American Museum of Agriculture Volume 9, Issue 4 – December 2010

President Dan Taylor The South Plains Antique Tractor ground in February or March. Fundraising Association continues to set record attendance continues and there are still several naming Vice President which each tractor and engine show. The 2010 rights available. Brick columns are going fast, Patti Jones show, held October 16 and 17, brought over 800 and we only have 10 columns remaining on men, women and children to the museum. The Canyon Lake Drive. Contact Lacee to reserve show had 110 tractors, nine engines, and eight yours today. To see details of the new facility, Secretary garden tractors in addition to the museum static visit our website at www.agriculturehistory. Curtis Griffith collection. News channel 11’s John Robison org, and click on the vision page. forecast the weather from the show and even Lacee is always looking for opportunities drove a few of the antique tractors. After two to spread the word about our new facility Treasurer days of tractor games and parades of power, the and would love to speak to your group or Waylon Carroll civic organization. Thank you to the Golden K Kiwanis, the Rotary Club of Muleshoe, the Kiwanis Club of Tulia, and the Lubbock Executive Executives Club for inviting AMA to share its Director story over the last few months. Lacee Hoelting In August, AMA president Dan Taylor challenged members to recruit as many new members as possible. Mitchell Harris with Board of Ag Texas met the challenge recruiting 12 Directors new members. He will receive a $100 gift certificate to Las Brisas, which was donated Zach Brady to the museum. Dan Taylor will have until Alton Brazell January 1, 2011 to match Mitchell with Scott Burris 12 new members or pay the difference in a donation to the museum. (Continued on pg. 3) Waylon Carroll show ended Sunday with the drawing of the Ron Chandler winner of a 1957 Farmall 230 tractor. Luck Vic Coker must run in the family, because Perry Gruhlkey Roger Haldenby was named the winner, just two years after his son, Cody’s name was drawn to win the 2008 Coy Harris raffle tractor. This makes two red tractors to add Don Harris to the Kress family’s otherwise green collection. Lynn Harrist Proceeds from the tractor raffle benefit the museum. “The show went very well and we had Lee Ruth Krieg the biggest attendance ever for the meal Friday Jerry Meers night. We are thankful for the support,’’ said Jim Steve Moffett Johnson, SPATA president. The museum is also thankful for the partnership and amazing support Ginny Riggs of SPATA, and congratulates them on another Clint Robinson record setting year. Brett Underwood Work continues on the new building. Several meetings had taken place between the AMA Tommy Woolam board, MWM architects, Hugo Reed, and Lee Lewis Construction. Details are being finalized for Phase I of the new facility, which will include a 24,000 square foot exhibit hall, bathrooms, Top: Lynn Nelson & Bill Adams compete a road, parking lot and patio. With a request in the slow race during tractor games. Bottom: Perry Gruhlkey poses for bids going out in January, we aim to break with his new raffle tractor. American Museum of Agriculture Page 1 A Word from the Board

