Missouri Neighbors

For Ed and Stephen Darnell country and farm life is all they’ve really known from growing up in Willow Springs, Mo. “Mom and dad bought this farm in 1972,” explained Ed. “So this farm is where I grew up and what I know best.”

Roger Kathka started life in northwest Kansas. “I think I’ve always had cows since I was about five years old,” he stated with a grin while feeding his 40 cow-calf pairs in rural southern Dallas County. His family moved to a farm outside Collins, Mo., when he was a teen and he finished school at Weaubleau. He went on to earn a degree in industrial technology at what was then Southwest Missouri State, now Missouri State University. Today, he resides just north of Springfield, Mo., with his wife, Karen. Both are retired teachers from the Fair Grove school system where Roger taught industrial arts and Karen was an art teacher.

Starting over now, from where he was 17 years ago would probably not work for Rick Scott of Purdy, Mo. He said with expenses being double or triple what they were then, it just wouldn’t work. The freedom he has as his own boss makes him glad that he did start then. Rick bought an old dairy farm and started with 20 head of beef cows. Today, he has 200 Brangus and crossbred cows.

Natural treasures are abundant in the Ozarks. Some of its most fascinating treasures are the people. One of those delightful gems is 96-year-old Howard Raysho Hawkins. Known as “Raysho” to family and friends, he lives on a farm near Lebanon, Mo., in Laclede County.

Chris Sinning and wife, Amber, live on an 80-acre farm in Wright County near Norwood, Mo., with their three daughters; Holly, Emily and Addyson.

At first glance, cousins Isaac McGinnis and Dusty Roberts might look younger than the average Ozarks farmer but a few minutes of listening confirms that these two are indeed the real 'McCoy.'

Denis Turner has been raising replacement heifers on his 148-acre farm near Hartville, Mo., in Wright County, since 1994. He explained, “We did a grazing project – a heifer development project – for the University of Missouri here for 2 years. That’s what got me into grazing. There were 10 or 11 dairies that contributed heifers, and at the end of that project, a few of those dairies wanted me to continue raising their animals. That was how I got into it.”

Along a stretch of Ozarks highway, just west of Lebanon, Mo., a small herd of beautiful Texas Longhorn cattle graze in a summer-green field filled with wild flowers, tempting any amateur photographer to stop and capture a scene that speaks of the Texas prairie 100 years ago.

Glenn and Mary Jane Phifer, and their daughter, Savannah, live on an 82-acre farm in Douglas County near Mansfield, Mo. They moved to this farm after living for 20 years in the east. Glenn retired from the Art Department of Appalachian State University. They have been married for 25 years.

Ryan Cable and wife, Samantha, own and operate a farm near Halfway, Mo., that once belonged to his grandpa, Gale Cable. Although he didn’t grow up on a farm, he had been off and on this farm since he was a kid. Now it is where they are raising their children, Carli and Cash.