Cow Testicles

It is well-known by this point that Boxwell Reservation had a working farm. The farm ran from 1960 to approximately 1976 and engaged in cattle, hogs, tobacco, and various row crops. But, what is not always well understood is that generally most of the staff did not work on the farm. Maintaining the farm was primarily the job of the rangers.

Still, connection with the farm came in mysterious ways. As Stahlman staff member George Burrus explained such a situation earlier this year, “You were not allowed to go anywhere near the farm. The only interaction that I had with the farm was I had a trot line to catch fish out off of the Stahlman, down stream from the waterfront, and I needed something to bait my trout line with. Farmer Bush gave me a gallon tin can of cow testicles. I caught more catfish on cow testicles than anything else. and they stayed on the hook, too.”

There you have it: fishing with cow testicles from Boxwell’s farm. You can’t make this stuff up.

We have no photo of this momentous day, so instead, here’s a photo of Stahlman Friday Night Campfire area in 1971. To the right of the campfire area would be right about the area where Burrus was doing his fishing.

Collection of Michael Seay