Possible Causes For Twisted, Curled Vegetable Leaves
Dr. Mario Villarino, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hopkins County Agent, [email protected].
If the leaves on your vegetable plants are twisted or curled, the problem could be environmental, chemical, or biological.
Sometimes, all the leaves on a plant are twisted or curled; sometimes only new growth has symptoms while older leaves are normal. Damage may start moderately then quickly begin to affect new growth. Damage to tomato and other vegetable plants may have one or a combination of causes.
There are five primary reasons that tomato leaves twist:
- Wind damage
- Herbicide drift
- Herbicide residue
- Broad mite
- Tomato viruses
Vegetables can be damaged by herbicides left in mulch or compost made with hay or manure from fields that have been sprayed with herbicides. The active ingredient aminopyralid can persists for 18 months on treated hay and hay products. It also persists in the manure of animals that eat herbicide-treated hay. These herbicides products are commonly used in pastures because they kill about 100 difficult broadleaf weeds.
Some herbicide labels state that any plant matter collected from fields sprayed with aminopyralid may not be used in compost or where vegetables are to be grown. The label also states that the “applicator must provide the land manager with a copy of instructions regarding uses of forage from areas treated with aminopyralid.”
Anyone who sells hay, silage, haylage, green chop, or bedding material that was treated with aminopyralid, is responsible for alerting the buyer that it was treated and must not to be used in composting or where vegetables are grown. Buyers must also ask whether aminopyralid was used on the source forage within the last 18 months.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Digital License Plates Are Now Available For Commercial Fleets in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas – Everything is going digital these days – even license plates! Eligible commercial fleet owners now have the option to put a high-tech tool on the back of their vehicles. Digital license plates can add a new level of convenience, safety, and security to fleet management.
State law authorizes the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to offer digital license plates to government and commercial fleet vehicles. These plates, manufactured by Reviver, became available on June 1, 2022. Multiple plate models are available at different prices through Reviver. The vehicle must already be registered in Texas to qualify for a digital license plate. An additional annual $95 administrative fee is applied to digital license plate orders.
“Texans rely on commercial vehicles for the safe and efficient movement of goods and services that are crucial to supporting the state’s economy” said TxDMV Executive Director Daniel Avitia. “Offering digital licenses plates to commercial fleets is part of our ongoing commitment to streamline and modernize motor vehicle services.”
Eligible commercial fleet owners interested in upgrading to digital plates or reviewing pricing options may visit Reviver.com/geo-expansion/texas/.
Marine Corps League Observes Flag Day
A small gathering of elected officials and community members joined Hopkins County Marine Corps League Tuesday morning for a Flag Day observance on Celebration Plaza.
The service began with the Marine Corps League removing head cover as a prayer was offered to start the ceremony. A prayer of thanks was given for for the men and women of the original 13 colonies who “put together the formation of this great nation and for those who have stood defending the Constitution.”
Prayer was offered for grace, wisdom and protection for America and the challenges all face as individuals and as a nation today and always. Thanks was offered for the flag of the United States of America and all that it represents.
Those present for the ceremony recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the USA flag. Bob Kerr with HCMCL read the poem, “The Flag That Makes Men Free,” by Kate Brownlee Sherwood, which talks of the battles it’s seen, the meaning behind the colors, the liberties and the need to guard it for hope for a better future.
Kerr then read a proclamation issued June 10, 2022, by President Joe Biden declaring June 14, 2022, as Flag Day, and the week starting June 12, 2022, as National Flag Week.
“I direct the appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government buildings during this week, and I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms. I encourage the people of the United States to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day, set aside by the Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor the American spirit, to celebrate our history and the foundational values we strive to uphold, and to publicly recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,” Kerr read from the proclamation.
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed a resolution adopting a flag for the United States of America which specified the composition of the flag for the new nation would include 13 alternating red and white stripes with 13 stars on a blue field to represent the 13 colonies that declared independence. Since then, the stars have increased to account for the 50 states in the union.