NEW MEMBERS & AMA Board Vice President - Patti Jones, Lubbock County Commissioner RENEWALS * denotes new membership As a very to talk about production agriculture CREW BOSS young girl, I (farming). Our audience was 3rd and Brad & Davon Cook still remember 4th grade students. Steve and I were David & Ronda Langston running dressed in khaki pants with open- Bobby & Joyce McNabb through the collared shirts. When the kids entered Verett Farms, Inc. ever-so-tall the room and looked around all they cornfield and could do was ask “where’s the farmer?” TOP HAND the sweet smell In their minds, they were supposed to Larry Hagood when it was see someone dressed in bib overalls and Joe & Phyllis Lemon being cut for a straw hat with a pitchfork in their McWhorter’s Ltd. silage for our hand. This was in Lubbock, Texas, not Wendell & Peggy Morrow* 400-head dairy. New York City. Jane Piercy - TTU CASNR Other times I find myself thinking back It was at that moment I realized we, Bill & Mary Quattlebaum Ted Rekerdres of when I rode around in the pickup our generation, had not done a very Jack Sides with “Daddy” everywhere he went; good job in educating the people in our changing water, the John Deere house, own community, much less those in FAMILY Fisher’s Auto and Anderson Electric the larger cities. This was one of many Roy Blanchard to name a few. What I didn’t realize reasons I chose to become involved with Irene Brooks at the time was what he was teaching the American Museum of Agriculture Daniel & Zada Cave me without my knowledge. I thought (AMA). I see a great need and have a Chesnutt Cotton Company everyone grew up knowing how to set burning desire to not only preserve our/ George Hardberger* an irrigation tube and stop, change my history, but also to educate younger Lynda Heinrich* a flat, change the oil in their vehicle, generations. The AMA is fulfilling this Rex & Nancy Isom check the points and plugs, listen to desire by telling our story. David & Pat Jones the engine for certain sounds and so We have a one-of-a-kind collection, Mr. & Mrs. John Kveton on. Not until reaching adulthood did I thanks to Alton Brazell. So much of Jeff & Kendra Landsdell Warren Moerbe realize how much I learned from Daddy this collection was put in place by Alton Charles & Jerry Beth on the farm. while he served as a Lubbock County Shannon I fondly remember the quarter Commissioner for 36 years. Upon his Billy, Sharon & Courtney section where we lived, along with retirement and the formation of the Shofner “Granny James,” being the driver’s AMA, we have seen this collection grow. Benny & Sue Sides education course for me and all of my I want to publicly say thank you to Jim Stewart “city cousins” when they came to the Alton. Cecil & LaVerne Stolle farm. Daddy and Granny knew we We have made the AMA somewhat Texas Battery Co.* would eventually end up behind the of a dream come true but we now Emerson & Pat Tucker wheel of the old stick shift pickup. have the opportunity to make it even Kyle & Allison Vaughn* They would sit on the back porch better. With the generosity of so many Charles & Jere Wade watching and hearing us grind those individuals and businesses we are close Bill & Sharon Waters Don & Neoma Williams gears until we finally got it in gear. to breaking ground on the first phase Larry & Patti Work* They, along with the aunts and uncles, of a new facility just across Broadway! James & Mary Jo would watch us stop at each crossroad This doesn’t mean we can let up though. Underwood with our signal blinking as if we were We are still raising funds for future at a major intersection in Lubbock. phases of AMA. Remember we offer the INDIVIDUALS Amazingly, we did all learn to drive “on opportunity to memorialize or honor Jim & Lynne Shearer the farm.” someone with donations made to the James Silhan Later in my adult life these thoughts museum. Frances Sowder became very prominent with two sons Thank you to each and every one of of my own. Even though my memories you for your continued commitment were 25-30 years old, Chad and Casey to the museum and to seeing it enjoyed virtually the same experiences I become an even larger dream come had growing up on the farm. As I look true. Remember our mission: “To around today, I realize so many of our preserve the history and tell the story of youth never had the opportunities my American agriculture.” sons and I did growing up on a farm. Patti Jones A few years ago, Steve and I AMA Board Vice President participated in a career day at an elementary school. We were there American Museum of Agriculture Page 2 Alvin Davis Recognized at Tractor Show

