Newspaper people get to hang out with the coolest folks: Politicians, athletes, businessmen, singers and songwriters, cops and robbers.
And farmers. They top the list of the cool because they’re so down-to earth. Literally and figuratively.
I’ve known this for a long time, having been fortunate to work in journalism in Arkansas in places much smaller than Little Rock, but was recently reminded of it at a luncheon of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, where the 2013 Farm Family of the Year was recognized. It’s the Gill family of McGehee, in Desha County.
More about them shortly. But first how I happened to be at this event.
The Arkansas Press Association, of which I am a longtime member, is one of the sponsors of the farm family competition. Someone from the APA has the annual role of introducing the eight district farm families. This year, that job fell to me.
It was a beautiful thing to be there. The room at the Wyndham Hotel in North Little Rock was packed, and the crowd was different from the typical gathering in the big city. Many of these folks were partial to ball caps and cowboy hats, Western wear and boots, or plain casual. Sure, there were plenty of suits and ties, but on the whole the atmosphere was relaxed.
We were reminded by Butch Calhoun, the state’s secretary of agriculture, of how important farming is to Arkansas. One in six jobs, he said, is tied to agriculture. Calhoun was optimistic about the future of farming in Arkansas, he said, because of the dedication and creative problem-solving of farm families. He also took note of how many children were there. Here comes the next generation of farmers, growing up to do what they love.
A small school could have been started with the multitude of young people there. When the eight families came to the front to be honored and photographed, several of them filled the small stage to overflowing.
It’s fair to say that most people take farming and farmers for granted. We go to the grocery store; there’s the food. It’s abundant and cheap. Lucky us. Even the newspaper tends to take the agriculture sector a little less seriously than the rest of the economy. Farm families of the year don’t get much ink, even though this competition in the long-running in the country, now in its 68th year.
So let’s give them some of that ink right now, starting with the 2013 district farm families.
The Aday family of Leslie (Van Buren County), North Central District. Jeff and Tanya Hill of Moro (Lee County), East Central District.
Mario and Lucina Maya of De Queen (Sevier County), West Central District.
Bob and Sarah Gorden of Mena (Polk County), Western District.
Larry and Leslie Griffin of Ozan (Hempstead County), Southwest District.
Lynn and Tammy Williams of Huntington (Sebastian County), Northwest District.
Nick and Deanne Yount of Pollard (Clay County), Northeast District. And, lastly but first, the Gills of McGehee (Desha County), the 2013 Farm Family of the Year.
The Gills include Andy and Shannon, their son Andrew and daughter Madeline, who together farm 3,200 acres of corn and soybeans. They did farm cotton for 30 years, but in 2012 switched to corn and soybeans.
That must have been a calculated risk-more like a tremendous gamble-on their part. For some of us, the biggest risk we ever take is choosing which necktie to wear.
A final thought. We don’t see many farm-related bumper stickers in this town, but a couple come to mind.
First, one that goes back a long way: Don’t talk bad about a farmer with your mouth full.
Second, and best: I farm. You eat.
For that, we’re grateful.
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Frank Fellone is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s deputy editor.
Editorial, Pages 17 on 12/26/2013