Arkansas Neighbors

Assessing goats should begin with the reason why you are choosing to breed and raise them. Mother, Debbie and daughter, Kellie Williams, of Chelsea, Okla., made a careful selection process when they decided to raise goats on their Misty Moon Farm. “You need to learn about your animals then you can see what and when something needs done. Some people want to buy a goat to keep their lawn mowed down. Goats are not grazers; they are browsers, like a deer. A good blackberry bramble or your favorite rose bush is a five-star meal to a goat,” said Debbie.

Ken and Charla Myers live southeast of Siloam Springs, Ark., where Ken is a full-time farmer and Charla an elementary education and ESL teacher in Fayetteville, Ark., with 29 years of experience behind her. The couple lives on 120 acres and farms another 80 acres of Ken’s grandmother’s estate. They run two cattle herds, a commercial herd of 33 Black Baldie and Charolais/Angus mommas and a 50 plus registered momma Hereford herd.

The quality and success of any cattle operation depends on the animal science knowledge of the owner as much as it depends on the marketing of their beef program. The sales or services can vary through production/consignment sales or through a private treaty.

Running a commercial herd of a little over a 100 head of fullblood Limousin cattle is what keeps Richard Nelson, 88, of Chelsea, Okla., on one side of the road or the other. It also attributed to him being named the Fullblood Limousin Commercial Producer of the Year. His calf crop consists of both spring and fall breeding which are separated by a dirt road. “I keep my fall crop on one side of the road and my spring crop on the other. Depending on the season, I keep the breeding crop closer to me to keep a better eye on them,” said Richard.

Troy and Beverly Stout live south of West Fork, Ark., on 60 acres where they raise both Beefmaster and commercial cattle. Beverly said, “I bought 1 acre years before I married Troy because I love living in the country, but when we married we purchased additional land for grazing cattle.”

Gene Longcrier’s father was ranch manager for the Colcord Ranch; a 2,000-acre cattle ranch owned by legendary lawman and oilman Charles F. Colcord. “I was born a few miles from here. I attended grade school at Minnehaha three or four miles out of Colcord. I finished high school at Kansas, Okla.,” Gene Longcrier said. “So I have been around here early on and we came back here when we retired after 30 years with Dow Chemical Company in the oil field division.” Gene and his wife, Zella, celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in August. They have three children, five grandkids and four great grandkids.

Frog Bayou Farms bridges the gap between city and farm life. Owners Sean and Stephanie Brister farm 600 acres that span from within the city limits on Main Street in Alma, Ark., to the surrounding rural countryside in Crawford County. The Bristers and their two young sons, Ross, 8 and Wyatt, 6, are passionate about farming and welcome the public to enjoy and learn about many of the crops and livestock that are integral to Arkansas’ economy each fall.

Kent and Clesha Reading run a large cow/calf operation in Ozark, Ark. They use fall calving with Angus, Charolais and Black Simmental bulls with their commercial herd. Kent prefers Angus and Black Simmental in order to get black calves and Charolais to help produce a good crossbred mix with greater thickness, pounds and muscle. The Black Simmental also contribute greater muscle mass. Calves are sold at 600 pounds after working them in the spring for worms, lepto, castration, black leg, and respiratory issues with a six-way respiratory vaccination.

While a young man, Larry Hacker worked for a poultry company and met a farmer’s daughter named Nelda. Larry said, “At the time she was still a freckle-faced kid in the eighth grade but soon turned in to the beautiful young woman I married.”

When Garry Clements read about the 300 Days of Grazing System four years ago that was being implemented on beef cattle farms, he decided the program could work with his kids, as well as the rest of the goats browsing on his 70-acre farm. Tin Can Hill Ranch, located in Damascus, Ark., has continued to see savings and herd health benefits ever since.