Orson Clark-12/14/81 - Pg 9

Orson Clark: Yes. These people from up there, they don't know how to farm. All they knew was to milk a few cows and raise a little hay or a little grain and the like. Of course maybe I'm not much on producing but I made the ground produce.

Interviewer: So as you look back now, you are glad you went up there?

Orson Clark: It was the best move I ever made in my life, with as little as I came out in the end. Yes sir.

Interviewer: Why wouldn't you sons take it over?

Orson Clark: The oldest son was going to. In fact he bought some furniture and the like and came down to get a truck and come and bring some things. But when he got down here, his wife was sick. She has been on dialysis since. So he was tied up and he couldn't come. The second boy was with me up there in the summertime going to school, schooling was what he wanted. He got his Doctor's degree. The younger son, he was just going to college and he wasn't particular about staying because in those '60's there wasn't much money in it, it was tight. Farming was hard. He stayed there except when he was going to school and on a mission. But while I was there, I sent the three boys through college and on missions.

Interviewer: The land paid for itself. It paid.

Orson Clark: Then I paid for the land.

Ruth Knowlton: Sometimes you have to look at your profit in different ways than hard cash, don't you?

Orson Clark: Well, that's right. Yes. Of course, I left the place in real good shape because I had it all cleared of any brush or trees or anything that was on it. I cleaned it off and I had it leveled. I had it subsoiled both ways. Those things really made it so it would produce. I know the fellow that took it over from me when we finally made a sale, I went up there that spring and I could see that he was in the wrong in the way he was doing it. Of course, I didn't say anything to him. It was his and he could do as he pleased. But he went broke. But that was a good place.

Interviewer: how did you find Farmington when you and your wife moved back? Orson Clark: Well, it was about the same. It was about the same. There hasn't been much change in Farmington until about '70. Then there was the influx of these people coming in and building and the like. I knew practically everybody around Farmington before I went up there. In fact at one time, I did know everyone because I was in the Bishopric at the time when Bishops had to go into very home at least once a year. So we used to do it and we would get