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Wayne Maddux – who is known for his humorous poetry as well as for his farming, having been in the business 56 years. He graduated from Watonga H.S. in 1956 & served in the National Guard. He and his wife, Lavina, were married in 1956. She died in February of this year. Their sons are Jeff, Stillwater & Brad, Watonga. Wayne received the 1989 Farmer/Rancher of the Year award. He raises Angus bulls & crossbreed cattle, running a cow/calf herd of 100 or more in addition to 600-800 stocker/feeders a year. “I buy older, mostly bull yearlings, & sell them after 800 lbs.” he stated in describing his operation. He raises wheat, rye, crabgrass, Bermuda & Lovegrass. For winter forage he uses a wheat-rye-Triticale mix & provides crabgrass for summer pasture. Other tips from his operation are using a four-wheeler for a horse, protein tubs & 20 percent cattle cubes & also smaller 14 percent pellets for incoming new cattle. Conservation measures include planting grass in waterways & along fence rows subject to wind damage. Wayne is a member of the Cattlemen’s Assn. & Farm Bureau & belongs to Watonga Christian Church. He takes pride ‘that I’ve been honest & true to myself, family & my neighbors. He enjoys visiting with people, watching his cattle grow, writing a poem now & then & listening to western music.
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James Schlotthauer - was born at Homestead & graduated from Okeene H.S. in 1956. He runs a crossbred cow/calf herd & grows wheat, alfalfa & grass pasture. James is a member of the Polled Hereford Assn. & the North Blaine Water Board of Directors. He is vice chairman of the Oklahoma Assn. Of the United Church of Christ & past president of St. John United Church of Christ & a member of Elm Grove Community Church. He has served as a Boy Scouts scoutmaster. His conservation techniques included terracing, counter farming & establishing grass. He is most proud of “surviving the tough times & doing what I wanted to do.” He and his wife, Betty, have been married since 2005. He has a son & daughter-in-law, Kent & Cassie Schlotthauer, & a daughter & son-in-law, Shelley & Jose Leal. He has four grandchildren. Hunting, fishing, target shooting, & traveling are some of James’ favorite things to do. |
Okeene - 2010 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
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Geary - 2010 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
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Keith Burns has only been in farming & ranching for 75 years. He has received an honorary FFA chapter degree. For 19 consecutive years Burns has been a member of the Blaine County Jr. Livestock Show $1,000 Club and is a past elected member of the Blaine County FHA Board. He has been a seed stock producer of Hereford bulls for many years. He grows grass pasture & wheat. Burns is a past member of the local, state & American Hereford Associations. He describes himself as an avid proponent of pond building for erosion control & livestock watering. What makes him most proud of his life in farming & ranching? “Not only raising outstanding livestock but, more importantly, rearing good citizens through my children & grandchildren,” Burns stated. His children & grandchildren account for nine FFA State Farmer Degrees, five local FFA presidents & four other FFA offices. He is a strong & persistent supporter of the Blaine County Livestock Show. He enjoys fishing & reading. After graduating from Geary H.S. in 1945, he married Donelda Joy Berg in 1948. His wife is now deceased. Burns’ children include Gary K. Burns, Beckie Woodie & Steve Burns. He has seven grandchildren.
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Canton - 2010 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame Earl Baker - has been farming ‘all of my life’. Born at Cantonment, he went to Longdale H.S. He has had mixed cow/calf herds, a dairy & grown wheat, maize, oats, barley & alfalfa. For many years Baker cut & hauled hay. Being a good neighbor is important to him. What he is most proud of is ‘helping friends & neighbors with anything I could. I truly enjoyed doing the hay. Cutting & baling hay is the most enjoyable part of my operation’. He is a member of the Longdale Gym Assn. & The Quail Club. Hunting is his favorite past-time. He met his wife, the former Louise Garman in 1951. After her death, he married Lola Outhier in 2004. His children include: Robert & Wanda Baker, Canton; Wayne & Barbara Garrell, Enid; Dennis & Marilyn Caldwell, Weatherford; Larry & Karen Baker, Hobart; & Eaugene & Karalee Baker, Rosston. His stepchildren are Ronnie &Karen Outhier, Missouri & Jerry & Cheryl Poe, Cherokee.
