Blaine County Ag Appreciation Banquet, 2005
April 21, 2005


 Watonga - 2005 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
    award sponsored by Watonga State Bank, Watonga

Warren Gose and wife Evelyn have 65 years farming and livestock experience. Warren farms wheat/grain sorghum, lovegrass, Bermudagrass pastures.

He ran a dairy for 32 years and currently runs a cow/calf operation with Angus. He improved the grasses on all pastures acreages by removing black jacks and establishing waterways and terraces.

Warren uses feed strips and stubble mulch to control wind and water erosion; uses minimum tillage on wheat/milo/soybean rotation to help build the soil and applies lime on all cultivated acres.

Warren received the Centennial Farm award and is a member of the Blaine County Cattlemen’s Assn. Warren & Evelyn are members of the Mt. Calvary Lutheran church and are involved in helping the youth group as well as donating money and supplies to the poor.

He is most proud that he got to purchase the farm that his grandfather settled in 1904. He is now retired but still lives on the farm. He enjoys watching sports, traveling and family gatherings.


Okeene - 2005 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
    award sponsored by State Guaranty Bank, Okeene

LeRoy Brickman has been farming for 54 years. He farms wheat, alfalfa and improved grass pastures. LeRoy raises Hereford Angus crossbred cattle and runs a cow/calf feeder operation. He runs Hereford-Angus cross cows with Angus bulls and sells the calves as feeders plus runs stocker cattle.

LeRoy is a strong believer in terraces, grassed waterways to protect natural resources. His tillage practice includes disking and leaving residue on top for conservation purposes. Every few years he moldboard plows. He is the local president of the American Agriculture Assn and past president of the Blaine County Mineral Owners Assn.

He has received the Bankers Award for conservation and is an honorary member of the Okeene FFA. He maintains involvement with church activities as well as grandkids’ activities. LeRoy takes a lot of pride in his farming operation and is most proud that it is a father/son operation. He enjoys going to rodeos and dancing.

LeRoy and his late wife Janice’s family consists of Brett and wife Lynn, Bart and wife Kristi, Brock and wife Londa, Justin and wife Annie; grandchildren are Tyler, Reese and Ryan, Baleigh and Katlyn, and Kallee.


Geary - 2005 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
    award sponsored by Watonga State Bank, Geary Branch

J.H. Buser and wife, Dorothy, have been engaged in farming and livestock for 52 years. Corky farms wheat, has native grass and Bermudagrass, plains Bluestem and mixed grass pastures.

He currently handles stocker feeder cattle on a gains basis. Corky uses conventional tillage leaving residue to control water and wind erosion and maintains terraces by keeping waterways in good repair with good grass cover and uses buffer strips on highly erodible lands.

Corky is most proud of being able to be among good neighbors. He states ‘when a crisis occurs, you would think family was with you’. He is a member of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Assn., Blaine County Cattlemen’s Assn., Blaine County Mineral Owners Assn. and the Canadian County Mineral Owners Assn.

He is a past member of the Jaycees & served on the Geary School Board in the mid-80s. He also holds an FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer degree. Corky enjoys watching wrestling matches & attending his grandchildren’s activities.

Canton - 2005 Blaine County Ag Hall of Fame
    award sponsored by Community State Bank, Canton

William Hoffman and his wife, LaVerle, farm wheat, grassland and hay. They have a mixed breed cow/calf operation. Willie has been farming for 50 years.

He and his wife both enjoy farming and ranching and are still able to get out there and work at it. He was awarded “Farmer of the Year” in 1988. He is a member of the Christian Church.

Willie was born at the Indian Reservation 3 miles northwest of Canton. He met LaVerle at the Canton Skating Ring and were married May, 1948. They have three children, Lanita, Joy and Todd, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He enjoys camping, fishing and playing with the grandchildren.

Watonga - 2005 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
    award sponsored by First State Bank

Floyd Flynn and his wife Darlene have 25 years experience of farming, including wheat, rye & lovegrass pasture, as well as a mixed breed cow/calf operation.

He is a member of the Cattlemen’s Assn. and a deacon at the Union Baptist Church, where he serves as chairperson for finances. Floyd is a 33rd Degree Mason.

He practices wildlife habitat improvements and soil conservation by planting grass on sandy ground. Floyd and Darlene have five children, Denise (Ale Harper), Joe Flynn, Wilbur Flynn (wife Penny), Alicia (Anthony Clardy), and Kenny Flynn (wife Sherri), and 12 grandchildren.

