Chimes family receives county honor

By By Carol Rolf staff writer

LITTLE ROCK — The Larry Housley family of the Chimes community is on the go. Not only do both Larry and his wife, Susan, operate their own businesses, they both stay busy on their farm, raising cattle and the grass to feed them. They also stay busy with their four active children - Henry, 13; James, 9; Glee Anna, 7; and Maggie, 2.

The Housleys are the 2009 Van Buren County Farm Family of the Year.

"I have lived on a farm my whole life," said Larry, a son of Larry and Margaret Housley, also of the Chimes community. "While growing up, I helped my father and grandfather with every aspect of their farming operation. As a young boy, I acquired calves as pay for my summer farm work. I also raised bottle fed calves. I saved this income and eventually started buying heifers. This enabled me to have a small cattle herd of 15 to 20 by the time I graduated high school (Leslie High School).

"Our neighbor's farm came up for sale my senior year in high school in 1988, and I could not pass up the opportunity. Hence, I was officially in the cattle business."

Today, the Housleys farm 725 acres of land. Their farm includes a cow-calf operation with 100 heifers with calves, four bulls and four horses. They also raise a variety of grasses that is fed to the cattle. They wean the calves 30 to 60 days before selling them and try to sell them when they reach 500 to 600 pounds, selling them in July and November to local sale barns.

Larry's dad started the Housley Tree planting service business 25 years ago in Louisiana. Larry and his brother-in-law, Larry Griffin, joined the business 20 years ago. Then his younger brother, Kevin Housley, joined the business a few years later.

"My grandfather, Henry Housley (of Chimes), fed the cows while we were in Louisiana planting trees during the winter months," Larry said. "As he got older, Susan and I started our family. I decided to stay home and care for everyone's cattle and farms while they looked after my equipment and crew in Louisiana. We all independently own our own business equipment, farm equipment and land, but share responsibilities such as building fences, working cattle and putting up annual hay crops. We also custom bale hay for other people throughout the summer months."

Larry also owns and operates Larry A. Housley Dozing Construction. He said the equipment he owns for this enterprise also helps him make the family income and helps make farm improvements throughout the year.

Susan, who is a daughter of George and Alice Daniel of Marshall, owns and operates Housley Physical Therapy in Marshall. Her business also helps with the family income.

Larry's mother takes care of the Housleys' youngest child, Maggie. The other four attend school in Marshall. Henry and James play sports and are team members of both school and independent basketball teams that play in tournaments year-round. Glee Anna is in her fourth year of dance classes at Judi King School of Dance in Clinton. The children also take weekly piano lessons.

Larry is a board member for Farm Service Agency; a firefighter, a board member and a first responder with the Chimes Volunteer Fire Department; and a Sunday school teacher at Liberty Missionary Baptist Church in the Chimes community. He is also a member of Farm Bureau, Van Buren County Cattlemen's Association and Searcy County Quails Unlimited.

Susan is a member, Sunday school teacher and secretary of Liberty Missionary Baptist Church. She is also a member of Van Buren Cattlemen's Association, a first responder with Chimes Volunteer Fire Department and an officer for the Marshall High School Alumni Association. She is a sponsor of Searcy County little league baseball and Relay for Life for both Van Buren and Searcy counties. She is also a member of the Arkansas and American Physical Therapy associations, Rehabilitation Network of Arkansas and the University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association.

- crolf@arkansasonline.com

River Valley Ozark, Pages 144 on 09/13/2009