To commemorate the adoption of the flag, Congress in a joint resolution approved August 3, 1949, amended 63 Stat. 492, officially designating June 14 of each year as “Flag Day” and requested the President issue an annual proclamation calling for its observance and for the display of the flag of the United States on all Federal Government buildings. Congress on June 9, 1966, amended 80 Stat. 194, requesting at that the President issue an annual proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as “National Flag Week” and calling upon all citizens of the United States to display the flag during that week.
Hence, June 14 is designated annually as Flag Day and the week in which it falls as National Flag Week celebrate “the journey of progress represented in our banner and pay tribute to the inspiration it gives Americans at home and abroad,” according to the Presidential Proclamation.
The flag, flown at half-staff during the ceremony, was once again raised with bugle playing by Camilo (Cam) Perez. Kerr concluded the Flag Day observance by thanked those present for attending and wished them enjoyment of their day on Flag Day.
Mitigating Heat Stress On Vegetables
By David Wall, Mt. Pleasant Master Gardener
Most are aware that when daytime temperatures consistently reach mid-90s and nighttime temperatures consistently don’t get below mid-70s, tomato production basically stops. Pollen hardens and can’t be extracted. Tomatoes lose the ability to ripen by turning red. Unfortunately, heat stress begins as low as the mid-70s, but there are ways to mitigate it.
Most vegetables and trees are C3 photosynthetic pathway plants. We’ll use a tomato plant as an example. Basically, when their leaf temperature (not the same as air temperature) reaches 78°, photosynthesis slows down and may stop completely at still higher leaf temperatures. Instead of photosynthesis, the plant moves into a photo-respiration dominant mode.
Under heat stress, the plant begins operating in a negative mode instead of positive. Transpiration, the movement of water from roots to leaves and loss by evaporation through leaf stomata, is part of this photo-respiration mode. Subsequent evaporation cools leaf temperatures, thus, helping lower plant stress. Healthier plants are better at cooling themselves.
Concurrent with reduced food (sugar) production, plants begin consuming their limited, stored sugar and lipid supply. If this continues long enough to exhaust all available lipids and sugars, plants will begin consuming their own proteins (nitrogens) for energy. Once this occurs, a plant’s ability to quickly recover drops dramatically.
Insects detect weakened plants and go on the attack. In their weakened condition, vegetable plants have very little defense against them.
One of the best strategies to alleviate heat stress is to use a foliar spray containing sugar, vegetable oils, or perhaps proteins (nitrogen). For me, a sugar foliar spray is easiest, and users report considerable plant improvement in as little as 24 hours of application. The spray can be used proactively as a preventive as well as during and after heat stress.
A foliar spray should definitely be considered this summer.
Hopkins County Records — June 13, 2022
Land Deed Transactions
The following are land deed transfers filed and posted at Hopkins County Clerk’s Office from May 13-23, 2022:
- Joshua Lockwood to Bulmaro Garcia and Rosa Magodina Rivera; tract in the A Caro survey
- Herbert D. Jennings and Phillis J. Jennings to Jacob W. Ray and Mallorie R. Ray; tract in the D. Padilla survey
- Champions MPM LLC to SAF Properties LLC DBA SM Family Holdings LLC
- SM Family Holdings LLC to SAF Properties LLC DBA SM Family Holdings LLC
- Liberty Tierra LTD to Omar Campos; tract in the Twin Lake Farms
- Liberty Tierra LTD to Patricia Gossenbacher; tract in Twin Lake Farms
- Liberty Tierra LTD to Melanie Renae Comer and Shaphan Alan Comer; tract in the Lucy Ann Collum survey
- Summit Ranch Investments LTD to Jacob Perdue; tract in the SR Cherry survey
- Liberty Tierra LTD to Jonathan Flores; tract in Twin Lake Farms
- Summit Ranch Investments LTD to John Schumacher; tract in the GW Downing survey
- HLA Inc. to Emily Small; tract in the Nacogdoches University survey