Floyd enjoys fishing and hunting.


Watonga - 2005 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
    award sponsored by Chisholm Trail Farm Credit


Justin McCrary and wife Maryl have farmed for 10 years. The McCrary crops include Bermuda/native grass, wheat for pasture & hay, and triticale for both pasture & hay. He raises cow/calf Limousin/Angus cross cows with Simmental bulls as well as stocker/feeder cattle.

Justin practices minimum tillage on highly eroded soils & plants summer forages to prevent erosion. He believes that wheat is best suited as forage for cattle in this area instead of a grain crop. Justin is a strong advocate of proper health programs for livestock & enjoys seeing the return from excellent health & nutrition management.

He is a member of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Assn, Chisholm Trail Farm Credit, a life member of OSU Alumni Assn., American Assn. of Bovine Practitioners, Oklahoma Veterinarian Medicine Assn., and the American Veterinarian Medicine Assn. He & Maryl are members of the First United Methodist Church of Watonga.

He & Maryl are both alumni of OSU. Justin received his doctorate of Vet Med in 1995. He likes to stay busy, especially with his children, Maria and Wade.


Okeene - 2005 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
    award sponsored by First National Bank, Okeene

Mike Haffey and his wife Sandra farm wheat and raise Black Angus cattle. After high school Mike attended Northwestern Okla. State University and has 34 years of farming livestock experience. Mike plants old world bluestem grass on highly erodible ground & has built terraces to prevent erosion.

His discipline for a good wheat crop includes using minimum tillage of disking and chiseling but will moldboard when necessary. Mike is a member of the Okeene Chamber of Commerce and the Knights of Columbus Church Organization. He is proudly associated with Oklahoma Wheat Growers and acts as a board member for both the Cimarron Valley Soil Conservation and the Sooner Coop.

Mike enjoys watching sports, fishing and woodworking.


Geary - 2005 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
    award sponsored by Watonga State Bank, Geary Branch

Jim Landreth and his wife, Sue, have 42 years experience of farming and livestock operations. He farms wheat, milo, alfalfa, Bermuda native grass pastures. Jim uses registered Limousin bulls with his Limousin mixed cows.

He and Sue have built two ponds for flood control that are used to water cattle & wildlife. They have also fenced off wildlife plots where they plant milo annually for the wildlife such as deer, turkey and quail.

Jim has found it beneficial to feed high magnesium wheat pasture mineral while cattle are feeding on small grain or lush pasture to prevent tetanus. He uses the least tillage possible to leave straw & trash on top to prevent wind erosion and save moisture and fuel.

Jim served on the Greenfield Board of Education for six years and is a member of the Greenfield Baptist Church. He is also a member of the FSA Committee and received the annual Bureau of Indian Affairs Conservation award. He enjoys hunting and fishing in the Colorado Mountains with his family.

Canton - 2005 Blaine County Farmer/Rancher of the Year
    award sponsored by First National Bank, Okeene

Ralph Chain and his wife Darla farm native grasses & raise both cow/calf and stocker/feeder cattle, including Angus, Red Angus, Limousin Cross, Hereford & Longhorns and has been farming for 75 years. He markets all of his cattle through Coleman’s Natural Beef Program and is one of the oldest and largest suppliers for Coleman’s Natural Beef of Denver, Colorado.

Ralph puts a lot of his highly erodible farm ground into grass pastures. He is constantly striving to eradicate cedars through bulldozing, cutting, burning & chaining and is currently experimenting with no-till drilling. Ralph is an elder at the Canton Church of Christ and serves on the Board of Directors for Oklahoma Christian University and State Fair Board.

Ralph was named the Oklahoma Governor’s Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2004 and has also been awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award for Region 4. The National Rifle Assn. annually holds a two-day Youth Field Day on their ranch. The Chains are supporters of local, county and state 4-H & FFA events. Ralph is most proud of his family & employees.

Some of his employees have been with his farming operation for nearly 50 years. Their children are Monte & Dianna Chain, Andrea & Brad Hutchison; grandchildren Newly & Mandy Hutchison, Kasse & Johnny Duffy, Lenne & Matthew Mahan, Morey & Cara Hutchison, Kelly & Kim Chain; great-grandchildren Trystin & Olivia Duffy and Brock & Newt Hutchison.

Mike Dobrinski of the Okeene Chamber of Commerce served as Master of Ceremonies at the 2005 Ag Appreciation Banquet