From the Matagorda County History & Genealogy page
Matagorda Area Land “Too Poor to Grow Peas” Made to Pay by Woman
By H. C. Edge, Post Farm Editor
Bay City, Aug. 15—Land she was told is too poor to sprout black-eyed peas, and on a farm once given up as hopeless is being made to produce lucrative crops and feed fine livestock by a woman who wants “to show two brothers that farming can be made to pay.”
On the west bank of Trespalacios creek, in Matagorda county, near here, is 200 acres operated by Mrs. Allen J. Smith since the death of her nephew in February of last year, and it has been transformed in that short length of time to one of the most attractive rural plantations in this section of the state.
This farm was inherited by her brother from his father, the late J.E. Pierce, and Mrs. Smith bought it from her brother when he gave it up as a bad deal.
What is now “Live Oak Farm” was partly cleared about 25 years ago by her father, who planted an orchard of pecan trees and the income from the pecans and a herd of dairy cows was about all that had come from this farm until Mrs. Smith started out 17 months ago to demonstrate to Abel and John Pierce, her brothers, “who had to be shown,” that farming requires business methods as well as hard work.
One of her first moves was to utilize bad weather days when land could not be worked to put property in repair and cut wood from the trees that had been damaged by storms or that were dying from a disease that attacked the pin oaks.
The value of the wood apparently had been overlooked by her brother, Mrs. Smith declares, so she managed to keep seven men off the relief rolls all last winter, save large quantities of wood that soon would have been worthless and give land additional clearage to improve pasture conditions.
“I sold 147 cords of wood and gave away 11 cords, besides storing enough for the needs of the farm,” Mrs. Smith said.
As much of the farm is wooded land, Mrs. Smith began a system of improving pasture conditions by clearing out all stumps, thinning out the trees to leave sufficient growth for future use and yet permit increased production of grasses.
About five acres of this thinned wooded land was disked and planted to Italian rye grass. Five additional acres of woods was cleared to add to the cultivated area of the farm, all fences have been built up and the posts along the highways give a coat of gas-resisting white paint.
The first of last December Mrs. Smith purchased 30 calves and fed them for the market at a profit, in spite of her inexperience in feeding of livestock, wet weather and muddy feeding pens.
Besides the profit from marketing the calves she claims an additional profit from the use of manure in the fields in increased production of crops.
All of the proceeds from the sale of these calves is being invested in the purchase of registered Hereford cattle with which she expects to stock her farm as quickly as the income will permit.
Twelve registered heifers and a bull have been engaged for fall delivery.
One brood sow purchased last year already has produced 19 pigs in two litters.
Of the first litter of seven, Mrs. Smith saved one female, but gave away all the rest except those butchered for the winter meat supply. The last litter of 12 is being fattened for market this winter.
[The next portion of the article was partially torn off and missing portions are indicated with ....]
...when Mrs. Smith first took possession of this farm she razed two...cabins to build a farm house...improvements, interior and…been made since then...of the leading con...in the Centennial [Farm Home Improve]ment contest in [large portion missing]...why she is succeeding in making it a paying proposition.
She lists some of the accomplishments as follows:
Plowing, planting and cultivating all fields.
Planting and keeping the garden in a rotation of vegetables.
Cutting, baling and housing 25 tons of prairie hay.
Cultivating the pecan orchard, grafting 12 trees, gathering 1000 pound of pecans and selling 225 pounds.
Cutting and selling 147 cords of wood and a supply for the farm and needy neighbors.
Clearing about half the farm underbrush, grubbing stumps and improving the wooded pasture area.
Repairing and painting fences.
Mowing grass to improve pasture.
Feeding 30 calves for market.
Raking all leaves in home enclosure and using them to stop erosion in drainage ditch.
Moving and remodeling chicken houses.
Planting 136 shrubs and trees.
Remodeling kitchen and dining room of house.
Building servant house and smokehouse.
Shelling road from highway to the home.
Mrs. Smith says that the garden has produced all the vegetables needed on the farm, as well as for a brother’s family and she has canned much for use in winter.
“All of which is just part of the business of farming in a businesslike way,” Mrs. Smith avers.
Houston Post, August 16, 1936