Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
they MM^hipped the wnarheting prahlewn<br />
HARD<br />
work, good management,<br />
and efficient marketing underlie<br />
the success of Gaston's Dairy<br />
Farm near Greer, South Carolina. In<br />
addition to being a successful dairy, it<br />
is the home of two American <strong>Farmer</strong><br />
Degree holders.<br />
Thomas Gaston, the oldest, received<br />
his Degree in 1955. His brother. Dean,<br />
was awarded his Degree in 1956. Both<br />
are graduates of James F. Byrnes High<br />
School and are now farming in partnership<br />
with their father. A younger<br />
brother, Gerald, 15 years old, plans to<br />
study vocational agriculture and has his<br />
eye on the American <strong>Farmer</strong> Degree.<br />
The Gaston Dairy Farm is widely<br />
known in upper South Carolina. Not<br />
only among the 350 customers served<br />
by the dairy, but also by farmers and<br />
agricultural leaders who recognize the<br />
good farming practices being used in<br />
the dairy enterprise.<br />
"It is a family enterprise with an un-<br />
believably small amount of outside<br />
help." says Ben E. Blackwell, agriculture<br />
teacher at James F. Byrnes High<br />
School. "You can't go over there uith-<br />
out catching them all working."<br />
Started With One Cow<br />
Dean recalls his dad, Thomas F. Gaston,<br />
started the dairy approximately 10<br />
years ago with one cow. Now they are<br />
milking 38 cows and supply 350 customers<br />
in Greer, an industrial center<br />
surrounded by a fertile farming area.<br />
A look at Dean's program will show<br />
how these American <strong>Farmer</strong>s developed.<br />
It was only natural for him to in-<br />
Marketing their own products saves<br />
time and money for the Sastons and<br />
Dean thinks it's fun to operate a<br />
truck route for local deliveries.<br />
Bv Wilbur McCartha<br />
clude a dairy calf among his first<br />
projects.<br />
Other enterprises that year included<br />
a Berkshire brood sow, two beef steers,<br />
and three acres of corn for feeding.<br />
Later chickens were added along with<br />
additional feed crops of oats and barley.<br />
Each project was increased in size till<br />
he far exceeded the minimum qualifications<br />
for the American <strong>Farmer</strong> Degree<br />
when he filed his application.<br />
Dean's first projects during 1951-52<br />
returned a labor income of $254.60.<br />
Total income was $896 and expenses<br />
were $642.<br />
During the 1955-56 period, his proj-<br />
ects had increased in scope to 57 hogs,<br />
6 dairy cows, two beef cows, 800 hens,<br />
two boars, 1,000 broilers, and 20 percent<br />
interest in 50 cows. Labor income<br />
for this period totaled $5,290, total income<br />
was $9,060 and expenses came to<br />
$3,770.<br />
In addition to his active farm sched-<br />
ule. Dean has achieved outstanding rec-<br />
ognition in FFA activities at local, state,<br />
and national levels. His leadership ac-<br />
tivities reached beyond FFA work into<br />
his community and church.<br />
Dairying has been profitable and the<br />
family loves it. Dean points out that<br />
their entrance into the dairy business<br />
was not a sudden decision. They grew<br />
into it. Both Thomas and Dean re-<br />
ceived a calf in the Chapter dairy chain.<br />
These calves provided foundation stock<br />
for the dairy.<br />
In addition to his interest in the dairy.<br />
Dean sells about 70 head of No. 1 hogs<br />
annually and now has 400 layers, and<br />
6 brood sows. Feed grown for the<br />
dairy stock include corn, oats, barley,<br />
soybeans, and lespedeza for hay; permanent<br />
pasture of fescue and clover:<br />
and temporary pasture of millet and<br />
sweet Sudan grass.<br />
Direct Selling<br />
One of the outstanding features of the<br />
Gaston's farming operation is their use<br />
of the dairy route for direct selling to<br />
customers. Not only milk and dairy<br />
products, but also eggs, pork, sausages,<br />
and dressed hens to order are sold.<br />
"Without the dairy enterprise, the<br />
other enterprises would be out," Dean<br />
explains.<br />
Advisor Blackwell says, 'Tn my opin-<br />
ion this is one of the few farm families<br />
who have whipped the marketing end of<br />
farming."<br />
Pointing out that a boy's success in<br />
vocational agriculture depends a great<br />
deal on the cooperation of the father.<br />
Blackwell said, "Mr. Gaston has<br />
worked closely with both of his American<br />
<strong>Farmer</strong> sons, and also with the<br />
agriculture teacher."<br />
Dean and his family note that Mr.<br />
Blackwell deserves credit for time and<br />
work he has devoted to helping the farm<br />
reach its present development.<br />
A visitor to the farm sees a compact,<br />
family-size farm. It's operated with a<br />
love of farming, pride, care, and good<br />
management. He comes away feeling<br />
that "a spirit of cooperation" in the family,<br />
a lot of work, and a farm educational<br />
program have gone a long way<br />
in bringing the Gaston farm up to its<br />
present development,<br />
Vo-ag teacher Ben Blackwell discusses with Dean some of the desirable traits<br />
of dairy cattle. Dean is qualified to speak authoritatively on this topic<br />
since dairy animals and their products helped him win an American <strong>Farmer</strong><br />
Degree. They currently play a major role In providing the Gaston's income.<br />
28 The .<strong>National</strong> FUTURE FARMER