A County in Transition, Pages 25 35

A County In Transition

by Andrew Stone

St. Mary's County used to be a small rural community with most of its income coming from farming and fishing.

Now, with the establishment of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station the county is becoming more urbanized with a constantly increasing population. This growth is having dramatic effects on a number of issues controversial in nature.

The growth of industry and technology due to contractors affiliated with the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and the growth of small businesses as a result, have had a large impact on the expansion of urban development in the county. It is possible that without the Naval Air Station, St. Mary's County's main source of income would still be agriculture and seafood.

Pax River and its various military related industries around the tri-county area are the sole reasons for this county's rapid expansion coupled with the fact that people are moving to the more rural areas to escape the cities and to retire.

One-third of the county's population is near Lexington Park.

According to the St. Mary's County Department of Economic and Community Development report of June, 1988, about 3,377 residents in St. Mary's County were employ ees at Pax River or NESEA, or are with some contractor affiliated with Pax River.

Since 1943, when the Naval Air Station came to the Lexington Park area, the population has steadily climbed.

Just in the last eight years, the population grew from 59,895 residents in 1980 to 78,900 residents in 1989 according to the St. Mary's Department of Planning and Zoning Census Bureau and the Census of Agriculture.

According to the latest figures, county growth between 1980-1989 was more than any other 10 year period since the u.S. Census in 1790 recorded 15,000 county residents.

Left to Right: Tony Delosier, Howard Young, Joe Delosier, Warren Delosier and Claude Jarboe on Jarboe's farm in 1948.

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With the growth of population comes the growth of shopping centers, private industry and the need for more schools and more highways. This growth also helps account for some of the decrease in farmland acreage.

Examples of this recent growth in the Lexington Park area include San Souci Plaza (shopping center) which was once farmland itself, the Wildewood Center (shopping center) which was a partly wooded area, and the new housing development, Hunting Creek, located in the Park Hall area and at this writing is still being developed. Farms along Chancellors Run Road and Great Mills Road are being developed. The scene is being repeated in other areas across the county.

Since 1982, the amount of farmland has decreased by 20,000 acres with a loss of almost 200 farms.

The acreage of land still in farming has decreased 19.7 percent, from 100,221 acres according to Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics.

Development, growth and expansion are a major contributing factor added to the competitive foreign market for farm products. This urbanization has its positive and negative effects.

Many people feel that the development is a good thing for it has brought a higher level of economy to the area.

However, this urbanization is also taking its toll. The agricultural industry and water industry is slowly fading.

The market value for agricultural products sold has dropped from $22,517,000 in 1982 to $13,271,000 in 1987, according to the 19741987 St. Mary's County Census of Agriculture.

This is due partly, however, to the fact that over the last few years, a drought situation has hurt the crop growth. This is also due in part to the competition of foreign markets having much cheaper labor and the fact that they can sell their products for a lower price.

Another reality for farmers is that they are all too often faced with the dilemma of having to sell their property to survive. Often a piece of land might stay in one family for generations until family members are faced with modern reality and are forced to give it up.

Many farmers try to supplement their income with part-time jobs or their wives work at public jobs in order to make ends meet.

Also at this writing, there are more than twenty-eight million acres nationwide that are enrolled in sixty-six-foot-wide buffer strips between fields for wildlife or wetland areas according to the u.S. Department of Agriculture. A Ninth Conservation Reserve Program has been set to take highly erosive land out of crop production and has it planted with new foliage that prohibits erosion.

The maximum rental for Maryland has been set at $85.

This should help protect wildlife areas: however, the fact is that land is being taken from farmland.

Left to Right: Claude Jarboe, Howard Young, and two unidentified tenant farmers (cutting potatoes on the cart readying them for planting).

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Lack of oysters is having a tremendous effect on the waterman's livelihood. The St. Mary's County Oyster Festival is a reminder of the great importance of the oyster crop.

"The oyster hatcheries' goal on St. George's Creek is to make a cooperative effort with university, state and local government through a private company, to find solutions to problems with oysters in the Chesapeake Bay and to provide a better supply and a higher quality oyster to the customers," according to Mike Statler, President of the St. George's Oyster Company.

