100 Acres and a Dream

Dale and Ruby Middlebrook have persevered through countless droughts, numerous waves of record-low commodity prices and other obstacles in their lifetime of farming cotton and raising cattle in Haskell County.

The Last of the Draft 

The only two cotton harvests Dale Middlebrook has missed were the two that took place after he was drafted for military service in 1946 as a result of World War II. Although the war ended in 1945, the draft was still in effect, and Dale was among the last group of young men in Haskell County drafted for military service.

Soon after marrying his high school sweetheart, Ruby, in 1945, the two teenagers embarked on an adventure to Fort Lewis, Washington, to serve out Dale’s military duty.

After he started basic training, Ruby joined him.

“I rode the bus four days and nights to Tacoma, Washington where Dale was to pick me up,” Ruby recalled. “I was nervous, I was 16. We didn’t have phones back then and I was so happy to see him at the bus stop.

“As teenagers, we moved two-thousand miles from home. That move forced us to grow up and rely on each other,” Ruby said.

Homecoming

During his time in the service, Dale was in the Core of Engineers and trained in heavy equipment - a skillset he took back to the farm once he and Ruby decided to return home to Haskell County.

“After being in the service, I knew that wasn’t for me, and I never forgot growing up on the farm,” Dale recalled with a twinkle in his eye. “I just loved it and as a kid I couldn’t hardly wait to get on a new tractor and try it out.”

As Dale’s military duty came to an end, he and Ruby returned home to fulfill their dream of farming.

“We came home and began farming again with a little land from my dad,” Dale explained. “After a few years of scrimping and saving, we had enough money for a down payment on a 100-acre cotton farm, which was $100 an acre.”

The Middlebrooks bought that 100 acres in 1951 with the help of the Federal Land Bank of Texas in Haskell, which is now Central Texas Farm Credit.

“Everyone said, ‘That’s too expensive, you’ll never make it,’” recalled Dale. “Well, over the years, it’s proven to be a pretty good investment.”

The Middlebrooks and Central Texas Farm Credit have had a partnership for nearly 70 years.

“Farm Credit has really been good to us,” Middlebrook said. “They’ve stood by us through thick and thin.”

Today, Ruby (92) and Dale (91), farm more than 4,000 acres of a mix of dry land and irrigated cotton ground. They also run a Charolais cow-calf operation, with help from their grandsons and great-grandson.

“Our future plans are for our grandson and great-grandson to take over our farming operation,” Middlebrooks said.

Wouldn’t Change a Thing

Ruby and Dale’s story is one of perseverance, determination and encouragement – especially today as we navigate through a national pandemic and a significant downturn in the economy.

When asked what is the one thing he would tell himself as a young farmer starting out Dale said, “I’d like to have had better equipment starting out. My first cotton harvest was pulled by hand, and this year’s cotton harvest will be pulled by an eight-row cotton stripper.”

He added, “As far as our life together – I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Listen to Dale and Ruby's story here.