Achievements & Lifestyles: November/December 09

November/December 2009 • Category: Achievements & Lifestyles •

ALAMANCE COUNTY FARM BUREAU member Jane Iseley was the subject of a “tar heel people” feature in the August issue of Our State magazine. The article told the story of how Iseley left her career as a photographer for auction house Sotheby’s to carry on her family’s farm with her uncle after the passing of her father.

CRAVEN COUNTY FARM BUREAU sponsored a luncheon for local farmers on Aug. 17. Congressman Walter B. Jones was the guest speaker.

DAVIDSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Member Henry Sink recently received a surprising honor, during what he thought was going to be a visit with Rep. Howard Coble at the Farm Bureau office in Lexington. In fact, Coble was there to present Sink with eight medals for his service in World War II. On Thursday, Aug. 27, Sink was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the Honorable Service Lapel Button, the Expert Badge with Rifle bar and a Sharpshooter Badge. Sink retired from the U.S. Army in 1963 as a lieutenant colonel.

GASTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently hosted an Ag in the Classroom workshop. The county has also pledged to donate a The Farmer Grows a Rainbow Kit to every elementary school in the county that sends a representative to an AITC workshop.

MCDOWELL COUNTY FARM BUREAU helped support the Historic Marion Tailgate Market’s Watermelon Week, an event to raise awareness of local farmers and their goods and bring more people to the market. County Farm Bureau President James Nations was joined by Board Member Lester McClure, Women’s Committee Members Shelby McClure and Susan Nations, and staff in serving donated watermelon slices Aug. 25.

MCDOWELL COUNTY FARM BUREAU is celebrating the success of one of its scholarship winners. Justin S. Jornigan is the winner of USDA’s Saul T. Wilson scholarship, which is given to one student nationwide each year. Jornigan graduated with a bachelor of science in animal science last May and is now in veterinary school at N.C. State University. He spent the summer doing research full time on poultry farms. The Wilson scholarship pays for Jornigan’s education and a summer job at USDA’s Eastern Regional office in Raleigh. After graduation, he will have a contract with USDA to work in a district as a Veterinary Medical Officer for Veterinary Services. Furthermore, Jornigan was interviewed for an N.C. Farm Bureau/RFD-TV program about the need for large animal and food animal veterinarians. The program will air January 20.

MOORE COUNTY FARM BUREAU hosted a membership appreciation luncheon and open house at its new office in Carthage. Grilled hot dogs were served to the Volunteer Leaders and Members who attended. County President David Allred says people are invited to stop by the new location at any time to discuss the county’s agricultural and rural issues.

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY FARM BUREAU held a Family Auction Night in support of the R. Flake Shaw Scholarship Fund in June at the home of President Darryl Dunagan. The event featured a cookout and auction that raised more than $2,500.

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently held its 12th annual Progressive Foundation Kids Safety Day at Wentworth Elementary School. The event featured talks and information about electric safety, animal awareness and safety, eye and skin safety, small and large equipment safety and more. Farm Bureau logo items, including Willy the Safety Squirrel coloring books and safety booklets, propane safety brochures and others, were given to the 155 students in attendance.

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Members volunteered their time and knowledge to support the Farm Fair Day sponsored by the Brevard Chamber of Commerce and the Transylvania County Heritage Museum on Sept. 5. Farm Bureau Volunteer Leaders rotated through one-hour shifts at the booth, where they talked about the scope, diversity and importance of agriculture to the county’s economy.

YADKIN COUNTY FARM BUREAU’S Women’s Committee donated 150 loaves of wheat bread to the teachers at Forbush and Starmount High Schools to promote Ag in the Classroom. They also delivered supplies and a monetary donation to the Ronald McDonald House in Winston-Salem.

WAKE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Women’s Committee Members volunteered their support for in “From Field to Food: A Harvest Celebration” hosted by Historic Yates Mill County Park. Members helped visitors make Moo Masks and learn how to milk a cow. About 75 children participated and were given Rudy Rooster or Food for Thought activity books.

NORTH CAROLINA FARM BUREAU had several Members inducted into the first class of 100 in the 4-H Hall of Fame in July. A short list of Farm Bureau inductees includes Rockingham County Farm Bureau Member Leola Meador, Currituck County Farm Bureau Member Rodney Sawyer, Wilkes County Farm Bureau Member Claude Shew Jr., and NCFB President Larry Wooten.
Editor’s Note: Please let us know of any others. We want recognize them all in the January/February 2010 issue of North Carolina Farm Bureau Magazine!

Horticultural Hero’s Dedication Benefits Everyone

NEW HANOVER COUNTY FARM BUREAU Vice President Durwood Baggett should be thanked for his hand in developing the state’s thriving Master Gardener program, but he isn’t done educating people about horticulture.

His generosity will continue through the recently established Durwood Baggett Extension Horticultural Program Endowment for New Hanover County.

Baggett retired from Cooperative Extension in 1978 after a 30-plus year career, but his work was not finished. Even today, he is a familiar presence at the Extension Center Arboretum.

Baggett was born in 1922 on a Sampson County farm near Spivey’s Corner, and he went to work as an assistant agricultural agent at Yancey County Cooperative Extension in 1946, after serving in World War II with Patton’s Third Army in Europe, where he was awarded a Bronze Star.

In 1950, he took the New Hanover County Agent job, which would later be re-titled County Extension Director.

By 1974, New Hanover County was becoming more urban, and he found himself fielding an increasing number of non-traditional horticulture questions. During a visit to an Extension office in Florida, Baggett learned about a program that could work in his agency.

He returned to Wilmington, and following a conversation with the county manager, he visited garden clubs to look for volunteers willing to be trained to answer questions from the public. The response was strong, and North Carolina State specialists came in and trained the volunteers to work two at a time answering calls to a sort-of horticultural hotline.

Thus, the idea for the Master Gardener program was born, and Master Gardener programs are now flourishing nationwide.

In retirement, Baggett has served on the County Extension Advisory Council and helped establish a horticultural therapy program and a 4-H junior Master Gardeners program.

In addition to his involvement in Farm Bureau, Baggett served 20 years on the Soil and Water Conservation Board of Supervisors and is a long-time Lions Club member. He is the father of three children—David, Dudley and Deborah.

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