Neighbors

The quality and success of any cattle operation depends on the animal science knowledge of the owner as much as it depends on the marketing of their beef program. The sales or services can vary through production/consignment sales or through a private treaty.

Running a commercial herd of a little over a 100 head of fullblood Limousin cattle is what keeps Richard Nelson, 88, of Chelsea, Okla., on one side of the road or the other. It also attributed to him being named the Fullblood Limousin Commercial Producer of the Year. His calf crop consists of both spring and fall breeding which are separated by a dirt road. “I keep my fall crop on one side of the road and my spring crop on the other. Depending on the season, I keep the breeding crop closer to me to keep a better eye on them,” said Richard.

Troy and Beverly Stout live south of West Fork, Ark., on 60 acres where they raise both Beefmaster and commercial cattle. Beverly said, “I bought 1 acre years before I married Troy because I love living in the country, but when we married we purchased additional land for grazing cattle.”

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.

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.

All of Cody Gariss’ cattle have heterosis.

Gene Longcrier’s father was ranch manager for the Colcord Ranch; a 2,000-acre cattle ranch owned by legendary lawman and oilman Charles F. Colcord. “I was born a few miles from here. I attended grade school at Minnehaha three or four miles out of Colcord. I finished high school at Kansas, Okla.,” Gene Longcrier said. “So I have been around here early on and we came back here when we retired after 30 years with Dow Chemical Company in the oil field division.” Gene and his wife, Zella, celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in August. They have three children, five grandkids and four great grandkids.

Frog Bayou Farms bridges the gap between city and farm life. Owners Sean and Stephanie Brister farm 600 acres that span from within the city limits on Main Street in Alma, Ark., to the surrounding rural countryside in Crawford County. The Bristers and their two young sons, Ross, 8 and Wyatt, 6, are passionate about farming and welcome the public to enjoy and learn about many of the crops and livestock that are integral to Arkansas’ economy each fall.

Kent and Clesha Reading run a large cow/calf operation in Ozark, Ark. They use fall calving with Angus, Charolais and Black Simmental bulls with their commercial herd. Kent prefers Angus and Black Simmental in order to get black calves and Charolais to help produce a good crossbred mix with greater thickness, pounds and muscle. The Black Simmental also contribute greater muscle mass. Calves are sold at 600 pounds after working them in the spring for worms, lepto, castration, black leg, and respiratory issues with a six-way respiratory vaccination.

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?’”