Farm livin’ is the life

Families honored with annual designation

One of the biggest Arkansas agriculture stories of the last couple of years centers around a farm near a tributary of the Buffalo National River. It has, overall, been a story of contention over farming practices, science, geology and preservation of a natural resource Arkansans are right to jealously guard.

The conflict has, at times, seemed to pit agriculture against the public good, and that’s unfor- tunate. Because agriculture in Arkansas is all about the public good. It’s said to be the state’s biggest industry, providing jobs to thousands. And when one considers the mouths fed by the state’s farmers, the numbers affected by farming number in the millions.

Today, we’re not getting entangled in the Buffalo River controversy, as important as that is. Rather, we’re eager to stress just how bad off we — city and rural folks — would be if it weren’t for the farmers working with beef, chicken, hogs and crops that feed our neighbors, the nation and people around the world.

In recent days, the Arkansas Farm Bureau and its partners have named many of county-level farm families of the year for 2017. Since 1947, the program has selected families that demonstrate the best ideals of farming, from family life and community leadership to farming efficiency, management and production.

In Benton County, the honor went to Garrett and Amanda Gittlein, who farm with their 3-year-old son, Colson, at a farm near Maysville.

In Washington County, the farm family of the year was the Moores — parents Allen and Cindy along with their sons Cameron, 15, Kipton, 6, and Hudson, 2 — who farm near Lincoln.

As of Friday, other farm families in the region, according to the Farm Bureau, included Matt and Lisa Widner in Boone County; James and Tonja Smith in Carroll County; Tom and Sue Moore in Crawford County; Johnny and Bridge Pruitt in Franklin County; Jimmy Dickerson in Johnson County; Mike and Jessica Ingram in Madison County; and Jared and Michelle Pass in Sebastian County.

Yes, farming is a job. It’s hard work subject to the uncertainties of Mother Nature. But it’s also a way of life that’s not a good fit for everyone — there’s a reason most people live in cities near grocery stories — but is just right for people with the right temperament, work ethic, tenacity and skills. Farmers are the original conservationists when it comes to the land. They use the land, but they also respect it.

In Washington County, for example, Allen Moore and his family use conservation practices designed to prevent erosion. Today’s farmers are constantly searching for ways to be more efficient but also to protect the land that serves them.

“We’ve got to take care of our environment,” Moore said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Many more times than not, farmers are mindful of the world they’re going to leave their children and grandchildren. It’d be nice if they could get those attitudes to spread.

A lot of the “news” happening in Northwest Arkansas, around the state and in the nation arises from cities, but it’s healthy to use these man-made recognitions like those presented by the Farm Bureau to pay respects to those families out there working to feed all of us and to tend to the land. It’s not always an easy life, but we’re glad they’re out their living it.

These recent recognitions are big deals because the contributions farmers make to Arkansas are often not fully understood or appreciated. Maybe one can’t fully appreciate it without living it. But we can try.

Congratulations to all the winning county-level farm families of 2017. Good luck to them all as they are considered for regional and state honors. Naturally, only one family can be the state farm family of the year, but these and all other farming families deserve kudos for what they do.