Written by: Frank Taylor
I had an amazing day on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. My day was inundated with details, and I worked on multiple projects. At 5:45 am, my phone pinged with a message and pictures from Wayne Lovett, a poultry, cattle, and timber producer from Jasper County, MS. I paused for thirty-five minutes and penned a brief narrative about Wayne’s farm operation. After completing this task, I started preparing for an hour-and-a-half session with my physical therapy team. As usual, they worked and roped me through the session until the point of exhaustion. The McColumn Physical Therapy staff released me from my obligations at 10:10 am. Then, I piled into my truck and made several stops along the route. I bought items to propel me across the day.
After arriving at my workstation, I started returning phone calls from farmers across Mississippi and Louisiana. Most calls focused on technical aid and concerns about their farm operations, as well as adjusting to the new norms at the USDA. I received numerous updates from farmers about their 2025 summer crops. Several farmers showed how they are shifting their focus towards preparing for fall crops. Warner Hall, of Greensburg, LA, sent pictures of his okra crop. Warner has harvested seven bushels of okra in the past three days. Coach James Storey, of Ripley, MS (Tippah County), sent pictures of his goats and cows. These reports were inspiring. We are thankful to our farmers for their consistency and their efforts to help save rural America.
My day ended with hope and inspiration. I received pictures of DeBerne Kelly and her grandson, Channing Goss Presley, working in the garden as a team (Louisville, MS). This was a teachable moment for Channing. Deberne was teaching and training the young lad in survival skills. On this day, they picked and shelled peas. Channing is being exposed to the art of work. This will provide Channing a pathway forward in life. Channing’s parents are E. J. & Clemmisa Goss Presley. Deberne Kelly is a founding member of the Winston County Self Help Cooperative. The Greensboro Community’s principle is, “Train your children when they are young.”
