News you can use

Farmer relies on his own two hands

In a world of ever-expanding technological advances in farming equipment, Jeanerette farmer John Jackson primarily relies on what he was born with: Two hands, two feet and a lot of toil and sweat to get the job done.

Jackson, 82, who has been working in the fields his whole life, currently operates a small garden on the property of Ronald Hebert's family farm. He said the changes he has seen are incredible in his many years of farming.

"It was a lot more hands, that's what you were using back then," Jackson said. "No machines like it is now."

Jackson said he got his start in farming when he was 9 years old, helping his grandmother with her garden at the family home in Adeline. By working with her, he said he developed a true love for working the land.

"Old people use to raise a lot of gardens," Jackson said.

"We used to live on the land, not live on going to the store. I just got caught up in it I guess."

Walking on the grounds of Hebert's farm with his childhood friend Hilius Verret, Jackson described how he and his father worked together at various farms while he was growing up, including for Hilius' father, Paul, at the Adeline Sugar Cane Co.

One of the more memorable places Jackson and Verret worked together was at the German Prisoner of War camp in Franklin in 1945.

Verret said they were just farmhands at the time, but it was still unique to work in a place with people who were then America's enemies.

"The prisoners were really nice, easy to get along with," Verret said. "But it was still intimidating because they had guards there with guns pointed at the prisoners."

Following his experience in the war effort, Jackson settled down to start a family, marrying his wife, Sedonia, and having 13 children — seven boys and six girls. Although widowed for the past four years, Jackson still fondly remembers the time he had raising the children.

"We raised them all right here, right on a farm," Jackson said.

Despite his advanced age, Jackson s t i l l works hard each day, growing crops such as corn, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes and onions in his garden along the road on Hebert's property. He uses a red 1940s-era Allis Chalmer tractor that he said he found in the woods but still runs beautifully.

Although not working directly for him, Hebert said it is a treasure to have Jackson around the land.

"I met him when he worked n e x t d o o r o n J o h n n y Broussard's property," Hebert said. "When Broussard sold his land, I was hoping that Jackson would come over here and teach me something about farming."

Jackson responded by saying he was grateful Hebert gave a space to do his first love of farming and continue to live the way he always has.

"I just love it, I don't know what would happen if it got to the place when I couldn't do it," Jackson said. "I didn't know what I would have done if (Hebert) didn't invite me over."

 

Reader Comments(0)