Concrete And Pigs

Jimmie takes a break from behind the wheel of his truck to pose for a photo back in 1955.

Not only a concrete man, but from the 1960s to the 80s J.B. operated for a time the largest hog and grain farm in South Carolina as officially recorded by the State’s Agricultural Department.

“Sometimes we would have over twelve hundred head with some costing as much as $5,000 each,” he said.

He got out of the business because help was getting hard to deal with.

“Ricky and Raddy were my main workforce,” he said.  “The older they got, the less they wanted to smell like pigs.  It hindered their dating lifestyle.”

“They were loyal to their daddy and good at their job,” Willavene added.  “This was a very big business they ran.  But I know it was never fun having to wait on the school bus every day standing under the ‘Saluda Valley Swine Farm’ sign.  After Ricky went in the service, J.B. and Raddy stuck it out until we decided enough was enough.  That’s when J.B. began to chance pace, give up the farm, and relax a little.

“The only remains of my farm today are nine tomato plants beside the back porch,” Jimmie laughed.

But the concrete business is still going.

“I think I’ll be stuck in it forever,” he joked.

As we said earlier, Jimmie helped his dad on the first grandstands at Greenville-Pickens, built the second ones himself in 1955, and says the ones he built in 1995 should last forever.  Today he selects what jobs he takes.  Recently, he poured the concrete “pads” for the Robert Yates Racing team.

“Making these concrete pads is a sensitive deal,” GARHOFA historian Mike Bell told us.  “They have to be extremely level for the adjustment and weight process for each wheel of the car.  This is an art, and Mr. Day is one of a handful who can do this.”