Shaffer, Axtell, Reed take home agriculture awards

Farmers, ranchers, FFA alumni and other community members gathered at the Hot Springs County Fair Building Saturday evening for the annual Harvest Moon Ball to honor those who are keeping the spirit of agriculture alive in Hot Springs County.

Ag Citizen of the Year

Ag Citizen of the Year came up a tie and was awarded to Ray Shaffer and Chip Axtell.

Shaffer was born, raised and educated in Hot Springs County and has been active in both 4-H and FFA, serving as president of both organizations. Except for 10 years working in the uranium and petroleum industries, Shaffer has lived on a farm or ranch. For the last 33 years, he and his wife Carol have owned and operated the North 40 Ranch on Owl Creek north of Thermopolis. They ran a livestock operation for several years, but are currently farming – raising hay and small grains. Shaffer retired two years ago after serving as Hot Springs County Road and Bridge Department supervisor.

Axtell is a fourth-generation rancher. He runs a cow/calf operation, heifer breeding program and raises hay for the livestock, with his wife, Jennifer, and four children. In addition to his ranch responsibilities, he's been on the Weed and Pest Board for 5 years, serves on the Kirby Ditch Board, coaches recreation football in the fall and leads the Catholic Youth Organization for his church. Being involved in the community and his children's lives is very important to Axtell. He also served as an area representative in the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association and is a member of the Farm Bureau.

Rising Star

The Rising Star Award for 2015 was presented to Justin Reed.

In 2012 Reed purchased 250 head of bred cows and is currently operating Reed Ranch. At age 13, Reed, along with his brother and sister, helped their mom run the ranch after their father Clinton Reed passed away in 1999. He is a good steward to the land and his cattle. He helps other area ranchers and neighbors with their projects and with their cattle. He recently rebuilt the corrals on the mountain property according to plans his dad had drafted prior to his passing. His future plans include to upgrade the ranch facilities and follow in his father's legacy.

Century Award

The 2015 Century Ranch Award was given to the Shumway family.

LeRoy Shumway presented a detailed history on the family that included the following:

Lenard Shumway was born in Penrose, Wyo. He was the oldest of nine children. His father was a farmer and Lenard was six years old when he raked hay with a team of horses for the first time. Lenard worked on the farm with his dad and as he got older he started working on road construction with horses. He worked on roads north and west of Thermopolis. He met Edith Ready at a country dance at the Grandview School.

Edith Ready Shumway's Dad is Jesse Ready and her Mother was Vola Dockery Ready. Edith's Great Uncle was Jesse Steward who lived on Owl Creek. Jesse Steward wrote and told his nephews about homesteading in this area and Jesse Ready and his brother Obediah came to Wyoming to homestead in 1908. Vola and Obe's wife, Maude, came out on the train and went to Kirby as that is as far as the train would come. Jesse and Vola homesteaded on what is now called Missouri Flat and Jones Road. LeRoy's son, Clay Shumway, now lives on the land that they homesteaded. They moved a lot of sagebrush and found buffalo skulls and Indian beads there. LeRoy Shumway was an FFA State Farmer in 1955 and Pat Shumway Bright was an FFA Queen.

Jesse and Vola had seven children. Edith had scarlet fever at the age of three and it affected her hearing and eyesight. She said "she wished that she had better hearing and eyesight instead of being so darn good looking." Glasses helped and then later hearing aids and she was amazed at what she was able to hear. Edith graduated from Thermopolis High School. There are 22 members of the family that have graduated from here and the fourth generation will start graduating in a few years.

When Lenard met Edith, he asked her to dance. He was chewing gum and it ended up getting caught in her hair. Lenard thought she would get mad but with Edith's sense of humor they dated and married in the Community Church in Thermopolis. There were 12 children born with nine still living, Pat, Savanna, LeRoy, Shirley, Janice, Marilyn, Beverly, Violet and Eddie. Five of the children still live on Owl Creek.

Edith and Lenard lived in Penrose for a few years and then bought the homestead on Mud Creek from Z. R. Moses. Just as they were moving from Penrose to Thermopolis, the kids started a fire in the stack yard and they lost almost everything. Their first home was a small log house. One time they were eating dinner and saw a bull snake on the wall. Lenard took him out and put him in the grain bin. The people who lived in the house before, let the bull snakes in to eat mice. Edith said she would rather have mice than snakes. Around 1946, they built a new home. This home would be the first one on the creek to have running water, electricity and indoor plumbing. The electricity consisted of a light bulb hanging from the ceiling on the cord.

Instead of giving you facts about the farm, family members decided to share with you some experiences they've had while farming. Their religious beliefs have brought the family very close together and helped them in their farming and ranching. God really does watch over us and answers our prayers.

Edith, Pat, Savanna and LeRoy would ride horses to the Bellview School. Farming and ranching have changed a lot. Family members have gone from using horse mowers to cut hay to using swathers. Loose hay used to be staked with pitchforks and wagons were used. Now there are big bales loaded with tractors. Family members went from riding, working and shoeing horses to riding four wheelers and fixing flat tires. They have gone from outhouses and pumping water by hand to indoor plumbing and running water. They have gone from kerosene lamps to electricity and now solar power. Shovels will probably always be in use, but they appreciate having augers when shoveling grain.

Farming and ranching can be so much fun and yet dangerous too. The family members have had their share of accidents. Eddie was ran over by a tractor, LeRoy was pinned between his pickup and a gate, and they have all been chased by cows, pigs and thrown from horses, too.

Farmers and ranchers have to love the animals and the land. The farmer and the rancher are true environmentalists. It is a special way of life and a wonderful place to grow up. There is nothing to compare to seeing the work accomplished.

