With farming backgrounds, Sam and Alison Lovins hope to pass on their love of the industry to their children
From the time she was a young girl living in Billings, Mo., Alison (Bos) Lovins knew agriculture would always be a big part of her life. She grew up on her parents’ dairy farm where they milked Brown Swiss cattle. Her parents, Alby, and Angela (Fulp) Bos both came from dairy farming families. Alison and her two sisters, Sara (Bos) Barnhart and Stephanie (Bos) Miller, grew up showing cows and helping with daily farm chores. Alison was active in 4-H and the Billings FFA. She completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in agricultural communications at Missouri State University.
Meanwhile in a surrounding county at approximately the same time, Sam Lovins, from Seymour, Mo., grew up on his family’s farm. Alongside his parents, Alan and Tina Lovins and his brother, Danny Lovins, he helped with their dairy and beef operation. He also helped on his grandma, Karen Asher’s, alfalfa hay operation and worked on his step grandpa Ansel Asher’s silage crew. Sam was active in the Seymour FFA during high school and obtained his diesel technician degree from Ozarks Technical Community College. Sam still farms with his family and is passionate about his family’s farming heritage.
In 2016, Sam and Alison’s paths crossed. Neither were aware their paths had previously crossed as Sam had been on Alison’s aunt’s and grandparents’ farms chopping corn silage. The couple was engaged a year later and was married in September 2017.
Sam and Alison’s goals were to stay involved in farming, even though they held other jobs in town. They wanted to gradually increase their herd size and establish a herd of cows that were productive, easy to work and raised quality calves every year. Their herd has since expanded to include Angus, Saler, Charolais and Braunvieh.
“We currently have 16 momma cows (all with calves at their sides or getting ready to calve) and two yearlings,” Allison said.
Ultimately, their goal is to maintain a herd so they could both remain a part of the industry that shaped their lives.
In January 2019, they learned they were expecting. With this announcement came some surprising news. An ultrasound revealed two heartbeats.
Twins Kolt and Kinsley made an earlier-than-expected entrance in the world and were born on June 30 at 29 weeks. Being born 2.5 months early, they spent nearly 70 days in the NICU at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Nearly two years later, they are thriving.
“When they are outside it’s like trying to herd cats. Kolt goes one way and Kinsley goes the other,” Alison said.
Sam and Alison purchased a small farm in Fordland where they keep their horses, chickens, and some of their cattle. They keep the remainder of their herd at Sam’s family farm and Sam continues to help his family on days while he is not working as a mechanic in Springfield. Alison works at the Soil and Water Conservation District in Webster County.
As their family grows, the couple hopes to expand their cattle operation as well.
“Our goal is to expand our herd to approximately 30 momma cows over time,” Alison said. “We sell calves as feeders out of our cows and crossed with Sam’s parents registered Angus and Limaflex bulls. To keep our herd growing, we keep back two of our best heifers each year or purchase young registered females from other herds. On our Fordland farm, we keep five of our cows to graze the parts of our land not ideal for hay production. We make hay off our Fordland farm where we planted a fescue/orchardgrass mix. Our goal is to make enough hay to feed cattle and horses kept at the farm through the winter. After the first cutting, the hay pastures are grazed.”
The Lovins Family aims to instill the values of faith and farming in their children’s lives. Kolt and Kinsley already have a registered Braunvieh heifer of their own that will hopefully be the foundation of their future show calves.
“We want to incorporate more registered stock into our herd to start building a foundation for future show calves for Kolt and Kinsley,” Alison said.
They love spending time outside and are already showing interest in daily farm chores. There is no doubt they will keep their families’ legacies alive for years to come.
“Our agriculture heritage is priceless, and we want Kolt and Kinsley to grow up with that understanding,” Sam and Alison said. “Plus, the life lessons the farm teaches will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
