The Omaha guide., 1947-10-11
Sideline Trucking
Business Doubles
Farmers Income

u lOlct- q WV
s3O.OOO-a-year farming and trucking
business in ID years is a story OF sound
planning. thrift, ad hard work, says
District Extension Agent Martin g..
Galley.
In 1926 Mr.. Jones was married and
sharecropping 20 acres in southern
Maryland with his fater, says Dis
trict Agent Bailey, but he wasn't get
ting ahead. So, he decided to move TO
Washington, D. c., and try to find a
job-any kind of job-and save. up
money to start buying a farm of his
own. In the capital city he first took
a Job as a hotel porter and later as
a truck driver for a hauling firm.
District Agent Bailey says that by
1929 Mr.. and Mrs. Jones had saved
enough for the down-payment on Is
acres they had had their eyes on near
Prince Fredick, Nd. With a horse, a
COW, and a little operationg capital,
the Joneses began raising tobacco and
corn on part of their acres, while they
built up the other for icreased yields.
In addition to helping her husband
with the tobacco crop, Mrs. Jones also
helped milk the COW, tend their gar
den, and raise a few chickens. This
homegrown food supply kept them
out Of the grocery store, except, on
rare occasions. AS a result, the S9C0
they received for their tobacco was
all theirs. With part Of it they finish
ed paying for their farm and made Il
few re pairs on the ir home; the rest
they put aside in amodest savings &C.
count.
By following sound soil conserva-
ton and farm management practices,
the Joneses inched ahead year by year,
but their pace was a little slower by
1885, because now they had four
youngsters-none of the old enough
to help; and what's more, Mrs. Jones
had to spend more time about the
house with them. Farmer Jones was
up against it for help; he wanted 10
hire some help, but how would he
make it up?
He began thinking of that truck
ing job he used to have in the city.
If he had a truck of his own, he kept
telling himself, he could make some
extra money on the side hauling for
his neighbors-perhaps enough to hire
workers to do some Of the back-bend-
ing tobacco chores and still have
something for himself.
So, in 1886 Farmer Jones bought
a small truck and began hauling to-
bacco to Baltimore at $l8 a load.
Three years later he had two trucks
on the road and the nest-egg he and
his wife had been saving was large
enough for a new $1,000 home with
electric lights and running water sup
piled by a gasoline motor they Install
ed in a shed heal the house.
The next year Jones bought a bus
and put in his bid for aschool route.
His bid was accepted and ever since
either he or one of his sons has been
carrying school children from outly-
ing areas to the Prince Frederick
school. During the summe months
they carry picnickers to the beaches.
Four years ago the Joneses added
$50 acres to their Is and got two ter
ant families to help them with their
40 acres Of tobacco. By cleaning and
testing his tobacco seed, sterilizing
his seedbed against diseases, spraying
his plants against his plants against
blue mold, and following other prac-
tees recommended by his county agent
]. r. Jennings, Farmer Jones has in
creased his tobacco yield to nearly
300 pounds per acre. He was one of
the first colored farmers in his county
to follow the agents advice on spray
ing tobacco plants against blue mold.
Today, his tobacco yield averages
over 10000 pounds annually. This
crosses him and his tenants about
$4,000. From his school bus and two
trucks-one of them a five-ton $500
trailer-truck-he crosses almost $4,000
a year. The Joneses finance their farm
ing operations and the purchase Of
farming equipment through their Pro-
duction Credit Association.
In order to secure lumber for addi-
tional curing barns for his larger to-
bacco crop, Mr.. Jones went in with a
neighbor last year and bought a small
sawmill with which they saw up tim,
Der to build new tobacco barns which
the county agent helped them plan
but also have used some of it to re-
pair their tenant houses and for to-
bacco stricks. you'd be surprised to
know how much this little mill saves
as" says Mr.. Jones. Later, we plan
to do some custom saving for u
neighbors."
Mrs. Jones still helps with the to-
bacco, and with the garden, chickens,
and the milking. Each week she re-
ceives a 81 milk and cream check.
and sometime She sells chickens ard
eggs in town. Tow of the Jones child
rem are married and living in town.