Whip-maker, Cracker Cook - Okeechobee The Magazine

Whip-maker, Cracker Cook
“Buddy” Mills
Embodies Ranch Heritage
Retiring Okeechobee educator has won accolades as a cultural preservationist.
He’s a walking example of the region’s history.
‘High school rodeo
was my video
game.’
~ Calvin “Buddy” Mills
G
By Raye Deusinger
Photos by Sandra Pearce and Susan Giddings
oing to school and coming home to do chores might
not create such endearing, fond memories of farm
life. But to Calvin “Buddy” Mills, “living in a rural
environment like Okeechobee, learning about animals, riding
and training horses gave me an appreciation for the lifestyle.
When you went to bed at night you felt good about your life.”
It was this life and training that brought him to the attention
of the Florida Division of Historical Resources, which, through
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many areas of acknowledgment, honors the history and heritage
of Florida. In 2015, Buddy was honored with the Florida Folk
Heritage Award for his excellence in traditional cow whip-making and preserving and presenting Cracker foodways, Florida
folklife and other traditions.
Bob Stone, folklorist for the Florida Folklife Program, said,
“Buddy has demonstrated whip-making and swamp cabbage
preparation at the Florida Folk Festival and at the Florida State 
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July/August 2016 | 87
Photo courtesy of Florida Department of State
Buddy Mills shares the art of whip-making
with apprentice Matthew Dorriety as part of
the Folklife Apprenticeship Program 2009.
Cracker Country is a living history
museum located on the Florida State
Fairgrounds in Tampa. It holds a collection of 13 original buildings dating
from 1870 to 1912, which were moved
from their original locations across the
state of Florida. Today, these provide
educational opportunities for the public
to learn about Old Florida.
Stone said: “When curating the traveling exhibition, Florida Cattle Ranching:
Five Centuries of Tradition, Buddy and
his father were at the top of my list of
tradition-bearers to be represented in the
exhibit. Buddy was also chosen as one of
six tradition-bearers to travel with the
exhibit when it opened at the Western
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participate in sports at Okeechobee High
School, so instead, he concentrated on
learning how to ranch from his father.
“I had chores, hunted escaped cattle and
did hard work with little pay,” he said.
George “Junior” Mills.
Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada, during
the 2010 National Poetry Gathering.
Buddy is a tireless, skilled presenter and
cultural advocate dedicated to continuing
Florida Cracker traditions. I am privileged to count him among my friends.”
Growing up on Cow Creek Ranch, 22
miles from town, he lived too far out to
Buddy wanted to learn to make whips,
like his father, George Mills, who was
an accomplished whip-maker; his first
whip hangs in the Cattleman's Museum
in Tampa. Buddy’s dad told him that the
only way to learn was to watch it being
done. Buddy did watch — not only his
dad, but the Seminoles making whips
— and began to learn.
He cut up the tops of old boots for the
leather until some Seminole friends gave
him deerskin to make his whips. He said,
“Whip-making is an art which takes a
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Photo courtesy of Florida Department of State
Fair's Cracker Country, many times.”
Photo Courtesy of Florida Memory.
Son Chad learns the art of whip-making from his father.
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lot of labor to make it handle properly.”
The first whip Buddy made, in 1975, is
still in use. He has made more than 50,
and said: “I have orders for 63 right now,
not counting the constant repairs. And I
still am making my swamp cabbage for
events all over Okeechobee.”
In high school he was a member of the
Florida High School Rodeo Association
and the Future Farmers of America.
“High school rodeo was my video game,”
he said. He graduated from high school
with three rodeo scholarships. He earned
his associate’s degree in ag business at
Sheridan College in Wyoming, but then
returned home.
Buddy used his business degree knowledge to submit résumés. About eight
months later, while home working the
ranch, he received a reply from Florida
Department of Agriculture Secretary 
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Photo: Malissa Morgan
Doyle Conner, offering him a job. He
said: “I went into the workforce choosing
a career over education and worked in
agriculture for the next 20 years. Then
it was time to do something new.
“When I began college, I wanted a career
in ag business, with a second career choice
of teaching. Retired and back home
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Former Yearling Middle School Principal
Lonnie Kirsch said: “I can honestly say
that Buddy Mills is one of the best teachers I ever hired. He was and is an ideal
role model for these young people. Many
of the students in school do not have
supportive adults — Buddy Mills became
this support by mentoring, sponsoring,
teaching and caring for the students
he taught, whether in the classroom or
through FFA.”
Buddy brings FFA, the largest youth organization in the world, front and center
in his teaching program. He explained:
“We study all phases of agriculture career
development all year so these youth can
participate in state tests.” FFA is voluntary, but it is required that the agriculture
teacher serve as the FFA Club adviser.
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‘He not only teaches [students]
curriculum but how to
become young adults.’
~ Teacher and Former Yearling Middle
School Principal Andy Brewer
The weeklong 85th Annual Florida FFA
Convention took place in June. During
the year, teams throughout Florida
competed for eligibility to attend and
receive awards. Out of 84 eligible middle
school teams competing in citrus evaluation, Okeechobee came in third,
with Dayton Buxton winning the second-highest individual award. Out of
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121 teams in vegetable identification,
Okeechobee came in fourth.
Buddy Mills, Dayton Buxton, Ashley Bowers
and Sheyla Villatoro.
Officer teams learn proper procedures
for conducting meetings from opening
to closing. Okeechobee won its district

and came in sixth.
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‘He not only taught the
fundamentals of agriculture
but he taught the children the
fundamentals of life by giving
them values to live by.’
~ Lonnie Kirsch
In dairy evaluation and land evaluation, only 12 districts qualified and
Okeechobee took fourth. In individual
land evaluation, Kendall Harrison took
first place by evaluating the permeability of soil. She had to identify a type
of soil and determine its slope to find
permeability.
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Buddy said: “There is no way they can
stumble on the answer; she couldn't
have guessed to have been successful.
She knew what she was doing and earned
that title, and I am so proud of her. In
fact, I am proud of all those who went
to state. Even if they came in eighth,
ninth or 10th but put forth the effort,
I'm proud of them.”
Buddy said that when students choose
a career path in agricultural studies,
they are employable right out of school;
their graduation is their certification.
He explained: “The ag program, like the
nursing program, are vocational programs which get a lot of kids employed
who otherwise wouldn't have access to
jobs.”
Debbie Clements, the Okeechobee 4-H
agent, explained that in most areas,
the 4-H program and the FFA chapters compete against each other, but
in Okeechobee they work together for
the benefit of Okeechobee's youth. She
said: “Buddy is an ag teacher and an FFA
adviser, and he would give his right arm
for any ‘kid.’ They know it, and they
would do anything for him. Buddy is a
truly unselfish and giving person.”
Buddy and wife Jessica are parents to
Chad, who is in law enforcement, and
Tyler, who inherited his dad's love of
rodeo, which has placed him fourth in
the nation in bareback bronc riding. They
also have three granddaughters, Maddie,
Olivia and Paige.
His reaction when he battled prostate
cancer in 2011, was “God, this is yours.”
He said: “I never worried about it, its
return, nothing concerning it. This com-
‘My wife Jessica is a gift
that God gave me. ’
~ Calvin “Buddy” Mills
The Mills Family: Tyler with baby Paige, Jessica, Buddy and Chad Mills.
munity had a benefit to help us pay the bills. I don't think I
could ever give back to this community what they've given me.”
He has been part of the work of Martha's House, the Cattlemen's Association, the March of Dimes Walk, the Florida
Sheriff's Youth Ranch, Shrine Events, 4-H and FFA.
Buddy has created The Success Club for students who are borderline, need direction, have academic or behavioral problems
or are facing expulsion. “I have seen many advance even beyond
their own expectations to succeed in their studies and go on
to higher education,” he said. “One such young man was a
borderline gang member — he is now in college.”
Teacher and former Yearling Middle School Principal Andy
Brewer said: “He not only teaches [students] curriculum but
how to become young adults. While Buddy demands respect
from his students, he also shows them respect. He mentors
students with behavioral problems, and I have seen many young
people turn around because of his mentorship.”
This 2005 Okeechobee Teacher of the Year will be retiring
this year. He said: “I might have loved to have made a career
of huntin' and fishin' but I have enjoyed the perfect career of
helping our young people use the tools I am able to teach to
help them become successful.” For 16 years, he has used his
lifelong experience in ranching and “everything agriculture” to
excite the next generation about all phases of agriculture and
of living a productive, successful life.
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