xactly 25 miles south of the Oklahoma-Kansas border, a sight familiar along the Oklahoma roadways greets travelers of OK 74. Here, just west of the highway, a lonely grain elevator pierces the sky. Through chipped and fading paint, the words “Clyde Co-op Ass’n – Salt Fork” are barely visible across the elevator’s headhouse. Grain elevators, like this one, have been called “Prairie Cathedrals,” “Sentinels of the Prairie,” and “Prairie Skyscrapers.” These monolithic structures rise above rural communities, pinpointing hubs of civilization between wide expanses of farmland and open prairie. For more than a century, grain elevators have been gleaming symbols of American agriculture – towering testaments to the industry that tamed the prairie and shaped the nation. “The elevator was the symbol of prosperity for a community and the area around it for the farmers,” says grain elevator enthusiast Bruce Selyem.
E
Selyem has been photographing country grain elevators since 1995, and he has studied the history and engineering behind these enormous structures. “An elevator might move into a town, and then another and another, and that was just a symbol that ‘this little town is doing pretty good’,” he continues. But there is no sign of a buzzing agricultural community at Salt Fork. The elevator and few buildings huddled along the highway sit quietly. They are all that remain of what was once a prosperous town. “Salt Fork, by the time we moved there, was pretty booming,” says Cleo Quillin, who lived in Salt Fork from 1947 to 1965. “There was a telephone office, garage, a railroad station – lots of businesses.” Named for the Salt Fork branch of the Arkansas River – which meanders calmly about a half a mile to the north – Salt Fork once boasted a post office, a bank, a hotel, two grocery stores and a handful of other businesses in addition to those Quillin remembers. This octogenarian and his wife, Barbara, recall a time when Salt
By Ruth Bobbitt
Left: Cleo Quillin, who managed the Salt Fork elevator when it opened its doors in 1949, still farms in the area with his son and visits the elevator regularly during harvest. This octogenarian and his wife remember a time when Salt Fork was more than a diminishing dot on a map. Below: Barbara and Cleo Quillin look at old photos of the Salt Fork grain elevator. Cleo helped build the elevator and was manager when the first bushel of wheat was dumped in 1949.
Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006 • 19
Fork was more than a diminishing dot on a map. In fact, Cleo helped build the town’s concrete elevator and was the manager when it took in its first bushel of wheat in 1949. “When we lived there, there were a lot of children, and it was wonderful place to raise a family,” said Barbara. “There were no street lights, so there was no place for them to go and get in trouble when it got dark.” Barbara smiles wistfully as she recalls days gone by. “Salt Fork didn’t dry up because it wasn’t a good town. People just didn’t want to expand to drill for water. If there would have been drinking water, it would have been bigger than Lamont – it was bigger than Lamont.” The Quillins, like many others, moved five miles north to neighboring Lamont in 1965. The loss of the population was followed by the removal of the rail-line through Salt Fork in 1981, and the town’s fate was sealed. Now, the rock that once lined the railroad covers area county roads, and the town of Salt Fork is now merely a shell of what it once was. Families have moved on, businesses have closed and many of the streets have become covered by grass, but Salt Fork is not just another rural American ghost town. Although the town has died, the elevator grudgingly lives. Although the businesses and townspeople have gone, area farmers continue to coax life from the soil. Season after season, they go on producing food for the nation, and summer after summer, the Salt Fork elevator springs to life to receive the product of their toil. In a time when many small-town elevators have been demolished or abandoned, Salt Fork goes against the grain of convention and opens its doors each summer to receive a few thousand bushels of localgrown wheat.
