Arkansas Neighbors

Caye Mott, a life member of the American Dairy Goat Association, runs a show dairy goat operation named Loch Arbor outside of Hogeye, Ark., on 17 acres. She raises Toggenburg goats originally from the Toggenburg Valley of Switzerland and the oldest registered goat breed.

Rob Bramlett has a heart for farming and his life encompasses his family, his buddies and the wisdom of long time farmers.

Through a thick, deep pasture in a valley on the Chevallier farm grazes a gentle, peaceful herd of Katahdin sheep. Dr. Beverly Chevallier, who practices at her veterinary clinic in Western Grove, Ark., is focused on growing quality sheep for the meat market. She implements grazing and managing techniques, and couples a beef herd as well, to meet her production goals.

Sometimes living in the country is more about pursuing something you love and having a country-centered environment for your child than trying to earn a living off of the land. Such is the case for Doug Grant and his 9-year-old daughter, Hannah. Doug has 10 acres in Akins, Okla., that he uses to maintain three horses. He and Hannah use the horses for trail riding and for her participation in the Sallisaw Showdeo every other Saturday for much of the year. The acreage is made up of natural grasses that Doug brush hogs and sprays as needed. Because of the type of grasses and the small acreage, he feeds his horses hay during the winter.

Don Smith of Hogden, Okla., was raised in Kiowa, home of famous country-western singer and TV personality Reba McEntire. In fact, Reba and Don are cousins with Reba’s father, Clark, being a major influence in Don becoming a professional cowboy and in meeting his wife. Don and Susan met at a rodeo in Wilburton, Okla., where both were competing and with both eventually becoming professional cowboys.

There is a cultural distance when it comes to agricultural producers and consumers. More than ever consumers want to know what they are eating; meanwhile, most are still disconnected without concern and/or buy without a choice. Connecting consumers to beef stock production is taking on a marketing profession all on its own. It is not as simple as welcoming consumers to the ranch or farm to see for themselves; it is taking the lifestyle to others through education. It also means showing others near and far how to manage their agricultural choice, especially with the large amounts of livestock and produce imports entering the U.S.

Bill Lundberg was raised in Valley Mills, Texas on a dairy farm, which served three small towns. His family’s milk route included the restaurants in these towns and individual homes. When Bill graduated high school, he went to electronics school, but he did not care for it. However, he loved farming and cattle, so he started working at custom fitting other people’s cattle for them. “It’s where you train, and halter break them, then show the cattle for the farmer that doesn’t know how, that’s how I got started showing,” said Bill.

You can take the boy out of the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy. Yes, Bill Schaeffer is pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Omaha, Ark., and head of its preschool through 12th grade school. And, yes, he runs Schaeffer Cedar Sawmill. But at heart he’s first a farmer who loves the Limousin cattle he’s raised since 1998.