Neighbors

Feta, Brie and Marscapone; yes, these are the names of some tasty goat cheeses, but they are also the names for three of the Saanen milk does owned by Christie Moore of Rocky Horse Acres in Rocky Comfort, Mo. Tall and gentle, these all white goats are considered the Holstein of the dairy goat breed.

Sometimes living in the country is more about pursuing something you love and having a country-centered environment for your child than trying to earn a living off of the land. Such is the case for Doug Grant and his 9-year-old daughter, Hannah. Doug has 10 acres in Akins, Okla., that he uses to maintain three horses. He and Hannah use the horses for trail riding and for her participation in the Sallisaw Showdeo every other Saturday for much of the year. The acreage is made up of natural grasses that Doug brush hogs and sprays as needed. Because of the type of grasses and the small acreage, he feeds his horses hay during the winter.

Chris and Jodee Thompson live on 140-acres near Warner, Okla., with their two children, Adam, 7, and Colt, 2. They have a newly constructed home Chris built and a herd of 40 Angus momma cows on that acreage.

Ricky and Andrea Longshore have been farming since they were children, and now the couple of 36 years have shared their farming experiences with one another to successfully manage their farm in Stilwell, Okla., located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.

The Van Tassel family moved to Missouri from Pennsylvania in 2004 with nine Jersey heifers that were their children’s 4-H projects. Today, they have over 50 registered Jerseys with a few registered Ayrshires mixed in the herd. Located two miles south of Cabool, Mo., the Van Tassel’s are relatively new to the Ozarks, but they are experienced Jersey dairymen. They started milking Jerseys in 1983 and have been known as Maranatha Farms since then.

The enthusiasm that Danny and Lisa Cantrell share as they talk about their Missouri Fox Trotters, outside Conway, Mo., is positively contagious. The couple, along with daughters, Anna, age 19, and Meg, age 16, maintain approximately 20 horses on 87 acres. When not on a horse or working with them, Lisa works as a counselor at Buffalo High School and Danny works in concrete and construction.

A small herd of Highlander cattle grazing on a farm in the midst of the rolling Ozark hills can, for a moment, transport you to the Scottish Highlands. These small gentle beasts known for their ability to adapt and survive in rugged terrain have found a place in the heart of Jerry Delcour, wife, Janet, and daughter, Jerica, in Hurley, Mo.

Just a short distance off Highway 65, near Damascus, Ark., you will find J Hall Farms, a rolling 1,003-acre farm owned by third generation farmer, Jerry Hall and wife, Jean. He was raised on the original farm, just a short distance from where their home is today. Both grew up in Damascus, graduated from South Side High School and went on to college.

Inspired by his father and former ag teachers, Josh Baker knew he wanted a career in agriculture. The Baxter County native decided to go to college and major in ag education. Completing his Bachelor of Science degree at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia in 2003, Josh applied for a teaching position at Mountain Home High School, his alma mater. It was an exciting opportunity for Josh because he would be working with one of the ag instructors who had been his inspiration. Josh said, “I had two great ag teachers. One was Jacquie Albright – she’s still a teacher here in our junior high – and Roger Steele, my other ag teacher. He’s now retired. I actually taught with him the first two years. He got me started and then retired two years later.”

Rich history, strong family values and respect for those that came before are standards in the Walton Jefferson family.