Charolais for Easy Keeping
Virgil Anderson came to Barry County, Mo., to raise Quarterhorses.
Fifteen years later, the hills of his 90-acre farm are dotted not with the equines he first envisioned, but with the white, sturdy bodies of Charolais cattle. The horse project just hadn’t worked out — his mares wouldn’t breed and the market was turning gloomy.
Fifteen years later, the hills of his 90-acre farm are dotted not with the equines he first envisioned, but with the white, sturdy bodies of Charolais cattle. The horse project just hadn’t worked out — his mares wouldn’t breed and the market was turning gloomy.
The Freshness of Natural
For Steve and Tammy Alger, raising grass and grain fed chickens, sheep and goats is just a small part of their beautifully simple way of life. Steve and Tammy married 23 years ago, moved to Southwest Missouri from Illinois 15 years ago, and now have ten children together: Jennifer, Emily, Amanda, David, Joshua, Rebekah, Samara, James, Hannah and Paul (all are pictured above except David, Jennifer and Emily).
Advancing the Family Cattle Business
Lifelong resident of Webster County, Aaron Day can’t remember ‘not’ having cattle. His dad, Jim Day, gave him his first show heifer when he was nine years old. “It was a deal. I did the work and I only had to pay for half of her. It instilled the facts that I needed to take care of her. I had an investment in her myself, so it meant something to me. That got me started with cattle. I’ve shown cattle since I was nine.”
Ozarks Roots-A Texas Rancher in Missouri
The sun has just crept above the eastern horizon. Sunlight glints off the windows of the house on the hill, but it will be awhile before it strikes the horses and cattle in the low-lying pastures on each side of the house. Bill and Georgia McCloy and their youngest son, Ben, have finished their morning coffee and head to the barn.
Cutting Edge Production
For Mary Beller it was a desire to reach out and grow that led her to the show arena.
“This was an opportunity for me to get out and do something on my own,” said Mary, owner of Rafter B Cutting Horses in Cabool. “But Robert is my support; I couldn’t do this without him!”
“This was an opportunity for me to get out and do something on my own,” said Mary, owner of Rafter B Cutting Horses in Cabool. “But Robert is my support; I couldn’t do this without him!”
Liking the Limousin Looks
At the ripe old age of “six or seven” Kenneth Phillips had his first cow. “My dad sold her. I didn’t get the money out of her,” he said laughing. “Other than that, I didn’t have any cattle till I was about 17.”
Kenneth has been farming and raising cattle for 54 years. “I’ve had Limousin ever since ’78, that’s when I got my first bull.” He liked the looks of the Limousin cattle he’d seen, and liked the looks of the calves.
Kenneth has been farming and raising cattle for 54 years. “I’ve had Limousin ever since ’78, that’s when I got my first bull.” He liked the looks of the Limousin cattle he’d seen, and liked the looks of the calves.
“Agri” is Their “Culture”
This is the way of life. To live here with all God’s creatures from eagles to deer to our farm animals – this is the best. I always wanted to farm and now I am with my son and grandsons right along beside me,” exclaimed John Oravec II.
Out of the Red. . .Into the Black
Keeping the Beefmaster herd black has become an adventurous and challenging task for Charles and Evelyn Rieder. The Rieders have had many types of cattle in their lives, but in recent years, have found their pleasure in black Beefmaster cattle. “We currently have a black Beefmaster ratio of around 90 percent of our herd,” explained Charles.
Starting with Heifers For Pay
Tom Howard's first work in production agriculture began in seventh grade when he began working on a turkey farm south of Carthage, Mo.
Ozarks Roots-Blown Away to a New Breed
Farmers know firsthand that sometimes life will hand you more than your fair share of lemons. 2006 and 2007 brought Don and Kathy Sissel’s thriving cattle farm a devastating tornado, draught, and the crippling Ozarks’ ice storm. Farming hasn’t been easy for Don and Kathy, especially the last couple of years; nevertheless, they’ve done what good farmers do – adapted, persisted, and focused on the things that mattered most.
