Missouri Neighbors

On a well-maintained farm near Crane, Mo., Jim and Anne Jones care for a select herd of Red and Black Angus cattle, along with some mixed breed commercial cattle. "This place was pretty rough when we bought it five years ago," Jim said. "We’ve built every building, corral and fence on the place, cleared the brush from the fence rows and replaced the native grasses with modern grazing grasses," Jim said.

Myron Bahm has discovered the biggest challenge to running a successful purebred operation is, as he put it, “Marketing your cattle and getting them out there for people to see.” But, he is meeting that challenge, and is proud of the fact that he has had repeat customers, always a compliment to any business.

Although some people love trying out new restaurants and dishes, other people find their favorite eatery and stick with it. Then, these people tell their friends about the best place to eat, and pretty soon the restaurant becomes legendary. Sometimes, the successful restaurant opens branches at other locations, which in turn pleases even more satisfied customers. Nichols Farms operates in much the same manner.

From a Clydesdale named Captain to miniature horses and ponies, and just about everything equine in between, Lisa Leek's equestrian center has it all. Hayburner Ranch came into being this past summer, not quite two miles east of Decaturville, Mo., half way between Camdenton and Lebanon.

"I’ll never forget it,” said Ron O’Neal. “My grandpa and I were sitting on the tailgate of a truck, I was eating an apple, and he said to me, ‘This would be a great place to build a house.’ And years later, that’s just what I did.”

Paul Wimsatt grew up on a dairy farm southwest of Monett, Mo. He went to Monett High School and was involved in the FFA. Janet Wimsatt grew up in Purdy, nearby. “I was a city girl, I guess you could say,” she said with a smile. The two met in Monett in 1988, and were married early in 1990.

Toua Yang knew long before most American citizens about the United States' "Secret War" in Laos. He lived through it.

Quarter horses, some Appaloosas, Long Horn cows, polled Charolais bulls, chickens, dogs and grandkids: You’ll find them all on Leroy and Sharon Uber’s farm in Stone County. They were honored in August at the Missouri State Fair as the 2009 Stone County Farm Family.

Most people are a little wary when approaching a large group of cattle, as  they should be. But that fear is unwarranted at the Crockett Rose Branch Farm near Lamar, Mo. The Crocketts fullblood Limousin cattle make people feel like part of the herd. It is no surprise that docility is one of the traits that Danny and Connie Crockett select for.

Kyle Tate began raising Boer goats when he was in sixth grade. “My dad and I put up some hay for some friends of ours and their neighbors had goats. I wanted to try it and here we are,” said the Mtn. Grove High School senior. “Here we are” for Kyle means, among other things, being in his second term on the national Board of Directors of the American Junior Boer Goat Association; winning numerous championships at livestock shows in several states; making friends all over the country; and winning the FFA Area Proficiency Award for his goats.