About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2022)
Wednesday, October 26,2022 dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A DCHS FFA students place in local competitions By staff reports Recently, students from the Dawson County High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) group com peted in land evaluation and cattle showing, with each group of students excelling in their events. On Sept. 22, students from the DCHS FFA group com peted in the North Region Area 1 FFA Land Evaluation contest, placing second and advancing to the state com petition. This week on Oct. 11, they competed in the state event in Perry, Georgia and placed 12th in the state. The land evaluation con test team consisted of Grade Turner, Chase Cofield, Bryce Beach and Carson Branson, all of whom worked hard to help their team excel, according to FFA Advisor Keith Pankey. “The students worked hard at the area event to get the chance at state,” Pankey said. “The DCHS FFA is off and running this year.” Also recently, two FFA members received prizes for showing their beef cattle at the Chattooga County Fair. Emily Cox, the daughter of Bo and Laura Cox and a ninth grader at DCHS, and Chase Cofield, son of Chad and Deedra Cofield and an 11th grader at DCHS, both brought home a belt buckle for winning champion show manship in their grade lev els. “(I’m) very proud of both of these individuals and their hard work,” Pankey said. CHATTOOGA W COUNTY * Wl. AGRICULTURAL/^ Photos courtesy of Keith Pankey Above, DCHS FFA students Grade Turner, Chase Cofield, Bryce Beach and Carson Branson recently competed in the state Land Evaluation contest, placing 12th. Left,DCHS FFA students Emily Cox and Chase Cofield recently brought home belt buckles for winning champion showmanship in their grade levels at the Chattooga County Fair. Erica Jones Dawson County News Johnny and Kathy Burt hold the resolution from the State of Georgia declaring Oct. 18, 2022 as Burt's Pumpkin Farm Day in the state. FROM 1A Burt's “You don’t get 50 years of business without doing a really good job of taking care of cus tomers and taking care of the community,” Wade said. “The entire family to me is a great symbol of what makes Dawson County great, and that’s hard work and sticking together through thick and thin. They are a family of faith and that’s at the center of everything that they do — that’s at the center of what I believe our district is about: faith, family and working hard.” State Senator Steve Gooch also spoke during the event, congratulating the Burt family on their accomplishment and thanking them for the part they play in the state’s agriculture. “We appreciate the Burts for being here all these years; thank you for your steadfast ability to stay on this farm and raise your family and I hope your grand- kids will do the same thing,” Gooch said. “What a beautiful place for tourists to come up; this place is packed every day of the week and on weekends. What an amazing opportunity for this community; it’s because of all your hard work and your family sticking together and making it happen.” Burt’s Pumpkin Farm was started back in 1972 by local couple Johnny and Kathy Burt, who began by selling pumpkins from their front yard as a hobby and a way to make a little extra money. Since then, their farm has grown from selling about 300 pumpkins a year to now selling about 150,000 a year. District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett, who has lived near the Burt family and seen the farm grow since the very beginning, said that to her the family and the farm are both sta ples of what make Dawson County what it is. “We all know this place is magic — we’ve got a lot of jew els in Georgia; this is a jewel and your family is a jewel,” Fausett said during the event. “They’re the hardest working people I’ve ever seen in my life; I was here too when it all started and look where it is now... it is fabulous.” Dawsonville City Council member Will Illg, Dawson County Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond, Dawson County Clerk of Courts Justin Power, Dawson County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mandy Power and Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson also shared their thoughts during the event, thanking the Burt family for all they do for Dawson County and for all their family means to so many people. “I love this farm; it’s like a little slice of heaven in Dawson,” Illg said. “We love you guys and we’re excited to celebrate you today.” “If there’s one thing I know, they wouldn’t be a farm without a family,” Johnson added. “I love the Burt family; they’re just like family to me.” Wade added that, both on a personal level and as a part of the Dawson County community, he’s grateful for the Burt family and their commitment to make the county a better place. “When there’s something that needs done in the community, they’re just a phone call away — if you need a prayer or you need a pumpkin they are there for you, and to me that’s why this 50 years is happening,” Wade said. After the reading of the reso lution, Johnny and Kathy Burt accepted it from Wade and thanked those in attendance for their support throughout the years. “I want to thank all of y’all — y’all are Dawson County, we’re Dawson County and we love every one of you,” Johnny Burt said. To read more about the histo ry of Burt’s farm, go to https:// www.dawsonnews.com/life/arts- entertainment/faith-family-and- pumpkin-fields-burts-farm- opens-for-50th-season/. To learn more about the farm including hours, directions and more, go to https://www.shop- burtsfarm.com/. FROM 1A Perimeter installation of sanitary lines and sewer manholes up to Perimeter Road right-of-way, the applicant donating funds of $1000 per unit for future inter section improvements at Perimeter Road and Highway 9 South and of $500 per unit for future intersection improvements at Perimeter Road and Highway 53 East, and the installation of a dedicated left turn lane on Perimeter Road and the develop ment’s first driveway. “I make a motion to approve with the condi tion that the developer agrees to meet the guide lines set out by the plan ning department, with the exception of the easement onto Highway 53,” French said. “I think that right-in right-out only entrance and exit would be very well placed there.” Council members John Walden and Will Illg both voted against the requests, citing reasons similar to those of the planning commission members at their Sept. 12 meeting. “First off, I’d like to thank the public who reached out to me via email, phone call and so forth,” Walden said. “I looked at this every which way I could and I don’t feel it meets the comprehensive plan over all... I have concerns with the traffic conges tion and with the public safety and so forth, so I have to be a no on this one.” Illg thanked both Chapman and Homans for their time answering questions about the appli- cation but also voted against the requests. “I appreciate Jim and Joey, you guys meeting with us — I got a lot of information from you guys and I appreciate the meeting that we got to have,” Illg said. “For me... it kind of feels like to me putting a square peg in a round hole.” The council members were split in their vote, with French and council member Caleb Phillips voting in favor and Walden and Illg voting against. Mayor Mike Eason acted as the tie breaker, voting in favor of the requests to approve both the annexation and the rezoning in a 3-2 vote. ^ We Support SMALL BUSINESS WOMEN and Their Support Team 4 ! A HAPPY 7^# DOG RETREAT 706-265-1002 BOARD & BATH Daily & Extended ■ Stay boarding Light Grooming and Bathing Pet Taxi Services in Metro Atlanta 8c Worth Georgia Start earning with Bank OZK today! 3.00% 8 month CD or IRA CD Special 3.30% 13 month CD or IRA CD Special 3.50% 18 month CD or IRA CD Special Visit our Dawsonville location or open an account online at ozk.com.** <> BankOZK ozk.com I Member FDIC ‘Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective as of the publication date. Offer applies to new CDs only. $1,000 minimum deposit to open and is required to earn stated APY. Penalty for early withdrawal. IRA CD is subject to eligibility requirements. Offer not available to Public Funds, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. Fees could reduce earnings. Offer subject to change without notice. Offer good at location in Dawsonville, GA only. “IRA CD must be opened in person and cannot be opened online.
