Troy Dyer
Family: Wife Lacey and four daughters: Laney (10), London (8), Leighton (6) and Landi (2).
Hometown: Heavener, Okla.
Town Life: “My wife Lacey and I both teach in Oklahoma. Lacey teaches fifth-graders in Heavener, where we live, while I teach agriculture at Howe High School. I also have a used car business called Dyer Auto Sales in Heavener and have been mayor there for three years. Coaching summer league ball is an important summertime activity.”
Country Life: “We live on 20 acres outside of Heavener and raise show pigs: Yorkshire, Duroc and crosses. I like Yorkshires because they are maternal and the most practical in the show world since their genetics have not been tampered with making them a hardy breed. I also have Duroc’s because fewer of that breed are being shown. We show in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and sell our pigs at 10 weeks when buyers either come to us or I sell at the shows. I also sell a few to local FFA students. Our advertising consists of a Facebook page, reputation and word of mouth. We currently have four Yorkshire, five Duroc and 15 cross sows. I AI for genetic variety and because I can use a $100,000 boar for only $500. I have one acre of my land fenced into padlocks were the pigs are separated by size. I have an eight crate farrowing house supported by a woodchip barn used after weaning and before turning the youngsters into pens. For now, our numbers are exactly where we want them which allows enough for the girls to show in addition to those we sell. I was an intern for Seaboard in college and was responsible for 10,000 feeder pigs which gave me a broad perspective supported by good training. We also have two horses the girls use for trail riding and show sheep with five ewes and one buck. The sheep are a new enterprise.”
Together: “My country life helps me deal with the stress from the diverse demands of my town life. In addition, being in the country is a critical part of our family life and provides country values and experiences for our girls.”