During the opening ceremonies of the farming career on. OTHER GIFTS Antique Tractor and Engine Show, SPATA AMA would like to congratulate Alvin Shelly Bauman and AMA recognized Alvin Davis for his on his many accomplishments and thank Dan & Zada Cave recent accompllishments. him for his dedication to preserving our Dean & Wina Church On October 8, the Post-native was agricultural heritage. Jimmy & Rita Clark inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Brad & Davon Cook Fame. Wally & Margie Darneille Alvin is the only former Texas 4-H Mr. & Mrs. Monroe member to receive this honor. In 1948, Alvin DeBusk was honored as the Top 4-H Boy at National Shirley & LuCille 4-H Congress in Chicago, Illinois. Garrison Alvin has worked hard to preserve our Jame Graves western and farming heritage. He previouly Curtis & Sue Griffith served as the executive vice-president and Anita Hancock general manager of the National Ranching Cindy Huffman Heritage Center, and founded the National Stan & Suz-Ann Kirby Cowboy Symposium, one of the largest Lubbock Cotton annual events in Lubbock. Exchange Alvin, along with his wife Barbara, have Lubbock Electric been active supporters of AMA, attending Weldon Menzer events, and donating several items including Alvin Davis and Dan Taylor, AMA Board Joe & Jerry Tarbet the Ford tractor that Alvin started his President pose next to Alvin’s Ford Tractor Vardeman Farms Lonnie & Donna Winters QUARTERLY VOLUNTEERS Alton Brazell -Oren Arnold Waylon Carroll Continued from pg. 1 C.D. Cash AMA would like to publicly thank both museum’s collection. Several visitors have Ron Chandler Dan Taylor and Mitchell Harris for their mentioned the segment as the reason they Vic Coker dedication to enlarging our membership. decided to visit the museum. J.T. Drake The fall semester brought two classes Everyone at AMA would like to wish Curtis Griffith from Texas Tech to work on projects for you and yours the happiest of holidays and Roger Haldenby the museum. Erica Irlbeck’s agriculture look forward to seeing you at the Annual Joe Hall communitcations campaigns class submitted Chili Feed on January 29, 2011 Don Harris proposals and ideas for a spring fundraiser Edsel Huie featuring Bob Phillips, the Texas Country Patti Jones Reporter. Everyone will be hearing more Lee Ruth Krieg about this fundraiser in upcoming months. A preservation class from Texas Tech Weldon Menzer University’s Museum Sciences program Steve Moffett spent 322 volunteer hours at the museum Red Rivers developing policies and procedures, Clint Robinson completing artifact condition reports, Charles Stewart laying out a moving plan for the Wayne Swart collection, and doing background work Wanda Swart for an oral history project. AMA hopes Dan Taylor to continue working with Texas Tech on Ray Thomas various projects. Top: Marvin Mester Brett Underwood We are still actively recruiting new balances his 1948 Dale Winders volunteers to the museum, and we would Allis Chalmers during Tommy Woolam like to welcome C.D. Cash and Sonny tractor garmes. Stanley Young Lupton as our newest volunteers. AMA Bottom: An early would also like to thank Red Rivers who 1900 Marion 25 HP has begun coordinating volunteer shifts engine owned by the and is helping to recruit new volunteers. Ware Brothers. In October, Texas Country Reporter ran a wonderful story on Alton Brazell who collected most of the artifacts in the

