Presidential Gardens
HISTORY
WHY THE NAME PRESIDENTIAL GARDENS?
This Article provides a Brief History and Overview of Various Aspects of Our Founder’s Life That Led to the Formation of Presidential Gardens.
SPECIAL NOTE: MOST OF THE PICTURES USED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE A PART OF THE COLLINS FAMILY ARCHIVES AND HAVE NEVER BEEN USED SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES. MANY HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. THEY ARE BEING USED NOW AS A PART OF THE THIRTY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY (2019) OF THE FFA PRESIDENCY OF B. DALE COLLINS AT CONWAY HIGH SCHOOL AND HIS REMARKABLE STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR STATE PRESIDENT OF THE ARKANSAS FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA.
EARLY YEARS
Dale Collins, owner and founder of Presidential Gardens was born and raised in Conway Arkansas in the United States of America. He was raised mainly by his grandmother but had contact and activities with his parents too. They lived down the road. Both his father and grandmother had a love for gardens so at a very early age he was involved with their gardens. Collins described how he came to love plants so much. He said, "My Grandma, Rose Belk, who we all called "Nannie" raised me and helped instill a love for gardens, plants and especially flowers at a very early age. I still remember helping in her big garden as a young child. By the age of ten I was already planting my own garden next to hers and also with my father in his garden. I can still remember running the tiller and using a hole. We picked strawberries and blackberries out of the same patch that I still have today. I still remember her and her mother raising flowers all over the yard and the tremendous pleasure that they got from it. Some have ask if I had a green thumb. I usually reply that I don’t have a green thumb. I have a green hand. I just love growing plants and flowers that much. Nannie Belk’s love for flowers sure rubbed off on me. I have from a child loved animals but I enjoy plants and especially flowers a little more." "Our family enjoyed our country way of life and one of the big things was to see who could get the first ripe tomato and the biggest one each year. That all went well till daddy started buying large plants that already had large tomatoes on them. That was the end of our friendly family garden competition."
Nannie Belk One of Dale Collins earliest gardens in Southwest Conway Arkansas.
Hauling Hay at Nannie Belk's Small Farm in Conway Arkansas as a part of an FFA project FFA Project continues by Putting hay in the loft of the old two story barn.
FFA = Hands On Experience.
Two Polled Herefords was Dale Collins first Calves as part of his FFA project.
One of Dale Collins pets in High School.
Notice the Billboard in the background that was built by the Conway High School Chapter of the Future Farmers of America. The Conway FFA Chapter played a major role in promoting the second and third Toad Suck Daze Festival at Toad Suck Park. The sign says "Welcome to Conway...Home of the World Famous Toad Suck Daze." A article and nice picture of the Conway FFA members building this billboard was featured in the local paper. It is amazing at the growth of the festival from then to the present.
Dale Collins feeding his chickens as a part of his FFA project.
Dale Collins has always tried to make his animals into pets. It is just a part of the country way of life.
HIGH SCHOOL AND FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA YEARS
Dale Collins has always been involved with plants and gardens in some way form or fashion. As he got older and entered Conway High School his life was about to change forever. He was a student that was headed in the wrong direction. Because of his love for plants, the counselor signed him up for the plant science class. It was taught by a man name Garland Williams. Mr. Williams reached out to Collins and got him involved in the FFA, what was then known as the Future Farmers of America. That, would be a defining moment in his life and within a short time Dale's love for the FFA begin to grow. He came along in a very low period in the Conway FFA's history and the FFA came along in a very low time in his life as well. Mr. Williams, who became like a father to Dale, took him along with several students to the state convention and Leadership Conference that first year. Seeing all the blue and gold FFA jackets and everything that was going on was overwhelming for Collins. He approached Mr. Williams and said that he had found what he wanted to be. Mr. Williams responded with the question, "what is that?" He answered, "I want to be a leader in the FFA." Mr. Williams then told him that he would have to learn to talk at which Collins answered that he could not do that. Mr. Williams informed him that he would have to. Mr. Williams could pull a few strings when needed and in a little while he found Collins and told him that they would be dedicating the new state FFA Association office at Camp Couchdale that next morning and "you are one of the speakers." Dale Collins later recalled that "I slipped out of the dorm that night and walked the camp over and over as nervous as I could be. I think it was something like a little six sentence speech I wrote down on some scrap paper and I used that same speech for the first few months everywhere I went. I still have it in a file.” “The next morning just after daylight they played the national anthem and they raised the flag. The speakers were standing behind what I remember to be a large flatbed hay trailer that was used for a platform. All of a sudden, they introduced me and I stepped up those steps to the podium and there faced me what I believe was over a thousand faces wearing those blue and gold FFA jackets. I overcame the giant there that day and that was the end of my shyness for the most part." He went on to represent the Conway FFA Chapter the next two years by speaking at numerous public events including several local schools, the local Rotary Club and Optimist Club.
