Justin Averett

The Clanton Advertiser

 

A Covington County native and his wife took home Chilton County’s “Farm of the Year” award at a recent banquet Clanton Kiwanis Club, Chilton County Farmers Federation, Chilton County Office of Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Chilton County Chamber of Commerce.

Rocky Farms, owned by Truett and Jean Maddox, was named the group’s “Farm of the Year.”

Truett Maddox was born in 1935 in Covington County and grew up working in the fields, where his family raised corn, cotton, peanuts, cattle and hogs. After school and in summers, it was part of his responsibility to weed the fields and tend to the milk cows.

He graduated from Covington County High School, where he was a member of FFA for three years. After graduation, he served in the Army during the Korean Conflict.

After the war, he attended Samford University and the University of Alabama.

He spent 44 years in the cookie business, with 22 years at Bremner Biscuit Company and 22 years at Greg’s Cookie Company in Birmingham.

Having grown up around cows, he knew he wanted to get back in the business. He purchased his first bull and five heifers in 1985. He now has an Angus bull and his cows are Angus, Simmental and Limousine mix.

Mrs. Maddox is certainly a partner in the business, where she too has “done it all,” from building and repairing fences to raking hay and feeding cattle.

Mr. Maddox participates in cattle board sales and is a member of the Alabama Feeder Calf Marketing Association, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and the Chilton County Cattlemen’s Association, where he serves on the board of directors. He is also involved with the Chilton County Jail Ministry, a Gideon and member of Mineral Springs Baptist Church.

Truett and Jean Maddox have been married for 42 years and have five children, Lynn Purvis, David Maddox, Chuck Maddox, Beverly Wyatt and the late Steve Maddox. They have 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.