- Emily Small to Kimberly Bell Anderson and Morgan Lee Anderson; tract in the Nacogdoches University survey
- Danny Weems and Lynda Kay Weems to Dolores Puckett and Mark Puckett; tract in the C. Musgrove survey
- High Point Estates, James L. Masters IV Estate AKA Jimmy Masters Estate, Nina Monique Masters independently and as independent executor, and More Moore to Zachary Don Jaggers; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- April Jenkins and Timothy Jenkins to Blackjack Estates LLC; tract in the RC Graves survey
- Greg Graham and Jennifer G. Graham to Brian Daniel Watson; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- Ballout LLC to Tenet Equity TRS LLC; tract in the MA Bowlin survey
- Manuel Romero and Shanna Ranae Romero to CBE Property Rentals LLC; tract in the Ferdinand Carroll survey
- Janice K. Giles, James W. King and SWAD Enterprises LLP to 4TF Investments LLC; tract in the E. Melton survey
- Michael McCrae Bentley to Candace L. Ashmore and Casan Layne Ashmore
- Mason G. Gray and Whitney Denise Gray to Kimberly Daugherty; tract in the Jose Y’Barbo survey
- Louisiana National Bank, Brandon Norris to Travis-Burnett Partners LTD; tract in the Ulysses Aiguier survey
- Anne McGrede Ashcroft to Bright Star Beginnings LLC; tract in the William Birdwell survey
- Michael Jerome Friskes AKA Michel Jerome Friskes to Brent L. & Debbie L. Sanders Family Trust, Brent L. Sanders and Debbie L Sanders as trustees, SES 195 LLC; tract in the Helena Nelson survey
- Brandon Lee Bloomer to Sabrina White; in the William Gregg survey
- Erin Marie Glenn to Chad M. Glenn also known as Michael Chad Glenn; tract in the Winnie Jewell survey
- Chelsea D. Smith and Clayton P. Smith to Aimee M. Stotts and Ian K. Stotts; tract in the Ocela Barb survey
- Brandon Fowler and Maci E. Fowler to Chadwick S. Hale and Gina J. Hale
- Demetra Robinson and John Robinson to Fabian Camargo and Inez Gonzalez; tract in the Nacogdoches University survey
- Danny Ezell Walton to Lou Jane Skillman and Milton Michael Skillman; tract in the Jonas Hale survey
- Coy Tatum, Alisha Wright, Gregory Wright, Rita Wright and Roger Wright to Danny Jason; tract
- Brian Mitchell to Randy Lee Doherty; tract in the Ulysses Aiguier survey
- Deana Deaton Goggans to Dolores Wallace and Donald Wallace; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- Briana Walker to Donna Nash Dempsey
- Ashley Walker to Donna Nash Dempsey
- Christian Camposeco, Simon Rodriguez and Jeffery Louis Topping to Quatro Properties LLC; tract in the MJ McGee survey
- CJP Properties LLC, Juli Ann Price and Roger Clay Price, to Caden Clay Price and Coen James Price; tract in the MA Bowlin survey
- CJP Properties LLC, Juli Ann Price and Roger Clay Price to Caden Clay Price and Coen James Price; tract in the MA Bowlin survey
- Jennifer Williams and Tommy D. Williams to Jack S. Curtis and Melissa A. Curtis; tract in Green Acres Addition
- Kelsey Cooper and Wes Cooper for CBJ Real Estate Holdings LLC, to Jason Lacomfora and Jennifer Lacomfora; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- Church Street Professional Buildings LLC, Wes Cooper, to Jason Lacomfora and Jennifer Lacomfora; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- Christine Jernigan and Dakota Jernigan to Carolyn Larson and Robert Larson; tract in the Solomon Waggoner survey
- Bradley McCool and Fallon McCool to Byron Tanner Ragan, Holly Anne Ragan; tract in the Mary Ann Bowlin survey
- George Francis, independent executor for the Shirley J. Burns Francis Estate, to Nathan Crouch
- Trina Rachel Rushing Wiemer, independently and as independent executor for the Sammy Rushing Estate, to Matthew Bell and Melynda Bell; tract in the WT Prather survey
- Kathleen S. Kendall and Sidney Leeroy Sparks to Rosa E. Lopez and Jasmine Portillo; tract in the A Park survey
- John Heilman and Ron Plaxco to Pedro Perez and Casilda Guerrero Sanchez; tract in the MA Bowlin survey
- 5S Innovations LLC to Angelica Torres; tract in the Jason Clark survey
- Burt LL Investments LLC, Patrick F. Chase to Kyler Drake; tract in the Mary Ann Bowlin survey
- Gary Watkins to Mary C. Hill and Howard W. Hosek Jr.; tract in the Santos Coy survey
