Neighbors

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.” This quote from Richard Bach instantly springs to mind when you meet the Cruikshank/Kilgore family. This is a family that has been forged in the fires of adversity and has come together through the healing bonds of love. The 300-acre farm was bought 16 years ago by Kim Cruikshank and her husband Marty Kilgore. They built two chicken houses and a dairy barn on the property after clearing pasture. Marty’s untimely death in 2002, in an accident, left Kim with their four children and a large broiler breeder and cattle operation to run. After years of running the farm and raising the kids, Kim met Cory Cruikshank and they were married in 2007. Kim’s daughter’s Kaylee and Alyssa are grown now, but 15-year-old Whitney and 11-year-old Levi are still at home. The love and pride that Cory feels for his stepchildren is palpable when he talks about their achievements and what hard workers that Whitney and Levi are.

Eric and Kathy Vimont moved their family from western Washington state to 68 acres between Mt. Vernon and Aurora, Mo., almost three years ago, and have had no regrets. Their goal was to establish a small, sustainable family farm that they could pass on to their son and daughter.  Thus was born “Pasture Nectar Farm," where the family offers high quality raw milk, grass-fed beef, pastured hen eggs and seasonal fresh vegetables — when Kathy has time to put in a garden.

What does owning a beautiful piece of land in the Ozark hills, raising cattle and hunting rattlesnakes have in common? Just ask Don Sisco and his wife Mildred or “Mil” of Christian County area near Chadwick, Mo. After a career of working at Hiland Dairy and also serving as the Chief of the Chadwick Volunteer Fire District and several years in the area of law enforcement Don now has the time to enjoy some farm life.

In the early 1950s, Charles and Norma Daniel settled in the Greenfield area with 80 acres each, nine or so cows and a team of horses.

"We try to do this naturally,” explained Joanna Burgin of Crazy Woman Ranch near Salem, Ark. “Our goats are in the pasture. We want them to live off the brush and the land. We want them to work for us, not the other way around.”

"I came to work at the Webb Feed Store on April the twentieth, of 1940, and I have been here ever since,” Fred McKinney said.  Hugh Webb opened the feed store in 1936. The feed store is the oldest feed store in continuous operation in Benton County. “I came to work for Mr. Webb in 1940. In 1944 I married the boss’ daughter,” Fred said.  “We have been married for 64 years now.” Fred’s son has worked at the feed store with his father all his life. Two of Fred’s grandsons also work with them at the store. Fred’s wife kept the books for the feed store up until the last few years. “We still have all the family over every Sunday for dinner,” Fred said.  “We all still go to church together.”

After his wife and family, Gerald Richardson loves two things:  his singing and his cattle. Gerald, a long-time member of the bluegrass and gospel group, Joe Sasser and Friends, has been entertaining in the Ozarks for over 30 years. The group consists of Jimmy Joe Sasser, Nancy Bergeron and Gerald. They are regular performers at the Ozark Folk Center and other bluegrass gatherings. The group performs at volunteer fire departments, schools and other civic organizations, and is loved in the community.

When Preferred Livestock of Marion, Ky., needs goats, they call Bud Hansen. In a trailer he customized with a double deck, he hauls 175 to 180 goats to the yards in Kentucky, where they are loaded on bigger trucks and distributed to packing houses.

Many ten-year-old boys dream of owning a horse.  For Walter Stevens it was more than a dream. It was a reality that evolved into a business. Walter and wife, Sharon, own 12 acres near Marshfield, Mo., in Webster County. They lease an additional 160 acres.

Baleigh Raef of Laclede County is a 10-year-old fourth grader in Lebanon, Mo. Like her contemporaries, she is involved in a variety of activities, but some of them are a bit unique including playing the mandolin, deer and turkey hunting and showing Duroc pigs at the county fair. Baleigh’s latest interest for the last couple of years has been the curing and showing of champion hams at the county, regional and state fair levels.