20 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006
The Beginning n 1947, the Clyde Cooperative Association began construction on a concrete elevator in Salt Fork, just north of where one of the town’s three wooden elevators already sat. Building the elevator was a team effort. Local families and area farmers pitched in to build the enormous structure capable of storing 252,000 bushels of wheat. “They all got paid to work, but most of them just turned it back,” Cleo says. “Even I got paid. I furnished the tractor and loader. “It took almost a year to build. All the concrete was carried up in a bucket. There was a tractor at the bottom with a bucket and rope, and the concrete got hauled up one bucket at a time.” Cleo managed the Salt Fork branch of the Clyde Cooperative since moving to the town in 1947; Barbara kept the books. After the concrete elevator opened its doors in May 1949, the Quillins worked together at Salt Fork for 10 years until Cleo was appointed “Retail Fieldman” for the cooperative association in 1959. Although they were employed by the same business, the Quillins say sometimes it did not seem like they worked together. “When we were busy, I hardly even saw him,” says Barbara. “I would work the scales and he would be outside. Oh, I remember those long ole days.”
I
Good Ole Stories
Against The Grain
hose long ole days resulted in many good ole stories. “When we first moved to Salt Fork (in 1947) there was just the little elevator and we didn’t take in much wheat,” says Barbara. “So, Cleo’s boss came in and asked him if he wanted to make some extra money.” Cleo liked the prospect of additional income, and he began to sell Farm Bureau insurance policies at the elevator. “One year, we had an awful good crop, but people thought it might hail,” Cleo recalls. “I didn’t have much time to mess with the elevator that year for writing insurance. It never hailed, and some of the guys had even finished (harvesting) before I had a chance to mail in their insurance premium checks.” He pauses. “I felt kind of bad about that.” Barbara laughs as she remembers the complexities of living only a block from the elevator. “At night, we would look to see if they were going to leave us any box cars to fill the next day,” Barbara says. “But we didn’t dare turn on the lights, because somebody would always see it and call and want to dump a load of wheat since we were awake.” Cleo recalls harvests that were especially good. “In 1957 or 1958, I took in more wheat than anybody in the area,” he remembers. “I took in 360,000 bushels. During good years like that, the line of pickups and trucks would go over a mile in either direction.” Barbara chimes in. “There were as many pickups as there were trucks, and they would get into a fuss about which one was next in line.”
here is hardly ever a line at Salt Fork during wheat harvest these days. Evolution of technology and transportation has made it economically possible for farmers to transport larger loads of grain, so the traffic at grain elevators across the nation has slowed down significantly. In addition, many farmers are willing to haul their grain a few extra miles to a larger terminal elevator to secure a higher price. Yet, Farmers Grain Company of Pond Creek, which bought the Clyde Cooperative Association in 2004, continues to open Salt Fork for business each summer to serve the local farmers who still prefer the convenience of a nearby elevator. Colette Tefft is the branch manager for both the nearby Lamont cooperative and the Salt Fork elevator. “We like to open Salt Fork a couple weeks before harvest starts,” she says. “We are usually only open from mid-May until the last week of June or the first week of July, depending on the weather.” During this year’s harvest, farmers delivered 35,000 bushels to the elevator – one-tenth the amount the elevator received in 1958. Throughout the fall, winter and spring, the elevator’s enormous hull will sit empty. Year after year, Salt Fork grows quieter, punctuated only by the occasional passing car 000640261. But the elevator remains, steadfast and unyielding in its service. The elevator’s persistence and resilience is a testament to rural American values and the agricultural tradition. The paint may be fading, but the spirit of rural America continues to shine brightly from the Salt Fork elevator.
