In the early 1830s, treaties with Native Americans opened the Arkansas Territory up for settlement. One of the earliest families to settle on Osage Creek in the Arkansas Territory was the Chaney family. The area later became known as the town of Osage. The Chaney’s property changed hands in the early 1900s to the Sisco family.
Present owners of the farm are Greg and Delene McCoy, who are descendants of the original Sisco family through Greg’s mother’s side of the family. Now, the McCoys’ sons are the fifth generation of the same family to successfully operate a farm on the original Chaney property.
Today the McCoys maintain between 100 and 125 momma cows of Gelbvieh/Hereford mix, in an established herd. It’s the hay operation, however, that remains the primary function of the farm, with 370 owned acres and an additional 1,000 leased.
The farm is a full-time job for the family. Greg and Delene have four children, two of which are married and live elsewhere. The two younger boys are Matt and Clay. Matt is 20 and presently in college, but always looks forward to returning home to help with the haying. He has been in charge of the hay crew since he was 16 years old and feels it is still his responsibility. Thirteen-year-old Clay is active in the haying, raking and driving the truck as the bales are loaded. Delene said that Matt and Clay have probably already logged more hours on a tractor than most grown men. She added, “These two boys, one or the other or both, have won the tractor driving contest at the county fair for the last 10 years.”
The McCoys cut their hay five times every season, baling 30,000 small square bales and 4,000 to 5,000 small round bales. Delene said, “Our No. 1 seller is actually a mix, alfalfa-orchard grass or alfalfa-brome. We rotate wheat into the Bermuda every fall. We’ll bale the wheat off, and that’s a good hay crop.”
The McCoy family doesn’t have any problem selling their hay. Delene said, “We probably have a customer base of somewhere between 200 or 300 customers. We might sell one bale to a person who raises rabbits, and a thousand bales to another one.” Some customers pick up their hay and others prefer to have theirs delivered.
Greg said, “If you will make good quality hay, the customers will keep coming back.”
When the need arises, the McCoys have four large-capacity barns for storage, one which is capable of holding 400 round bales, with small square bales piled on top, if necessary.
During haying season, Delene takes care of the work crew, making sure they’re hydrated and filled to capacity with home-cooked meals. She said she loves to cook and prepare the meals.
As if the haying and the cattle weren’t enough, the McCoys also mine and deliver gravel, cut and sell firewood and transport cattle. Delene is also a professional singer and the entire family is involved in community and church activities. The McCoys were named Farm Family of the Year for Carroll County and also were named the District Farm Family of the Year for the 10 counties in their area of northern Arkansas in 2004.
Delene said, “The farm has been good to us. A lot of people say you can’t make it in farming. But Greg is probably one of the most passionate farmers that you will ever find. This is truly his calling.”
The McCoys continue to carry on the farming tradition started over 150 years ago at their farm.