American Museum of Agriculture Page 3 Page 3 Remembering Those Special To Us Fun Holiday Facts: a unique way to honor or remember someone special .In Norway, farmers leave For the convenience of our members and readers, a bowl of gruel or porridge in the barn on Christmas we now have memorial and honorarium forms available to print online. Go to Eve for the gnome who www.agriculturehistory.org/membership.php protects their farms. Forms can be found in the top, right-hand corner under the heading Forms/Downloads. .Another Norwegian Send your completed form and payment to custom begins in Autumn. American Museum of Agriculture The finest wheat is gathered and saved until Christmas. PO Box 505 This wheat is then attached Lubbock, TX 79408 to poles made from tree branches, making PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT: perches for the birds. A There are only 9 brick columns left on Canyon Lake Drive!!! large circle of snow is It’s the perfect way to honor your family or remember someone special cleared away beneath each perch. According to the this holiday season. Call Lacee to reserve yours today!!! Norwegians, this provides Museum will be closed Dec. 24 & 25 a place for the birds to and Jan. 1, 2011 for the holidays dance, which allows them Annual Chili Feed January 29 @ AMA to work up their appetites Southwest Farm & Ranch Classic, Feb. 8-10, 2011 between meals. Just before @Lubbock Memorial Civic Center sunset on Christmas Eve, the head of the household checks on the wheat in the Special Thanks yard. If a lot of sparrows are seen dining, it is suppose IN MEMORY OF . . . Thelma Meyers by Liberty Co-op Gin to indicate a good year for Jack Barton by Hurst Farm Supply Eunice Moore by Buster’s Gin growing crops. C.O. Bibby by Hurst Farm Supply Chester Morris by Hurst Farm Supply Walter Gene Birkelbach by Tracy & Bill Moss by Hurst Farm Supply .Cultured Christmas trees Jaylyane Birkelbach Edward Noel by Hurst Farm Supply must be shaped as they Fred Bradshaw by Hurst Farm Supply Claude Northcutt by Hurst Farm Supply grow to produce fuller Fred Bradshaw by Liberty Co-op Gin foliage. To slow the upward DC Pearson, Jr. by Hurst Farm Supply growth and to encourage Kathy Brandon by Hurst Farm Supply Bertie Jo Priddy by Hurst Farm Supply branching, they are hand- Burnett Brazell by Dan & Lee Ruth Krieg Martha Robertson by Buster’s Gin clipped each spring. Trees Burnett Brazell by Dan & Linda Taylor Martha Robertson by Hurst Farm Supply grown in the wild have Mac Brown by Plains Cotton Growers Olen Robertson by Hurst Farm Supply sparser branches, and are Sid Burrows by Hurst Farm Supply Olen Robertson by Buster’s Gin known in the industry as Louise Cox by Hurst Farm Supply Frances Rush by Hurst Farm Supply “Charlie Brown” trees. Bill Daniels by Hurst Farm Supply Celeste Schroeder by Hurst Farm Supply Imogene Fortenberry by Hurst Farm Dr. Michael Schubert by Dr. & Mrs. David .On the Ukrainian Supply Bush Christmas Eve, a sheaf Charlene Fullingim by Hurst Farm Supply Matt Stanley by Hurst Farm Supply of wheat is brought into Lisa Furlow by Glen & Velda Phipps the house as a reminder Roy Stanley by Hurst Farm Supply of ancestors and the long Amos Garrett by Liberty Co-op Gin Don Steen by Hurst Farm Supply tradition of agriculture in Benny Gilliland by Hurst Farm Supply Essie Faye Steen by Hurst Farm Supply Ukraine. The sheaf is called Inez Gragg by Hurst Farm Supply Sterling Stivers by Liberty Co-op Gin a didukh. Mildred Harris by Hurst Farm Supply A.L. Stone, Jr. by Hurst Farm Supply Shelly Holmes by Liberty Co-op Gin A.L. Stone, Jr. by Liberty Co-op Gin .Poinsettias became Samuel Jackson by Adcock Gin Bob Sutton by Tracy & Jaylayne Birkelbach popular in the U.S., after Samuel Jackson by Tracy & Jaylayne Robert Swetnam by Hurst Farm Supply Joel Poinsett brought them Birkelbach Randall Tanner by Hurst Farm Supply back with him on a trip Irene Jouett by Hurst Farm Supply Forest Tiller by Hurst Farm Supply to Mexico. Poinsett also John Justice by South Plains Antique Shirley Watson by Hurst Farm Supply founded the Smithsonian Tractor Association Institute. Poinsettias are thougt to symbolize the Wanda Mae Kelm by Hurst Farm Supply IN HONOR OF . . . Star of Bethlehem. Donna Keesee by Hurst Farm Supply David & Pat Jones 50th Wedding Grace Kloiber by Hurst Farm Supply Anniversary by Dan & Linda Taylor Thelma Meyers by Hurst Farm Supply Dan Taylor Family by Waylon Carroll American Museum of Agriculture Page 4

