Neighbors

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.

During lambing season on Old Lexington Farms, Tom and Sharon Nowlin walk the fields every night looking for newborn lambs. The ewe’s udder fills with colostrum shortly before labor begins. A colostrum meal provides not only energy, but antibodies vital for the young lamb’s health. Immediately after the ewe gives birth, Tom milks from the mother ewe 6 ounces of colostrum per newborn lamb of singles, twins or triplets, making sure each gets the necessary colostrum within the first hour. Tom stays until each lamb is able to stand and adequately move about, then administers essential vaccinations and iodine to navels.

Dave Umfleet has a passion for producing seedstock Simmentals. He spends hours studying pedigrees and learning as much as he can about Simmental genetics. Dave and his wife, Debbie, focus on producing the best cattle possible for other producers to use for donor cows and bulls.

Bob Geneva is proof that when one door closes, there is always a window opened. Nineteen years ago, Bob and his wife, Sandra, were at a Beefmaster show in Tulsa, Okla., when they walked by a booth for Postive Feed, Ltd., out of Sealy, Texas. After learning about the advantages and technologies used in Postive Feed, Bob and Sandra decided that they wanted to try some of the feed on their own herd of Beefmaster cattle, but there was one small problem. Postive Feed tubs were only available for sale in Amarillo and Sealy, Texas. Of course, neither town was an easy trip from the Geneva’s then-home of Coweta, Okla. So, Postive Feed, Ltd. founder Bob Inglish, often called “Crazy” Bob, convinced them to become dealers for Postive Feed, and Bob and Sandra agreed and came home with $5,000 worth of Postive's feed. Their hopes were that they could make enough from their sales of Inglish's product to make it worth their while to feed their own herd. Thankfully, Bob said, it did not take long for the feed to prove itself. The partnership definitely became worth their while.

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.

Dwight Hoyle is what you might call a jack-of-all-trades kind of man.  He and his wife, Robin, started out in Zwolle, La., with a forestry business, along with a saw shop.

Spend a few minutes with Sharon Baggett, and it’s easy to see why her enthusiasm for the Missouri Fox Trotter and the Northwest Arkansas Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association is infectious.