Arkansas Neighbors

When brothers Kent and Steve Livesay, sons of the late David Livesay, took on their farming partnership of the Livesay Orchards in Porter, Okla., in 1976, adverse weather conditions came with it. Acres of fruit trees and livestock keep the two families involved in the tenable lifestyle. Risk of loss runs high on their 130 acres of peach and apple trees since two of nature’s concerns can instantly be counterproductive and wipe out a season of production. “Difficult challenges and the highest risk on our farm is a spring freeze after blooming. Normally a freeze would not kill trees but would keep the fruit trees from producing. We have had spring freezes and it is just not practical to cover peach trees when you have thousands of them,” said Kent. Drought also makes it difficult. They have limited amounts of water in some of the orchard locations but most of the peach trees have irrigation.

Exclusively raising market lambs for 4-H and FFA shows is a very distinctive feature of Wagner Club Lambs. Unlike many other farms in the state, their only product is sheep. They reach a broad national market for their Suffolk, Hampshire and crossbreds through shows and their website. Clay and Rhianna Wagner have lived just outside of Greenwood, Ark., since 2003.

Many future beef cattle farmers learn to handle a variety of animals by participating in 4-H Clubs or FFA. Others, such as sisters Colleen and Allison Byrn, learn first hand from a family of farmers. The 2013 Tulsa State Fair captured the attention of Colleen and Allison, daughters of Terry Byrn and the granddaughters of Ronnie and Patsy Summers of Afton, Okla., in Ottawa County. Both Afton High School Agriculture students had winning achievements from the Tulsa State Fair. Colleen, 17, won Reserve Champion Heifer and Champion Bred/Owned Angus-Santa Gertrudis cross. Allison, 16, won Grand Champion Heifer and Reserve Champion Bred/Owned Santa Gertrudis.

Each farm or ranch has its own specific charm, but Sawoaks outside of Tahlequah, Okla., is like a manicured park with rolling hills, heavy metal fences and dotted with clumps of beautiful red oak trees. The difference is these hills are home to 152 registered Angus with 40 bulls being sold per year. Al Williams started in the late ‘80s with 110 acres that has gradually grown to 575 acres with a beautiful home sitting on the crest of a hill and overlooking picturesque land. The ranch didn’t look like this in the beginning, however. The land had been full of rock, brush, dead trees and other debris, and Al began clearing by using a brush hog. Patience and persistence have paid off in a big way.

Wayne and Annie Anstine of Mulberry, Ark., have spent their lives trying to find a balance between their economic needs and farming. In 1981, the couple purchased an unused army barracks from Fort Chaffee for $800 but paid $1,200 to have the building moved to their new 160 acres in Mulberry. The home has undergone numerous additions growing into a beautiful, rustic style home and the homestead for two children and eight grandchildren.

Roots run deep at Styles Ranch in Coal Hill, Ark. Jamey Styles’ father was an Ag teacher at Hartman and Coal Hill, who had started out teaching Vocational Agriculture to the newly-returned veterans of World War II in the late 1940s. He was an innovative farmer and owned both the first automated square baler and the first round baler in the county. The family raised cattle, horses and hay in the fertile river bottoms of Johnson County.

For 82-year-old Harley Swan, Jr. (2nd generation), herding and milking the Holstein and Brown Swiss cows on the Swan Brothers Dairy Farm in Claremore, Okla., is not just a job. It is his benefaction towards the 90-year legacy left by his dad Harley Swan, Sr. Twice a week and during vacations, Harley Jr., herded the cattle to the milking station for its daily 300 gallon production of wholesome goodness, Grade A raw milk.

In 2006 James and Elaine Couch sold their home and bought 211 acres in Colcord, Okla. The couple’s goal was to raise free-range cows, chickens and hogs as well as the meat goat herd they brought with them, with the intent of making naturally raised food affordable for everybody. They currently have a commercial cattle herd of 28 momma cows, 20 yearlings and 20 calves and are steadily improving the quality of the herd with Beefmaster genetics.

Troy and Kathy Cline have always been a busy couple, so busy they had a marriage license but had difficulty finding time to marry. Then one day it snowed, really snowed, a full 18 inches. They had worked all day and night the day before in Springdale, Ark., at the sale barn and then traveled to Berryville, Ark., to work when it started snowing. Kathy said, "That was when we finally had time to get married. We called the Justice of the Peace who had gone fishing on Groundhog Day. He came back and performed his first wedding on us." Then Troy grinned and said, "I got her young enough to train her the way I wanted." Kathy nodded in agreement and said, "My mom had cows that basically took care of themselves so I knew nothing about cattle. I married into this mess."

The rugged beauty of Hancock horses drew Jennifer and Brett Keller to research and to ultimately start their own breeding program in Mulberry, Ark.