Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Nov. 20, 1980, edition 1 / Page 26
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THE CHOWAN HERALD Farm-City Week NATIONAL FARM-CITY WEEK, NOV. 21-27 Wl. >*•■ / 4 MkL y »aMHy> MMBBbMkI; , - ' 4 mlm^- "" ••-■ w liWiPlll ipi* ij^Sn^fflffiH^WMiifi COTTON GIN IN OPERATION Construction of the Albemarle Cotton Growers Cooperative gin in Chowan County caused over a 200 per cent increase in cotton acreage from 1979 to 1980. About 1500 acres of cotton were planted this year, 800 acres more than during the previous year. The cotton gin has been in operation for about one month. Farmers Form Cooperative For the past several years we have had disease problems in peanuts due to our rotation practice of planting soybeans, peanuts and corn. Some of the land where we were planting corn for rotational purposes with peanuts was a money-losing proposition. In fact when the corn was planted e farmer realized that he would be lucky to get back his variable costs as we need at least 75- 80 bushels of corn to meet the total expenses. This created quite a bit of discussions about growing cotton. The interest increased because of the low yield of corn, rotation of peanuts, and the agencies working on the control of insects in cotton. The distance involved in getting cotton ginned was one of the draw backs in increasing cotton acres. The closest gin was at Mur freesboro, about fifty miles away. Another gin was at Bethel, about 60 miles away. A group of the cotton farmers here in Chowan County met and discussed the possibilities of building a cooperative gin here in Chowan County. They elected Carroll Bass president and a board of directors composed of George Jordan, Fahey Byrum, David Ober, Thurman Ashley, Lindsay Ray Bunch, and Clarence Leary, Jr. USDA Cooperative was asked to conduct a feasibility study. After this was shown to be positive, NCDA, North Carolina Agricultural Ex tension Service, NCRFD and FHA were asked to help form the cooperative. NCDA and NCRFD helped with the by-laws and assisted with getting the stocks and other necessary paper filled out. This proposal was then sent to FHA to see if it could be funded. FHA offered a guaranteed loan if the cooperative could raise 25 per cent of the money through the sale of stock. This was done and the Bank of North Carolina made the loan to the Albemarle Cotton Growers Cooperative, Inc. The gin was located and moved from South Carolina and erected on land that Byrum Farms sold to the cooperative. Because of the prospect of the gin, Chowan County planted about 1500 acres of cotton in 1980, up some 800 acres from 1979. The gin has been running now about four weeks. As of November 11, they had ginned over 800 bales of cotton this fall. Fahey Byrum, a local cotton producer, is managing the gin. Having the gin here in Chowan County has saved our farmers some sls per bale in transportation and Thursday, November 20, 1980 has encouraged many other farmers to consider planting cotton in 1981. What the cooperative really needs is some more sales of stock to increase the amount of money needed for operation, and there is a need for more cotton pickers here in Chowan County. A^iir nn : m . ii ia ' SBf Jtfo FARM-CITY WEEK Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., center, has proclaimed Nov. 21-27 as Farm-City Week in North Carolina. Watching the Governor sign the proclamation are Gus Tulloss, left, state Farm-City Week chairman, and Dr. T. C. Blalock, director of the N. C. Agricultural Extension Service, whose organization coordinates many of the Farm-Citv Week activities in the state. 7 Farm-City Banquet Set Monday Farm-City Week, an observance since 1955 when the National Farm-City Council was formed, will be observed in Chowan County during the week of November 21-27. The highlight of the week will be a banquet to be held Monday, November 24 beginning at 7 P.M. in the Edenton Jaycee Building. The purpose of Farm-City Week is to bring about better understanding between the urban and rural segments of society during an age when there seems to be an. ever widening gulf between them. Governor Proclaims Observance County citizens join with 15,000 other communities across the United States in Farm-City Week programs this year. As in the past, Farm-City Week will be the week im mediately preceeding Thanksgiving Day. The dates this year are Nov. 21- 27. In commending this ob servance to North Carolinians, Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., said there is a continued need for farm people to recognize they are partners in progress. Farm-City V eek Over the years as new problems have arisen, the Farm-City Council has ex panded its program and widened its purposes to help solve them. The council encourages year around Farm-City activities in communities and states aimed at achieving the goal of better urban-rural understanding. The annual focal point of Farm-City Council is National Farm-City Week. This is always given seven days prior to and including Thanksgiving Day. This Continued On Page 2 “Hie prosperity and well being of all citizens of North Carolina depend on the products and services of both industry and agriculture,” the Governor said. Heading Farm-City Week activities locally is David Bateman. The statewide chairman is Gus H. Tulloss, a Rocky Mount agribusinessman. The state vice chairman is Mrs. Lucy U. Wilson of Durham. Staff members of the N. C. Agricultural Extension Service coordinate many of the Farm-City Week ac tivities across the state.
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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Nov. 20, 1980, edition 1
26
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