Hometown: Bois D’ Arc, Mo.
Family: Raised by grandparents Jerald and Joanne Brown
In Town: Jennifer Main works for O’Reilly Auto Parts in Springfield, Mo. She drives a route truck, delivering parts, and she also delivers to the Branson, Mo., area twice a day.
In the Country: Jennifer grew up on her grandparents’ dairy farm in Bois D’ Arc, Mo. She started showing cattle when she was 8 and continued showing until she was 32. Her grandparents traded their dairy farm for a beef farm, but Jennifer kept her dairy cattle. Throughout her years of showing in FFA and 4-H, she won several dairy and leadership awards.
“The most special award I have ever won was when my Jersey cow, Cloe, won Junior Champion at the Ozark Empire Fair,” Jennifer explained. “Cloe was a homebred animal, and it was the first time I’d ever won. Back then, Ozark Empire Fair was quite competitive in the dairy show. Cloe went on to win a few supreme champions and I also had the honor of showing her on the famed colored shavings at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis.”
Jennifer milks several mornings a week for Robthom Holsteins in Springfield, Mo.
“I find it to be more therapeutic than any other job,” Jennifer said. “I love the times spent with the dairy cattle, and dairy people in general. To me, they’re the most down to earth people. I love that I get to be involved in the dairy industry daily, even if my part is very small.”
When Jennifer’s grandfather passed in 2006, she began focusing more on fitting rather than showing.
“I found it hard to be in the ring without Papa watching,” Jennifer reflected. “Gran always stayed home and did the work while we traveled. I started to focus more on getting other people’s cattle ready for shows.”
Jennifer doesn’t travel as much as she once did, but she still finds time to go to the Ozark Empire Fair and Missouri State Fair. “Working in town, I find myself using vacation days to attend shows in Madison, Wis., and Louisville, Ky.”
When she’s not farming, working or tending to the cattle, Jennifer spends time listening to her favorite music and keeping up with Louisville basketball.
Jennifer has a degree in agriculture from Missouri State University and would eventually like to have a career in agriculture.
“My dream job would be working for the USDA or being an advocate for the dairy industry. I love interacting with people. I could definitely see myself working in public relations in the dairy industry.”
