James Jan-Feb 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 49
or much of the 20th Century, Putnam County was
a rural agricultural area
where cotton fields dotted
much of its landscape and
dairy farms were abundant. For years, the county had the
distinction of being known as “Dairy
Capital of Georgia” since dairy farmers produced much of Georgia’s milk,
cream and butter at that time.
Since then, dairy farming has
drastically decreased to only a few
such operations. As a result, it is now
second behind the county’s laying
egg production. One local dairy
farmer has now decided to even go
far beyond what is known as “Farm
to Table” by breaking down manure
to produce methane gas, according
to Putnam County Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent J. Keith Fielder.
And when it comes to row crops,
cotton is no longer the kingpin. Farmers now produce small crops like soybeans, pecans, blackberries, muscadines and wheat. Other commodities
include growing corn for silage and
hay for those who raise beef cattle.
Growth in the Land of Two Lakes
In recent years, though, Putnam
County has grown in lots of ways.
And officials hope such growth will
continue in different ways from new
industry to various types of businesses, and residential. “We want our city
and county to continue striving to
become all it can be,” Putnam County Commission Chairman Bill Sharp
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