(Enterprise) County Director of Economic and Community Development, Joseph Mitchell, told a group of farmers and business people at the St. Mary's County Agriculture Conference held on Tuesday, February 20, 1990, that trends in farming must change if the farmer is to survive either in St. Mary's County or anywhere else in this country.

In 1987, tobacco and corn acreage each dropped to the lowest point since 1945 while soybean production reached its highest level during that same period.

(Enterprise, February 1990) Wheat acreage decreased steadily in 1978 after an increase in 1974. Wheat acreage then increased until 1982 where it remained stable until 1987. Except for a large unexplained "jump and decrease" in 1974, vegetable production has been increasing each year since 1964.

Between 1978 and 1987, the numbers of cattle and sheep decreased while between 1974 and 1987 hog numbers increased.

(Enterprise, February 1990).

"The key to the problems small farmers face in this decade will be farm management," said Judson Alvey, tobacco and livestock farmer south of Chaptico.

"Successful farmers will have to be businessmen, ecologists, negotiators, conservationists and marketers," he said, "and it's not going to get any better."

According to Leroy Grey, an 18-year veteran organic farmer who manages what was formerly Thompson's Orchard, "farmers will have to plant for the market so they can sell what they produce, not just produce."

Farming is changing, and there is no doubt that the county is also changing.

Perhaps with controls on growth and with a long-range plan, St. Mary's County can still grow and yet keep its rural flavor and quaint charm of the countryside.

St. Mary's has a pride all its own.

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MARYLAND AGRICUL TURA L TR ENDS -- ST. MARY'S COUNTY Tab le l.

Ye a r

Nll1lber of farms

La nd not in farms

1920 1930 1940 1950 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982

1,790 1, 392 1, 347 1,380 1 , 104 1,032 862 829 87 I 940

47 , 053 69,893 87,552 83,390 108 , 425 11 8,100 143 , 830 136,063 134 , 325 13 8 , 204

Year

Crop l and used on l y for pasture

Ac res of Land by Ty pe of Use Land in f arms

Percent of l a nd i n fa r ms

190,387 167,547 147,328 151,490 126,455 11 6,785 95, 146 102,913 104,395 100,22 1

Oth er pasture no t crop1 and or wood l and

80.2 70.6 62.7 64.5 53.8 49.7 39.8 4 3. 1 43.7 4 2.0

Wood I and pas t ured

38 , 698 35 , 338 37 , 506 43,156 38,740 30,649 39,677 39 ,6 45 39 , 779

Woodland no t pa s t ured

Wh eat (grain)

Corn

1920 1930 1940 19 50 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982

2 1,137 15,724 13,229 13 .058 12,540 12, 708 1 1.163 13.721 15.037 11.564 c

Year

Cattle and calves

1920 1930 1940 1950 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982

7, 195 5,399 4,683 5 , 887 6,997 5,823 4,272 5,613 5,630 5 ,1 77

Soybeans (beans )

Bar 1ey

a. ·N o t av a i I ab Ie. cGrain nnly.

13

Oats ( grain)

16 402 885 1.393 1 .8 17

337 159 196 55 1 1.215 649

2 , 002 1 .564

525 464

To ta I c r opland

38 .1 35

Veyelab 1es Land In & me l ons orchards

Tobacco

Hay

5,626 5.439 5.838 7,643 7 . 528 7,437 5.230 5.533 6,4 10 8.104

5,63 1 4,957 7,820 7 , 869 7,035 5,514 2,929 3, 889 4,262 4,238

9 14 311 140 96 60 35 62 738 91 139

338 105 120 42 41 40 22 59 45

Nu mber of Li ve stock and Matur e Chi c ke ns on Farms and Numbe r of Br oi l e rs and Ch ic ken s Sold

cows 2,479 2,502 2,709 2 , 658 1,503 888 45 7 563 542 608

Hogs and pigs 10 , 17 0 6,671 5,050 8,029 9,882 10,2 90 16,101 15, 8 13 16,34 7 15.413

Sheeo and I au, ..

3,585 6,785 1,802 889 375 257 259 545 281 540

Top: Maryland's Agriculture trends from the Historical Data for Maryland Agriculture, 19201982. Material Courtesy Martha J. Daughdrill, Ag riculture/ Seafood Development Specialist.

