Jimmy Emmons

Jimmy Emmons admits some of his ideas about conservation techniques have been met with a bit of skepticism over the years, and that’s why the Leedey, Okla., farmer, chooses to lead by example. Instead of pushing others to try out his techniques, he shares his findings and results with anyone who wants to learn. His desire to be a steward of the land, and his dedication to teaching, has led Jimmy to hold several major positions in agriculture over the years, from serving as President of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, to his current title of Southern Plains Coordinator for USDA, FPAC.

Emmons and his wife Ginger, along with longtime employee Karson Liebold, farm and ranch on several thousand acres in Dewey County. The land has been in the Emmons family since 1926, when his grandfather, Marvin Curtis Emmons, moved to the area. A major event just a few years after the Emmons settled in the area that would set the course for generations of conservation efforts.

 “My grandparents started farming on the South Canadian River, and in 1934, the Hammon Flood happened. It rained 14 inches in one night, and killed several people,” Jimmy said.

Prior to the torrential rains, Jimmy’s grandfather had started a small ditch across the farm to take water from one area to another. “That night it burst that ditch out to a creek that was 20 feet deep and 30 feet wide,” Jimmy shared. All the topsoil had washed off into the river. “He preached really hard about conservation, and that really instilled in me that everything we do on the land has a consequence. Conservation has been a passion of mine for several years.”

Karson, who has worked for Jimmy and Ginger for more than 12 years, has enjoyed learning about the affects of conservation practices on the soil. “It’s amazing. I’ve gotten to watch the soil change. It’s funny, because at my previous job, it was all about wheat. I remember when I first started here, I was looking at a field and thought to myself, ‘Look at all those weeds!’” He laughed, and added, “It was canola. I had no idea of the things that could be grown out here. We prove every day that you can have a lot of diversity, and obviously having that diversity benefits your soil.”

Maximizing Resources

The Hammon Flood was an outlier; water is a precious commodity because rain is so scarce. Jimmy knew he needed to maximize his natural resources.

As with most farmers, the Emmons originally tilled the soil, but that changed in the mid-1990s. “I can hardly stand to see tilled ground now, because I know the damage it does to the soil. Tillage is just like a wildfire or a tornado to the soil. It’s devastating,” he said. “I grew up with that and thought we were doing what we were supposed to do, but now I know better.”

Over the years, Jimmy has learned more conservation practices that might benefit his land, utilizing crop rotation, cover crops, and planned grazing management. Ginger, whose main focus is the cattle, shared, “Once we got into the cover crops, the grazing has been fantastic for the cattle and the land. We can run our cow/calf pairs or our weaned calves on it.”

One method of grazing the Emmons have implemented is high-density grazing. They divide a field into sections, which are approximately 20-acre plots. Then, with an electric fence, they graze the area hard for a couple days. Once the area has been grazed, they move to the next parcel. “You just keep moving it. If you have had some rain, by the time you’re done with the last parcel you can move back to the first,” she said. “All that manure is contained, so that’s great for the soil. The cows do well with it, and it’s amazing how well it works all the way around.”

Jimmy noted, “We started planting cover crops right after we harvest our cash crops. We started grazing those crops to continue to improve the soil health, and it has grown from there, and greatly improved the function of the soil.”

The idea to use cover crops came when Jimmy heard a producer from Indiana speak about the practice at a national conservation meeting. “He showed photos and figures of his plots. He wasn’t buying any fertilizer for his cash crop, and he not only improved production, he also lowered the cost,” Jimmy said. “I thought to myself, ‘If he can do it there, why can’t I do it here?’”

The use of cover crops in western Oklahoma was somewhat controversial due to the scarcity of water, and Jimmy knew he needed to recruit some help.  “The big argument early on, and the reason I asked the NRCS for help, was that we can hardly grow crops out here. How can we grow continuously?” He added, “We quickly started learning that the evaporation rate was a lot greater in the summertime than what a cover crop would use. We figured out we were water ahead every time.”

Jimmy was energized by the early success of the tests. “When you start retaining what rainfall you have, that’s the key. You have to get it in the soil,” he said. “Although I was excited, I was still a bit skeptical at first. I bought my testers and we put moisture probes in the ground so we could track the water that was in the soil and see how fast it left.”

