Art exhibit boosts farmer's well fund

Saturday, March 5, 2016

South Valley man helps fellow farmer in need

Will Scott, Jr. thought his farming days were over because two of his wells were running dry, but here he is disking his field so he can plant some vegetables. All because 68-year old Paul Buxman and his wife Beth hatched a plan to help will drill a new well.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A South Valley farmer is working to get a new well drilled for a Fresno farmer he barely even knows.

Will Scott, Jr. thought his farming days were over because two of his wells were running dry, but here he is disking his field so he can plant some vegetables. "Sometimes if you have faith somebody steps up to reinforce that faith," Scott said.

Back in September, 68-year old Paul Buxman and his wife Ruth hatched a plan to help will drill a new well. "The truth is my hope was about this big, but I didn't know what else to do," Buxman explained. "If you don't start, nothing will happen."

Community donations have helped the $30,000 project hit the halfway point "When someone says that, it's amazing that someone's out there that can have a heart that wants to help," Scott said.

"I think it took his breath away," Buxman said. "He said, 'I can't, what is this?'"

Consider this. Buxman actually took out a loan so he could drill two new wells on his own property, but Paul still felt it was critical to help another small farmer. "Here's a guy, he's older than me," Buxman said. "He's farming by himself. His wife has passed on. What is he feeling?"

Food is a common bond. "He likes black eyed peas too. He was raised on that too," Scott said.

Buxman's art exhibition will including a drill for will display. Those who want to donate will receive a lithograph. "I think with this well there's a future for a young man to eventually learn from him to begin to farm that," Buxman said. "Without it, I think it would just be another corporate takeover."