Missouri Neighbors

Many farmers with all size operations, from small to large, have appreciated the grazing school program conducted by National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) throughout various Ozarks communities but perhaps none more than Kenneth Parsons of Webster County. After attending his first grazing school nearly 10 years ago, he and his wife, Mary Ann have offered their 150-acre farm as a demonstration and classroom site for several grazing schools. Located half way between Marshfield and Northview, Mo., the Parsons have welcomed farmers from all over the Ozarks to come, share and learn how to grow better grass and most of all, make better use of the grass they have.

He has been known as the Racin’ Reverend and the pastor with the unforgettable name but in recent years, Reverend Jack Daniel has ‘come home’ to El Dorado Springs, Mo., to his roots as a farmer and to once again pastor the local First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) after a near 30-year leave of absence. Even so, so-called retirement for Jack Daniel does not include slowing down.

For the last decade, Robert Brooks has watched his dreams come to fruition on the same soil where his great-grandparents built their dreams years ago. As he glances at a hill near his home, Robert’s smile widens and he said, “I have pictures of my dad when he was 9 years old standing on that hill with his Shetland pony.” That “hill” is part of a 400-acre farm between Rogersville and Fordland, Mo. Robert and his family pieced together the farm as generations of the family passed down the property. “My grandparents bought all this and they worked it. There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears in these acres. And I just want to carry on that heritage and have something that I can pass down to my kids too,” reflected Robert.

Steve Stewart runs cattle on his dad’s farm in Christian County near Spokane, Mo. His dad had cattle as long as Steve could remember. Steve said, “I think I bought my first ones in 2002. The first ones I bought were Gelbvieh and then I started looking at the Balancers and the hybrid vigor. So I bought an Angus bull and put it with the Gelbviehs.”

Floyd Renner met his future wife, Carrie, when his father was harvesting wheat on Carrie’s place. Though Floyd and Carrie went their separate ways, they eventually reconnected and now live in Fairview, Mo. Floyd left a dairy farm when he went on his honeymoon but returned to a cattle ranch when his father decided to get out of the dairy business. The couple has three children; Maci age 11, Marshall age 8 and Macelynn who is a little over a year old.    

Piney River Valley Sheep is located west of Licking, Mo., literally on the east bank of Big Piney River. Ray and Pam Wallace have lived there almost 40 years and have had several types of farming operations. Ray is a retired union lineman from Intercounty Electric. Pam was the licensing agent for the Department of Revenue in Licking for several years and more recently has been employed at Wal-Mart for the past eight years. In 2006 they purchased their first sheep and they quickly became Pam’s pet project and captured the hearts of their grandchildren, Cole who is 9 years old and Linzie who is 7. Both are very involved with the sheep on a daily basis as well as in the show ring.

The Osage orange tree, also known as a hedge apple has been a part of the landscape of Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas long before the white settlers moved in. Historically speaking the wood has been used as an excellent heating fuel, fence posts and in the making of the world’s best archery bows. However, Bronaugh, Mo., student and local FFA chapter member Cole Diggins got an idea from his grandfather and revived using the hedge apple as a green alternative for home insect control.

Managing Flying Miner Ranch like a true business and budgeting every expense is the recipe for success according to Parker Vandivort of Hartville, Mo.

After spending their childhoods enduring the endless chores of their families’ dairy farms, both Wayne and Connie Galbraith swore off following in their parents’ footsteps. They both chuckle about their adamant pledge to stay out of the cattle business as they look out on their herd of Limousin cattle in Marshfield, Mo. “You have to enjoy it. And we really do enjoy it,” said Connie Galbraith.

Danny Fanning of Joplin, Mo., is a man with a busy mind and restless spirit. The one constant thing in his life has always been his love for livestock, more yet the love for purebred cattle. Danny said, “Showing my first heifer when I was 6 started my whole life’s career. I remember it just like it was yesterday, caring for my first heifer project and showing her for the first time. Our three children were all raised in the 4-H program and now 60 years later some of my grandkids are heading down that path. I love it and it’s what keeps me going.”