Jim Cole, Honored Citizen for the 2025 Hahira Honey Bee Festival.

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My name is Jim Cole. I was born and raised in the Shiloh area of Lowndes County. My Grandparents bought and settled our farm after they moved here from Tennessee in the early 1900's. I'm fortunate that I'm a third generational farmer. Growing up in a farming family just seemed like a natural career path for me.

The acreage I farm varies from year to year but I tend about 500 plus acres on the average. My main crops are cotton and peanuts. I also tend and grow hay and pecans. In the past however I've grown tobacco, zucchini squash, and corn. Although, when I was growing up, we raised hogs, beef cattle, and tobacco.

My mentors through the 35 years of farming are these three men; Todd Hollis, John Dewitt, and Woodrow Clemons. These three men were and are supportive and encouraging to me and I thank them for our business relationships as well as our friendships.

The best advice I've ever received from anyone was to work, work, work!  In my down time I like to go to the NASCAR races with the Front Row Motorsports team, as I used to work for them. I also enjoy going to the coast with my wife, daughter, and stepson when time allows.

The antidote that's worked for me through the years is to "think positive" and "always help others when you can".