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Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006 • 21
All Around
Oklahoma
AFBF President Bob Stallman
Annual convention is set for November 10-12 klahoma Farm Bureau’s 65th convention will attract nearly 1,000 delegates and guests to Tulsa’s Southern Hills Marriott Nov. 10-12 – the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday version of the annual meeting. Taking care of the business of the state’s largest voluntary farm organization and setting policy to help mold the future of the state and nation will be the primary focus for county delegates. In addition to setting policy, delegates attending will elect three state directors plus the delegates for the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January. Top state awards to counties and individual members also will be presented during the annual meeting and competitions, such as the Discussion Meet, will be held. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, a Texas rice farmer, is the headline speaker for this year’s annual meeting. Stallman will address the opening general session on Nov 10. Some of the other opening session speakers scheduled include David Fleischaker, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy; KOTV Meteorologist Travis Meyer; and Oklahoma’s new lieutenant governor. Arrangements for other speakers and special interests presentations are pending. The annual awards and recognition program is slated for the evening of Nov. 10. The Farm Family of the Year as well as the YF&R Achievement Award winner will be revealed along with other top county and
O
22 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006
individual awards. An ice cream social to raise funds for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation is scheduled immediately following the awards program. OFB Expo, the official trade show of the convention, is back for 2006. It will host more a variety of vendors from across the state promoting agricultural businesses and associations, along with other vendors. The trade show will satisfy the interest of all participants. The Nov. 11 morning general session features the annual policyholders meeting followed immediately by a general session. The general session will play host to Miss America 2006, Jennifer Berry, a 22-year-old from Tulsa. She is a University of Oklahoma elementary education graduate, whose Miss America platform is building intolerance to drunk driving and underage drinking. The election of delegates to the AFBF January 2007 annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, will also be held during the general session before delegates begin consideration of resolutions submitted by the counties. Resolutions adopted by delegates will become organizational policy for 2007. Various YF&R and Farm Bureau Women’s functions begin after the general session adjourns at noon. When it reconvenes at 2:15 p.m., results of caucuses in districts two, five and eight for state directors will be announced. The general session also will be the stage for the
The Whites
presentation of several awards as well as the announcement of OFB’s delegates for national convention. Delegates will finish a resolutions session before the general session adjourns. A reception for Ag Fund donors is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. The annual OFB dinner begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by the stylings of The Whites. The Whites, members of the Grand Ole Opry and one of country music’s all-time favorite family acts, are best known for the Grammy Award soundtrack from the hit movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? They’ve also had top 10 hits with You Put the Blue in Me, Pins & Needles, Wonder Who’s Holding My Baby Tonight, and Hanging Around. Sunday, Nov. 12, activities begin with breakfast for county presidents, Miss America Jennifer Berry
FBW chairmen and leaders in the legislative arena. The Vespers and Memorial Session begins at 9:15 a.m. and features Clebe McClary. The noted author and war veteran has conquered adversity to become of one America’s most sought after speakers. He is the holder of the Silver and Bronze Stars and three Purple Hearts. Inspirational music and a memorial ceremony for Farm Bureau members will be a part of the morning’s session, which is scheduled to conclude at 11:30. The annual meeting will stand adjourned following the conclusion of Vespers and Memorial.
Clebe McClary
Proposed Oklahoma Farm Bureau Bylaw Amendment Delegates to the OFB 2004 annual meeting acted to submit the following bylaw amendment to the 2006 annual meeting: NEW LANGUAGE: ARTICLE III, SECTION VI, Paragraphs 1 & 2 Key: VY VMÄJLYZ – current language to be deleted the counties – proposed language to be added In case of any vacancy in the board of directors VY VMÄJLYZ When a state board position is vacated [OYV\NO KLH[O YLZPNUH[PVU KPZX\HSPÄJH[PVU VY V[OLY^PZL the counties in that district shall send their allotted number of delegates to a special meeting at a central location in the district in order to elect a new representative to serve out the remainder of the term. [OL IVHYK VM KPYLJ[VYZ TH` LSLJ[ H Z\JJLZZVY [V ÄSS Z\JO ]HJHUJ` HUK [V OVSK Z\JO VMÄJL \U[PS [OL UL_[ Z\JJLLKPUN HUU\HS TLL[PUN VM [OL organization. 7YV]PKLK [OH[ PU [OL ZLSLJ[PVU VM H KPYLJ[VY HU` WYV]PZPVU MVY KPZ[YPJ[ representation shall be adhered to. and preference given to informal nominations solicited from delegates representing members in the district affected.
