Jeanne Newby
Webb was tilling his land when he uncovered that famous chunk of lead. He had been farming his land for 25 years before that famous date in history. Even as the plans were laid down to start mining the area in search of more lead, Webb declared that no digging would begin until after the crops were in for that year. He knew the value of his land at that moment was in the crops he produced.
In 1920, as Webb City’s future was looking a bit scary due to the closing of the mines, Webb City still shined because of farmers in the area. As new industries were being installed to revive Webb City’s economy, the farmers were busy. The Fruit and Truck Growers Association produced almost 500 acres of strawberries in 1923. Nearly 3,000 pickers were hired at a whoppin’ 2½ cents per pint.
In the early ’20s, the grape industry was on the rise. Jasper County supported it by distributing in 70,000 grape vines through schools and to farmers, with promises that they would plant those vines. If those 70,000 vines were planted in one area it was estimated that they would have covered 130 acres. But alas, the grape industry did not take off as it had in the central part of Missouri.
Our farmers were growing wheat, corn, oats and hay. There were bumper crops of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, beans, peas, peppers and tomatoes.
It was advertised that Webb City was fortunate because it was in the foothills of the Ozarks. The climate was excellent and the soil was underlaid with limestone, which made it possible to produce wonderful fruits and vegetables.
Webb City’s abundance of pasture land made the area perfect for dairy farms. Some of the well-known dairies of the past were; Ball and Gunning Dairy, Martin’s Dairy, Spencer’s Dairy, Hayden’s Dairy, Roney’s Dairy and many more.
The Webb City Pure-bred Jersey Cattle Club in the ’20s sent to Ohio and Pennsylvania for some excellent young cows and heifers. These Jerseys were bred with local cattle, and Webb City’s reputation in fine herds increased. One Webb City Guernsey had set a record of 11,180 pounds of milk, 833 pounds of butter in 283 days, less than a year.
A drive through the country shows that we still have working farms in the area but they are dwindling. It is hard work, and it takes a special breed of person to work the long hours associated with farming. We have lost the chat piles which spotlighted the mining industry. Will we also be losing the farms? Fields where corn once grew are now full of houses. Barns where cattle were milked are vacant and slowly disappearing from the landscape.
But we do still have our local farmers, and it is evident in the Webb City Farmer’s Market. The crowds that gather show the popularity of fresh produce. Webb City is still known for fruits and vegetables. The farming industry held on longer than the mining industry. Webb City has been fortunate to share its past with both industries.
