Neighbors

Marsha Hedge, who owns 300 acres in the rural Fayetteville, Ark., area, is a perfect picture of what determination and courage can do for someone owning and operating a farm alone.

Don Crawley’s mother and father got married and settled land in 1922 outside of Maysville, Ark. Don said, “In the 1930s when I was a boy, life was milking a few cows and raising a few laying hens. Now we just do it on a bigger scale.” Don’s earliest agricultural memory is milking when he was in grade school and remembering the lack of milking machines which he believes was one of the best improvements in the industry over the years. Don also served in the military during World War II as a tail gunner and completed 47 missions over Germany. His work ethic and dedication greatly influenced his sons.

"We will probably be raising goats from now on, as the third generation is close to being ready to start showing goats,” said Lori Peterson of Show Me Boers in Newton County, Mo. She is talking about her 5-year-old granddaughter, who loves to come and help with the chores.

You can get just about anything you want at Millsap Farms, including an education about market farming.

Billy Williams is the “Marlboro Man” of Vinita, Okla.

How many of us would like to change the path we set out on? Would we do what we love or feel compelled to follow the status quo? If we could jump into that uncertain future, what would it look like?