Farmer Q&A: Derek Helms of Clark County

Derek Helms is a dairy and row-crop farmer in Clark County and serves as president of the Clark County Farm Bureau. We recently sat down with Derek during a Farm Bureau Member Appreciation event in Arkadelphia to discuss a variety of topics, including the state of the dairy industry, his involvement in Farm Bureau and […]

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Something Simple for Strawberry Month

It’s National Strawberry Month, so pick up a bunch of these delicious berries grown by an Arkansas farmer and make a time-tested (and amazingly simple) summer treat the whole family can enjoy. First, drench a piece of angel food or pound cake in cold heavy whipping cream, allowing it to soak in fully. Then cover […]

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Farmer Q&A: Dairy Farmer Matt Simon

Five Questions for Dairy Farmer Matt Simon Matt Simon, 43, is a dairy farmer. He farms with his father, Mike and his brothers Frederic, 47, and Jason, 42, at Simon Brothers Dairy just outside of Conway in Faulkner County. Q: What’s the most satisfying aspect of being a dairy farmer? A: The most satisfying thing […]

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Farmer Q&A: Cattle Rancher and Poultry Farmer Allen Stewart

We recently sat down for a short Q & A with Allen Stewart, former Arkansas Farm Bureau board member and cattle and poultry farmer, on his ranch near Mena in Polk County. Stewart served 14 years on the ArFB board and continues to serve as president of Polk County Farm Bureau. Now 76-years-old, he reflects […]

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Scenes from the State Fair

The Arkansas State Fair & Livestock Show officially kicked off on Thursday, Oct. 12, with a ribbon cutting at the Fairgrounds in Little Rock. The event marked the beginning of a wild week and a half for youth and families from around the state, as they wrangled, pulled, carried and cajoled their cattle, hogs, goats, […]

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Young Farmer & Rancher Spotlight: The Damrons

Craighead County’s Chris Damron is a first-generation farmer, an increasingly rare designation these days, as starting a farming operation “from scratch” can be a cost-prohibitive proposition. Damron says that he and his wife, Breanne, took on the challenge because “farming the land was my calling.” Chris and Breanne’s efforts have paid off, as their farming […]

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Winning Rice Recipe: Parmesan Shrimp & Rice Casserole

Shelby Bosnick of Moro, Miss Lee County Rice, was named 2017-18 Miss Arkansas Rice on Saturday, August 26. Bosnick, 17, is a senior at Lee Academy and is the daughter of Jason and Ashley Bosnick. You can learn more about Bosnick and the Miss Arkansas Rice contest here. Contestants were judged on their promotion activities […]

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5C Spotlight: Meet Jennifer Cook

Jennifer Cook, owner of 5C Cattle Co. in Wooster (Faulkner County), is a first-generation cattle producer a graduate of the agriculture program at the University of Arkansas. She recently wrote a column for ArkansasBusiness.com about the importance of opening the China market to U.S. beef. In the column, she provided some interesting anecdotes about her […]

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2016 East Central District Farm Family of the Year – Chris & Nesha Smith

In this day and time, you don’t see many first generation farmers as it’s a hard business to get into, but Chris and Nesha Smith have defeated the odds. They purchased their farm in 2004 and have worked diligently to build their cattle herd and instill in their 10-year-old daughter their same passion for agriculture. […]

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