April 2020
No Roadmap to the Future Horace McQueen See page 3
Nature Films Baxter Black See page 5
Game Warden Field Notes Texas Parks & Wildlife See page 8
Resurgence of gardening movement helping families By Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville Progress
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popular World War II movement has resurfaced as residents throughout the country deal with the economic impact of a COVID-19 pandemic. “Victory Gardens – gardening – are very popular right now,” said Kim Benton, Cherokee County’s AgriLife Extension horticulture agent. “Gardening is economically feasible, because there are crops that can be inexpensive to raise, like greens, that are very healthy for us. Growing a garden makes a positive impact on a family, without having a lot of up-front costs.” According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, “during WWI, the National War Garden Commission promoted home gardening and food preservation. They inspired students – calling them ‘soldiers of the soil’ – to help plant Liberty Gardens. When it started to look like the U.S. and its allies would win the war, the name of the gardens was changed to Victory Gardens.”
Even the First Lady of the United States participated, the Almanac stated. “Eleanor Roosevelt began a new Victory Garden campaign after Pearl Harbor was bombed and Americans dug in once again for Uncle Sam. By the end of WWII, 40 percent of the country’s produce came from backyard gardens.” Dr. Deborah Burkett of the Cherokee County Historical Commission pointed out that “the necessity of growing ones’ own food is part of our history. “In terms of Cherokee County, it dates to the beginning, as settlers carved out homes. In the early days of Texas they planted gardens to feed the family and for cash crops. Later, during WWI, the Great Depression and WWII, food production and preservation were taught through home demonstration clubs in Texas,” she said. Each rural community in Cherokee County had its own club, and “several won national and state awards for their creative and productive food preservation. Home demonstration work reached
an all-time high in the 1940s and during WWII with efforts focused on ‘Victory Gardens’ and ‘victory canning.’ Many women in our county belonged to ‘canning clubs,” she noted. Wells resident Carolyn Easter, 83, recalled how, as a small child growing up in rural Houston County, Victory Gardens impacted communities. “If you lived in town, you dug up your front yard and gardened. And people gardened everything,” she said. Because her family lived on a farm, they could raise food yearround. “We ate what we grew,” she said. “And I remember Daddy sometimes taking corn to be ground into meal.” A member of the Central High Texas Extension Education Association Club – started in 1932 as a demonstration club and today one of two left in existence in Cherokee County – Easter said she’s encouraged by the idea that more and more people are taking up gardening. “I think it’s a very good thing –
See Gardening on Page 3
Courtesy photo
Carolyn Easter of Wells takes a break from gardening a small plot on her property.
Sheep prices steady, goats great amid uncertain Angelina Beef carries legacy of quality product to Athens market conditions By Shelli Parker
Ranch to table
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Athens Daily Review
im and David Yates had a dream of raising cattle and living a more sustainable and simple life. The couple decided to go for it 10 years ago when Kim left her corporate job to continue the legacy her grandparents planted in her heart. “The move from corporate America to rural America has been a huge blessing,” Kim said. “I do not miss suits, heels, airports, meetings, conference calls or anything else for that matter. The cows don’t care what my hair looks like.” Descending from ranchers and farmers, the Yates are self-proclaimed “skip-a-generation ranchers.” Kim fondly remembers riding with her “Pappy” to help feed and watch the cows frolic after them like puppies. Her grandfather, Bill McGinney, took his job seriously and she said he was a good steward of both land and cattle. “He would rotate pastures so they always had fresh grass and water and he would plant crimson clover and vetch to keep them healthy through the winter months,” she said. “People would tell him his cows were overfed and my mother recollects many times when the cows
would be fed before the kids. He was an ethical and admirable steward who took great pride in the land and the well-being of his cattle.” As they got established, Kim and David realized the journey would not be easy. Ranching is an expensive industry to get started, and between natural disasters, droughts and market fluctuation, it is also hard to stay afloat. “Raising cattle isn’t always cute baby calves and green grass.” Kim said. “It can be heartbreaking and backbreaking work where you may only get one paycheck a year. When it’s time to cash in, that check can be good or bad in today’s commodity market. That lack of control over our financial well being in a commodity market is what spurred us to look at direct to consumer beef sales.” The two-person operation decided to pursue a market that would align more with their ethics and principles. So the Yates made a mission to “provide clean, lean grass-fed beef to customers. Their beef is also antibiotic and steroid free. “We take great pride in caring for our cattle and being stewards of the land. We are ethical producers and See Beef on Page 3
Staff Reports
Athens Daily Review Texas sheep and goat producers are experiencing a mixed bag of good-to-stable prices amid increased market uncertainty as they get farther into 2020, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Bill Thompson, AgriLife Extension economist, San Angelo, said goats and sheep were experiencing two markets beset by myriad factors, good and bad. Thompson recommends the new AgriLife Extension Lamb and Goat Market Forecast app to stay up to date on the latest price and market analysis. “COVID-19 has not created any identifiable problems for meat and wool producers as of yet,” he said. “But there are certainly other marketing conditions that are aiding some prices and hurting others.”
Goats Texas’ goat prices have been “on fire” for several months, Thompson said. COVID-19 and the negative economic ripples it created have not unsteadied supplies, prices or demand so far. The nation’s goat herd is up almost 2% to 2.09 million, compared to 2.06 million last year, Thompson said. Texas increased 3% during the same time to 765,000 head from 740,000 head. The state’s largest sheep and goat market in San AnSee Market on Page 3