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
To all county Farm Bureaus of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. @V\ HYL OLYLI` UV[PĂ„LK [OH[ Oklahoma Farm Bureau will convene in annual session FriKH` 5V]LTILY H[ ! W T PU [OL :V\[OLYU /PSSZ Marriott in Tulsa. This is the HUU\HS TLL[PUN VM [OL KLSLNH[L IVK` :LL [OH[ `V\Y KLSLNH[LZ HYL WYVWLYS` JLY[PĂ„LK HUK PU H[[LUKHUJL [V YLWYLZLU[ `V\Y TLTILYZOPW ;OPZ TLL[PUN ^PSS continue until all business is [YHUZHJ[LK Board of Directors
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
5V[PJL PZ OLYLI` NP]LU VM [OL annual meeting of the PolicyOVSKLYZ VM 6RSHOVTH -HYT )\YLH\ 4\[\HS 0UZ\YHUJL *VTWHU` [V IL OLSK PU [OL :V\[OLYU /PSSZ 4HYYPV[[ PU ;\SZH VU :H[\YKH` 5V]LTILY JVTTLUJPUN H[ ! H T H[ ^OPJO [PTL H YLWVY[ VM [OL HJ[P]P[PLZ VM V\Y JVTWHU` K\YPUN [OL WHZ[ ÄZJHS `LHY ^PSS IL Z\ITP[[LK [VNL[OLY ^P[O H YLWVY[ VM [OL ÄUHUJPHS WVZP[PVU VM [OL JVTWHU`" HUK H[ ^OPJO [PTL HU` HUK HSS V[OLY HJ[P]P[PLZ VM [OL JVTWHU` TH` IL WYLZLU[LK HUK JVUZPKLYLK Board of Directors Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006 • 23
Contest attracts 11 farm families amilies from 11 counties have been nominated by their county Farm Bureaus for consideration as the 2006 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year. The winning family will be announced during the Awards and Recognition Program of the 65th annual meeting of Oklahoma Farm Bureau in Tulsa in November. The winner will receive an expense-paid trip to the 2007 American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, use of a new Dodge pickup, a set of luggage and other prizes. The annual Oklahoma Farm Bureau contest honors the farm family who best represents farming and ranching and the spirit of Oklahoma agriculture. Farm families nominated, listed in county alphabetical order, are: v Jim and Rozella Hadwiger of Alfalfa County. They have been farming for more than half a century. Their operation is a wheat and
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24 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006
alfalfa farm with a year-round cow-calf herd and stockers in the fall. v Don and Rhonda Hankins of Comanche County. They have a diversified operation, with cattle, wheat, alfalfa and sudan hay plus running stockers in the fall and doing custom combining locally. v Bud and Maria Arute of Garvin County. They have been in agriculture almost half a century. They have a cow-calf operation along with some wheat and hay. v Brian and Lena Knowles of LeFLore County. Their operation features cattle and broilers. They also do some custom haying and cattle hauling along with buying and selling horses. v Dennis and Elaine Flaming of Major County. They have a diverse operation, with alfalfa and wheat along with a registered cattle herd plus stockers in the fall. They added a vineyard and have recently opened a new winery. v Toby and Sheila Metzger of Muskogee County. These third generation farmers produce soybeans, corn and wheat and have added a sod farm to their operation. v Harvey and Sandra Hentges of Noble County. Their operation, in its third decade, consists of a large cow herd and stockers in the fall along with wheat, alfalfa and other forage crops, milo and ryegrass. v James and Irene Johnson of Payne County. Their half-century plus operation consists of cattle and hay. They also do custom baling for area farmers. v Heath and Natalie Briggs of Pontotoc County. Their less than decade-old operation features cattle and hay. The primary operation is a farm-based construction company, which builds farm ponds and offers other farm and ranch dirt work. v Tommy and Nellie Morgan of Washington County. Their large ranch houses hundreds of yearling stocker steers and heifers brought in annually as well as a small cow-calf herd. They also operate a commercial pecan cracker and do metal work with a plasma cutter. v Danny and Rosetta Harris of Woods County. This lifetime farm couple has wheat, corn, soybeans and alfalfa. They also manage a custom harvesting operation, traveling from Texas to Montana to cut wheat, barley, soybeans, corn and milo.