One of the finest men that every walked on planet earth, Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor, Mr. Garland Williams. The World Sure Needs Some More Good Men Like Him.
The man that God used to drastically change the direction of the life of Dale Collins was Mr. Garland Williams. He and another FFA member along with Dale Collins can be seen standing on the old swinging bridge at the Arkansas FFA Associations Camp Couchdale on Lake Catherine near Hot Springs Arkansas. Camp Couchdale was created in the early thirties and over one million young people have spent at least a week enjoying agricultural, recreational and leadership activities and many lives have been enriched. Dale Collins, founder and owner of Presidential Gardens was definitely one of them.
Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor, Mr. Garland Williams pictured standing outside the make shift trailer that the classes and the FFA met in at Conway High School in those days.
In the eighties, the Agriculture program at Conway High School had a growing number of people who thought it was through and should be done away with. That would soon change, largely to the efforts of the agriculture education teacher, Mr. Williams, State Senator Stanley Russ and B. Dale Collins. There were certainly were others involved in the effort to save and revitalize the FFA Chapter but the core group consisted of these three. They led the charge. During his three years in high school Dale Collins became one of the most successful and respected members in the Arkansas FFA Association in that era. Even still today, thirty five years later, a number of local people still consider his name to be at the top of the list of those in the area that have come out of the Conway High School Agriculture Program and have continued to support and promote the FFA.
Conway High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor, Mr. Garland Williams speaking at the first Conway FFA Chapter Annual Support Rally held on the Collins Farm southwest of Conway. Dale Collins, served a partial term as chapter Reporter that year and is on the left side of the picture listening to Mr. Williams.
State Senator Stanley Russ was the special Guest Speaker for the Conway FFA Chapters first annual Support Rally. Dale Collins developed a friendship with Senator Russ that would last until the senators death. It all started with his involvement in the FFA.
Dale Collins, first served as chapter Reporter. He is speaking at the first annual Conway FFA Rally in the early eighties.
Arkansas Governor Frank White speaking to the FFA Members at Camp Couchdale near Hot Springs Arkansas. While in High School Dale Collins wrote back in forth to the Governor and spoke with him on the phone several times. He became a fan and supporter of Frank White and would remain so unto the governors death. When Governor White's casket was carried by the State Police out of the Rotunda at the State Capitol Building and loaded into the hearse, Dale Collins was the only civilian to walk behind it.
Dale Collins has visited Governor Whites grave a number of times through the years in Little Rock Arkansas. Their connection all started when Collins was active in the FFA.
Collins was honored as Conway FFA Member of the Year, and also was the Top Salesman all three years. He authored the CHS FFA constitution that was used for a number of years, served on numerous FFA committees on the local and state level. He ran for chapter president and lost by five votes. He served that year as the local chapter Reporter and was named the Outstanding FFA Reporter for the State of Arkansas that year. He was asked to speak at the state Leadership conference teaching other FFA Reporters at Camp Couchdale how to write news articles and how to deal with the news media. He turned around and ran for chapter president the next year and won by five votes. The year he was president the local membership grew to record numbers and became one of the largest and most active youth organizations at Conway High School. He attended three state conventions where he got to see and hear Governor Bill Clinton and Governor Frank White speak. He attended two national FFA conventions in Kansas City Missouri where he personally got to meet Senator Bob Dole who later ran for president of the United States and his wife Elizabeth Dole on another occasion who was in President Reagan's cabinet. He also met in person the well know country singer Charlie Pride while there as well. During his years in the FFA he got to hear in person nationally known motivational speakers like Zig Ziglar and Jerry Clower.
