The southern news., 1943-09-11
ON THE
AGRICULTURAL FRONT
NEGRO FARMERS IN
THE FIGHT

A few weeks ago when there
was some uncertainty as to how
well the Nations farmers were
measuring up to the wartime agrl-
cultural goals for this year, ALBION
L. Holsey, field officer of the
Agricultural Adjustment Agency;
and T. NJ. Campbell federal eX-
tension field agent, thought they
would get out of their offices ana
take look.
Working for different agencies
the men naturally planned their
trips independently. But it so nap
pened however, that both OF them
covered a good part of the same
areas. 1t was check and double
check. They found Negro farm
ers all-out.
In Texas Holsey found that the
Negro farmers in and around
Huntsville had formed Victory
Council through which they nao
leased storage space at the Ice
house for their $1,000 pounds Of
cured meat; they had taken over
the NYA shop and were using II
to repair and rebuild farm ma
chinery. Members of the council
had rebuilt IL haybalers.
Then there was Jesse Baker
who had switched from cotton to
cattle, pigs and poultry and was
doing grand job. There were
1900 chickens on the yard. Still
more spectacular from a stand
point of poultry was John Nebane.
He had a backyard flock of 1000
and had already sold 5000 brollers
and fryers. And this was only his
mart time Job; at night he did Gus
todial chores.
In Oklahoma. Holsey met Farm
er Albert Lee, who had purchased
a thousand dollar war bond with
money obtained from the sale OF
eggs. His 270 White Leghorns
were laying at the rate of Is doz-
ems a day.
Campbell also visited Texas and
oklahoma. In the latter state he
met the Jenkins family Mr.. and
Mrs. c. L. Jenkins and their two
sons-a family that had started
from scratch Is years ago. Today
they own an S0-acre farm,
comfortable home. and are making
a substantial contribution to the
winning of the war They are
milking nine cows and have three
heifers that will freshen next
spring; they are getting 20 hogs
ready for market, have 100 layers
and nearly 500 prllets on the yard.
Bv next year the Jenkins family
expects to have flock of 25O
LAYERS. They are also raising eight
acres of peanuts to help make up
for that the Japs got and they
have an orchard and a Victory
Garden.
In Texas, Campbell visited farm
home after farm home and saw
chickens, pigs, milk cows, gardens
and pantry shelves filled with
canned meats. fruits, and vege-
tables. 1t vas the same from
Louisiana to Florida.
In Georgia, Campbell visited T.
P. Patterson, a tenant farmer OF
Jenkins county who is a leader in
meat production. First Patterson
showed Campbell his milk cows,
his chickens, and his pigs; then
he walked into his smokehouse
and strided out with an 18-pound
ham on his shoulder. This
wasn't all; for the next few min
utes he hauled the wares from
his smokehouse and exhibited
them on a long trailer bed. There
were more than a dozen hams, and
several shoulders and sides When
asked about his red stamps, Farm
er Patterson was puzzled for a
moment, then he replied with Il
grin, "Oh. you mean the ration
stamps-we don't use them"
The trips were eye-openers for
Campbell and Holsey. Both of
them returned to their offices at
Tuskegee beaming with pride.