Young cattleman honored as National Star Finalist
Larahmy Blakley was born into the world of agriculture.
OOLOGAH, OKLA. – The Oologah, Okla., man is a sixth-generation cattleman in Oklahoma.
“My great-grandpa, however many greats it goes back, staked a claim in the Oklahoma land run of 1889 near present-day Waukomis, Okla. It was a big family and some of the family still farms that land to this day. Some of the family moved east and that’s where my side of the family comes from. I have never known anything other than farming.”
Larahmy’s agriculture background is highly diversified, including cattle, hogs, row crops, vegetables, and produce.
Following in the family tradition, Larahmy owns registered Simmental, Herefords, Maine-Anjou and commercial cattle, runs a show pig operation and offers custom grazing.
“I’ve taken on about 700 acres of rented ground,” Larahmy said. “I didn’t want to take out any money to purchase land yet, but that’s in the near future. I’m running about 300 to 400 head of momma cows and 150 of those are mine.”
For the custom grazing operation, Larahmy is paid by cattle owners to care for and graze their cattle on his land.
“It’s a good way to consistently make money,” he said. “Being a part of the family operation is great and there’s nothing else I would rather do than to eventually take over the family operation, so I decided to start building relationships and start early to gain experience along the way.”
For his own herd, Larahmy utilizes ET, in addition to AI.
“I put in about 30 embryos a year, 15 a season,” he said. “I sell some show cattle, and I also have a hot market for bulls in the last couple of years. People will pay good money for a good, rugged, growthy herd bull. I sell more bulls than heifers. I can raise 30 heifers and those that don’t show are great replacements, so I’m not losing.”
For his show pigs, he currently has 12 sows.
“I have always had sows, but I have only started with the show pigs the last three years,” he said. “I really enjoy making mating decisions and raising pigs. In 2011, my grandpa (Jim Wiford) worked at the sow unit for Tyson in Arkansas. He retired and my grandma (Kathy) said he had to go do something and not sit in the house, so he went to (Northeast Oklahoma A&M) and ran the school farm for about 10 years.
“When he retired from the NEO farm, we bought gilts and started a show pig deal. I raise Durocs, Berks and even bought a Poland the other day. Durocs and Berks are more like meat pigs, but Polands are a hot topic in the show pigs right now.”
Last year, he sold about 36 show pigs, and 24 feeder pigs from five litters.
“There are two show seasons, and I target January, February pigs, and then I have the fall pigs,” he explained. “You will never sell a whole litter, but I have feeder pigs I can sell at different times.
From both the cattle and swine operations, Larahmy markets farm-raised beef through farmers markets.
“That’s a big side of my operation,” he said. “I can sell meat year-round. Cattle that I don’t have a market for, they go to the feedlot, and you never sell every pig from a litter.”
In the summer months, Larahmy is also busy with a custom baling operation.
If his farming schedule wasn’t busy enough, the 21-year-old is also a full-time college student at the University of Arkansas, where he is a member of the livestock team.
“I’m fortunate in that I can trade labor with my family,” he said. “I can work all summer long when I’m home and Dad doesn’t mind helping me out a little bit. I’m home every chance I get. I go home every weekend and usually one day during the week. I’m doing what I want to do for the rest of my life and want it to continue to grow. My goal is to come home, start to take over some for Dad, and grow the show pig operation.”
Larahmy has also been very active in his FFA Chapter, and his hard work is evident. He is a finalist for the American Star Award, which will be awarded in November. His application advances to nationals after winning the Oklahoma Star Farmer Award.
The award is the third time Larahmy has been a national finalist in FFA.
As a freshman, he was a national finalist for Vegetable Production, thanks to a rented acre of land where he grew and sold vegetables. In his senior year, he was a national finalist in Diversified Livestock.
“I’ve never won one, however,” he said, adding that he thought the third time might be the charm. “The way it works is that you build your record book for two years after you get your American Degree. I’m glad I did that. Winning state was a blessing, but when I turned in my applications, it was all up to God and it’s going to be what it’s going to be. I count my blessings every day.
“I’m excited to see how it goes because our interviews are all done and so the nerves are gone, and I have put it in my head that it’s going to be what it’s going to be now.”
Agriculture is a tradition for the family, as is success in FFA.
“I never thought I would get the chance to be a National Star. My goal was always to be a State Star; my dad was a State Star and a state officer, and my sisters were State Stars in agribusiness, so it was always a goal to win that.”