The Future Farmers of America was always known for having top of the line events and speakers for its members. One of the highlights of each year was always the National FFA Convention held in Kansas City Missouri back in those days. With over twenty thousand FFA members in attendance it was a life changing experience for many young people as they gathered from all fifty states each year.
Dale Collins walking behind Mr. Garland Williams headed to the auditorium at the National FFA Convention in Kansas City Missouri.
B. Dale Collins at the National FFA Convention in Kansas City Missouri in the early eighties.
B. Dale Collins as a young member of the Future Farmers of America in the early eighties.
B. Dale Collins was on the Conway FFA Poultry Judging Team and is seen here in this picture at the Northwest Arkansas District Poultry Judging Contest held at Arkansas Tech in Russellville Arkansas.
The one event that probably touched and influenced his life the most was the story of national FFA hero and Missouri Representative Jerry Litton. Litton rose to power getting his start in the Future Farmers of America. Unfortunately, Litton and his entire family was killed in a tragic plane crash on election night and a special segment featuring him was apart of the national convention in those days with many of the students being bused out to the Litton Memorial. It so touched his life that he has returned with his family to the memorial and has since met on a separate trip with the chairman of the Litton Foundation concerning its continued support of the FFA. Jerry Litton's motto was "Happy Are Those Who Dream Dreams and Are Willing To Pay The Price To Make Them Come True." The Jerry Litton story and this motto greatly inspired the young Dale Collins and under his leadership the Conway FFA made a remarkable rebound to became one of the top chapters in the state in that time.
This picture was taken of Dale Collins on a trip where he visited the grave of FFA Hero and Missouri Congressman Jerry Litton and his family. He also toured the Litton Agriculture Facility at the local high school and met with the chairman of the board of the Jerry Litton Foundation.
The FFA helped promote the second and third Toad Suck Daze and was featured twice in the same week with articles and pictures in the local paper. He hosted the first and second FFA Support Rally at his grandma’s farm with former Senator Stanley Russ and Governor Frank White being the guest speakers. To this day, a picture of Gov Frank White and Conway FFA President B. Dale Collins still hangs on the wall in the Log Cabin Democrat office in Conway Arkansas.
In this badly damaged photo former Arkansas Governor Frank White is being introduced by B. Dale Collins, Conway High School President of the Future Farmers of America. After the Governor spoke Dale Collins announced his campaign for State FFA President. Please notice the Red, White and Blue Stripes on the backdrop. He used the same red, White and Blue stripes in his signs running for president of the Buchanan-Droke student government at the University of Arkansas in which he won. A few years later Dale Collins used a modified version of his high school campaign logo to create his roofing companies logo. It became a powerhouse residential roofing company in the state of Arkansas but the logo got its start while B. Dale Collins was in the FFA and running for various youth offices.
In this badly damaged photo B. Dale Collins can be seen holding up a Governor Frank White
election sign. He and another high school friend was asked to stand with the governor and the first
family as the governor spoke at the rotunda in the state capitol in Little Rock to reporters on election
night 1982 in which the governor lost. All quite an experience for a country boy.
A more recent picture of Dale Collins standing under the official state painting of Governor Frank White
in the state capitol building in Littler Rock Arkansas.
A more recent picture of Dale Collins coming out of the Governors office at the state capital in Little Rock Arkansas.
The Conway High School Chapter of the Future Farmers of America was so active in the 1983-84 school year that the Little Rock Arkansas television station KLRT channel 16 came up and filmed one the local FFA meetings. They went out to several members projects to shoot onsite footage. They then featured the Conway FFA chapter on the stations 30 minute show titled "Little Rock Now." Mr. Williams, another student and Collins was interviewed as the show was filmed live in the TV studio in Little Rock Arkansas. The TV station later ran a free commercial announcing one of the chapters fundraisers. The eighties were hard times for farmers across the state and nation so Collins came up with the idea of having a support rally for the farmers too. Although the turnout was low, the featured speaker was Arkansas Attorney General Steve Clark. It was unheard of before that a local FFA chapter would have a former Governor, State Senator, state Attorney General and a candidate running for governor speak to its members all in one year.
Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Mr. Garland Williams is presented with a plaque by President Collins honoring him for his outstanding service to the students.
B. Dale Collins, President of the CHS FFA speaking as Mr. Garland Williams looks on.
Dale Collins not only served as President of the Conway Chapter of the Future Farmers of America but he spent the entire year running for State FFA President. At the end of the year he had personally visited 160 schools and FFA chapters across the state of Arkansas shaking hands and speaking to classes while promising to work hard for "A Better Arkansas and a Better FFA." One slogan he used was, "Make the Best Better" referring to the FFA. He also pledged that if elected he would take a year off from college and be a full time state FFA President with the goal of visiting every chapter in the state. It was not to be. Even though there are still a few unanswered questions concerning the state election that year the votes were cast and it was announced that someone else would serve as the next state president. Collins left Camp Couchdale that day saying that he may not have had to most votes and would not be serving as the state president but that he was the winner. He may not have won in votes but he won in experience. He said, "the experience that I got from running for state FFA President and travelling across the state like we did made me a winner." That has remained true to this day.
An arsenal of campaign materials that was printed up to support B. Dale Collins campaign for State FFA President including several different posters, cards and even bumper stickers and yard signs.
A special backdrop that was made out of his posters as he campaigned for state FFA president.
On the campaign trail setting a record by visiting 160 FFA Chapters in a single year. The next several Pictures will be of different campaign stops Collins made across the state of Arkansas visiting with as many schools, students and FFA chapters as was humanly possible.
B. Dale Collins speaking across the state of Arkansas campaigning for State FFA President.
A Happy Time on the Campaign Trail shaking hands and meeting supporters.
Riding on a FFA FLOAT in the Faulkner County Fair Parade in Conway Arkansas.
B. Dale Collins, President of the Conway High School Chapter of the Future Farmers of America seen in this campaign photo campaigning for Arkansas State FFA President.
Because of his devotion to and activities in the Future Farmers of America, B. Dale Collins was awarded a full four year scholarship to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Immediately upon arrival at the U of A he was elected one of the freshmen representatives for the college of Agriculture in the University Student Government. He ran for dorm president against a senior that was starting his fourth year living in the building and won. Dale Collins briefly ran for national FFA President and even had some cards and posters printed. He did not finish at the University of Arkansas but rather chose to become a minister. Not returning to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville meant that he would no longer be an active FFA member. This terminated his race for National FFA President. NOW, you know why it’s called Presidential Gardens. It is the former FFA Presidents garden. It is a dream of the man lots of folks in this area considered for many years to be "Mr. FFA."
POST FFA DAYS
Not long after answering the call to the ministry, Dale Collins married Sheryl Barnard from Vilonia Arkansas. Together, they had three children all of which worked together as a team ministering around the state and nation and in building their family businesses. In time, they also would start a family owned and operated roofing business. Oddly enough, Dale Collins pulled out his same Red, White and Blue striped logo that he had designed in the agriculture class at Conway High School. He had used it in all his student elections. He modified it and Dale Collins and Son Roofing was born. At the start, nobody knew that it would grow to become a powerhouse roofing operation highly regarded as one of the top residential roofing companies in the state of Arkansas.
Dale Collins growing his gardens in recent years and starting his grandsons off right letting them help plant the garden.
Throughout much of this time the Collins family had a garden, lots of plants and flowers that he kept expanding each year. After thirty plus years his flower collection has grown to more than just a hobby. For many years he raised flowers and gave away the hanging baskets to women on Mother’s Day. His wife of nearly thirty-one years had a long 25-year fight with severe arthritis. She was confined to a wheel chair for twenty of those years. This never stopped either of them from loving plants and flowers. He always said, "Sheryl killed just about every plant she worked with so she loved and appreciated me for keeping her in fresh flowers all the last years of her life. She knew of my deep love for plants and flowers and even with her health failing and her situation not looking good she constantly encouraged me to expand my plant hobby and pursue my desire to work with plants. She realized that my plant hobby had grown beyond just a personal hobby. It was now a small business and needed to be managed like a business." He went on to say that "He believed that she knew her life was coming to an end and she wanted him to have something going that he loved and cared deeply about to help him cope with being alone when she passed away." To be able to take care of his wife at home, Dale Collins and Son Roofing was closed at the end of January 2017 and Sheryl Lynn Collins passed away at home on February 2, 2017. Presidential Gardens was officially started two months later. She is buried in the Historic Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway Arkansas. Even though it is a grave, it is maintained as flowerbed. The Collins family refers to it as Presidential Gardens Flower Bed # 1. NOTE: Pictures of Dale Collins Flower Beds can be found on this website.
The late Sheryl Lynn Collins, wife of Presidential Gardens Backyard Nursery founder Dale Collins and holding some beautiful flowers she loved.
Recent picture of the grave of Sheryl Lynn Barnard Collins in the Historic Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway Arkansas, Code Name Presidential Gardens Flower Bed Number One.
Stanley Russ also got his start in the Conway Chapter of the Future Farmers of America and went on to serve the community as a long time State Senator. During his many years of public service, he served as President Pro Tempore of the Arkansas State Senate and even as acting Governor of Arkansas when the Governor and Lieutenant Governor was out of state.
Collins shared that “Senator Russ kept one of my Collins for State FFA President yard signs on the wall in his office until he closed it. He called me up and ask to meet with me. He said he had something that he wanted to give me. He came out to my house and told me the story of how he had left my yard sign hanging up in his office till the day he closed it. He said that he wanted me to have it. I think that it is the only one that has survived all these decades so I was glad to have it and honored that he had kept it all those years. Senator Russ was a lot of things to a lot of people. One fact is clear. He was a lifelong supporter of the Conway FFA and he proved it by his actions.”
Collins served on the Conway High School Agriculture Department Advisory Board for several years and was founding board member “number one” of the newly formed CHS FFA Foundation. He assisted in the early stages of its creation and organization up to its incorporation. He continues to be a lifelong supporter of what was the Future Farmers of America and what is now simply known as the FFA and the Conway High School Agriculture Department. He has recently resigned from the foundation board to pursue other commitments believing that the foundation is off to a very good start and is in good hands. Both the current Agriculture teachers have his upmost confidence and support. He has worked closely with quite a few Agri students, FFA members and Vocational Students that have assisted him at Presidential Gardens. His mentoring program will continue and hopefully expand here at Presidential Gardens as well.
Dale Collins continues to serve as bishop of the same small country church that he founded nearly twenty-five years ago. A lot has changed from way back then and now it just happens to be located almost right in the middle of town. He often tells people that "we are probably the last country folks left in town. We still have a few chickens, fruit tree orchard, vineyard, garden and lots and lots of flowers." One thing is for sure and that is Dale Collins has never forgot his roots and where he came from. Country then and country now. Presidential Gardens is located on the lot around the Mount Zion Deeper Life Fellowship Church at 3095 Dave Ward Drive in Conway Arkansas. It is right on the original property that his family has lived off and on for the last hundred years. Dale Collins continues to minister far and wide mainly through the Mt Zion Conway Media Ministry. He has been able to incorporate his country living and roots into many of his messages. He often uses stories and examples from agriculture and seeds to teach important life lessons. He always has a good clean story from days gone by and continues to be a good source of the verbal history in the local area. Each spring and early summer hundreds of people flock to shop for his plants, many which are raised right in his own yard and greenhouse. People bring their children and grandchildren to feed his chickens and see and hear the hundreds of birds that chirp most all day. Collins always says, "A visit to Presidential Gardens is far more than just shopping for plants, shrubs and flowers. It's like taking a step back in time." As it continues to expand, it is quickly becoming a premier shopping destination for homesteaders and plant lovers with folks coming from all over the state and even several surrounding states. He also says, "There is a great big country smile and a “Howdy Friends and Neighbors” greeting waiting for you. Come on out to Presidential Gardens and enjoy the good life with us."
Presidential Gardens is located at 3095 Dave Ward Drive in Conway Arkansas. They are Closed Every Saturday to rest and worship the Lord Jesus Christ at Mount Zion Deeper Life Fellowship. Dale Collins loves to visit with people so come on down where everybody is considered “friends and neighbors.”
