Interview with Colby Lee Forsee, April 1, 1988

Interview Summary

Colby Lee Forsee discusses his farm, which has been owned by his family back to his great great grandfather's generation. He discusses the crops and livestock that have been grown on the farm and why those have changed over time. He discusses at length many times throughout the interview his system of rotating crops on his fields in order to make the soil more viable for the crops. He discusses the economic aspects of farming, how this has been affected by technology, and various governmental policies that affect farm economics including subsidies and price support, production control, and incentive programs. He discusses his son and the future generation of farmers, and gives his opinion on family farms versus large farm operations.

[*Culturally insensitive language is used throughout this interview.]

Interview Keyword

Heritage farms Owen County (Ky.) Agricultural education Agricultural chemicals Tobacco Technological innovations Farm equipment Soil erosion

Interview LC Subject

Agriculture--Kentucky Agriculture Crops Family farms Farm life Agricultural subsidies Agricultural price supports--Law and legislation Agriculture--Economic aspects--United States Agricultural administration Agricultural laws and legislation Soils--Quality Traditional farming Livestock

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.