It was only a few years ago that the Emmons put an irrigation system on some of the farmland. At first, the ground could barely hold a half-inch of water before running off. A recent test showed infiltration depths of six inches! “You know, we’re working on a project right now with the Conservation Commission and the NRCS about infiltration rates. We’re seeing how much water we can take in and at what rate, and then we’re seeing how it is going through the profile,” he said. “I think it’s especially important for producers to understand the science of it. I believe it is something we have missed as a farming community; we’ve always been worried about how much it rains, but we haven’t been as concerned with how much we’ve had run off. I think we need to focus on infiltration.”

He admits that it all comes down to the bottom line. “You know, we are really concerned about inputs nowadays, but what we found out is if you have the biology really active in the soil, you don’t need near as much synthetic fertilizer. Every dollar you don’t spend is more dollars you have,” he said. “These days, we’re not so worried about the high yield as we are the profit potential. It’s been very good.”

Giving Back

It was only a few years ago that Jimmy was visiting with Sarah Blaney, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, and Trey Lam, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The three were discussing cover crops. “Trey mentioned putting vegetables out there to see how they would work as cover crops. That started the conversation, and then it grew to, if this is going to work, what if we partnered with the regional food banks and donated the vegetables,” he recalled.

What started as a small idea has grown to include more than 30 gardens across the United States. “We have several across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, and now we have some in California, too,” he said.

During good rain years, the yields have been abundant. “During those years, you can pick a half pickup load of vegetables, from squash, peas, okra, and more. One year we could pick close to 1,000 pounds in a day out of only a few acres,” Jimmy shared. “Some days were even more. This year we won’t get much, because we had so little rain, as well as the 100-degree days and the big wind. There are other gardens in the state that are producing well though.”

Produce from the crops go to nearby foodbanks in Woodward, Vici, and Taloga.

Volunteers are always available to help harvest the crops. Along with the foodbank volunteers, church groups, local FFA chapters, and more will come out to help. “It’s a very good project, and one we’re proud of. Not only do we help get fresh vegetables to people who need it, it also helps urban people interact with ag and learn more about where their food comes from.”

Sharing the Knowledge

Over the years Jimmy has become known for his conservation practices and their success. Soon, he began getting tapped for speaking engagements. He shares what he’s learned about soil health at several workshops. “It’s really fascinating to me what we can do with our soil. One of the most rewarding things is when someone you’re sharing with gets excited, and wants to try it, too,” he said.

Along with the lectures he has done all over the country – during one period he visited nearly 30 states in three years – the Emmons have hosted legions of fellow farmers from around the globe at their home in Leedey during field days. “Two years ago, we had a busload of Australians come. We’ve also hosted Canadians and Europeans. We’ve been very blessed with the people who want to come to our place and see what we’re doing,” he said.

Setting an Example

Ginger is incredibly proud of Jimmy’s success, although she admits she was a bit skeptical at first. “I wasn’t very supportive at first. It wasn’t until we started doing the grazing and I saw what that could do, and then I was on board. But now, I’ve learned more about it, seen what it can do, and gone to enough conferences with him. I do get it now and it’s the greatest thing we’ve ever done,” she shared.

Ginger added, “We both just have high school degrees, and he’s just moved up through the ranks and has a really good job now. I’m amazed when I listen to him speak and realize how much he’s learned. I’m very proud of him.”

The Emmons, who were high school sweethearts, have been together more than 38 years. Karson, being so close to the family, is regularly mis-identified as Jimmy and Ginger’s son; but that’s something he’s ok with. He’ll be getting married himself in October, and shared, “I’ve watched how Jimmy and Ginger love each other. I told Jimmy the other day, that if my marriage is the way theirs is, it will be perfect.”

Looking Ahead

Jimmy has a vision for the future; one that sets the farm up for success for the long term. He hopes to leave it for his grandson one day.  “My grandfather did the best he could with the tools and knowledge he had to manage our family’s land. I am trying to continue that legacy by using what we now know are the best practices for improving the health of our soils. My goal is that my grandson, Owen, and his children will be able to farm this land for another 100 years, if they choose. That is only possible if Ginger and I do our part to take care of the natural resources,” said Emmons.  

He would like to eventually start producing organic crops, and because of the conservation practices he’s implemented, the use of synthetic fertilizers on the Emmons farm has been reduced by 80 percent and chemicals by 75 percent.

