—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. May 31, 1975
20
Oregonians Are Farm Family Of The
The James R. Ottoman
family of Malin, Ore., Is the
Farmers Home Ad
ministration (FmHA)
National Farm Family of the
Year, Secretary of
Agriculture Earl L. Butz
announced last week.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ottoman
were city people who
returned to the land and
made outstanding progress
as farmers. They also have
become leaders in their
community," Butz said.
James R. Ottoman and his
wife Patricia live on a farm
about two and a half miles
northeast of Malin, Ore.
where they raise potatoes,
hay, and small grain. They
have three children,
daughters Kristi, 26, and
Dana, 20, and son Jim, 24.
The Ottomans were
selected after a year-long
competition conducted by
FmHA, the rural credit
service of the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
Beginning with thousands of
farm families from all
across the country, com
petition was narrowed to
state winners, then to five
national contestants, and
finally to the Ottoman family
of Oregon.
The other four national
finalists were (in
alphabetical order of
states):
The James D. Porter
family, alfalfa and barley
farmers, of Cortez, Colo.
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The Herman Riley family,
beef cattle ranchers, of
Mountalnair, N.M.
The Charles C. Tann
family, general crops and
swine production, of Rich
Square, N.C.
The Bernard Sihsmann
family, dairy farmers, of
Exeland, Wis.
“The Farm Family of the
Year contest is conducted
each year to recognize and
honor the family that has
improved its own situation
and contributed to its
community through its own
resources and with
assistancefrom FmHA," the
Secretary said.
Although they both were
raised in the city of Klamath
Falls, James and Patricia
did well at fanning 80 acres
of government leased land.
After two years they bought
their own farm - a 40 acre
clover field with no im
provements, many ditches, a
high water table, but with
excellent sandy loam soil..
Through diligent and
persistent efforts, they
transformed the open field
into a productive farm, and
over the years they
gradually improved and
increased their farm-land
holdings. In 1955 they pur
chased another tract of 72
acres and in 1967 an ad
ditional 55 acres, giving
them a total of 167 acres.
They also rent and farm 90
acres.
OR
• — _ w
Over the years they have
installed a good irrigation
system, laid drain tiles, and
applied gypsum to reduce
the alkali content caused by
the high water table. Mr.
Ottoman has carefully and
correctly applied fertilizer to
the land whenever necessary
and rotated his crops for the
best yields and the best
treatment of the land.
Jim and Pat first turned to
the Farmers Home Ad
ministration for financial
assistance in 1958 when they
received a farm ownership
loan. They received another
farm ownership loan in 1967
to purchase their last section
of farm-land. In addition
they got a home loan from
FmHA in 1961 to enlarge and
improve their home.
One of the guiding tenets of
the Ottoman family is the
firm belief that the land is
not to be exploited, but
improved for future
generations. As Jim and Pat
plan each year’s operating
budget, funds are put aside
for buildings and water and
soil improvements.
Good farm practices,
along with soil and water
improvements, have in
creased the productivity of
their farm. The Ottoman’s
largest crop is potatoes, with
115 acres yielding 380 sacks
per acre. They also raise 18
acres of alfalfa averaging 5
tons per acre and 56 acres of
barley averaging 2-% tons
per acre.
Both Pat and Jim strongly
feel the necessity to develop
a strong community. Jim is a
director of the Klamath
Basin Water Users
Association, the Klamath
Experiment Farm Advisory
Board, the Oregon Water
Resources Association and a
member of the Oregon
Potato Commission Ad
vertising Committee and the
Klamath County School
Budget Committee. In the
past he has served as
president of the Malin
Chamber of Commerce,
Klamath Basin Potato
Growers Association, the
Klamath Basin Water Users,
and commander of the Malin
Post American Legion. He
also belongs to several social
and agricultural
organizations and is a Malin
volunteer fire fighter.
Mrs. Ottoman has been
president of the Malm
P.T.A., member of the Order
of Rainbow Girls, Girl Scout
Leader, 4-H club leader and
American Legion Auxiliary
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President. She regularly
volunteers for blood banks,
cancer and heart fund drives
and the United Givers Fund.
All three children have
held class and student body
offices, attended Boys or
Girls State and received
their 10 year pins in 4-H.
Of the other finalists:
The James Porter family
fanned rented land for five
years, then bought a 160-acre
farm in 1966, another 160
acres in 1971, and 110 acres
in 1972. Along with good
farming practices, Mr.
Porter’s jack-of-all-trades
ability has enabled him to
meet the demands of modern
farming with innovative
approaches.
The Herman Riley family
started in 1960 with $25 in
cash and an old pick-up
truck. Today they own 1,105
acres, 112 head of beef cattle,
a modem farm house, and a
complete line of farm
equipment. Mr. Riley
developed spinal arthritis in
1961 which becomes more
crippling each year. The
efforts of the entire Riley
family have enabled them to
become successful family
farmers.
The Charles Tann family
has overcome fire losses,
weather disasters, poor
health, and lack of education
to become successful far
mers and respected mem
bers of their community.
Starting practically from
zero, they now farm 435
acres, including a swine
operation of 75 brood sows.
They have strongly em
phasized education for all of
their eight children.
The Bernard Sihsmann
family immigrated from
Poland and worked in New
York City before starting as
farmers. Although both
lacked farming experience,
and Mr. Sihsmann was
partially disabled because of
the loss of one eye, their hard
work, shrewd management
and dedication to farming
have made them highly
successful dairy farmers.
A panel of seven nationally
prominent judges made the
final selection of the Farm
Family of the Year. The
judges were: Kenneth N.
Probasco of Worthington,
Ohio, chairman of the
Federal Farm Credit Board;
Bill Mason of Chicago, 111.,
president of the National
Association of Farm
Broadcasters; Dr. Camille
Bell of Lubbock, Texas,
president of the National
♦
Year
Association of Vocational
Home Economics Teachers;
Julian V. Fowler of Alaska,
1973 FmHA Farm Family of
the Year; Rudolph Pruden of
Washington, D.C., USDA
Extension Service; Gus R.
Douglas of Charleston, W.
Va., president of ihe
National Association of State
Departments of Agriculture;
Rex G. Plowman of
I/ewiston, Utah, chairman of
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717-859-1127
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State winning (arm
families receive a plaque,
and the national winner and
expense paid trip to
Washington, D.C. from the
farm equipment
manufacturer, Sperry New
Holland of New Holland, Pa.
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