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Show " . - , r . a - AWARD The Davis Soil Conservation District recently made their annual "Farmer of the Year" award to Jack D. Stevenson of 1815 West Gentile, Layton. Jack has been a cooperator with the District for over 25 years and' has worked closely with them and the Soil Conservation Con-servation Service in applying soil and water conservation measures. Jack says "I've always been a farmer and I'd rather lose money farming than make money doing something 1 don't like." BUT JACK doesn't keep growing crops that lose money. He changes his farming farm-ing method, crop, or both and only stays with crops that make money over the long time haul. Onions is one crop that Jack has stayed with for many years. They are expensive to grow but are a good money maker (about two our of three years, according to Jack ) and if you can't ride through that third bad year they can break you. JACK FIGURES it costs about $1500 per acre to grow onions. If the bottom drops out of the price, the onions mold or rot, or disease sets in, it can turn a dream into a nightmare. Jack is supported by his good wife Mae and is happy to have his four sons, Jerry, David, Rick and Alan working with him. To keep the family working together the farming operation has been diversified. diver-sified. J and J Produce is managed by Jack's oldest son Jerry. The greenhouse operation opera-tion is managed by David, Rick does the farming, and Alan keeps the books, which leaves Jack with nothing to do. There's just one problem the boys say they "can't Harris Adams, left, chairman of the Davis Soil Conservation Conser-vation District, presents conservation farmer plaque to Jack Stevenson. keep Dad from poking his nose in everyplace." THE GREENHOUSE and farming operations not only keep the family busy but also provide full-time employment for six others and part-time work for 12 to 14 high school students which turns into full-time employment during the summer. Some others are also hired for peak seasonal jobs. Jack is president of Stevenson Steven-son Ditch Company and under his leadership during the past few years they have installed over a mile of concrete pipe mostly 21 inch-and nine water control stuctures. They are installing more this year. JACK AND his boys have also installed some irrigation pipe on their farm and plan to extend it. Flexible plastic tubing is used to deliver water more efficiently onto the fields. Jack calculated that on a 22 acre field of onions he applied about 31 acre inches of water per acre which is very good efficiency. He further stated, however, that on a leased field which had undulating and sandy soil they applied over 100 inches of water per acre. JACK HAS served many years on the ASC Community Committee, the Layton Planning Plan-ning Commission, and in numerous ways served the community. Congratulations, Jack, on your selection as Davis County's Conservation Farmer of the Year. |