THE STAR FARMER OF AMERICA

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1949, Page 7

THE STAR FARMER OF AMERICA

(By Louis Hunter, a . Reuter Correspondent in New York). ■ The title “Star Farmer of Anitina” has been given to Kenneth ncwtiyne Chbatham, a 19-year-old youth from Greenville, Illinois. This ntle is'a coveted one in American farming circles. It goes every year to the’youth who has the most impressive record ot farm accomplishments- a'nd rural leadership as a member of the future farmers of Amer.ca, a national organisation for boys between the ages of 14 and 21, who are studying agriculture in. rural secondary schools and colleges. The Star Farmer awards have been given for the last 20 years by. the weekly “Kansas City Star”,, a farm newspaper published in Missouri. Ken Cheatham won the title and the 1,01)0 dollar prize which goes with it at the recent 20th. anniversary Convention of the future farmers of America at Kansas City. He won it by first qualifying as a “Chapter Farmer” —outstanding in his own community. Next, he won the title of “State’ Farmer"—among the best in his State. Then he was nominated by his Slate organisation as a candidate for the national “Star Farmer” award. Each State nominates one candidate for the “Star Farmer” award for each 1,000 farm boys m the Future Farmers' Organisation. This year 214 names were submitted by thp 48 State organisations. After the nominations had been studied by a board of outstanding United States farm and business leaders, Cheatham was declared the winner. The Board found that, he had . worked, hard, shown good leadership qualities and managed his resources well. He started a farm programme in 1943 which 'has earned him a profit of more than 9,000 dollars. He owns land, machinery, buildings, equipment and livestock valued at more than 22,000 dollars, but is still making payments on the property. As a* boy, the new “Star Farmer” spent his ’holidays and other spare ti’me on his grandparents’ farm. . It was fun—riding horseback, jumping in the hay, working on the tractor and feeding pigs. He began to take farming seriously in 1943, when he went to his secondary school. Wanting to study vocational agriculture, he’ went to'live permanently on the farm. There, he would have land and equipment for crop and livestock projects. With 20 dollars which he earned helping his grandfather with odd chores, he bought a pure-bred Ohio improved Chester sow named “Sunshine Princess”. The pigs were born, five of them sows. These he kept to start a herd of purebred Chester sows. “Sunshine Princess’ and her progeny proved valuable show animals. The sows were champions at seven out of eight county fairs. Their progeny were good money-makers. During this peroid, Kenneth had his first setback. He rented 40 acres of land near his grandfather's ffirm and planted his first crop—soyabeans, They sprouted, giving promise of a good yield, but grasshoppers destroyed the whole crop in one evening. It was a bitter blow but Kenneth was determined. He borrowed money and bought 36 acres of land of his own, planting beans and corn. This time, there were no grasshoppers. Meanwhile, Kenneth was also getting started with a dairy herd. For helping with farm work, his grandfather gave him two Holstein cows. . With earnings, he bought an additional purebred Brown Swiss cow and call. During 1946 and 1947, his hogs, dairy cows, soyabeans and maize brought him '3,200 dollars. . After a college career in agriculture. cut short by his grandfather’s illness, Kenneth returned to the farm. He bought a half-interest in all equipment and livestock, and began managing the 204-acre farm on a 50-50 basis with his grandfather. Kenneth now married, started 1949 with 38 hogs, 27 dairy cattle, 40 acres of wheat, five acres of rye, 23 acres of oats, 13 acres of alfafa and o 0 acres of soyabeans. In addition, he has 84 pullets—his wife’s special project—and two registered Scotch collie clogs. ~ , Kenneth’s record as a leader is as good as his record as a farmer. In his local chapter of the Future Farmers of America at Greenville School, he was Sentinel, Secretary, and only missed being President by the flip of a coin after a tie vote. He won th P State Future Farmers degree for outstanding accomplishment. and was elected State Secrei-arv-Treasurer in 1946 from a membership of 11,000. He was chosen State President of the Future Farmers’ Association and in 1948 was recommended to the National Association for the American Farmer de£ree -