Bitter Harvest Farm Raffle Called Off

Bitter harvest farm raffle called off AG WORLD Ag World 9-6-5 "We're calling it off," reports Bud Hirst, Unionville, Mo., ending the much publicized "Bitter Harvest" farm raffle. Facing farm foreclosure, Bud and his wife Hazel started selling a book of Hazel's poetry entitled Bitter Harvest. Her poems detailed the joys and sorrows of farming and farmlife. Along with the book, which sold for $8.00, purchasers received a chance at winning the Hirsts' 476-acre farm in a raffle. The drawing for the farm was originally set for last July 4th, one year after the contest started. When the goal of 50,000 books had not yet been sold by that date, the contest was moved back to Labor Day, Sept. 2nd, and then moved back once again after that. "The truth is that it's not going to go," Bud told FARM SHOW. "We did everything we could possibly do but orders were down to practically nothing and we were only about halfway to our goal." The contest wasn't in vain though, adds Bud, who along with Hazel was featured in national magazines and on TV news shows. "We feel good about how the contest helped bring the farm problem out in the open. We received many letters from city people telling us that they didn't realize things were 'so bad." Bud says they probably now face foreclosure on their farm sometime this winter. Hirst says purchasers of the book who want their $81refunded should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and the number of their book to: FARM SHOW Followup, Bud and Hazel Hirst, P.O. Box 176, Unionville, MO. 63565.

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