Prawn and the Pitt Family farm

Many of you may know that our family (Pitt family) started to raise prawn, which is fresh water shrimp on our family farm in eastern North Carolina a couple of years ago. Prawn is a very healthy food and lower in iodine also. A friend of mine by the name of Ted White bought a couple of pounds of prawn a few months ago. He fixed the prawn for a friend of his and she is allergic to shrimp. She ate the prawn and had no reaction. What a thrill to eat and not have a negative reaction.  Well, I had been thinking about eating prawn without taking the benedryl before I consumed it. If I take the benedryl before I eat any seafood, I will not have a reaction. Last night, Friday 10/26/12 I decided to be adventurous and eat the prawn and see if I had the negative reaction of my neck,tongue,and face swelling. Of course I had the benedryl close by just in case I had a reaction.

I ate the prawn and my face, tongue, or neck did not swell. I had no allergic reaction.  I certainly can't say that everyone will not have it but I have evidence that one other person besides myself did not have a allergice reaction. Wow!!!!!!!!!!! I am thrilled.

ps: see my new episode on my show The Greenway and More on www.DPVN.net

When you get to the site of DPVN in order to find my show,you may need to click all programs and then click on The Green Way and More.

helping others and Living Life

It is important to help others anytime that you can. Yesterday when I went to the gym to workout, one of the members and I was talking to  mentioned that his cousin had just purchased 60 acres of land. As we talked I mentioned how there are many ways that he could increase the income of the property. Some of the ideas were, contracting with hunters for a hunting lease for deer and turkey, or sell timber, and farm year round with greenhouse farming. We are just starting to grow tomatoes, green peppers and mixed greens. I have a lot of ideas but I would remind everyone not to let your ideas go to your grave.

On August 11,2012 all my ideas could have gone to my grave. I was coming back from the farm after getting some papers signed by family members for a grant offered by the USDA. As I got on Hwy 264 outside of Wilson, a terrible storm started and I hydroplaned and hit several trees and ended up lodged up against a tree on the passenger side. I had a passenger with me who had gone with me to film some of the activities on the farm. As I stood by the road trying to call 911, it was unreal as the cars sped by, not really being able to see me because the storm was at its peak and they were trying to stay focused on the road. My car was down and embankment. I realized if I had died no one in my family would not know the people that I talk with, connections that I have made or the details that we have regarding how to handle a family member that creates a lot of trumoil and heartache. As a result of that life or death situation, I decided that I needed to resign from my full time job and manage the operations of our family farm. It is time that I live my dreams.

Enough thoughts for tonight. I need to partner with someone that can help me jumpstart the farming and help fund us for at least 6 months while I get the farming operations fully functioning and profitable. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Working on the farm

Today is Saturday morning about 4:30am and I am getting ready to leave to go to the farm and assist with some work to be done. As I leave realize that I have a lot to be thankful for. Most recently I have been connected with an exciting business opportunity that will help the farm, me personally and a lot of other people. This business opportunity is a way to get paid from people paying bills such as cell phone bills, texting, and 19 other essential services. Just like working on the farm, when you plan, plant the seed water and cultivate the growth, success can happen.

Remeber to be the best you can each and every day. Strive for excellence and see the end in mind. See success, prosperity, happiness and joy. If looked for you will find it. Make it a good day. Think about me working outside today. The goal is to finish befor it gets to hot.  Don't forget to check out www.DPVN.net/TGAP

Thoughts come to my mind about the word Change.

As we start out the new year, several thoughts come to my mind about the word Change. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts of what makes a person a success in business and in life. I read a quote that a "Gem cannot be polished without friction". I am constantly asking How can I reach my greatest potential? Unrealized potential impacts our families, children and community. I remember a man saying that the decisions that we make today impact our children, Grandchildren and future generations. This is very true. I think about the farming endeavors that my family and I are involved in now. If my Great Grand Father had not purchased the original farm in 1869, our family would not have it today and now getting ready to start Prawn farming as well as other endeavors. The decisions that he made then certainly impacts our family today

President John Kennedy said" Change is the law of life". Therefore, ask the question, what change in my life will I make in my business and in my life? What do I do now? How do I reinvent myself? How do I use my talents to reshape or rebuild my life? Let me know what your think.