Charles Stewart Charles Stewart In 1996, the Baker Company sold their printing business was born and raised and became Baker Office Products. It was at this time that on a farm near Charles retired. He and Illene got involved with a group out Commerce, Texas. of Utah that managed camping grounds for the National Born in the same Forest Service during the summer. For seven years, Charles house his mother was, and Illene took their RV to Southern Colorado, and managed he watched his family one of these campsites. They took payments and made sure work hard to keep the people felt welcome and answered any questions visitors farm going during the had. Skills that have come in handy for Charles’s volunteer thirties and forties. work at the museum. Colorado remains one of Charles’s After graduating from favorite destinations due to the beautiful scenery and ample high school in 1948, Charles headed to Lubbock and stayed opportunities for fishing. with relatives while he looked for a job outside of farming. Charles stays busy volunteering at both AMA and also his “Farming was a good life, but it was also a very hard life in church, Temple Baptist. At least two days a week, he volunteers those days,” said Charles. at the Church assembling small books in Spanish about the Thus, Charles began a 47-year-career in commercial Bible, specifically the books of John and Acts. These books are printing, first at Lubbock Printing for 10 years, followed by the then sent to El Paso and on into Mexico. Charles says Temple Baker Company for 37 years. While working in various aspects Baptist supports multiple missions and around 20 different of printing, he found his niche as a pressman, producing missionaries in Mexico and South America. everything from high-quality business cards to envelopes and Charles says that when you retire, you need something letterhead. Charles pointed out that there were fewer graphics to keep you busy, and while he spends time in his shop and no computers back then. A printing company would also woodworking and building small things like birdhouses, he handle day-to-day jobs like billing and customer statements. really enjoys volunteering. Just the other week he had a lengthy They were an integral part of everyone’s business, and that kept conversation with two Chinese students who asked him all Charles and the Baker Company very busy. “It was a good about life in the United States. Charles said he really enjoys the trade: you didn’t get rich, but you made a living,” Charles said. people he meets at the museum. “It is satisfying to volunteer Charles met his wife, Illene, when she was in town visiting your time for a worthwhile project, and we have a great her sister. Illene was born around San Antonio, but moved museum here with a lot of potential,” Charles said. around a lot as her father installed power lines throughout rural Thank you Charles Stewart for your friendliness, hard work, Texas. Illene did clerical work for Lubbock Independent School and dedication as an AMA volunteer. We appreciate all that District and St. Mary’s Hospital. Together, the Stewarts raised you do for this museum. three boys. Two live in California, and one resides in Lubbock. AMA visits Hockley Co. In October, the American Museum of Agriculture spent the day in Levelland at the Hockley County Junior Ag Awareness Day. The annual event brings students from local elementary schools to learn where their food and fiber comes from. More than 1,000 kindergarten, first and second grade students learned how to use an atique corn sheller and asked questions about an assortment of other antiques on display from the museum’s collection. Other stations included the National Ranching Heritage Center, a cotton field, and a petting zoo. Top: Caden Crenshaw Students had many questions and left with a better holds a prize after correctly identifying a combine. understanding of the world around them. Bottom: Dylan Popelka AMA would like to thank County Agent Amber demonstrates how to shell Parkinson for inviting the museum to participate. corn to his class. Both The museum is always looking for opportunites to students are grandsons of AMA members, Jimmy and do presentations or get involved with local activities. Patsy Crenshaw. Contact Lacee if you have an idea of how AMA can get involved with your next activity.

American Museum of Agriculture Page 5 American Museum of Agriculture PO Box 505 Lubbock, TX 79408

Hours The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

We will be closed Dec. 24, 25, and Jan. 1.

Special tours are available upon request.

E-mail: amadirector@ agriculturehistory.org

Website: www.agriculturehistory.org Held at the American Museum of Agriculture

We will be recognizing local youth who have won national awards.

Only $5 a person for all the chili and fixings you can eat.

Bring a friend and help us kick off another great year!

American Museum of Agriculture Page 6