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Watonga - 2010 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year Don E. Maddux - has farmed near Watonga virtually all of his life, except for stretches when he worked in the oilfield and did mechanic work. His farm life started as a child, as his folks had a dairy in addition to other farming-ranching enterprises. In 1966, Don was named FFA State Farmer. He grows Bermuda grass, wheat, rye & raises mostly Angus cattle in his 150-head cow/calf operation. He utilizes rotational grazing. Don also manages a partnership with his 94-year old father, Roy Maddux, which entails 50 cow/calf pairs on 360 acres. He takes pride in ‘being a one-man operation and handling my own 480 acres & my dad’s acreage.” Another point of pride is having built his own barns from the ground up. As for conservation practices, Maddux says, “Most of the wheat land has been sprigged to Bermuda. Any crops planted have been planted using no-till or mini-till. Some fields are simply over-seeded late; no more wind erosion!” He and his wife, Sandra, have been married since 1993. Their children include Rena Maddux of Harrah, Kelly Maddux of Colorado, Quenton Maddux of Austin, TX; Roger & Darla West of Noble & Eric West of OKC. He enjoys C&W dancing, reading, watching sports, and fishing. He is a member of Farm Bureau. |
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Canton - 2010 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
DeWayne Sinclair – bought from his mother the farm he was raised on & has been engaged in farming since 1970. He was an FFA State Farmer in 1958 & other honors include Canton Chamber of Commerce & Lions club citizen of the year as well as Canton & Blaine Co. Teacher of the Year. He grows wheat, canola, sesame, hay, ensilage & native pasture & raises mixed breed cow/calf & stocker/feeder cattle. He utilizes no-till & plants alternative crops. Conservation practices include no-till, constructing a runoff-control pond, building & maintaining terraces, seeding grass on highly erodible land, putting in Higgenbottom water letdowns & clearing cedars. He met his wife, Joanne, in 1974 & married the next year. Children include: Doyle & Belinda Sinclair, Jay & Donnita Sinclair, & Doug & Shiloh Sinclair. They have eight grandchildren. DeWayne enjoys reading westerns & travel. |
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Okeene - 2010 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year Dennis Westfahl - Marketing purebred Angus bulls, cows & heifers is a big part of Dennis’ operation, which also includes growing wheat, rye, Bermuda, crabgrass, native grass & Hybrid Sudan. Both no-till and conventional tillage are used. Grassed waterways also limit erosion. His feeding program gains from summer crabgrass grazing and use of liquid protein. Westfahl is active in the American & Oklahoma Angus Assn & the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Assn. The arrival of each new set of calves gives him pride in his enterprise. A 1968 Okeene H.S. graduate, he also holds a BA from SWOSU. He and his wife, Mickey, have a son & daughter-in law, Jeffrey & Atsuko Westfahl. He is a member of Okeene United Methodist Church and enjoys spending time with his family & fishing.
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Geary - 2010 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year Mary Ann Lawson/Lawson Farms – has kept Lawson farms operating since the death of her husband, Jim, in 2003. She & her husband farmed together 52 years and she has operated another seven years since his death, in cooperation with her family. She also is the assistant librarian for Geary Schools & drove a school bus for 33 years. For nine years she has been an EMT. She raises Charolais and Angus cattle, both cow/calf & stocker/feeder herds. Low-yielding cropland was put back in grass for conservation use. Rotational grazing is incorporated. They grow native grasses & Bluestem, alfalfa and wheat. Sandy soils are rotated with Triacale for early coverage & increased pasture. Her husband was a charter member of the National Cattlemen’s Assn. & she continues to be active in it & also in the National Wheat Growers Assn. Conservation efforts have included rebuilding dams on two quarter-sections, removing cedar trees on approximately 500 acres & planting grasses for erosion control. Her five children & spouses include Jamie & Anne, Chuck & Peggy, Mary K. Wright & Tom Schaller, & David & Pattie Lawson, all of Geary; Mark & Kel Rowe, Dallas TX, & Fred & Becky Lawson, Oklahoma City. She has 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
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