OGLETHORPE, Ga. — In 1952, a boy and his Dad began farming in Oglethorpe. They came from Oklahoma and picked the spot because they could irrigate from the flint river.
71 years later, that young man - Glen Lee, and his wife Ellen, are still going strong, growing Georgia staples like peanuts, corn, and more.
“I've always said the early bird gets the worm,” Glen chuckled.
86- year old Glen Lee is no spring chicken, but as a corn farmer, he's still popping up every morning and farming out on the tractors.
“This is my 71st crop and it's all I've ever done this farm is part of my life," he calculated.
The other big part of Glen Lee's life is his wife of 63 years... 81-year-old Ellen.
They met at a little restaurant in town. Glen walked in and one thing led to another. Ellen says she never thought she would end up a farm girl but she loves it.
“I started driving peanut combines and at first I drove his and now I have my own,” she said.
“Ellen was a city girl and she's become a farm girl, and without her here I couldn't operate couldn't do it at all,” Glen said lovingly.
She also handles the roadside market... where corn goes out the door like hotcakes.
The Chases have friends who are active, but the hard labor day in and day out for Octogenarians is pretty amazing.
These two just take it all in stride.
“I'm very thankful to have the ability to get in and out of the combines and grade corn and stand around and visit customers in the market. I really enjoy that,” Ellen said with a smile.
“I've slowed down some but I thank the lord I'm still able to go," Glen said.
There isn't one kernel of conversation about retirement. But customers do ask.
“'How long are you going to be doing this?' I say well as long as I have strength and can stand up, I'm going to be here,” Ellen shared.
Heading off to Hawaii isn't in the cards for their golden years.
These two find joy in what they've done all of their lives - relying on each other, working the land, and churning out what they say is the sweetest corn in the South.