Jimmy also has plans for his cattle. “We would like to start our own label for regenerative beef, meaning we have healthy soil which produces healthy plants and that becomes healthy beef that will create healthy bodies,” he shared.  “The thing about our beef is they never graze on one plant. We believe in diversity in crops, forage for grazing and native ranges. We all like a buffet where you can select what you like to eat so why not treat your animals the same way.”

This article was originally published in the September 2020 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch.

By Laci Jones

Raised under the city lights of California, John Jennings is not your typical Californian. Born in El Centro, Calif., Jennings considered himself a “redneck,” spending many days hunting and fishing on the many California golf courses in Palm Springs, Calif.

“I would get kicked out of golf courses,” he said followed by a chuckle. “The security guards would run us off, and we would go to a different one.”

He was always “tinkering” with knives, guns and other items. Jennings recalled using circular saws as a child, saying it was “second nature.” At 17 years old, he dropped out of high school and began working full-time. Like his father, Jennings worked in construction.

“I was making $500 per week 30 years ago, which was pretty good money,” Jennings explained. “I moved out to my own apartment and just started doing my thing. Looking back, I wish I had gone to school because my son’s going to Oklahoma Baptist University, and he’s got so many opportunities.”

Jennings “bounced around” from job to job, never working at the same place for more than 18 months. His career took a backseat when he was diagnosed with Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in his mid-20s. ITP is an auto-immune disease where the immune system sees blood platelets as foreign object.

“We were fixing to deer hunt out in the desert,” Jennings began. “I had these big ole bruises, and I didn’t think much of it.”

Jennings chalked the bruises up to clumsiness, but his wife suggested he visit the doctor to be sure. After his results came in, his doctor told him he needed to stay home, but Jennings was in denial.

“I felt 100 percent perfect. There’s nothing wrong with me,” he said. “I said, ‘No, I’m going deer hunting.’” They said, “Well, go ahead, but even a jar against a seatbelt could kill you.”

Jennings underwent many surgeries and chemotherapy treatments as well as took a daily concoction of pills to cure ITP. One chemotherapy treatment increased his appetite, causing his weight to rise to 250 pounds.

“I did this for like three years, and it finally just went away,” Jennings added. “By the grace of God, it went away.”

The southern California native said the experience changed his outlook on life. Ten years ago, Jennings and his family moved to Shawnee, Okla. He said the expense, traffic, regulations and the mounting doctor bills as well as his parents’ influenced his decision to relocate to the Sooner state.

“My parents wanted out of California 30 years ago, so they headed east on I-40 to look around,” he explained. “They originally were going to look in Arkansas, but they got stuck in a hail storm in Shawnee and stayed the night.”

Jennings said he lived in Shawnee, Okla., when he was eight years old, but moved back to California following the oil crash in the ‘80s. His parents later retired in Oklahoma.

“When I was kind of fed up with California too, my mom called and said, “There’s this really cute little house right across the street,” Jennings recalled. “It was a dump. My wife cried when she first saw it.”

Moving to Pottawatomie County allowed the California native to meet Bill Madole, a local bit and spur maker and neighbor of the Jennings family. Madole owned the land adjacent to Jennings, which overlooked the North Canadian River.

“[Madole] owns three corners of this river,” Jennings explained. “Once I found that out, I thought, “Man, I would like to hunt that.”

Jennings worked out a trade with the landowner for hunting privileges. The construction worker completed projects like fixing Madole’s roof or installing a new door. Jennings began watching Madole work and thought it would be “cool to try.”

Jennings was quickly discouraged once the talented blacksmith told him how much the equipment cost. After, he didn’t give spur making as a side-business another thought. Then things changed. Four years ago Madole was preparing to leave for the National Finals Rodeo where he had a booth.

“I said, ‘I’ll help you get ready for the NFR, and you show me how to make spurs,’” Jennings recalled. “He was sitting there, engraving while we were talking, and he said, ‘okay.’”

The apprentice was tasked with filing spur rowels, which he described as “monotonous” tasks. He continued to learn from the expert, copying his style of spur making.

“We do what is called ‘Texas-style spurs,’” Jennings explained. “The Texas-style is a bit more utilitarian than the Mexican or California-style spurs.”

