Singles Club Taps a Fertile Field

Single people who live on farms say that the many services that help singles get together have a basic flaw. Most of the people listed are from cities. “They’re not compatible,” said Marvin Block, a 54-year-old widower from Orchard, Neb. “There’s nothing like a good country girl.” So, Singles in Agriculture, a nonprofit group, was formed last year. It claims 300 members in 38 states and Canada and a mailing list of 4,000 single people who farm or work in farm-related businesses. Craig Stratton, 32, of Collins, Iowa, said he often comes in from the field too tired to do anything but sit at home, but, through his involvement in the organization, “I now have friends in 10 states I can call.” The group, which charges a $30 fee, recently published a membership directory, although it disavows the role of matchmaker: “We never intended to choose a mate for you--That’s your challenge.” One 28-year-old, 6-foot-6 Illinois man describes himself as a “part-time construction worker and hog farmer looking for a tall young lady that is looking for some old-fashion farm life.” A 66-year-old Idaho woman describes herself: “Retired. Christian widow, nonsmoker, nondrinker, likes bowling, cards, fishing, dancing; also quiet evenings at home.”

--Golf pros aren’t the only ones whose unintentional infractions can come back to haunt them through television. Last week, when a TV crew filmed Dan Jackson driving his car during an interview about his appointment as police chief of Clear Lake, Iowa, several viewers noticed that he was not wearing his seat belt, as state law requires. “It was a mistake,” said Jackson. He ticketed himself after the violation was pointed out, and paid a $21.50 fine.

--Jan Thommason, an 18-year-old grocery box girl and the 1986 Oklahoma Best Bagger, squared off against Jorge Baca, 19, of Houston, in the Texas vs. Oklahoma “Check-Out/Shoot-Out.” Thommason, who had beaten out more than 20 Oklahoma sackers to earn her title, lost to Baca, a college freshman studying to be an X-ray technician. He packed a bag of groceries in just over 50 seconds--four seconds faster than Thommason--to win $1,000 and a shot at the “Best Bagger” title in competition scheduled for May in Chicago. The sponsoring National Paper Institute issued a standard list of items to be bagged and allowed competitors to practice. “I didn’t really practice that much, because they (Fiesta Mart No. 4, his employers) just told me about it a few days ago,” Baca said. Even with the handicap, he beat Thommason by one point in the five categories of speed, weight distribution, style, proper bagging techniques and number of bags used.