- Kenneth Herndon Jr. to Ben M. Brown; tract in the Alex O. Wetmore survey
- Demetra Robinson and John Robinson to Fabian Camargo and Inez Gonzalez; tract in the Nacogdoches University survey
Applications for Marriage Licenses
The following individuals filed applications for marriage licenses at Hopkins County Clerk’s Office June 3-9, 2022:
- Cody Jerome Tucker and Lacey Johnnell Elliott
- Robert Orville Surratt Jr. and Carla Lanelle Clay
- Jarred John Kohls and Nancy Marie Beadles
- Joshua Lee Ray and Shane Micheal Partridge
- Brian Durwood Tubb and Amber Kay Martes
- Matthew Jase Thompson and Bailey Cheyenne Haggerty
- Justin Ray Keen and Dustanna Kay Fielden
- Richard Cayle Watson and Meredith Nicole Dodd
Two Crashes Over The Weekend Result In DWI Arrests
Como Man Jailed On Felony DWI Warrant
Two crashes over the weekend are reported to have resulted in DWI arrests. A traffic stop June 4 resulted in a felony DWI arrest while a Dike woman was taken into custody June 2 on a DWI warrant, according to arrest reports.
Collision With Tree Off Of I-30
A Cumby Policeman at 1:03 a.m. Sunday, June 12, contacted the occupant of a Buick LaSabre that was driven off of Interstate 30 east into a tree just before the south roadside park entrance near Cumby.
Believing the driver to be intoxicated, the officer conducted standard field sobriety tests on the driver. The 25-year-old Sulphur Springs man exhibited multiple indicators of intoxication, including all six indicators on horizontal gaze nystagmus tests, CPD alleged in arrest reports.
The Sulphur Springs man was taken into custody and transported to the county jail, where he was booked in for driving while intoxicated. The 25-year-old was released from Hopkins County jail Monday, June 13, 2022, on a $1,000 bond on the Class B misdemeanor DWI charge, according to jail reports.
CR 2331 Crash
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper contacted the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado reported to have been involved in a minor crash on County Road 2331 at 9:42 p.m. Saturday, June 11, 2022. The highway patrol reported smelling a strong alcohol odor coming from the 45-year-old woman. The Como resident also was alleged to have red, bloodshot eyes and was unsteady on her feet when walking toward the trooper’s vehicle.
The woman allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol prior to the crash. The trooper administered standard field sobriety testing at the roadside to the Como woman, noting she displayed signs of intoxication. She reportedly agreed to provide a breath sample. At the jail, she tested 0.129 g/210 L and 0.127 g/210 L, over the legal limit of 0.08, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
The woman was taken into custody and transported to jail, while the pickup was towed from the location. The 45-year-old Como woman was released from Hopkins County jail Sunday, Dec. 12, 2022, on a $1,000 bond on the DWI charge, according to arrest reports.
County Road 2324 Arrest
HCSO Deputy Justin Wilkerson reported stopping a Ford Fusion at 11:09 p.m. June 4, 2022, on County Road 2324 east of CR 2329 for an expired registration. Upon contact with the driver, identified in arrest reports as John Martinez, Wilkerson reported smelling a strong alcohol odor emitting from the vehicle.
When asked, Martinez allegedly admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages. The deputy also observed other indicators of possible intoxication and agreed to perform standard field sobriety tests. The 27-year-old Como man displayed enough clues during testing for Wilkerson to determine he was intoxicated. He was placed into custody and agreed to a blood test. The deputy too noted there to be an open container of an alcoholic beverage inside the car. HCCSO Sgt. Scott Davis arrived to complete impound of the vehicle while Wilkerson at 11:21 p.m. June 4, transported Martinez first to the hospital where two blood samples were taken then to jail, the deputy noted in arrest reports.
A records check showed Martinez has two prior DWI convictions. Thus, Martinez was booked into jail at 1:03 a.m. July 5, 2022, for DWI-third or more offense, according to arrest reports.
