Page 5 - Explore Lonoke County 2020

EXPLORE LONOKE COUNTY • ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2020 5SS
estimated that within Lonoke County, there are about 80,000 acres of rice, 130,000 acres of soybeans, 5,000 to 6,000 acres of cotton and 20,000 acres of corn.
“We are also the largest strawberry pro- ducer in the state, which also provides a lot of economic benefits to the county,” Perkins said.
Perkins said 20 percent of the jobs in Lonoke County are related to agriculture. According to a report sent from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, in 2017, one out of every six jobs in Arkansas were in agriculture.
“Agriculture and associated agriculture activities are major contributors to the Arkansas economy,” the report states.
Perkins said George Tidwell and Gene Sullivan, both of Lonoke, were inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame in March. Tidwell has been an agriculture aviator for many years, and his sons and grandsons are carrying on that tradition. Tidwell has served 11 years on the Arkansas Aeronautics Board, serving as chairman twice.
Sullivan earned a degree in agriculture engineering from the University of Arkansas and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. He died on Sept. 4, 2017.
“Gene contributed to the agriculture field in Lonoke County and the state,” Perkins said. “Each year, inductees are nominated, and a committee selects who is going to be inducted.
“It is an extremely prestigious honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
Perkins said the Hicks Family Farm, which has constructed a corn maze for sev- eral years, planted a corn patch the other day in anticipation of having a corn maze this year, and they have planted pumpkins, as well, for a pumpkin patch.
e Hicks Family Farm, located between Cabot and Lonoke at 184 Lasiter Road, also offers pony rides, a hay ride and a barn full of animals. e farm is open on Saturdays and Sundays during October for general admission.
“Our vision for the corn maze and pump- kin patch started as a way to invite people out to the farm for a day to escape the busy- ness of life and spend some time in the fresh country air with their family and learn a thing or two about agriculture,” owner Kevin Hicks said. “We have lots of games and ac- tivities for all ages to enjoy.
“We’ve got more going on out here than a chicken has feathers.”
e Hicks Family Farm also rents out the venue for company functions and family functions.
For more information, call (501) 941-2703 or visit hicksfamilyfarms.com.
CODY GRAVES/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Leslie Odom, owner of Holland Bottom Farms in Cabot helps Tracy Nolley of Sherwood pick out some peppers.
Holland Bottom Farms is best known for strawberries in the spring but also offers peaches, blueberries and blackberries,” said Leslie Odom, co-owner of the business. She said tomatoes are “a big one right now, and watermelons.” Odom said the farm hasn’t offered any self-pick fruits and vegetables in about 20 years.
“We do have a pumpkin patch, and we may be able to do pumpkins this year, and maybe a hay ride, but we don’t know for sure, yet,” she said. “Right now, we are deal- ing with road construction, and we are in the process of trying to get another building up — so we don’t really know where we are at right now.
“We have a couple of different things working against us.”
Currently, the Holland Bottom Farms staff offers to pick out the produce for customers and bring it to the front to be purchased.
“We are just trying to roll with the punch- es,” Odom said.
Holland Bottom Farms is at 1255 Bill Foster Memorial Highway in Cabot. For more information, call (501) 259-9986 or visit hollandbottomfarmllc.com.
Perkins said there are still some straw- berries available through local markets.
e Cabot Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday until Sept. 12 in the Renew Community Church parking lot, 1122 S. Second St. For more information, call (501) 920-2122 or email cabotbeautiful @yahoo.com.
e Fishtown Farmers Market in Lonoke is also open. For more information, email fishtownmarket@gmail.com.
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