Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Godwins Earn Top Farm Family Title (cont)

ures are rotated for grazing and hay.

They Bush Hog all pastures at least once a year to improve grass production and weed control. Some pastures that have needed help with weed control are sprayed with Grazon P=+D.

When the Godwin's cut certain pastures for hay that saves time in Bush Hogging. It also saves fuel and labor. Pastures are cleaner and more weed free when cut for hay regularly.

They use a 10-wheel Vicon hay rake and 8-foot John Deere hay mover. Both machines are large and the family saves time and diesel fuel. Edd and Mary have a John Deere 6200 tractor. This efficient tractor saves both diesel fuel and time. The John Deere tractor is equipped with a cab that has helped reduce medical expenses by keeping them warm and dry during the winter when they feed every day and protects them from the summer heat during the hot months.

In the winter, the Godwins feed their cattle using a hay unroller. The unroller helps to maintain pasture quality by enabling them to unroll hay at feeding sites and eliminate a build up of old hay or ruts around a hay ring.

The Godwins are careful to watch the types of food they eat. Mary reads product labels while shopping for their food. They try to eat lower fat foods and lots of fruits and vegetables. As a family they have cut their salt and sugar intake down to low levels. Healthy snack alternatives are promoted for their children.

The Godwin's have yearly checkups with their doctors and dentists, in order to keep a close watch on their health. In order to help with the stress that goes along with a demanding and busy farm life, they always make time to do fun things as a family.

The Godwins work hard to utilize their resources. They buy quality clothes for their family that will last for several seasons. Mary does comparison shopping where food is concerned and shops locally as much as possible.

Edd and Mary find that time management of their family and cow/calf operation is the hardest factor in their day-to-day life and requires a great deal of family effort. There never seems to be enough hours in the day.

They take a nice family vacation once a year to get away.

Working together to effectively utilize their time on the farm has made a major difference for them. They have organized their farm to a good schedule as to when jobs are needed to be done, (i.e., start Bush Hog in July, have hay put up by September, etc.).

The Godwins take clothes, papers and aluminum cans to their local recycling center in an effort to preserve the environment.

Their home has vinyl siding with extra insulation in the walls to conserve energy. Inside they utilize central heat and air, maintaining a constant temperature throughout.

The house has lots of windows. On sunny winter days, the window curtains are kept open to let the sun warm their house. During the hot summer months, they keep most of the curtains closed to keep out the heat. The curtains are double lined and have proven effective for this purpose. The storm windows, ceiling fans and siding are excellent ways to conserve energy.

At International Paper, Edd serves on the QIP, Plant Lead Team and Safety Committees. He is an active member of the United States Team Penning Association, Ark-La-Tex Team Penning Association, Arkansas Cattlemen's Association, Nevada County Cattlemen's Association, American Quarter Horse Association and FFA Alumni. Edd has served as vice president of the Nevada County Cattlemen's Association.

MARY'S STORY

Mary's family always had some cattle. She grew up working in the hay meadow, with the cattle and in the watermelon patch.

Edd and Mary married May 21, 1983. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in education from Henderson State University, Mary taught elementary school for five years. She worked in Edd's family feed store for two years. Currently, she is staying home with their children, Riley and Cassie, and working on their farm.

Both Edd and Mary are active members of the Prescott Church of Christ and the Prescott Elementary School's Parent-Teachers As Partners. They served as committee members on the state board of Young Farmers and Ranchers for Farm Bureau.

Mary is an active member of the Nevada County Women's Tennis Association. She currently serves as president of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce board of directors and as an active participant on the Southwest Arkansas Development Council Board, the Literacy Planning and Advisory Committee, and as a volunteer tutor to the Literacy Planning and Advisory Committee.

Over the course of the last several years, Mary has served as awards chairman on Nevada County Women's Tennis Association, 1994-95 vice president of the Prescott Elementary School's Parent-Teachers As Partners, Prescott Church of Christ -- Cradle Roll class Sunday school teacher, and as a 1996 member of the leadership program in the Teamwork Arkansas Program sponsored by Entergy, and past participant in the Nevada County Fair, winning various ribbons for photography and canning.

Riley, age 8, will be a third grader at Prescott Elementary School in the fall.

He is an active member of the Ark-La-Tex Team Penning Association. He played Junior Little League baseball on the 1997 runner-up championship team (sponsored by Holly's Health Mart) and placed second in the 1997 United States Team Penning Association's June Jam.

Previously, Riley placed second at Prescott Elementary School's second grade class for reading 137 books in 1996. He was named a `good citizen' and he made the honor roll at PES.

He placed first at the 1996 Nevada County Fair's pumpkin competition and he placed first in flags at the 1996 4-H Show. He also has participated in several Mutt Buttin Rodeos and was the 1990 stickhorse grand entry winner.

Cassie, age 4, attends Thursday School at the Prescott Church of Christ.

She recently won the crown as the 1997 Prescott-Nevada County Chicken and Egg Festival's Little Miss Hen.

In 1996, Cassie placed second with her pumpkin in the Nevada County Fair. Cassie won Best Dressed, Best Sportswear and Interview in the 1995 Nevada County Fair, where she was also crowned Tiny Miss Queen.

In 1993, Cassie reigned as Infant Miss Queen at the Nevada County Fair.

Cassie also participated in the stickhorse grand entry in Hope at the Southwest Arkansas Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Riley and Cassie go with Edd and Mary and help work the farm to make it a success.

Mary and Edd decided when the children were born that they would give each child one heifer each year when the calves were weaned in the fall. Riley and Cassie have their own brand and a different color number tag with their names on them. The children help in picking out their calf.