Jail records show Martinez was booked into HCSO jail Nov. 16, 2011, for minor driving under the influence; on May 29, 2016, for DWI; July 23, 2017 for second offense DWI; Aug. 23, 2017, for violating probation on the first DWI charge; and spent three days in jail starting July 10, 2018 for one DWI charge.
Martinez — who jail records show is also known by the aliases Chico, Little John, Dragon, Lost and El Padre — was released from Hopkins County jail on June 7, 2022, on a $10,000 bond on the third-degree felony DWI-third or more offense charge, according to jail records.
Residential Arrest
HCSO Deputies Aaron Chaney and Alvin Jordan were made aware of a warrant for Dike woman’s arrest. Deputies contacted the 39-year-old at 2:29 p.m. June 2, 2022, at her County Road 3520 residence and took her into custody. She was transported to jail, where she was booked in on a DWI warrant, according to arrest reports.
The Dike woman was released from the county jail the next day on a $1,000 bond on the DWI warrant, according to HCSO jail reports.
KSST does not publish the names or photos of people charged with misdemeanor crimes in staff-generated reports, only those accused of felony offenses.
Mount Pleasant Woman Accused Of Resisting Arrest, Engaging In 2 Altercations With Officers
June 13, 2022 – A Mount Pleasant woman allegedly resisted when officers attempted to place her into custody, then compounded her unruly behavior by allegedly engaging in two separate altercations with officers upon arrival at the county jail, according to arrest reports.
Cumby Police Officer Justin Talley responded at 7:54 p.m. June 12, 2022, to a report of a reckless driver on Interstate 30 east. The Ford Expedition in reportedly stopped on the FM 2653 overpass at the north Interstate 30 frontage road. There Talley made contact with the driver and sole occupant, identified by her Texas driver’s license as Christina Anderson.
After further investigation, Talley attempted to take Armstrong into custody for driving while intoxicated. Anderson, however, physically resisted Talley’s efforts to place handcuffs on her, the officer alleged in arrest reports. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Zack Horne, arrived to assist Talley with the arrest. The Mount Pleasant woman continued physically resisting both officers efforts as they placed her into the back seat of Talley’s patrol vehicle at 8:26 p.m. Sunday.
Upon arrival at the jail, Anderson allegedly continued to physically resist the efforts of two jail personnel, Lt. Whitney Waller and Sgt. Chandler Leo, and Deputies Deputy Isaac Foley and Drew Fisher, to place her into a “violent cell,” designed to protect her from harming herself. While doing so, the 24-year-old woman allegedly kicked the two corrections officers.
Anderson eventually calmed down and was placed into a different cell at the jail. However, around 9:50 p.m., Anderson is accused of engaging in a second physical altercation with HCSO jail Sgt. Leo, allegedly slapping his face with her open hand.
As a result, Anderson was booked in at 10:14 p.m. on three assault of public servant charges, for the two altercation with officers at the jail, as well as one count of resisting arrest.
Anderson remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, June 13, 2022. The 24-year-old’s bonds totaled $32,000 — $10,000 each on three assault of public servant charges and $2,000 on the resisting arrest charge.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest Results
Despite a delayed start of about an hour — the Junior Dairy Show ran over, the 2022 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Milking Contest Saturday progressed almost as smooth at butter, with only a few “surprises” — but certainly not enough to completely sour the fun.
The 2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest featured all of the 2022 pageant contestants, each assigned a cow to milk. Six heifers were used, with girls assigned numbers 1-6, which determined whether they were in the first or second round of competition. Each round was timed. Each contestant did her best to squeeze as much milk from her assigned cow into a pail as possible before time was called.
Then, each contestant turned in her milk pail, which was weighed. After all milk was accounted the pails and pails emptied, the girls’ parents then together tried their luck at milking. The contestants’ parents too were charged with filling the pail with as much milk as possible before time was called.
While those tallies were being figured to determine which contestants and parents went home with trophies, 10 hot air balloon pilots then tried their hands at milking too, in keeping with what has become a competitive tradition. They competed only for the experience, fun and bragging rights.
When dealing with large animals such as cows, there are always a few surprises. In this instance, a few heifers appeared to be tender before all six rounds of competition, others tired from being at the show all day.