The Mexican and California-style spurs are more ornate with more silverwork, and they have a larger rowel than the Texas-style, he added. The Texas-style is more subdued. Jennings said he did not experiment with other styles, contributing most of his influence from his teacher.

“I rely heavily on his style because, to me, that’s how it gets passed down,” he stated. “There’s a guy named Kevin Burns whose spurs are pretty expensive. He learned from a guy named Jerry Cates. If you look at a Burns spur, it looks a whole lot like Cates.”

Jennings said the same could be said of Billy Klapper, who learned from the “Godfather” of Texas-style spurs, Adolph Bayers.

“I remember I sold a couple pair to a guy in Stillwater, Okla., who was a trader,” he recalled. “He was carrying a pair of mine around a big spur show in Abilene, Texas. Another spur maker said, ‘Oh, you’ve got a pair of Madole spurs,’ and he said, ‘No, this is Jennings’ spurs, but he learned from Madole.’ This is how distinctive my buddy’s style is.”

He said the distinction of the spurs could be seen in the details. Many spur makers do not engrave in the steel, but Jennings and Madole make individual cuts in the steel to create a distinct design. Also, the area between the band and the shank is squared off, which requires more effort.

While he is inspired by Madole’s work, Jennings also has more resources available than his mentor had.

“I look all the time on the Internet, seeing what’s out there and getting ideas,” Jennings explained. “If [Madole] wanted to see spurs, he had to drive to Amarillo, Texas, to a show. I think it’s just easier for people to get started across the board nowadays.”

Jennings said he never thought he would pick up the art of spur making because his background did not include horsemanship. The spur maker sent a pair he was proud of to a friend, who took them to a horseman. The horseman complimented the spurs, and Jennings’ friend mentioned he does not ride horses. The horseman said, “Well, that’s kind of a fraud.”

“My take on it is the guy who builds NASCAR cars probably can’t drive them or a pilot does not work on the airplane that you’re flying across the country,” the spur maker explained. “A good horseman does not equate to being able to do silverwork and vice versa.”

Jennings said his first pair of spurs were “good” for a first pair, but overall, they are “okay.”

The spur maker has improved since then, stating a good set of spurs takes time and attention to detail. Lately, Jennings has been inspired by old-fashioned designs including the 100-year-old design, gal-leg spurs.

“The gal-leg spurs are a really old-fashioned patterned, but every guy has to draw his own,” he explained. “Every guy’s gal-leg spurs are a little bit different.”

On average, Jennings spends 20 to 100 hours on a pair of spurs. The process begins with design. His background in sculpting ceramics helped him become the spur maker he is today.

Jennings traces his new designs on paper, then copper before cutting it out. The design is traced on the steel, which is then cut with a bandsaw. Once the bands are cut, the spurs are placed in the forge until the metal is red-hot. They are then formed into the shape of a spur. Then the shank is welded to the band and filed to smooth out any indentions.

The design for the silver is planned, then cut with a small saw and soldered on the spur. Once the spur maker cleans the spur, it is ready for engraving.

“It’s like another well-known spur maker said, ‘You want to have a really nice, delicious cake,’” Jennings explained. “The metaphor is about having a real quality spur before you ever put silver or engraving on. The decoration is just that, the icing on the cake.”

Jennings said what differentiates his and Madole’s spurs from other spur makers is their spurs are sterling silver mounted while others use nickel silver. For a swan-design spur, Jennings uses 925 silver or pure silver, which is considered more malleable than other metals.

In the past four years, the spur maker has completed more than 50 projects ranging from buckles to spurs. While buckles take less time, his spurs earn Jennings more money. His spurs cost anywhere from $650 to $2,500. Jennings has also competed in spur shows, stating winning is what drives him forward.

“When I’m sitting here, thinking filing on all of these spurs sucks, I think about how I want to win,” the spur maker commented. “That’s why I do it. That’s what keeps me going.”

Jennings earned the first place prize at the Cowboy True Art Show in Wichita Falls, Texas, and plans to compete again next year.

The spur maker attributed his patience to listening to old outlaw country including Waylon Jennings and George Jones while working on projects. He is currently working on spurs featuring a horse head, which he has invested 20 hours in thus far.

Jennings still works in construction full-time. However, he said rainy days and other construction delays allow him ample time to devote to his craft.