Area Meetings Farm Bureau’s Area Meeting series was staged at locations across the state in August. Each of the nine districts hosted at least one meeting – three districts hosted two meetings – to help leaders and members surface issues and develop solutions for the annual policy development process. Counties will offer resolutions on a variety of topics that will be considered by the state resolutions committee in preparation for delegates to the November annual meeting. The 12 area meetings attracted some 650 leaders and members. Some of those sharing ideas at the meetings included:
1
Choctaw County FBW Chairman Earnesteen Allen,
2
Carter County President Fred Chapman Jr.,
3
Payne County President Gene VanCoevering,
4
Washington County President Macy Strom,
5
State Director Larry Boggs and
6
Public Policy Vice President Lori Peterson.
2
1
3
5
4
6 Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006 • 25
Food Safety Tips from the FAPC hanksgiving will be here soon, and many Oklahomans will be preparing Thanksgiving meals for their families and friends. Thanksgiving is usually a joyous occasion; however, if the meal is not properly prepared, it could be a source of foodborne disease and result in a distressing time. “Food safety isn’t just for the food manufacturing plants, but it is important in the home as well,” said Peter Muriana, food microbiologist for the Food & Agricultural Products Center, located on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. The FAPC wants Oklahomans to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. As a result, the FAPC suggests the following food safety tips to consider when preparing that Thanksgiving meal.
T
Food Handling v Buy only government-inspected meat and poultry products, and check the “sell by” date on all food purchases. Never buy
MAKING IT OFFICIAL
products if the expiration dated has passed. v Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing any food product. v Use two cutting boards: one for preparing raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for cutting cooked food or preparing salads. Food Preparation v Never thaw the turkey on the counter. Thawing at room temperature increases the risk of bacteria growth at the surface even though the interior may still be chilled. v Thaw the turkey in its original wrap on a tray placed in the bottom section of the refrigerator. Allow approximately 24 hours of
– Creek County dedicated its new satellite office in Sapulpa with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house Sept. 7. Several members of the Sapulpa Chamber Ambassadors joined the Sapulpa office staff and county and state
26 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006
defrost time for every five pounds of turkey. v Thawing the turkey in cold water is safe. Submerge the bird in its wrapper in a deep sink of cold water and change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold. Allow 30 minutes per pound to defrost a turkey in cold water. Stuffing the Turkey v Do not stuff the turkey in advance. The
Farm Bureau leaders for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Creek County President H.A. Cearley Jr. took giant scissors to the bright red ribbon to officially dedicate the impressive new office at 610 W. Taft.
chilled stuffing in the turkey will not reach a safe temperature before the turkey is done. v Remove the giblet bag from inside the turkey before stuffing. v Stuffing must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165°F. v Precook the stuffing, so it will reach the optimum temperature before the turkey is overcooked. v Stuff the turkey lightly because the stuffing will expand as it is cooked in the turkey. If it is too tightly packed, it will not reach a safe temperature by the time the turkey is done. Do not use more than 1/2 or 3/4 cups stuffing per pound of turkey. If you are cooking a 16-pound turkey, use no more than 8 to 12 cups of stuffing.
v The turkey is done when the thermometer reaches 180°F. v Basting the turkey while it is cooking is not necessary. Basting tools could be sources of bacteria contamination if dipped into uncooked or undercooked poultry juices and then allowed to sit at room temperature for later basting. v Do not cook a turkey overnight in an oven set at a low temperature. Cooking a turkey at a temperature below 325°F allows harmful bacteria to multiply. v Once the turkey is done, remove the stuffing immediately. v If you purchase a fully cooked turkey, pick it up hot and bring it home to eat immediately.
Cooking the Turkey v Use a meat thermometer to determine when the turkey is done. v Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey thigh. Dark meat of the turkey takes longer to cook than any other part.
