Arkansas Neighbors

Rob Long has been a high school teacher for 21 years, first as a physical science teacher and for the last 11 years, as a vocational agriculture educator. “I liked teaching science but I like teaching agriculture even better and particularly, being an FFA advisor. I enjoyed FFA as a student but once one of my daughters was in FFA, I realized the impact it really has on students, in important areas, like public speaking, leadership training and exposure to parliamentary procedure. It’s easy to overlook extracurricular high school activities as relatively unimportant but the truth is some of them are as important as the academic process and I really think FFA is one of those.”

Leslie and Carol Gore's farm is near Stilwell, Okla., and they were Adair County Farm Bureau’s Family of the Year two years ago. The Gores have been married for four years and have four grown children.

In this day and age of “charge now, pay later,” Drew and Katie Wood have decided that their lifestyle will be “pay as we go.” Their 20-acre farm in north Arkansas near Berryville came complete with an old run-down 1920s farmhouse. Instead of tearing it down and building a home they would be making payments on for many years, they’ve been remodeling it. Drew uses recycled wood and reclaimed building materials. This young married couple, with their baby boy, Dakota, are living in a vintage motor home. Katie said, “I like it so well, I don’t even want to sell it when the house is complete.”

A small operation with a plan can be both rewarding and satisfying. When Doug and Elaine Mills moved onto their 5 acres just north of Harrison, Ark., they knew then that they wanted animals that would provide pleasure, keep the grass down and pay for themselves. They’ve basically achieved that goal.

Sometimes the pathway to farming and Oklahoma is a long one. For Bill and Ruth Dewel and their son, Alan, this is definitely the case.

Brad and Hillary Drain of West Fork, Ark., met and married in 1999. They have two children, Brady who is 10 and Samantha who is 9.

T Bar W Farms is located in the Barrens Community, near Clinton, Ark., and is owned by Tom and Gayla Whillock. Their passion for farming began in 1975 when they found out about a farm for sale. “We were young and enthusiastic,” said Gayla. They started out as a poultry farm, while growing hay to provide an extra income for the farm. In 1990 a dairy was added to the farm but discontinued in 1996 because of the difficulty of running both types of farms.

Cody Bauserman Race and Barrel Horses in Sallisaw, Okla., is a workplace and home to Cody Bauserman and Stefanie Frei.

Any individual who both farms and is heavily involved with farm loans in the banking industry has a unique perspective of the challenges facing both. Such a person is Aaron Holcombe who owns a poultry and hay farm east of Jay, Okla., where he lives with his wife, Tammie, and their two children, Ashley, 13, and Caleb, 9.

Bill and Margaret Davis, owners of Circle D Farms, have a love for farming and raising Angus cattle. Circle D Farms, located near Concord, Ark., in Cleburne County, is approximately 200 acres of pastures, rolling hills and wooded areas. Bill works at clearing acreage and making ponds on the land, mowing hay and building his herd. Margaret had a beautiful garden near the house and works on the farm with Bill. Bill’s son, Asa, lives nearby and also works on the farm helping mow hay, build/repair fences and doing whatever he needs to do.