Back in August of 1991, many Richland Parish residents will remember the excitement and buzz about the first annual “Pickin’ and Ginnin’ Festival.” The festival always drew large crowds, but after a while, the work involved to pull off a successful festival became too great, and the festival eventually ended. Jennie Joe Siscoe, who often wrote several great historical columns for the Beacon, penned this history about growing cotton in Richland Parish.