Neighbors

John and Joy Dees own 300 acres and lease an additional 2,000 acres in Powersite, Mo., not far from Branson. The land has been in the family since the early 1900s when John’s grandfather bought the first 80 acres. John said, “This land has been as important as a location for raising our families as for raising cattle. A lot of people have grown up here. In fact, we now have three households on the land.” John and Joy have three children and one granddaughter who lives in town but loves riding in the Kubota, being around cattle and enjoying the country. Family is the center of everything and John readily admits that he couldn’t farm without extended family members helping work cattle, build fence or whatever else needs to be done.

Farming in the 21st century takes hard work, direction and goals. Spencer Rawlins, who farms near Pierce City, Mo., is a farmer for the new century. Spencer has wanted to farm since helping his father on the farm when he was a boy. But, with his aim set at farming with intent, he knew that would take perspective beyond the farm he had grown up on. “It’s important to work for someone else and learn what other farmers are doing. Otherwise, we don’t improve.” At a young age, Spencer started working with large dairy farms nearby.

Jack and Tammy Simmons own and lease over 1,000 acres outside of Stilwell, Okla., on which they run a cow/calf operation and a brand new four-house Tyson chicken farm.

Like so many farmers in Arkansas, Jimmy and Janelle Brown of Natural Dam, Ark., live on a generational farm, in this case five generations. They own and lease just under 1,000 acres and run a full-time commercial cattle operation. Jimmy said, “For us, having land off the highway is as important as having better land.”

“That lane. That’s what I’m most proud of lately.” Larry and Deloris Wells of Drasco, Ark., began their herd building journey just a little over 43 years ago when they purchased the ground that lane divides, “We bought the place in November of 1971 from my uncle. He was in the broiler business and his health was forcing him to retire.” The Wells began with 55 cows and bulls and a modest 237 acres, with only 22 acres of that cleared for producing hay. It was an uphill battle from there, “There were no cross fences. We just started clearing and used the wood for the broiler houses at the time. We began with some commercial cattle and fescue grass.”

Bill Berry never considered himself to be a numbers guy until he became a program participant with the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Seven years ago Rick Kelley, of Mansfield, Mo., stepped into a volunteer role that would have a huge impact on the production of his farm.

Mark and Kathy Windsor learned the business side of buying, selling and marketing in their original enterprise, National TV Sales and Rental in Lebanon, Mo. This past January, they turned that business over to two of their grown children, son, Aaron Windsor and his wife, and daughter, Michelle Jackson and her husband. Now they are working on applying those same lessons to their cattle business in eastern Laclede County.

Good business decisions, family involvement and good land purchases have led to the success and growth of the Clark family’s owned and operated businesses. Dr. Robert Clark started The Flying C Ranch with 16 cow/calf pairs as a hobby and business has grown over the years to include 600 acres, 150 momma cows, four registered bulls, Clark’s Pecan Grove and a hay business. They have made careful observations of the industry along the way. What started as a hobby is now the family profession.

The week after graduating from Farmington High School, Jim Rieff became a meat cutter in Prairie Grove, Ark., at Southern Mercantile. Then in 1959, he was offered an opportunity to buy into a new grocery store in Rogers, Ark., if he would run the meat operation. Jim and Katie Rieff decided to do just that and still live on 40 acres they purchased in 1973 in Rogers. Little did he know back then that tractor restoring would become an important hobby.