Trail Tested, Hunting Approved

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Jim Nichols was raised around Missouri Fox Trotters in the Mansfield, Mo., area and his father was on the original Missouri Fox Trotters Horse Breed Association Board of Directors. Likewise, he brought up his daughters, Mitzi and Monica around the breed as well and they have all spent years in the show ring at various horse shows in Ava, Mo., the Fox Trotter capital of the world. In the past three decades, however, Jim has discovered a new passion, involving his beloved horses. “I went on my first elk hunt with the horses when a friend invited me and I’ve been going back ever since, for 25 years in a row now. My daughters, Mitzi and Monica go, too, as do their husbands and we have a great time,” Jim Nichols explained recently standing beside one of his horse trailers at his home in Laclede County, just south of Lebanon, Mo. “I have a few horses here, one in training, some others at Mitzi’s and at Monica’s. We just have 14 acres here for the horses.”

Taking the Cheese Challenge

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Owned by Lesley and Barry Million, Terrell Creek Farm is located in Webster County near Fordland, Mo. They got their first goats in 2007 for their own personal use. Lesley stated, “We started the business in 2011. It was kind of a justification for me to be able to have goats.”

Finding the Perfect Cross

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Marvin Burnett is retired from the Missouri Department of Transportation where he worked on highway maintenance while his wife, Barbara, is a retired elementary schoolteacher. The couple met early in life when Barbara’s father was hired to move Marvin’s family from Kansas to Arkansas when Marvin was a senior in high school and Barbara was in junior high. Barbara said, “At the time I was a snot-nosed kid no one wanted to be around, but I grew up and everything changed.” Marvin said, “One night we were both stood up and decided to make the best of it.” They began dating and have now been married for 49 years.

Striving for Show Winning Spots

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When Robert Todd hit the age threshold for showing cattle and hogs through FFA, he walked away from the show ring thinking he had closed that chapter of his life for good. But now, after almost a decade, Robert’s back in the ring, but this time it’s all for his kids. “It is basically set up for the kids to learn how a farm operates and learn the work involved. We teach them hands-on everything,” explained Robert Todd. In 2012, Robert and his wife, Heather, decided to buy Spots pigs for their two young sons and their niece and nephew. The Spots breed holds fond memories for Robert, who showed Spots as a teenager. “The thing I like about the Spots is you never know if they are going to be more dominant black or white. They look like Dalmatian puppies when they are born,” said Robert. The Spots breed dates back to the 1900s in Indiana where it was developed from the lines of the Poland China breed. Spots are known for their fast-growing and efficient offspring.

More than a Pretty Package

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Four generations of the Pitts family have made their home and living on a Missouri Century Farm in Hickory County with the fifth generation currently joining in on the tradition.

Tricks that Push the Limit

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When the Trixie Chicks Trick Riders gallop into an arena the audience holds its breath, mouths drop and eyes pop wide. The stunts these riders accomplish make even their own parents nervous, really nervous. “My parents have only been to two or three performances,” admitted Ashlee Hearod. With stunts called “Suicide Drag,” “Under the Neck,” and “Full fender,” who could blame them? The Trixie Chicks Trick Riders may sound like a group of daredevils looking for a thrill but this is not the case. The riders are all Missouri State University students or recent graduates with a deep love for horses and a burning passion for pushing the limits. “It is such an unique sport. It is so challenging and I wanted to be a part of something that not many people do as their sport,” said Katy Tennison.

100 Years Strong

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For 100 years five generations of the Buckner family has cared for the land and livestock and sold milk on their farm in Fair Grove, Mo. It all started when William Franklin Bucker and wife, Tina, purchased 60 acres in 1914. During William’s lifetime he increased the farm size to 160 acres. William passed away in the farmhouse on July 15, 1966, at 76 years old.

Kids and Cows

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The beginning of fall ushers in an additional flurry of activity for a family of farmers in southwest Missouri. This family of educators, from teachers to administrators, witness a spike in the off-the-farm workload this time of year, as students return to the classroom. As for their farm work, it keeps the Wilson families busy all year long.

Give Me a Shot of Ear

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All of Cody Gariss’ cattle have heterosis.

Riding for More

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It wasn’t that long ago that Ellen Replogle found herself listening to missionaries speak at her home church, Oak Grove Baptist in rural Laclede County, about the fantastic things a person can accomplish when they share their personal passion in a way that promotes the love of God. Ellen recalled, “They talked about different people and their passions, one that established a sports mission program overseas and another whose love of reading helped start a literacy program that teaches people to read. I remember sitting in that church pew thinking ‘but what can a 50-year-old housewife who has no intention of traveling to another country, possibly do?’”

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