75. 77 1 68 , 882 7,363 2 1,760 6 5. 47 1 6,698 12 . 349 57 . 77 1 4 , 771 12.761 54. 263 46.06 7 52 ,4 25 5 . 973 13,300 52 . 138 8 ,022 __ -:. 015..:. 7_ _-,,50,72 9

Ac r es of Crops Ha rves t ed

15 . 808 11,184 75 6.33 1 7,504 645 9,367 5.72 I 4,530 5,98 1 2,520 5.924 4.604 10,382 1.992 10,707 3,834 10.962

Tab l e 3.

5, 55 7

Table 2 .

(grain)

13,304 12,088 17 , 076 8 ,6 76 10,911 10 , 663 7. 204 7. 093 6 . 547

Tot a 1 1 and p ast ured

Other l and

1920 1930 23.769 5.32 1 9 . 045 7 1.853 1940 2 1. 456 1950 10 . 889 5 . 365 5 . 506 67 . 785 5.939 2.905 3 . 505 55.576 1959 4, 128 4,02 1 49,576 1964 4 , 612 1969 4,755 1974 5.544 1978 5 , 400 1.528 6,372 38 , 384 ;:.

19;.,;8:.,::2_ _---'4..l.•..:..40:..:3'----_ _--.:.3L.5:..:0:.,::0_ _ _ -e4--'-."'25=--4'---------"3h71L••

Year

Cro pl and no t harves t pd &. no t pas ture d

Cropl and harvested __ a

Horses ,nd mules b

Chickens Bro i1 er s & 3 months chickens so l d o l d & olde r

4 , 573 3.236 2,924 2,019 398 __ a 432 494 789 847

bHor ses and ponies for 1969 and later years.

71,085 65 . 425 67.602 78,596 94,402 75,287 49 , 450 27,163 26,734 24,733

71,592 83 , 808 46 , 7 17 73,64 I 99 , 838 0 ;>0 , 305 14 , 555 20.768 14 , 513

o = Disclos ure.

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Bottom: Lower left.

Tob a cco is still harvested by hand on Mary land f arms.

Lower ri ght.

Claude Jarboe survey s a h e ad of hereford cattle on the J arboe farm in Valle y Lee, Mary land.

Operating Expenses - Always An Issue As with any organization, mone y is alway s an issue and the St. Mary 's County Fair Board is no e x ception. The y have had good years and bad but are now on an even keel according to both County Fair Board President, John Richards and McGuire Mattingly , Treasurer.

"One source of income for the fair is The Maryland Agriculture Fair Board, which is composed of nine members appointed by the Governor and assists the St. Mary's County Fair Board b y contributing money for premiums each y ear," stated Robert Jarboe, St. Mary 's Count y Commissioner and Chairman of the Maryland Agriculture Fair Board for the past three years.

The purpose of the Mary land Agriculture Fa ir Board is to embellish and foster the ideals of agriculture .

....

r

(L. to Rt.) Frank Brown (L) outgoing Chairman of the Maryland Agriculture Fair Board presents Robert Jarboe with a gift at the time Jarboe became Chairman.

(On board the governor's y acht in Annapolis.)

Jarboe has been Chairman for the past three years.

St. Mary's County Fair Board President, John Richards, has replaced Jarboe as a member of the Maryland Fair Board this year (1990).

The board allocates financial support to over 160 events annually across the state from county fairs to 4-H to FFA (Future Farmers of America).

"Anyorganization receiving money must be affiliated with agriculture in some way," said Jarboe. The county fairs in turn must adhere to the regulations of the state board.

For example, the fair catalogue must be out to the public at least 30 days before the fair opens.

"All reports must be in 30 days after the fair closes and all premiums must be paid within 45 days after the close of the fair," said McGuire Mattingly, treasurer of the St. Mary's County Fair for the past

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three years.

"Sometimes that is very hard to do when you have about 900 checks to write and sign. The Maryland Agriculture Fair Board contributed approximately $19,000.00 for the 1989 fair," said Mattingly.

"There are also many trophies donated by various livestock associations."

J. McGuire Mattingly, Jr. (Fair Board Treasurer) (left) sits at his desk in the office building.

(Rt.) John Richards, Fair Board President and wife, Ann, rest from their busy day.

According to Jarboe, "We recently had a large increase from Paramutual Betting.