Storing Leftovers v After the meal remove all meat from the turkey carcass. This should be done within two hours of the turkey’s removal from the oven. v Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator within two hours after cooking
is complete. v Leftovers should be divided into smaller portions and stored in several shallow containers. They should be eaten within three to four days. v If large amounts are left, consider freezing for later use. Do not wait until the leftovers have been in the refrigerator for several days to freeze. Frozen leftovers should be eaten within six months. Eating Leftovers v Reheat leftovers to 165°F throughout or until steaming hot. Soups, sauces and gravies should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute. v Never taste leftover food that looks or smells strange. When in doubt, throw it out. For more information on the FAPC or food safety tips, visit www.fapc.biz or call 405-744-6071. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
While at the convention, be sure to visit the John Vance Auto Group booth for extra “Farm Bureau Savings” on your next car or truck. John Vance
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Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006 • 27
Johanns focuses USDA programs to aid drought griculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced $780 million in assistance to help farmers and ranchers manage drought and weather related production challenges Aug. 29. This funding includes a new $50 million program for livestock producers impacted by drought, focusing nearly $30 million in unused conservation funds on drought, and accelerating the delivery of an estimated $700 million in counter-cyclical payments. “While some parts of the country are experiencing very good crop conditions, drought is taking a toll on farming and ranching operations in other areas of the United States this year,” said Johanns. “Today's actions emphasize USDA's commitment to use every resource available to help farmers and ranchers who are impacted by drought.” Livestock Assistance The new $50 million program for livestock producers, called the Livestock Assistance Grant Program, will provide $50 million in Section 32 to states in block grant form. States will distribute to livestock producers in counties that were designated as D3 or D4 on the Drought Monitor anytime between March 7 and Aug. 31, 2006. The grants will help livestock producers restore their purchasing power. A list of eligibility criteria and eligible counties can be found at www.usda.gov by clicking on the drought spotlight. Conservation Funds The nearly $30 million in unused conservation funds includes almost $19 million in unused Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funds and $11 million in unused Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). The ECP funds will go to 27 states. Information on eligibility and a list of the states and funding is also posted online. The GRP funds will help to protect droughtaffected grazing lands. The funds will be distributed to 14 states. These funds will be focused on pending GRP applications for rental agreements in drought-affected areas. Johanns also directed the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationists to work with their producers and state technical committees to focus remaining FY 2006 and a portion of FY 2007 conservation program funds on resource conservation practices related to drought
A
28 • Oklahoma Country • Fall 2006
response and mitigation. Programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program, and GRP have built-in flexibility and local decision-making ability in order to encourage a focus on state-specific concerns, such as those related to drought. Counter-Cyclical Payments Johanns directed that 2005-crop year counter-cyclical payments be delivered as quickly as possible to expand the financial resources of farmers facing drought. An estimated $700 million in payments to upland cotton and grain sorghum producers has been made, constituting the earliest delivery of counter-cyclical payments on record. Payments to peanut producers will also be expedited, following the calculation of the final 2005 average price. Existing USDA Disaster Assistance As always, emergency loans are available to help producers in counties declared disaster areas. These low-interest loans are for producers who have suffered production or physical losses resulting from a natural disaster or quarantine in counties designated disaster areas by President Bush, or disaster or quarantine areas by Secretary Johanns. Prior to this announcement, USDA has allocated over $30 million in emergency conservation program and emergency watershed protection program funds for 2006 disasters, including drought. The agency has released considerable Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage to emergency haying and grazing and lowered the rental rate reduction to 10 percent from 25 percent. Federal crop insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) are also available to crop producers each year to help mitigate the risks associated with the adverse affects of heat and drought. Producers enrolled a record-high 246 million acres in crop insurance in 2005, with nearly 90 percent of acres insured at levels above the minimum catastrophic level of coverage. Similar enrollment levels are expected this year. In addition, NAP is available for producers who grow crops for which crop insurance is not available.
Political Rally
Republican Fifth District standard bearer Mary Fallin greets a Seminole County Farm Bureau member who attended the July 6 Meet The Candidates rally at the county Farm Bureau office. Lt. Gov. Fallin and many other candidates for local, state and national offices spoke briefly to a crowd of more than 200 who packed the county office for the event. Seminole County Farm Bureau and The Seminole Producer hosted the rally jointly.
State Senator Harry Coats, center, attended the Meet The Candidate rally hosted at the Seminole County Farm Bureau office in July. Coats, who represents District 28, drew no opponent in his bid for another term. The senator is shown preparing to dip homemade ice cream he furnished for the rally. Those attending were served a meal topped off with the senator’s homemade vanilla.