American British White Park appeal is hardiness and color
GREENBRIER, ARK. – Curtis and Hope Terry were in the National Guard together and both worked other jobs before retiring. They now focus on their ranch, Bar S&T in Greenbrier, Ark. Bar S&T is more than just a ranch, It’s home to a piece of history. The breed that Curtis and Hope Terry raise, American British White Park, dates back to at least the Roman Empire. Their current cattle originate from Hope’s parents, who were the Sprotts, which is what the S stands for in the name S&T. T is for Terry.
“My parents moved to Clinton, Ark. in 1952. When Curtis and I moved, we got some of my cows that originated from my parent’s farm,” Hope said, adding that they stuck with farming because it is her “happy place.”
“We have about 30 mama cows,” she said. “There’s a lot of history behind them.”
For centuries, the breed was kept in British “parks,” which Americans would call ranches. Hope explained that they were kept and hunted by only the British gentry. When Germany was about to invade England last century, the British protected their cherished breed by shipping 30 pairs to Canada. From there, they drifted down to the United States.
“They were left to roam wild and they had to figure out how to survive on their own,” Hope answered. “They are a real hardy breed that it’s not easy for them to get diseases.”
Part of the appeal is also how they look. They are mostly white with black ears,feet and tongue.
“We had a new born calf with spots on the side that looked like Mickey Mouse,” she said.
The Terrys sell their meat directly to the consumer. Customers can purchase a whole or half cow, and the Terrys will deliver it to the butcher shop for processing.
“We supply local beef,” Hope said. “People find out it’s a lot different than what you buy in the store.”
Not only did they choose a high-quality breed, but they focus on good feeding to produce the best beef possible. Lack of land, however, has been a challenge.
“We feed them an all-natural dairy pellet with grain,” Hope said. “They also get plenty of time in the pasture for grass. They also always have fresh water.”
Hope said that the rotation method of pasture feeding wouldn’t work for them because they need land to grow their hay, and there isn’t enough space to rotate the cattle between fields.
“Some places work better than others for that,” she said.
Even with the ancient nature of the White Park breed, there are always newer and modern ways to care for the animals. The Terrys keep up with the latest methods from both their veterinarian and the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association.
“It takes a lot to take care of them,” Hope said.
The couple is now retired, but before retirement, they had full-time jobs outside of the ranch. Curtis was a member of the local fire department and cleaned chimneys on the side. Hope worked in the lab at the Conway Hospital. Curtis said they both served in the National Guard during Desert Storm. Now that they are retired, they are consumed with running the farm.
“The farm keeps us really busy with all the hay and animals,” Hope said.
They don’t do it alone, however. Hope’s nephew helps out with some of the farm work and the neighbors also help to earn a little extra money.
When asked about the future of their industry, Hope related it to the stock market.
“It has its ups and downs,” she said.
As older farmers, they are better equipped to ride the waves but younger farmers might struggle to buy the land they need during the current economic times.
“Right now, land is just priced out of our range,” she said. “Getting into it is hard and the work is challenging. The demand is going to be bigger. The price of cattle is going up but so are the costs.”