We went from $450,000 to $600,000 from all race tracks. Through legislature in the Maryland General Assembly, the fair board must give a percentage to promote agricultural events. When horse racing was established as a state money making activity, it was decided in legislature that a certain percent was to go to agriculture related activities."

When asked about the best year at the county fair as far as profits are concerned, Mattingly said that of his three years as treasurer, this year has been the best.

He estimates that at least 38,000 people attended the fall of 1989 (which is about the same as the last three y ears) despite the constant threat of Hurricane Hug o. Hugo caused the ferris wheel to be taken down and put back up several times.

The threatening winds created a need for constant assessment and changes as the weekend progressed. "By Sunday, however, things had settled down and nice weather allowed people to come out by the hundreds," said Mattingly.

"Sundays are often the best day right after the church hours.

This year was no different; as a matter of fact, due to Hugo, more people came on Sunday than ever."

When asked how difficult it is to obtain insurance for the county fair, Mattingly replied that "now we have a company that specializes in insuring fairs, John R. Drury and Son in Leonardtown. Our premiums run from $8,000 to $10,888 per year."

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Mattingly stated that often he is asked what the fair board does with the money they pull in from the fair. His reply is that most of the money is put right back into the fairgrounds.

In 1983 and 1987, paved walkways were added, and in 1989, we put a new roof on the grandstand by the horseshow ring. This y ear a new hog building was built (1990).

(L. to R.) Ann Richards, John Richards, Elwood Cusic and James Owens stand before the new roof built in 1989.

Elwood Cusic (2nd from right) remembers well the building of the grandstand bleachers.

"They were built in stages. The first half was built in 1987 and the second half in 1988.

This was one of my projects. I supervised the building from scratch. The first half cost roughly ten thousand dollars and the second half the same.

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There is always something that needs to be done on the grounds as well as other expenses associated with the running of the fair.

"We always set aside money, if we can, in case of a bad year and we try to make investments with any money that is left over, but the majority of the money is used to upgrade the fair and pay expenses," said Mattingly. "At least we don't have to borrow money."

L. Richard Owens. Rt. Dennis Wolcott sitting on newly purchased golf carts (1989).

"Our largest intake is, of course, from the main gate which has been manned for the past several decades by the local Lions Clubs in St. Mary's County. They organize the times among the various clubs and donate manpower," stated Mattingly. "We also get a percentage of the carnival attractions and co-op with school organizations and other non-profit organizations.

We sell space for exhibitors from the county and we also have outside concessions. There is a flat fee depending on the concession's history of profits (food stands, ice cream, peanuts, etc.). We run the beverage stand ourselves but close the stand on Friday, kids day," said Mattingly.

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Chester Lynch (L), John Bradford, and Tex Aschenbeck, members of the Lexington Park Lions Club, sell tickets at the main gate.

"As far as expenses concerning our livestock, our youngsters get better than market price for their animals and we had better than 100 buyers this year," remarked Mattingly.

"Between $60,000.00 and $80,000.00 per year, changes hands between the owners of the animals on exhibit and the buyers."

There are various people who buy the animals: those who just want to fill their home lockers, to business people who may divide the animals among themselves.

Usually the exhibitor writes a letter of thanks to the buyer; it's good public relations-brings them back."

Charlie Woodburn (Manager of Safeway at the time, center) buys Champion steer to grace the Safeway shelves.

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The county fair board does pay to have the animals transported to the new buyer. When asked what happens to the animals when they are sold, "Mattingly replied that "they are strictly market animals. They will be killed and used as food. There are often tears in the show ring but the youngsters know the fate of the animal when they raise it. It is easy to become attached to an animal though after being with it every single day."

"All animals sold in the show ring go to the market," said McGuire Mattingly.

Between sixty and eighty thousand dollars changes hands each year between exhibitor and buyer.

However, many times tears are exchanged with the money."

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The Tear Stained Auction Block The gentle eyes of the massive brown steer looked kindly at the child.

She knew the end was near for her friend and days when she could smile.

Her big gentle friend was going away never to come back.

She tried to fight the tears inside for happiness she lacked.

She remembered the day this steer arrived he was just a tiny calf.

She had grown to love him so her heart was breaking in half.

As the auctioneer took her friend She couldn't help but cry.

She took her friend and gently said her long and painful goodbye.

Sara Jenkins

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