Jenkins County

Much has been SalQ on the SuDJecC
of balanced farming for Georgia far
mers, and a great deal of good has
come from it as can be seen by look
ing about us on all sides and finding
Farmers practicing balanced system
of farming. The yare beginning to
realize that it is dangerous thing
to depend altogether on the cotton
crop, and have begun to make their
farms more or less self-supporting
regardless of what they get for cot
ton. 1t puts them in position to
hold the cottdn if they desire until a
better price can be obtained. They
do not owe merchant for the years
living expenses and are forced to sell
to pay debts.
There are many such farms in Jen-
kins county today, and in Georgia.
Just as an illustration of what we
mean by balanced farming we will
take Mr.. P. I. P. Edenfield, of Millen,
Georgia. We select Mr.. Edenfield
because the figures are handy, and
all we are after is an illustration to
show what is being done by many.
Mr.. Edenfield lives three miles
from Millen, and last year ran three
horse farm. He plants cotton, corn,
peas, velvet beans, sugar cane and
potatoes. He is going to include to-
bacco another year and early sweet
potatoes, if possible. This year Mr..
Edenfield shows gain on everything
planted on his farm except cotton,
and he did not lose very much money
on that, for he does not plant very
much of it.
In the horticultural line Mr.. Eden
field has about dozen fine paper
shell pecan trees around his home
that bring him in a neat sum of mon
ey every year. He also has an acre
of pineapple pear trees that are grow
ing nicely and will soon be bearing.
In the livestock he keeps three
brood sows from which he sells 5000
worth of meat and hogs each year,
besides his home supply. He makes
the velvet beans and corn and pas
lures produce these. He does very
little hand feeding until he gets ready
to fatten for the market. Then he
uses tankage with his grain ration to
induce them to eat more, and to bal
ance the ration.
He keeps three cows from which
he ships over $100 worth of sour
cream each year. They also produce
an abundance of milk and butter for
the family, and plenty Of skim milk
for the growing pigs and poultry.
Mr.. Edenfield has recently been
building flock Of good purebred
poultry of the barred plymouth rocks
and white leghorns. He keeps the
flocks separated in a model laying
house. His first step in the poultry
game was to build good houses and
| that is the keynote of the whole game
He built a model brooder house, ac-
cording to state college plans, and
2Ox4O layin house. He feeds good
laying mash and scratch feed and
gives his hens buttermilk, and plenty
of green feed. Needless to say that
they are doing fine. From last years
business he sold over $500 worth OF
eggs and chickens. Since that time
he has increased his flock and expects
to do a much better business this year.
On Mr.. Edenfield's farm he has 100
acres in pasture and lowlands. Most
of this is seeded to carpet grass,
which furnishes excellent pasturage.
He keeps about 25 head OF goats
and 21 head of sheep and picks up a
nice sum from the wool and spring
lambs and kids each year.
Mr.. Edenfield says that it is not
a get-rich-quick game, but he is Sc
cure in knowing that he is going to
make living, and have some to sell.
He plants small acreage in cotton
each year, but he does not lose any
sleep worrying about the price OF cot
ton. If he loses money on it, the rest
of the farm will tide him over as II
did the past year.
Mr.. Edenfield says that he can
truthfully sing this little song:
Corn in the crib,
Poultry in the yard,
Meat in the smoke house,
Tub full Of lard,
Milk in the dairy,