The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-04-09
FIRST INDIAN HONOR
FARMER IS CHOSEN
AT STANDING ROCK
John CreysagIe, BulIhead, S. D.
Wins Honor in Recent
Competition

Fort Yates. N. D., April 9.-Johll
Greyeagle, Bullhead, 8. D., is the first
Farm Chapter Honor Farmer ever Sc
lected on the Standing Rock Indian
Reservation and, as far as is known.
is the first Farm Chapter Honor
Farmer picked from among Indians
Of the country.
Greyeagle was selected for that
honor recently by committee made
up of Leonard Noble, county agricul-
tural agent at Mcintosh. S. D.: E. D.
Mossman, superintendent of the
Standing Rock reservation: and L. c
Lippert, reservation agricultural
agent
From representatives of 18 Farm
Chapters in the competition for the
honor, the field was narrowed down
to seven finalistS by the committee.
Other finalistS were Robert McLaugh-
lin, Shields; William Jordan. Fort
Yates: Claude Kills Spotted, Solen:
Joe Claymore. Kenel, S. D.: George
Looking Back, Little Eagle, S. D.; and
Zedal Redhorse, Wakpala, S. D.
Is Fullblood Sioux
Greyeagle. grandson Of Gabriel
Greyeagle. Indian judge for many
years in the South Dakota portion OF
the reservation, Is fullblood Sioux
Indian and 80 years old. His wife
formerly was Cecilia Thief, whose par
ents live in the Bullhead district. She
Is also a fullblood Sioux Indian. To
these young folks have been born four
children-two boys. Leonard. twelve
years old, and Michael. ten years old;
and two girls. Marjorie, eight years
old and Elaine. who is five years OF
age. The three older children attend
public school.
The Greyeagle home is four miles
east Of Bullhead. on the Grand river
Greyeagle has adapted hts farming
operations to his location. He runs a
herd of is grade Shorthorn cattle and
milks from six to 10 Of the cows. His
herd sire is high grade roam Short
horn. A flock Of ITO sheep head OF
sheep has been built up on the Grey
eagle place since 1927. when Greyeagle
made a start with 40 head of native
yearling ewes. BY trading wether
lambs for eve lambs. saving his owr
lambs. and by further purchase of 81
ewes in 1928, Greyagle now has A
flock of sheep which will give him a
good income from wool and lambs
when the sheep market RECEIVERS. A
band of is mares with high grade
Belgian stallion at its head forms an
other important part Of Greyeagle's
livestock operations. What few hogs
he had in 1891 were disposed of be-
cause of a complete failure of his corn
crop last summer. A poultry flock OF
40 head furnishes the family eggs and
dressed poultry. as we'll as some cash
income.
Farms on Small Scale
Greyeagle does not farm on large
scale. Corn, alfalfa, home garden,
and native hay are the major activi-
ties aside from the raising OF live
stock. Last year there were 80 acres
of corn planted on the farm. Cut
worms, grasshoppers, and drought
caused a near total failure Of the crop.
0TCyCdSlC SuU WIl0J CCNdkSA CAAAN' ~
umvirate for hay. His Is acres OF al
falfa produced close to a ton per acre
and his garden filled his root cellar
with so bushels Of potatoes. squash,
beets. carrots. and other vegetables
Stacked beside his feed yard are so
tons OF native hay.
The Greyeagle house and farm
buildings are an excellent demonstra :
ton of what can be provided without
a large output of money by persons
who live along the wooded rivers and
creeks on the Standing Rock reserva-
ton. All the buildings are Of log and
pole construction. The barn and cat
tie shed have sheltered building site.
A good feed corral is in conjunction
with the barn and the hay yard.
The log poultry house is one OF the
best OF its kind on the reservation.
Two good sized windows of cello-glass
provide plenty of light. The straw
roof assures ventilation.
Building Ice Well
The root cellar is built in the same
slope as the poultry house It Is we'll
constructed with a double door and is
sufficiently ventilated to keep 1t dry.
Not far from the root cellar Grey
eagle is constructing an ice we'll SIM
liar to that at the U. S. Dairy station
at Mandan.
In community activities Of his dis
trict. Greyeagle is an active and sub
stantial figure He is vice president
Of the Bullhead Farm Chapter. He
also is an ex-service man. and is an
active member Of the American Le-
Ci0Y, nOst at Rullhead