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N A T H A N I E L _A. TALMAGE

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N A T H A N I E L A. T A L M A G E H O N O R E D Mr. Nathaniel Allen Talmage was born December 17, 1901, in Baiting Hollow, Riverhead township, Long Island, New York. H e graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Agriculture. H e was elected to the H o n o r a r y Society, Phi K a p p a Phi. Mrs. Tahnage is a Master Weaver and by means of this art is known to many friends throughout the United States and m a n y other countries. Their oldest daughter, Jane, is married to an Air Force officer; sons John and Nat, Jr. are involved in the agricultural industry on Long Island, and their youngest daughter, Mary Ellen, is engaged in hospital work in Australia. Tile Tahnage farm, known as Friar's Head F a r m - - s o named because of high wood-fringed sand dunes giving the appearance of a friar's bald head when viewed from the Long Island Sound, which borders the farm on the n o r t h - - h a s been in the family since 1880, consisting at that time of 120 acres; 30 acres were added in 1890, 50 acres in 1910, 50 more acres in 1926 and 130 acres in 1962. This attests to the fact that in an area where housing developments are taking over good agricultural land, the Talmage farm has continued to thrive and grow. The farm does business under the name of H. R. Talmage & Son and is a partnership between members of the Talmage family.

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AMERICAN POTATO JOURNAL

[Vol. 40

"Nat." as he is known by his friends all over the United States, has played a major part in the revolution of Long Island potato production and national potato production. Nat and his father introduced portable overhead irrigation on Long Island in 1936. In 1947, he designed and built one of the earliest succesful two-row potato harvesters used with home-designed and home-built bulk bodies. Bulk harvesting has been used ever since that time on this f a r m . . O n e of the earliest modern potato storages was built in 1926 . . . a building 120 feet by 50 feet with no posts . . . which is still very adequate for today's needs, equipped with modern forced air ventilation. The farm continues to be first in many innovations to Long Island potato production. The bulk bodies at the present time which haul potatoes into the storage in the fall are adapted in the spring to haul bulk fertilizer and bulk seed into the field and deliver it into the potato planter. Of course, the overhead irrigation which was introduced by the Talmage farm, is now standard practice for Long Island potato producers. Nat is past president of the Suffolk County Extension Service Association; past chairman of the Suffolk County 4 - H Executive Committee; and past master of Pomona Gange. H e is chairman of the Suffolk County Agricultural Advisory Committee at the present time. Since 1950 he has been a director of the National Potato Council and is a frequent advisor to decisions concerning agriculture and potatoes in particular on both a state and national level. H e is vice president of the Long Island Produce and Fertilizer Company, a leading farm supplier and potato dealer on Long Island since 1922. Nat has been a constant advocate of unified action by the potato industry to regulate potato production at a level that the free market would use and give a fair price and a realisic return to the producer. Nat Talmage has always been a key figure in all civic ventures in the area. H e is a member of Rotary: has been very active in work with the County hospital and church affairs. H e has served in both State and national committees with the Congegational Church. It is with great honor that I present to the members of the Potato Association of America Nat Talmage for H o n o r a r y Life Membership. I know of no man from industry who so richly deserves the honor at this time.