Name: Dr. Delilah Easom
In Town: Dr. Delilah Easom works as an internist at St. Edwards Hospital in Fort Smith, Ark. Originally from Ozark, Ark., she began practicing medicine in Little Rock, but moved back to the area around four years ago to be closer to her roots.
"It's great," said Delilah. "I've got several children and it's really nice to be closer to family."
In the Country: Dr. Easom lives on six acres in Alma, Ark., and maintains another 60 acres in Franklin County for hay production. She owns three horses, and a pair of cattle. Her three children help her raise all the vegetables and fruits for the family table. "It can be a challenge," said Delilah, "but it's a nice release after taking care of critically-ill patients all day, I can just come home and play in the dirt." Her oldest child, Colton age 5, really likes to help her pick green beans, tomatoes and squash.
Goals for improving her farm: Dr. Easom wants to make her operation more efficient and self-sustaining, especially in the area of hay production. She breeds her cattle every year, and slaughters the calves for meat. "Right now, we feed the cows all the cornstalks from the garden, so I plant new corn every two weeks," said Delilah. "Our goal is to grow our stuff without chemicals or pesticides, if possible. The only fertilizer we use on the gardens is the manure from the horses and the cattle."
Advice for other farmers: Dr. Easom has learned several lessons in her attempt to maintain a self-sufficient, chemical-free farm and ranch. "It's okay to make mistakes," said Delilah. "My crops don't always turn out exactly like I think they will. You can't control everything; you can't control how much it rains, and it's okay if things don't turn out exactly like you planned."