Cedere Truimpho,
(Change and Triumph)
Felton

An Answer to a Business Solution


Conflict can often occur in a business. The way conflict is handled determines the success of a business. Our family owns a farm in Southern town in North Carolina. The goal of the family is to make the farm more profitable and keep it in the family. Saving the black family farm was important to our family members. The 150 acre farm has been in the family since 1934. One other farm purchased in 1869 is now owned by another family member. As a result of another farm lost through a court decision it was very important to keep this farm in the family by the remaining family members. None of the family wanted the farm to become another statistic of Black Land lost. As a family we have experienced conflicts that came from issues surrounding land ownership, entitlements and the rights of heirs and their position on the family tree based on lineage. The problem could have been resolved in the 1950’s if my Grand Father would have made one major decision. Can you guess what kind of decision he needed to make? He needed to make a will however he chose not to do so. My Grandfather stated that he was not going to make a will because he knew that some of his children would not be satisfied. At that time my mother and my aunt tried to convince him to make a will but he did not do so. I later learned that Black people at that time did not make wills because of a fear that property could be stolen because of the inability to read. Some felt that signing a document such as a last will in testament could lead to loosing property. Black people in the past had cause for suspicion because many had been swindled out of properties unfairly.

Disputes and conflict over land is still going on all over the world and not just within families. In fact wars are still going on about land ownership. The big question is how to resolve such disputes. Our family and the property are located in North Carolina. Fortunately there are only 9 members who remain owners of the heir property. As family members die the number of heirs will grow, thus the number of owners will grow. The problem of resolving the dispute with the land existed in the family and hindered the progress of the business of successful farming. For over 10 years attempts had been made to arrive at an agreeable solution; however the family could not come to an agreement on a few critical issues. With the conflict, and disagreements on how to resolve the issues some of the family relationships had become strained.

In business, decisions have to be made. A person has two choices. Decide to do something or decide to do nothing. Our family was at a point that in order for the farm to become more profitable decisions on how the conflict was going to be resolved was needed. I emerged as the new leader for our farming endeavors and business. Fortunately I had good relations with the different family groups. When it was necessary to present ideas to family members, I did not have any bad personal baggage that would prohibit discussions about sensitive subject matters. The disputes on issues were big. At this point a corporation (LLC) had been established and by- laws developed. There was one missing step that I had overlooked. The farm and other land needed to be deeded over to the LLC. A major conflict occurred because my cousins lived on the farm and if the farm was deeded to the LLC; their homes would become property of the LLC. There were other dynamics within the family that also prohibited the family from resolving the conflict.

The solution to this business dilemma was to utilize a mediation process. I was able to secure the help from the UNC Southern Coalition for Social Justice and from Harvard Law School students.

Watch in the next issue for the Solution


From My books for teen and young Adult females and males


In my book I stress the importance of writing our thought to younger people. Much wisdom goes to our grave and young people don’t benefit from our wisdom. When we do share our wisdom sometime it is done when we are angry or in a crisis. Also, the art of letter writing is not used as much, however when we write a letter we take the time to really chose the right words and really take the time to convey our thoughts. Just think when we are dead and gone if you had letters that your children could read, it could mean so much to them. I recently went the funeral of the mother a high school friend. He told me about the letters that his mother left for each one of her children. They were to be read upon her death. He said that the letters were some comforting and he would always cherish and have that written message from his mother.


Below is a poem that I wrote in 1987. Share this with a young person and help them to believe in themselves.


Believe

As I write these messages I want you to first of all
expect that life will offer many good experiences
and some experiences that you would consider not
so good. You must have faith and confidence to
believe that each experience will prepare you for
the next step in life.

