Hometown: Rockville, Mo.
County: Bates County
Family: Ronnie and Debbie Daines, parents; Tyler McVay, partner
In Town: Kalie and Tyler operate Rural Roots, a custom apparel business in Appleton City, Mo., where they do custom embroidery and printing. Their products include T-shirts, hats, and jackets. They do much of their business through their on-line store and website. They serve farms, businesses and FFA groups and ship their products nationwide.
Kalie, who previously worked as a cosmetologist, added, “We’ve been in business for four years now and I really enjoy it.”
In the Country: Kalie lives on her parents’ farm where she helps with their farming operation, raising commercial Dorsett sheep and show calves. “They have about 85 sheep, raising them on 350 acres for both wool and meat. They have a man who comes from Kansas once a year to shear them. He does all 85 in one day. It’s quite a job. He pays my parents for the wool and takes it with him. The market for wool is not what it once was.”
As for the meat, she says her parents sell their sheep at a sale barn in Yates Center, Kansas. “Christmas and Easter are the big holidays for the sale of lamb.”
She continued. “My son, Tayton Daines showed sheep on the county, district and national levels for over 10 years while growing up. Tyler and I still assist 4-H and FFA kids with their market lamb projects.”
Their calves are selectively bred to emphasize traits such as muscle definition, frame size and overall appearance for the show ring. Kalie says her parents probably raise about four to five a year, a result of 10 to 15 implanted embryos. “Ours are crossbred show steers and market heifers.”
She concluded. “Tyler also raises and sells cross bred show cattle. He is originally from Iowa but has been here for 12 years now.”
