Building a Dairy from Scratch
Ed and Lois Yoder came to Wesley, Ark., with their five now adult children: Emily, Karl, Kevin, Kendall and Mary Jo. They left their dairy farm in Indiana for a five-year stay in Ireland for mission work before coming to Arkansas in 2010.
Resourcefulness & An Eye On Cost
A new hay barn sits near the road in West Fork, Ark. It is the latest construction project for Chris and Diana Coker, who run a 156-acre family cattle operation.
Building a Home on the Range
Joe and Carel Leak of Proctor, Okla., have constructed two pasture-raised chicken houses for layers whose eggs are destined to be marketed as pasture-raised and organic by Vital Farms.
Childhood Dreams Become Reality
In 1983, Larry James of Hindsville, Ark., and his father Darrel began piecing together land in hopes of someday having a full-time farm.
Farming From a Young Age
Happy, a red 4-year-old mule, has to be removed from protecting Jo Fantinel’s herd from coyotes after the calves are born because Happy thinks all red calves are her babies.
Triumph Over Tragedy
Kalyn McKibbin of Wyandotte, Okla., was only 11 years old when she had what she calls a “horse wreck.”
The Newest Barn in Town
“If we ever get a chance at your business once, we’ll have you forever.” A strong statement from a confident businessman, Lane Pruitt wants to earn his customer’s business.
Happy Chickens are Profitable Chickens
While the green movement has focused more attention on environmental-friendly farming issues, farmers have always been environmentalists because their livelihood depends upon environmental sustainability that provides healthy land and healthy production.
Adding Value to Full-Time Farming
When most people are young, they earn money in order to spend it on a new car or truck or clothes.
Both Shannon and Melissa Fancher of Huntsville, Ark., chose a different path – and it’s paying off. They now own 164 acres and have 10 broiler houses as well as almost 70 cows and 17 heifers to be bred next year.
It’s all about the pigs
Sean Bansley didn’t begin his working life as a farmer.
He was a union carpenter who ended up having a small farm in Illinois, then a larger one in Iowa. He now has close to 300 acres near Harrison, Ark. Sean and his wife, Carol, are now both on the farm full time, and have worked with Berkshire pigs for more than six years.