Farmers, ranchers, FFA alumni and other community members gathered at the Hot Springs County Fair Building Saturday evening for the annual Harvest Moon Ball to honor those who are keeping the spirit of agriculture alive in Hot Springs County.

Ag Citizen of the Year

Ag Citizen of the Year came up a tie and was awarded to Ray Shaffer and Chip Axtell.

Shaffer was born, raised and educated in Hot Springs County and has been active in both 4-H and FFA, serving as president of both organizations. Except for 10 years working in the uranium and petroleum industries, Shaffer has lived on a farm or ranch. For the last 33 years, he and his wife Carol have owned and operated the North 40 Ranch on Owl Creek north of Thermopolis. They ran a livestock operation for several years, but are currently farming – raising hay and small grains. Shaffer retired two years ago after serving as Hot Springs County Road and Bridge Department supervisor.

Axtell is a fourth-generation rancher. He runs a cow/calf operation, heifer breeding program and raises hay for the livestock, with his wife, Jennifer, and four children. In addition to his ranch responsibilities, he's been on the Weed and Pest Board for 5 years, serves on the Kirby Ditch Board, coaches recreation football in the fall and leads the Catholic Youth Organization for his church. Being involved in the community and his children's lives is very important to Axtell. He also served as an area representative in the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association and is a member of the Farm Bureau.

Rising Star

The Rising Star Award for 2015 was presented to Justin Reed.

In 2012 Reed purchased 250 head of bred cows and is currently operating Reed Ranch. At age 13, Reed, along with his brother and sister, helped their mom run the ranch after their father Clinton Reed passed away in 1999. He is a good steward to the land and his cattle. He helps other area ranchers and neighbors with their projects and with their cattle. He recently rebuilt the corrals on the mountain property according to plans his dad had drafted prior to his passing. His future plans include to upgrade the ranch facilities and follow in his father's legacy.

Century Award

The 2015 Century Ranch Award was given to the Shumway family.

LeRoy Shumway presented a detailed history on the family that included the following:

Lenard Shumway was born in Penrose, Wyo. He was the oldest of nine children. His father was a farmer and Lenard was six years old when he raked hay with a team of horses for the first time. Lenard worked on the farm with his dad and as he got older he started working on road construction with horses. He worked on roads north and west of Thermopolis. He met Edith Ready at a country dance at the Grandview School.

Edith Ready Shumway's Dad is Jesse Ready and her Mother was Vola Dockery Ready. Edith's Great Uncle was Jesse Steward who lived on Owl Creek. Jesse Steward wrote and told his nephews about homesteading in this area and Jesse Ready and his brother Obediah came to Wyoming to homestead in 1908. Vola and Obe's wife, Maude, came out on the train and went to Kirby as that is as far as the train would come. Jesse and Vola homesteaded on what is now called Missouri Flat and Jones Road. LeRoy's son, Clay Shumway, now lives on the land that they homesteaded. They moved a lot of sagebrush and found buffalo skulls and Indian beads there. LeRoy Shumway was an FFA State Farmer in 1955 and Pat Shumway Bright was an FFA Queen.

Jesse and Vola had seven children. Edith had scarlet fever at the age of three and it affected her hearing and eyesight. She said "she wished that she had better hearing and eyesight instead of being so darn good looking." Glasses helped and then later hearing aids and she was amazed at what she was able to hear. Edith graduated from Thermopolis High School. There are 22 members of the family that have graduated from here and the fourth generation will start graduating in a few years.

When Lenard met Edith, he asked her to dance. He was chewing gum and it ended up getting caught in her hair. Lenard thought she would get mad but with Edith's sense of humor they dated and married in the Community Church in Thermopolis. There were 12 children born with nine still living, Pat, Savanna, LeRoy, Shirley, Janice, Marilyn, Beverly, Violet and Eddie. Five of the children still live on Owl Creek.

Edith and Lenard lived in Penrose for a few years and then bought the homestead on Mud Creek from Z. R. Moses. Just as they were moving from Penrose to Thermopolis, the kids started a fire in the stack yard and they lost almost everything. Their first home was a small log house. One time they were eating dinner and saw a bull snake on the wall. Lenard took him out and put him in the grain bin. The people who lived in the house before, let the bull snakes in to eat mice. Edith said she would rather have mice than snakes. Around 1946, they built a new home. This home would be the first one on the creek to have running water, electricity and indoor plumbing. The electricity consisted of a light bulb hanging from the ceiling on the cord.

Instead of giving you facts about the farm, family members decided to share with you some experiences they've had while farming. Their religious beliefs have brought the family very close together and helped them in their farming and ranching. God really does watch over us and answers our prayers.

Edith, Pat, Savanna and LeRoy would ride horses to the Bellview School. Farming and ranching have changed a lot. Family members have gone from using horse mowers to cut hay to using swathers. Loose hay used to be staked with pitchforks and wagons were used. Now there are big bales loaded with tractors. Family members went from riding, working and shoeing horses to riding four wheelers and fixing flat tires. They have gone from outhouses and pumping water by hand to indoor plumbing and running water. They have gone from kerosene lamps to electricity and now solar power. Shovels will probably always be in use, but they appreciate having augers when shoveling grain.

Farming and ranching can be so much fun and yet dangerous too. The family members have had their share of accidents. Eddie was ran over by a tractor, LeRoy was pinned between his pickup and a gate, and they have all been chased by cows, pigs and thrown from horses, too.

Farmers and ranchers have to love the animals and the land. The farmer and the rancher are true environmentalists. It is a special way of life and a wonderful place to grow up. There is nothing to compare to seeing the work accomplished.