Published: May 13, 2008 05:00 pm         

East Bernstadt tour highlights area farms

Everything from cutting holes in boats to delivering calves in parking lots was touched on Thursday during the Laurel County Kiwanis Farm and Industry Tour, which had about 30 participants making stops in the East Bernstadt area.

The goal of the tour was to both enlighten community members about area businesses and farms and to benefit an area church by hosting a cake auction.

This year the church was Pilgrims Rest Baptist.

“We raised $5,725,” Club President Wilma Hurley said. “The church gets 90 percent and the club gets 10 percent.”

The tour started at Animal House Veterinary Clinic and wove its way to Pittsburg Marine, Glenn and Gina Williams’ farm and Dr. Doug and Robin House’s farm.

Co-owner David Oliver greeted participants at Pittsburg Marine.

“I just want to let you know, if you want to buy a boat while you’re here, you can,” he joked.

Oliver spoke of the history of the business, which opened in 1978.

Since, business has continued to grow, with Pittsburg Marine earning the Ranger Dealer of the Year award last year.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Oliver said. “That’s probably our highlight.”

Oliver said the boating business has changed a lot over the years.

“Back then, a Bullet with a 250 horsepower outboard motor went for $15,000,” he said. “The equivalent today would be $50,000-plus.”

Oliver said their greatest focus these days is attracting the tournament fisherman.

“He’s the guy I want to get to know because I’ve got something he’s got,” he said.

What he’s got are Ranger boats, which Oliver said are to boats what a Mercedes-Benz is to cars.

Oliver said the boats are practically unsinkable.

“You can take out chunks of every Ranger boat,” he said. “It’s still going to sit on top of the water. Only your feet will get wet.”

Dr. Doug House was responsible for hosting two of the four stops — one at his veterinary clinic on U.S. 25, the other at his farm.

At his clinic, which he shares with Dr. Philip Bundy, House said they perform six to 10 surgeries a day. About half of the business comes from treating small animals, like dogs and cats, while the other half is from tending cattle and other large animals.

“We pulled a calf out in the parking lot when we got here yesterday,” he said.

House also tends to cattle after he leaves the clinic. He and wife Robin own a 55-acre farm.

“God’s blessed us with children and a good place to live,” House said.

Those children — Holly, Lauren and Walker — also take part in the farm’s upkeep and will undertake a new enterprise this year.

“We feel it’s pretty important to teach them responsibility,” House said. “The kids will raise 1 acre of pumpkins this year.”

Glenn and Gina Williams’ daughters Savannah, Jade and Montana also stay busy.

When tour participants drove up to the Williams’ farm, Jade handed out business cards advertising S&J Livestock.

The girls sell “farm fresh eggs, from our family to yours.”

While the girls stay busy with the eggs, Williams is constantly on the go working on his 155-acre farm and managing a 400-acre farm next door

Williams keeps his cattle fed by using a rotational grazing system.

“Last year was a learning experience for everyone in farming because of the drought we had,” Williams said. “Rotational grazing helps you keep your grazing height. You don’t graze your forages too short. It’s a way of managing the grass, in the same way we would manage our yard.”

Williams, his father Sonny and Elmer Hubbard run the place, along with special canine Jill.

Tour participants got to meet the dog, which is specially trained to herd cattle. Using one-word commands, Williams was able to get Jill to herd two calves to come to the house.

“The dogs do all the hard work,” Williams said.

The tour ended with a lively fish fry at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, followed by the cake auction.

Hurley was pleased with the outcome.

“I don’t think it could have gone any better,” she said. “Our hosts were more than gracious and we had good fellowship.”