One step taken to encourage the milk cows to remain standing in place during the duration of the contest is to delay feeding them until right before the contest begins. That way they are hungry and too busy eating to focus on being milked by strangers in an arena and half a stadium full of people and cows. A few cows had apparently consumed just enough food and fluids to suddenly make unpleasant “prizes” those milking them had to dodge to avoid wearing. A couple of heifers were also a bit contrary, perhaps even a bit nervous from so much attention and noise, and tried to pull away from trying to milk them. A few contestants’ milking pails were tipped over, spilling the freshly squeezed milk onto the Arena ground, forcing the competitors to start over.
Brooklynn Shackelford, first place, 2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest 
Olivia Worth, second place, 2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest 
Jocelyne Yanez, third place, 2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest 
Dairy Festival Milking Contest winners 
Hopkins County Dairy Festival Pageant contestants and 2019 Queen Rachel Bramlett with milking pails
Trophies were presented to the three contestants and parents teams who were able to get the most milk in their pails.
Among the parent participants, Erika and Enriquez and Edgar Velasquez received the first place trophy for filling Vanessa Wayne’s milk pail with 60.5 ounces of milk. Second place honors went to Juan and Cristin Yanez, parents of pageant contestant Jocelyne Yanez, whose milk weighed 58.8 ounces. Taking third place with 52.7 ounces of milk were Stan and Brandy Fisher, parents of contestant Miley Fisher.
Among contestants, Brooklynn Shackelford received the first place trophy for having 49.5 ounces of milk in her pail. Olivia Worth received the second place trophy for having 49.1 ounces of milk. Finally, the third place trophy went to Dairy Festival Pageant contestant Jocelyne Yanez, who had 46.6 ounces of milk.
Watch for Intersection Changes at FM 69 and SH 11 in Como
NEWS RELEASE
PARIS DISTRICT
Tim McAlavy
(903) 737-9213
[email protected]
Watch for Intersection Changes at FM 69 and SH 11 in Como
June 13, 2022,
PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation officials today announced that work to create a four-way stop at the intersection of FM 69 and State Highway 11 in Como, Texas, in Hopkins County is set for July 6.
TxDOT will place stop signs necessary to convert this intersection to a four-way stop in all directions, officials said. Advance warning signs and message boards will be placed near this intersection soon. The work to install the stop signs at this intersection should begin on July 6, weather permitting.
Motorists who frequently travel in this area are asked to pay special attention to all barricades, traffic controls and signs, and to reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also be prepared to encounter rough pavement and brief traffic delays, and should avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
For more information, contact [email protected] or (903) 737-9213.
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2022 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Parade, Junior Dairy Show Great Successes
Festival Heats Up Saturday With Hot Air Balloon Rally & Glow, Milking Contest
The 2022 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Parade was a huge hit, the Junior Dairy Show a great success and the milking contest included a few surprises.
The second day of Hopkins County Dairy Festival dawned brightly, with lots of color, and black and white cows and ice cream décor galore. Even without the extreme heat advisory issued for the weekend, there is no doubt summer has arrived in Hopkins County.
The heat index for all of North and Central Texas was projected to climb as high as 108 in some areas between noon Saturday, June 11, and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 12. While the parade disbursed around 11 a.m. Saturday, June 10, the sun beat down, baking the pavement, leaving those who forgot to apply sunscreen with a new pink if not rosy tomato hue, those without proper hydration parched and most at least mildly dewy if not drenched from the humidity. Proper hydration for those involved in outdoor activities, especially those with added heat such as the Hot Air Balloon Rally, was a necessity to prevent dehydration, overheating and potentially even heat stroke.
Even so, Hopkins County enjoyed the return of the festival for the first time since 2019.
Families lined the streets with youngsters, eager to see what goodies those in the DF Parade procession would toss as they passed by. Many threw individual or small packages of candy or gum, while others tossed dairy-related items such as foam or stuffed ice cream cones and cows. A few who walked alongside floats and decorated rides handed out other items such as free or discounted coupons for family entertainment or upcoming activities.