Jennings still lives in Shawnee, Okla., with his wife, Candace, who also helps contribute to his side-business. Together, they have four children ranging from ages six to 26—Char, John, Kate and Ella.

When asked what advice he would give to a new spur maker, he referred back to the advice given by his mentor.

“[Madole] told me a while back, ‘Slow down, do a nice job, which we both know that you can do,’” he recalled. “Don’t be in such a hurry.”

To order, call 405-249-6920 or email [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch. 

By Barry Whitworth, DVM

Chances are that livestock producers at some time or another will be affected by a disaster such as a flood, tornado, drought or wildfire. Whatever the disaster, the challenge of any producer is to take care of their animals. Unlike small animals, farm animals tend to be large and require special needs in an emergency. For this reason, it is important to take the time to prepare a “Disaster Preparedness Plan.”

The plan will hopefully create a step-by-step set of guidelines to follow during a chaotic situation that will keep both animals and humans safe. In any disaster situation, the most important thing for a producer is to ensure above all else that his/her family and life come first. A producer should never attempt to risk his/her life or a member of their family’s life to save the life of an animal.

The start of a good disaster preparedness plan begins with evaluating what are the most likely disasters that a ranch or farm might face. For example, a ranch in the far eastern part of the state may not spend as much time with drought preparation as a ranch in the western part of the state. All producers should take the time to research history and look at weather patterns to understand the most likely disasters they could face.

Next, the producer should evaluate their premises to determine the potential risk to the animals. For example, the producer may want to remove the animals from any area that falls in a flood plain during certain times of the year or have an evacuation plan ready in case of an emergency. One should also evaluate the structures on the property. Are the barns or sheds able to withstand strong winds or not? The answer to that question will determine if the animals will be kept in a barn or turned out in a pasture during a storm.

Stacks of lumber and/or tin should be tied down. This will prevent the material from being blown around and possibly injuring an animal. Areas around a barn should be kept mowed and free of dead debris. This will help reduce risk where there is potential for a wildfire.

These questions and more need to be addressed in preparing the plan.

A disaster preparedness plan should also include animal identification. All animals need some form of identification. Brands, microchips and tattoos make excellent identifications since they are more permanent than other forms. Pictures will help identify animals. The producer should have records of ownership in case animals are lost or die in the disaster. This will be important if the producer is receiving insurance or indemnity payments.

It is important to remember that during a disaster power and utilities may be lost. A livestock owner who relies on electricity for his/her animals will need to have a backup source of power. A seven to 10-day supply of feed and water should be kept on hand. Producers may want to prepare an emergency kit. Items that might be included in the kit are halters, ropes, feed buckets, medications, first aid supplies, cleaning supplies, flashlights, batteries, cell phone, radio, feed, hay, water and generator. These are just a few things that a producer might need in an emergency.

An evacuation may need to be part of a producer’s disaster preparedness plan. Moving large herds of animals is probably not feasible. However, producers may wish to evacuate a small number of animals that have exceptional genetics. If evacuation is an option, producers will need to prearrange for an evacuation site. They will need to establish a route.

The truck should be full of gas and the trailer hitched during unfavorable conditions. Producers need to leave early. A producer should keep in mind that traffic may be increased during a disaster. The last thing a livestock owner needs is to be caught in a disaster stuck on a highway.

The producers will need to take feed and hay or prearrange for delivery to the evacuation site. If the animals are to remain on the farm, the producer will need to establish an area that he/she feels is safest depending on what the disaster is. For example, a pasture with no trees would be safer than a pasture with a few trees that animals would congregate under during a severe storm.

Once the crisis is over, the owner should be prepared to deal with injuries and dead animals. Producers need to have a carcass disposal plan ready in advance. Producers need to check with the local and state officials about the laws for disposing of animals. Producers need to realize that there is a chance that some animals will need to be euthanized. Owners need to be prepared to euthanize or contact a veterinarian to this job.

Planning how to deal with a disaster is like writing a will. Most of us think that we have plenty of time to get it done later. Unfortunately, later usually comes earlier than we like, and we get caught in an emergency with no plan. If a producer would like more information about planning for a disaster, they should go to www.prep4agthreats or contact their local county educator.

This article originally appeared in the June 2018 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch.