Farm scores big with their football nostalgia

Football nostalgia scores a touchdown at Klett Farm LLC, located at 3337 Montrose Turnpike in Owego, N.Y. Ear tags that identify cows there are associated with past Owego Free Academy (OFA) football players, which puts the cows and past players in a distinctive spotlight. Call it a football/farm hall-of-fame, so-to-speak.   

Thanks to life-long football player, coach, fan, and retired OA Schools athletic director Tom Bryant, a Tioga County native and 1968 OFA graduate, several cows at Klett Farm sport ear tags which bring back fond memories of OFA’s players and football history. Bryant has taken the life-long love of the game to the neighborhood farm, by connecting jersey numbers worn by past OFA players to the ID ear tags of cows.

Following Ithaca College and SUNY-Cortland, along with a teacher/coach and athletic director role at Susquehanna Valley, Bryant held the OFA athletic director position for ten years, and also held the roles of physical education teacher, assistant varsity football coach, head boys and girls varsity track and field coach, assistant basketball coach and driver education instructor.

Needless to say, Bryant got to know many students, parents and community members, and to this day can vividly remember players’ names, football jersey numbers, the position they played, the date they graduated, and just an amazing catalog of information.

From number 62, Jim Locke, co-captain of the 1966 OFA football team to number 36, Manning Stahl, 1966 OFA fullback, to number 78 offensive tackle, Gary Rozelle, and then number 18, 1968 quarterback David “Peanut” Signs, are just a few of the farm hall-of-famers. Add in the cow holding number 29 for Penn State alum Gary Deuel, and which is affectionately called “Deuely”, to number 22, Liam Miller, one of the students Bryant coached in the late 1990’s, as well as Bryant’s own number, 23, and it’s a trip down memory lane. 

Since retirement, Bryant, who will turn 67 in March, has worked unloading trucks for a large retailer and delivered newspapers, too, but it was the farm that drew him back in 2011.

Inspired by his childhood days when he visited his grandfather’s farm in Whites Valley, Pennsylvania, and where his father Willard and uncle Bruce grew up, along with their siblings, it was a win-win for Bryant to start working at the Klett Farm. 

“The work keeps me active, and I really enjoy working on the farm,” Bryant shared, and explained that his routine now averages about 30 hours per week, with longer summer hours based on chores needed.

Bryant, who is one of about seven farm employees, primarily cares for the calves, and just in the last few weeks as many as a dozen more were born.

Started by brothers Carl and Dean Klett, the Klett Farm dates back to 1944, and interestingly, the brother duo started the farm with just two cows. Today, Glenn Klett and his family carry on the Klett Farm tradition, which totals between 500-600 cows.

When asked if the past OFA football players know about his farm hall-of-fame, Bryant replied no, but is ready to reminisce about OFA football history with anyone he runs into or hears from.

As for Super Bowl LI, Bryant said he is leaning toward the Falcons. This writer neglected to ask if he was scheduled to work the day after the big game, but regardless, it seems Bryant doesn’t really mind the 4 a.m. wake-up alarm, which takes him to the farm at about 5 a.m. Right now, anyways.