The parade had no marshal this year, so reigning Dairy Festival Queen Rachel Bramlett, the only three-year queen in the pageant’s history thanks to COVID-19, lead from just behind the police escort signaling the start of the parade and the mounted Sheriff’s Posse carrying the flags. (Bramlett as the official face and ambassador for the Dairy Festival, attended all of the events and activities, lending a hand where needed, greeting visitors and friends, a delightful representative of Hopkins County and the dairy community.)
Other local royalty featured atop or waving from within vehicles in the June 11, 2022 Dairy Festival Parade included Kylene Claypool, who was crowned 2022 Ms. Hopkins County Senior Classic June 4, 2022, as well as a few legacy Dairy Festival Queens such as Linda Booker Bennett who is celebrating the 60th anniversary of her win, Shelbi Charles Verratti who celebrated 25 years since her win, and Molly Millsap Stevens who celebrated the 10th anniversary since she achieved her childhood dream of becoming Dairy Festival Queen.
The 12 young ladies who are vying this year for the 2022 title of Dairy Festival Queen each entered a float or conveyance designed around an ice cream flavor, in keeping with this year’s festival theme, “Ice Scream For Dairyland.”
The parade also featured entries from church and community groups, businesses and families, most decorated in black and white spots, with cows or ice cream themes. One truck pulling a group was even “dressed up” to look like a cow. Others wore cow costumes, make-up and horns. MADD’s haybale cow was not happy about drunk and impaired driving. One group added a twist to the them with zombie cows causing the “screaming” instead of people clamoring for ice cream.
Entries too included tractors and big trucks, fire trucks, elected city and county officials, Sulphur Springs Corvette Club members, Jeep Club members and a couple of big rigs of the kind used to transport dairy products, some horseback riders and three ice cream and snack trucks.
The hot air balloon pilots and crews in town for the weekend got in on the fun too, not only decorating their baskets and rides with odes to the dairy industry or ice cream theme, but firing up from their baskets along the parade route and, later, asking if they too might once again participate in the milking contest along with pageant contestants and their parents for ragging rights.
As the parade was starting at Buford Park, about a block over the Junior Dairy Show was also getting under way in the Civic Center Arena. This year’s show was considered a huge success, with about 60 entries — nearly three times as many entries as the last show. The livestock projects were as varied as the youth showing them, some younger and smaller, many of different colors and sizes reflecting their breed, class and category.
The cows in each class were ranked, with the top ones then pitted against one another for a chance to win overall Grand and Reserve Champions and showmanship recognition, then from those a supreme champion was selected. There were so many entered that the Junior Dairy Show ran about an hour over, delaying the start of the Milking Contest.
The 2022 Dairy Festival Milking Contest featured all of the 2022 pageant contestants assigned a cow to milk. The milk was collected, then weighed. The contestants’ parents then were charged with taking their daughter’s pails and trying to milk. Six heifers were used, with girls assigned numbers which determined whether they were in the first or second round of competition. Each was timed and the milk from the contestant’s pail weighed at the end of the round. The girls’ parents then together tried their luck at milking. While those tallies were being figured, 10 balloon pilots then tried their hands at milking too, in keeping with what has become a competitive tradition for them as well.
Trophies were presented to the three contestants and parents teams who were able to get the most milk in their pails.
And, of course, when dealing with animals, there are always a few surprises such as heifers that are tender, tired of being on show all day, that have consumed just enough foods and fluids to suddenly make a “prize” those showing them in the Dairy Show and those milking had not bargained for. A couple of heifers were a bit contrary, perhaps even a bit nervous from so much attention and noise, and sat down when they needed to circle the arena or pulled away from those guiding or trying to milk them, and a of pageant contestant’s milking pails were tipped over and freshly squeezed milk spilled onto the Arena ground, forcing the competitors to start over.
Then, everything was packed up for a brief respite before the balloon crews, contestants and Dairy Festival Board headed back over to Shannon Oaks Church to meet up with volunteers and balloon crews for another evening Hot Air Balloon Rally and Glow. Friday night left many drenched from the humidity, heat and hard work and heat from the burning fuel which inflated and lifted the balloons into the air. With the high heat and humidity, Saturday night was a real scorcher.
