SEGMENT: FAMILY, FARM BUSINESS, & FARM EQUIPMENT
Roger Brown>LPL Interviews A-M>LPL Interviews A-J, Segment 5
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- FAMILY
- When Roger was teaching at Reddick, his future wife Denise got a job at FSW. Roger resigned and took up farming, but continued to substitute teach. They met one day and "the rest is history."
- FARM BUSINESS
- Roger was working about 160 acres when he started. He borrowed equipment from his dad. He substituted while Denise continued to teach in several different schools. He currently farms about 1000 acres, plus another 300 that someone else owns. They share the machinery cost.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Roger says the main changes are technology and size. His first tractor didn't even have a cab. Now his combines have GPS and computers. Early machines were entirely mechanical, now they are mostly electrical. When he started farming he would stretch a wire a quarter mile across the field and plant a seed every forty inches.
- EDUCATION
- Ag teachers now are more specific and technical. Teach agri-business as well as farming. When he was in school they taught as if you were just returning to farming.
- FAMILY FARM
- Their land is not located around their house. His wife has family farms twenty miles to the south. They also have farm ground twenty five miles to the north.
- ACTIVITIES
- Served as vice president, later president, of Livingston County Pork Producers. Was elected to District 8 State Board, vice president, then president. There was a Pork Producers Board, and a Porkette Producers Board, one for men and one for women. The women's group would focus mainly on education. When he was president the two boards were merged. They dealt with pseudo rabies and eradicated it. Worked with many different groups. During his time he met with Vice President Gore and travelled to Washington and Des Moines.
