Raymon Haddix was raised in Bryan County, Oklahoma, near Bokchito during the Depression. He and his wife raised a family on a small farm running cattle and growing peanuts. He also worked for Potter's Sausage Company in Durant for many years. When Raymon, an African American, decided to retire from the company, the peanut program was being eliminated, and he wanted to find a way to replace the income from his 20-acre fragile soil peanut field.

Working with the FSA, in 2000 Raymon enrolled the 20-acre farm in two separate continuous CRP contracts. Under one contract, a 9-acre Field Windbreak was established using a mixture of hardwood and pine trees. Under the second contract, three small Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife were created. Utilizing these two CRP practices, Raymon was able to place 18 acres of the total 20-acre field under CRP contract.

Five years have passed since he established the practices, and the farm has become a wildlife haven. The Shallow Water Areas are frequented by waterfowl, shore birds, and song birds. They have become home to many reptile and amphibian specie and serve as a nice watering place for deer and other wildlife. Surrounding the water line is a buffer of native grasses, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass, and Switchgrass. In the Field Windbreak, the mixture of trees is now approximately 3 feet tall. The pine trees are especially noticeable.

During the summer of 2004 this farm was included in the annual Bryan County Cattle Producers Tour. Approximately 200 producers were able to visit the farm and hear from Raymon and FSA regarding the success of the CRP practices. Raymon and his wife are very appreciative of the USDA team that helped him enroll in CRP.

A shallow water area for wildlife with a native grass buffer on the Raymon Haddix farm near Bokchito, Oklahoma.

Pine and mixed hardwood trees make up the CRP field border on the Raymon Haddix farm near Bokchito, Oklahoma.