David Ray
In Town: David Ray is a man of many hats – he spent 13 years in the National Guard, managed a farm cooperative, coached a Little League team, and is currently the Director of Landscaping for College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo. David was hired into the landscaping department in 1987 by Dr. Howell Keeter – today, he manages the 80-student workstation that is responsible for maintaining the campus grounds. David oversees the seeding and lawn maintenance, planting and care of flower beds, trees and shrubs, the production of the campus vegetable garden, the greenhouses and hydroponics system, and the care and maintenance of the Veteran’s Grove, a department-founded memorial to veterans across the United States. On top of everything else, David also helps to coordinate campus-wide special events and is the direct work supervisor of a 25-student crew within the landscaping department.
In the Country: When he is off campus, David said, “I enjoy the farm life.” David does everything from running cows to rabbit hunting on his farm in Berryville, Ark., with his wife, Priscilla. He runs a herd of 25 crossbred cattle for his cow/calf program. Within his cattle herd, David favors breeding Hereford crosses (either Limousin/Hereford or Charolais/Hereford) with a Yukon Black Angus bull. His herd is pastured on fescue and bermudagrass with free-choice mineral lick tubs available at all times. David also grows his own bermuda hay – he stressed the importance of keeping the hay bales under cover. “It saves about 15 percent of waste.”
David owns four registered Quarter Horses that he and his family enjoy trail riding in the National Forests of the Ozarks region. He is a big fan of the Foundation Quarter Horse bloodlines and is proud to have a Poco Bueno bred gelding and a Skipper bred mare in his herd. When he is not working his cows or riding a horse, David also enjoys rabbit hunting with his registered beagle dogs.
Management Tip: “Stay organized and keep a daily log,” David advised. He noted that good records, regular soil tests, and making a plan and working through it are keys to success.
