The Lake Dick Cooperative Association in Arkansas was a New Deal Project. It consisted of the heads of each resident household, with each member holding one share of stock. This Association controlled all commercial and agricultural activities at Lake Dick. As a benevolent cooperative, the Association leased the entire 3,453 acre farm from the Federal government.

Each family had four acres for a home, yard, and small vegetable garden, the crop-producing land itself was jointly owned and jointly cultivated by all resident families. A cooperative work system was arranged whereby each farmer was assigned a job by the Association’s elected officials. Whether a man worked in cultivation of the land, raising livestock, cutting timber, or operating one of the community services, he received cash wages bi-weekly from the Association.

All farmers on this project are young Arkansas farmers selected from all parts of the state as seen in the photographs below taken by photographer Dorothea Lange Aug. 1939

 

These farmers are about to begin cooperative cultivation of cotton at Lake Dick project, Arkansas taken by photographer Dorothea Lange 1938

 

Farmer loading strippings from sorghum into wagon, Lake Dick Project, Arkansas by photographer Russell Lee September 1938

 

Farmers, Lake Dick Project, Arkansas by Russell Lee September 1938

Farmers’ cooperative association making sorghum. Lake Dick Project, Arkansas by Russell Lee September 1938

 

Farmer adjusting mask to avoid dust in haying operations. Lake Dick Project, Arkansas by Russell Lee Oct 1938

 

Below Images are of some Members of the Lake Dick Project, Arkansas taken by Russell Lee Sep. – Oct. 1938

Click here to see more stunning photographs of the Lake Dick project in Arkansas.

 

Three complete historical novels in one book Tapestry of Love Historical Series 2^nd edition 2015 –

Court records dating back to the 1630s create historical accuracy as the reader is taken back to the primitive days of colonial Virginia and Maryland where the Pattendens encounter life-changing difficulties with Indians, ducking stools, illness, massacres, death, loneliness, love, and greed.

READER REVIEW OF RIBBON OF LOVE: 2nd edition – A Novel of Colonial America  Book one: The exhilarating action and subplots keep the reader in constant anticipation. It is almost impossible to put the book down until completion. – Dr. Don P. Brandon, Retired Professor, Anderson University

 

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