It’s springtime in the Ozarks. Baby bunnies are hopping around the yard at dawn and dusk. Cows are calving. And the local fair, with rodeo, has come and gone. I am embracing this farming community more and more and I admire the hard work that farmers and their families do.
As a freelance writer, I found a job contributing articles to a farming newspaper. I used to teach journalism, so I am familiar with how to structure a news article. I know to check the current AP Style book for the ever changing usage of words and grammar (adviser vs. advisor). I didn’t know, and now it makes sense, that farming has its own style guide.
While there are sometimes drawbacks to country living, more like inconveniences, there are also rich rewards. One perk is having an abundance of nature which inspires my writing. Another is getting spoiled by access to the best milk ever from a local dairy farm.
When we first moved up from Florida, I knew that shopping in a small town would be limited. I was saddened to find out that I could only purchase certified organic milk from the huge, international retailer in town and not at the smaller, locally owned markets that I prefer.
What I did find though was a quality throwback to locally produced milk sold in glass, deposit bottles. As a fan of their product, I was excited when asked to cover Ozark Mountain Dairy (and creamery) for an article in the dairy issue of Ozarks Farm & Neighbor newspaper. I feel even better purchasing their milk and knowing the family, The Frys, that I am helping support.
Another farm family that I covered (in an article) was the Lebahns, who were in their first years of producing beef and chicken. I also wrote a post on this site about how they homeschool five children. Knowing them and the care they put into their farming, I recently purchased one of their chickens as they had just finished processing.
Within a few hours of posting that they were taking orders for chickens, they were sold out. They only do this a few times a year, so people were ordering them five and ten at a time. My cabin life comes with a small refrigerator/freezer (for now), so I was excited to get my one, farm fresh chicken.
I met them in town and took home my professionally wrapped, labeled, frozen bird. While it looked similar to other chickens that I have purchased, the taste was so much better. It was so fresh. As I cleaned what was left over, I could see the difference of fresh meat versus rotisserie birds that I have cleaned to use the meat in recipes and found some of it questionable. I’m not a vegetarian, but beyond wasting food, I felt the dishonor of an animal’s life taken and it was not completely put to use.
In addition to the chicken, I also got a dozen eggs. It’s so neat for a former city girl, to know where these birds were raised, with love; to know the family that cared for them and who benefit, however little, from my choice as a consumer. The eggs were so pretty in varying sizes and shapes and the yolks were a rich orange/yellow color. They were also delicious.
Many farming families show their animals at local fairs. I have interviewed children in the community who belong to 4-H. These children have skills. They know how to handle, feed and train cows, pigs, goats and chickens. Young kids know how to run farm equipment, milk cows, gather eggs and set fences. I loved and miss my city students, who were amazing in their own ways, but seeing children raised with hands on skills, that can sustain them, is fulfilling.
We recently went to a local fair with the rodeo in mind. I expected to see mostly cowboys riding horses and lassoing bulls in competitions. I didn’t realize that so many kids participate in various events.
I don’t know where the parents, especially the mothers, get the nerves of steel to not only allow, but to watch their babies riding miniature bulls and full grown horses. Some of these kids were as young as four years old. That said, I’m happy they have supportive parents; it takes money and time to feed, train, travel and participate in shows with animals. It was beautiful to see siblings cheering on their brothers and sisters. And a whole community clapping for the top performers and for those who weren’t as quick, but showed great form and sportsmanship.
As they are children, and many quite young, the rodeo permits them to go through an event with someone more experienced either leading the horse by rope, riding alongside them or riding in the saddle with them. It was incredible to see the little ones feeling so supported. One young lady was paraplegic and her father crafted a special saddle for her and walked her through the event. Another little one rode in the saddle with her big sister.
The cutest event by far was the Mutton Busting where little kids rode sheep until they didn’t. They had helmets on and staffers right there to catch them. One little boy held on after slipping sideways and rode that way for a bit. It was impressive and exciting.
Some of the older kids who took their horses through the Barrels and the Poles events were so professional. The chemistry between horse and rider was apparent and some rode so fast that they made the large arena seem tiny. The rider’s love for the horses was shown with pets and pats.
It was an exciting night of watching a loving community support their own, as well as out of town guests, in a sometimes heartwarming and at other times heart stopping event.
The rodeo showed the skills earned and the fun side of working with animals. It was a time for farming families to come together and celebrate. While I’m not a farmer, I appreciate their work and reap the benefits.