PALMETTO — Henry B. Parrish, a respected Myakka rancher, was inducted posthumously Thursday into the county’s Agricultural Hall of Fame as part of Farm City Week festivities.
Parrish and his late wife, Julia, operated a ranch near Myakka City for decades before his death in 1995 at the age of 81.
“They had no biological children of their own, but they loved children,” said Jim Strickland, a county property appraiser, rancher, and long-time friend of the Parrishes.
The couple’s legacy continues in the lives of children in Myakka, since the Parrishes signed the loan for a youth center there, Strickland told a crowd gathered at a luncheon at the Woman’s Club of Palmetto.
It was one of many events going on this week in conjunction with Farm City Week, a celebration of agriculture’s importance to the community. Farm City Week events continue through Saturday.
Henry Parrish was a tough man who rode horseback in the rain and endured heat and bugs, driving cattle to market before there were any fences in the area, Strickland said.
“He had a reputation of being a good, big country cowman,” said Strickland, adding that tales of the era made up “the stuff of legends.”
Another speaker who remembered the Parrishes was Julie Brown, of Ocala, Henry’s third cousin. During the 1980s, she lived with the couple for three or four years as a teenager.
“They taught me to give,” she told the crowd. “Uncle Henry didn’t speak much, but when he did, everyone listened.”
Also appearing on the program were Rachel Elek, 12, a student at Nolan Middle, and Sienna Bonner, 16, a student at Southeast High, first-place winners in an essay contest that is a part of the week’s festivities.
Tied for second place in the contest were Nicole Liles, of Palmetto High; Samantha Shaw, of Southeast High; Laney Funk, of Buffalo Creek Middle; and Michelle Vanderford, of Haile Middle.
Ralph Garrison, chairman of Farm City Week, said this year’s theme is “Fresh from Manatee,” an effort to encourage shoppers to buy local-grown items to support area farmers.
Sara Kennedy, can be reached at (941) 745-7031 or at skennedy@bradenton.com.
Disclaimer: Story comments are intended to provide a place for constructive dialog about issues and events in our community. Your input is encouraged and can make a positive difference. To achieve this, no obscenity, personal attacks, or racial slurs are tolerated. Users brought to our attention for violating our terms of use will be blocked from commenting permanently and without notice. Please help keep the comments on topic by flagging objectionable material and remember that children and young adults may be reading your comments. With freedom of speech comes the responsibility to be respectful of others.
Email Story
Printer Friendly 
Quick Job Search
@Nyx.replyAnswerText@