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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Family farms and ranches are vital to the prosperity |
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| 6 | 7 | | of the Lone Star State, and the Vahlenkamp farm is indeed deserving |
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| 7 | 8 | | of recognition for 111 years of continuous operation; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The 272-acre Vahlenkamp farm is part of the Texas |
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| 9 | 10 | | Department of Agriculture Family Land Heritage Program, which |
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| 10 | 11 | | honors families who have owned and continuously operated a farm or |
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| 11 | 12 | | ranch for a century or more; and |
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| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, The farm was established in 1904 in eastern |
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| 13 | 14 | | Stonewall County, near Old Glory, by John Vahlenkamp, a German |
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| 14 | 15 | | immigrant; his grandson, Herbert Vahlenkamp, began leasing the land |
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| 15 | 16 | | from his grandfather in 1946, the same year that he married, and |
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| 16 | 17 | | Herbert and his wife, Gladys, became the owners of the farm in 1955; |
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| 17 | 18 | | and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Able stewards of the land, Mr. and Mrs. Vahlenkamp |
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| 19 | 20 | | initially grew cotton, plowing the fields with the help of farm |
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| 20 | 21 | | animals and harvesting the crops by hand; today, they oversee the |
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| 21 | 22 | | production of wheat, hay, and cattle, and modern farm equipment |
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| 22 | 23 | | allows them to continue their active lifestyle after nearly seven |
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| 23 | 24 | | decades together; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, In preserving their property as a working farm, the |
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| 25 | 26 | | Vahlenkamps have carried on their family's significant legacy, and |
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| 26 | 27 | | it is most fitting to honor them; now, therefore, be it |
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| 27 | 28 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 28 | 29 | | Legislature hereby recognize the Vahlenkamp family for 111 years of |
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| 29 | 30 | | continuous operation of the family farm in Stonewall County and |
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| 30 | 31 | | extend to Herbert and Gladys Vahlenkamp sincere best wishes for the |
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| 31 | 32 | | future; and, be it further |
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| 32 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 33 | 34 | | prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Vahlenkamp as an expression of high |
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| 34 | 35 | | regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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