Friday, June 13, 1997

Fisher County gets new ag agent at Roby

Hold on to your hats.

Fisher County "finally" will have a new county ag agent in the Extension Service office at Roby come July 1.

Justin A. Hansard, 29, has accepted the job.

It's the first time Fisher County has hired a new ag agent since 1967.

Justin succeeds Richard Spencer who retired on Sept. 30, 1996, after 33 years with the Extension Service - with almost 30 of those years in Roby. (Richard was hired at Roby in '67.)

Richard became one of the "Roby millionaires" - just after he retired - in the much-publicized Texas Lottery win by a group of Fisher County folks in November. (Nevertheless, the last time this farm writer visited with Richard, he was still wearing the same ol' hat.)

With Richard sort of working for free as a "consultant" to those who would catch him running about the county or wandering the streets in recent months, Fisher Countians and the Texas A&M folks were able to take their time in naming his successor.

They wanted to find a good man to follow Richard - and they have done so.

Justin was previously the assistant county ag agent in Brown County where he had been since February 1996. So many of you in the Abilene region already know Justin.

Scott Durham, District 7 Extension director, San Angelo, said he was glad to keep Justin in District 7 territory.

"We're very pleased to have Justin stay in the district," he said. "He's done a great job for us in Brownwood. We know he will continue to improve the already-strong Extension program Fisher County has."

The new Fisher County agent will be responsible for all of the Extension Service's agricultural endeavors in the county.

Justin holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in agricultural education from Tarleton State University in Stephenville. He was a graduate assistant at Tarleton, and also worked in retail sales.

The ag agent was reared on a small stock farm near Era. He holds memberships in the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association (TCAAA) and the Texas Association of Extension 4-H Agents.

Justin and his wife, Melanie, plan to live in the Roby area.

Rehab sale tomorrow night

The 8th Rehab annual Club Lamb and Meat Goat Sale is 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Abilene at the Wylie FFA Showbarn behind the Wylie High football field on Antilley Road.

This sale will benefit the West Texas Rehabilitation Center (WTRC). Only lambs and goats purchased during this sale will be eligible to return to Abilene Dec. 6 for the WTRC Jackpot Show. The December show will be held in the Dorothea C. Griffin Arena at the Expo Center.

Tacy Ellis of Roscoe is meat goat chairman and will be assisted by Jennifer Morris of Colorado City. Lamb chairmen are John Helmer of Merkel; Wade Stephens, Cross Plains; Gaines Price, Roscoe; and Charlie Palmer, Clyde.

Because the Saturday night sale will go into the late hours, we will have the results on the Tuesday <I>Reporter-News<I> farm page.

You can still donate a lamb or goat, today - or get more information - by calling the WTRC in Abilene at (915) 691-7290; or in San Angelo, (915) 949-9535.

"We had more than 100 lambs and 60 goats through Thursday evening, and we are expecting more donations before the sale," said Danny Isbell, WTRC project coordinator.