By Jeff Helms

Walking among bushes brimming with blackberries and blueberries, Randy Godwin unintentionally summarized the mission of a tour which brought government officials and agricultural leaders to his Cherokee County farm.

“We all need to learn — and we need to learn how each other does things,” Godwin said.

That’s what Cherokee County Farm-City Chairman Landon Marks had in mind when he organized the inaugural Elected Officials Farm Tour.

“We want them to know they can come to us,” said Marks, the county Extension coordinator. “They can ask us questions; and we can be a point of contact for them.”

The event began on a steamy morning in late June in Centre. County commissioners, city councilmen, a district judge, the county school superintendent and a state senator first feasted on local fruit and honey; 4-H Pig Squeal sausage; and casseroles and breads baked by Cherokee County Farmers Federation Women’s Leadership Committee members.

The group then boarded a school bus bound for a new poultry farm.

“I’ve got four houses going up, and they are 66 by 600 (feet),” said Jeff Bobo, who farms with his wife Tonya. “We’re going to have a quarter-million birds on the farm. That relates to a million people being able to eat two pieces of chicken each for 45 days just from this farm.”

While Bobo emphasized production, Marks, former County Extension Coordinator Danny Miller and Extension Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Specialist Kent Stanford discussed the farm’s economic impact and sustainability.

“I wanted to get boots on the ground,” said Marks as he led the tour through poultry houses flanked by cotton fields. “Poultry is a huge economic impact to the area. Occasionally, you encounter some bad attitudes when it comes to certain kinds of farming. We want to let them know how we are handling mortality, nutrient management, odor and other concerns.”

Cherokee County District 3 Commissioner Ronnie Shaw grew up on a farm but said the tour opened his eyes to technological advances.

“I like to see the change going on in our industry,” Shaw said. “It’s hard to explain to our younger generation how farmers like this work. They’re doing it out of pure love for the area. This is our community — these farms.”

CCFF President John Bert East said the event was an opportunity to cultivate relationships.

“You see these folks on the ballot and vote for them, but you may only know them vaguely,” East said. “This is a way for us to spend a little time with them, to learn more about their ideas and what they stand for.”

Back at Rastus Roofus Berry Patch, the former steel company engineer said the tour allowed farmers and elected officials to set aside party affiliations and relate as neighbors.

“I don’t particularly think we can solve the world’s problems through politics,” Godwin said. “Let’s get more people involved in what really makes the world happen and less people telling each other what to do. Maybe this will help.”