Matthew 21:22

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask
for in prayer

BELIEVE that you are a special person, placed on
earth to make a contribution.
Felton Wooten

2

BELIEVE that because God’s will, you were born
and destined to be the special person that you are.

BELIEVE that there are more people in the world
that wish you luck, success and happiness than
there are people that wish you harm and despair.

BELIEVE that no matter how old you are there will
be moments of despair, heartbreak, and happiness.

BELIEVE that through all the trials of life you will
have the eternal love of God, the love of friends,
and the love of relatives.

BELIEVE that you can accomplish all the things
you wish to do, but if you don’t, it was worth
trying.

BELIEVE that work is good and the
accomplishments of your work will be rewarding.

BELIEVE that all will not be easy, but you can
make your life rewarding and satisfying.

BELIEVE in yourself, mankind, and utmost in
God.

KNOW that your future lies ahead of you.

KNOW that you have a choice of paths in life.

KNOW that it will not be easy choosing the paths
or which direction to take.

KNOW that God is always with you to help make
the choices, but remember that the choice will be
yours.

KNOW that you are never alone because of friends,
relatives and God.

KNOW that from this day on, you not only have
a choice of paths to take but KNOW that you can
ask for help from those who love you and wish you
success.

KNOW that because of the forces of love, truth,
peace, and honesty you can find the answers that
you need in life. Ask for guidance from those that
are close to you. Be still; ask for guidance and
often the answer will come to you from within.

KNOW that the evil forces may try to make you
detour, but, learn, to look for the answer that feels
right to you.

In conclusion, REMEMBER these thoughts and:
As you look deep into your soul, learn to know
yourself, appreciate those who are close to you, and
absorb the beauty that surrounds you. Take time to
gave into the heavens, gave at the stars, and plot
your course in life by listening to that inner voice.

Wanted: People that will to help an organ transplant patient

What will a Random Act of Kindness Do? How Can You Help?From the Desk of Felton Wooten in Greensboro, NCDear Friend,Think about someone that has been very sick.Have you been faced with a major obstacle and some people came to your rescue. Matthew Goodman, a North Carolina Central University (NCCU) graduate of 1979 and a native of Greensboro, NC recently had a Kidney and Pancreas transplant. Receiving the transplant was a significant milestone. He still faces many challenges. I told Matthew God still has work for him to do even though he is going through a lot right now. This is how you can create something good for this young man. Matthew was a cub scout in when my mother was a Den Mother. That is how I got to know Matthew many years ago. My brother and Matthew are good friends even and went to NCCU at the same time.My goal is to help by raising money for some of his expenses after he returns from the hospital. If you decide to help, proceeds from each book sale will go towards helping Matthew. Several ways you can help by making any of the following purchases my books. Visit www.FeltonWooten.com to purchase any of my books.Do you know someone needing tips with starting a business? My book is called, “How Not to Run a Business”; 25 Critical Tips to Make a Business Succeed gives advise that I wish I had when I started 2 former businesses.Need a good book for inspirational messages for teen girls? This is a good book to use to facilitate teen group discussions that are dealing with painful past and bad decisions. This Book is called “Letters to My Daughters”; A Series of 16 Inspirational lettersDo you know a caregiver of a patient that could benefit from some good advice about how to treat a patient better? As a Nursing Home Administrator for over 30 years, I developed a CD to help caregivers and family membersThe CD is Quality of Life; Abuse Prevention Measures for caregiversVisit: www.howtostopelderabuse.com to purchase my book.Tax deductible contributions can be made by mailing a check or money order to:Wooten & Associates (501(c)3 organization, which helps the disabled and provide education to the public)Address 4642 W. Market St., Suite 166, Greensboro, NC 27407Purchase or make a contribution Today to support our efforts.$10.00 How Not to Run a Business$13.00 Letters to My Daughters$24.94 CD Quality of Life; Elder Abuse PreventionAdd $2.00 for shipping and handlingFELTON NEWS®