Neighbors

Jimmie Chastain of Dunnegan, Mo., in Polk County grew up on a dairy farm, which also had some beef cows and feeder pigs, milking jerseys also show animals for 4-H. He’s spent his whole life as a producer. Today he owns 186 acres of his own and leases another 160 acres. In 2012 he owned 60 momma cows plus calves and a few bulls. Jimmie downsized that year like a lot of other producers because of the drought.

Roscoe Bishop was actually born in Iowa at a time “when there was no work in the Ozarks.” His mother, Cleo (Gregory) Bishop was from Sweet Holler near Eldridge and his father, Green F. Bishop was from the Lead Mine, Mo., area. His parents met at Mountain Creek Church but left the area for his father to find work. He grew up with four sisters and a brother.

"It behooves us to take good care of our chickens,” explained Jim Shepherd alongside wife, Sharon.

Brian and Stephanie Reynolds of Wharton, Ark., met on a school bus when they were 11 and married almost 15 years ago. They built their first two chicken houses in 2001 on a farm they bought in 2000 at a reasonable rate from his grandfather and their last three in 2010. They have been witnessed to and partnered with the great strides made in the poultry industry towards increasing profitability by becoming more green. Substantial differences between the two sets of buildings demonstrate this trend and its importance.

Paul and Colleen Thornton together with their partners Carl and Sue Riccelli farm the acreage whose produce and product line are quickly becoming the hallmark of sustainable family farming, providing multiple products available from their website, at the Cherry Street Farmers Market in Tulsa, Okla., as well as the Farmers Market in Tahlequah, Okla., and via the Oklahoma Food Coop.

Bob and Geneice McCall run cattle on 800 acres in Eureka Springs, Ark., with 90 Brangus and Angus cows and 4 Angus bulls. Part of the land was homesteaded by Bob's grandparents in 1908. He then purchased additional land and worked in town as a Forest Ranger for Arkansas Forestry for 36 years. Geneice has held a number of positions including being an administrative assistant for a judge, the county tax collector and working in medical administration.

The name Hammond is synonymous with several different things, especially in Licking, Mo. In the 60s it meant Hammond Post & Lumber – on Highway 63 north of Licking. For over 30 years, the late Bill Hammond sold thousands upon thousands of all sizes of penta-treated posts and lumber all over the Midwest.

"If you don't grow it, you don’t know what goes on your table.” Growing it yourself is exactly what Len Pense, of Pensaroda Farm, teaches the horticulture knowledge seekers who brave the steep, rocky, bumpy road to his hilltop garden haven.

Gary Boggs of rural Dallas County is a man of many interests and talents. He and his wife, Cecile, live on 1,100 acres, several miles outside of Urbana, close to both the Hickory and Camden county lines. “The land is about half-open, half-timber,” Gary explained recently, “and right now I have about 60 head of commercial momma cows. I’m down right now because I just sold a bunch of steers. I’ve had up to 250 head and was planning on gearing down, maybe getting out as I got older but as prices rose, I thought I might stay in a little longer. My brother, Ron is helping me now and if he wants to continue, I’ll stay with it.”

The story of Duane Coatney is the story of cattle, land and family. Before moving to Eureka Springs, Ark., Duane worked in Bentonville, Ark., for Carroll Electric. Bella Vista was beginning, and Duane didn't want to be part of the "rat race," so he accepted a job with Bell Telephone in the small town of Eureka Springs, Ark. Ironically, three months later the Holiday Island project began changing the area forever into a tourist and cultural center.