Garland County family receives honor for farming operation
RED OAK COMMUNITY — Farming has always been a way of life for Donny Moore. He grew up on a dairy farm but transitioned that operation to a beef-cattle operation in 1998.
Donny and his family — his wife, Gina; daughter, Mandy Jackson; and son, Kevin Moore — are the 2017 Garland County Farm Family of the Year. They farm 260 acres in their operation, which is known as Oak Hill Hay Farm and is on the banks of Lake Hamilton. They raise hay and cattle. They also own DMT2 Inc. Trucking, operating four trucks and eight trailers that are used to transport their hay.
“We are thankful for being chosen as the Garland County Farm Family of the Year,” Donny said. “Farming is our way of life and is all we know.
“To be awarded for something that we love doing is truly a blessing. We wish everyone could experience growing up on a farm. Farming teaches the values of hard work and resourcefulness, which are becoming lost in our world.”
Donny said the farm was started by his grandfather in the late 1800s.
“It was a dairy farm from the 1930s until 1997,” he said. “I grew up on the farm working alongside my dad in the dairy business, which won Garland County Farm Family of the Year in 1972.”
Donny is the son of Maria Moore and the late Alvin Moore and the grandson of the late Alonzo and Matilda Moore. Donny has two sisters, Debby Mitchell of Jessieville and Doris Cischke of Hot Springs.
Donny and Gina Moore raise Bermuda-grass hay and mixed-grass hay. They also operate a cow/calf operation with 85 adult cows.
“Our grain-fed beef is sold to individuals by word of mouth,” Donny said. “Other beef cattle are sold at the local livestock auctions. Our hay is marketed through advertisement, Facebook and word of mouth.”
Donny said one of the family’s goals at Oak Hill Hay Farm is “to provide a self-sustaining farm for current and future family members.
“We also want to provide a variety of premium, top-quality hay to local and surroundingarea customers,” he said, noting that he also buys and sells hay from other hay growers, especially alfalfa hay.
“Sixty percent of the hay I handle is what I buy and re-sell,” he said. “The alfalfa comes from out west. Thoroughbred-horse owners are most of my customers for the alfalfa. I want the hay I sell to be consistent, so I stay with the bigger growers out west. I am the middleman for hay. I sell about 22 semi loads of alfalfa each year.
“My business is 50 percent customer service,” Donny said, adding that his customers know that he is often the middleman when selling hay. “I don’t change my prices. That’s one thing my customers like. I want to be fair, and I want you to come back.”
Donny said he believes it is important to maintain “a good relationship with neighbors and community regarding the environmental effects of a working cattle farm” so near Lake Hamilton.
“Neighbors were concerned about the pollution of surrounding streams and [the] lake,” he said. “I requested a full environmental study by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to determine if there were any environmental issues. Upon the completion of the ADEQ inspection in 2015, the report concluded no infractions were found, which alleviated the concerns of the neighbors.”
Donny said he hopes to expand the farm in the future.
“Plans are in the works to build two additional hay barns for storage of hay and equipment,” he said. “I also plan to continue to attend classes and seminars to learn the latest farming techniques and technology.”
Donny and Gina, both 57, graduated from Lakeside High School. They have been married 36 years.
Gina did not come from a farming background.
“I was a city girl when I came to Hot Springs,” she said, laughing. “But Donny and I dated long enough that I had plenty of time to adapt to the farming way of life. We dated six or seven years before we got married. We were high school sweethearts.”
Gina is the daughter of Bob and Rosalee Fraysier of St. Louis, Missouri.
Gina has worked off the farm as the office manager of the Garland County clerk’s office for 24 years. She also keeps the books for Oak Hill Hay Farm.
The Moores’ children are also graduates of Lakeside High School.
Their daughter, Mandy Jackson, 29, and her husband, Morgan, live on the farm property. She is a graduate of Henderson State University with a degree in early-childhood education and is working on a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction through Arkansas State University. She is a kindergarten teacher at Lake Hamilton High School.
Mandy is an active member of First Baptist Church.
“She is a great advocate for teaching young children about farm practices and farm animals,” Donny said of his daughter. “She incorporates special projects in her teaching to acquaint them with these aspects.”
The Moores’ son, Kevin Moore, works on the farm.
“He has helped around the farm since he was old enough to drive a tractor,” Donny said of his son.
Kevin played football at Lakeside High School. He graduated from National Park Community College with a degree in criminal justice. He is engaged to Allyson Dunbar, who is also a Lakeside High School graduate and is a registered nurse at National Park Medical Center; the couple are planning an October wedding.
Donny Moore serves on the executive board at Spring Lake Camp in Lonsdale. He is an active member of First Baptist Church, where he leads domestic and overseas mission trips. He is a former Deacon Council leader and continues to serve as a deacon. He is also a former president of the Ozark Bass Club.
Gina is also active at First Baptist Church, where she has served as a director for the women’s ministry and currently serves on its hospitality committee. She has gone on several mission trips with Donny.