Hillian Ranch, a fifth-generation farm, in Washington County

FAYETTEVILLE — Hillian Ranch on Highway 16 in Washington County is a fifth generation farm that is owned by Michael and Melinda Hillian with assistance from their children, Chloe, a UA student, and Noah, 12, a homeschool student.

Chloe, a 2023 graduate of Prairie Grove High School, serves as the ranch’s social media and public relations director. She also plans events for children to come to the ranch to experience what it’s like to live on a farm.

Michael and Melinda moved to the ranch 14 years ago to take over the operation of the family farm that has dairy cattle, pigs and free-range chickens. Chloe was 5 years old at the time and has been helping on the farm for as long as she can remember.

Her favorite part of living and working on a farm, she said, is being around the cows, meeting new people and talking to kids about agriculture.

Hillian Ranch has 88 acres and the family leases another 112 acres for its cattle. Presently, Chloe said, the farm has 90 head of dairy cattle, which are used as show cows and for milking. The steers and pigs are sent to B&R Meat Processing in Winslow, a USDA inspected facility, to be butchered.

The ranch has 50-75 laying hens that produce 6570 eggs every day.

Even with all that going on, Chloe said the ranch is venturing out into new avenues. One honeybee hive has been placed at the ranch with plans to add more so the ranch can produce and sell honey. The family has planted 18 fruit trees and another idea being discussed is to go into the chicken business and build chicken houses.

Hillian Ranch has a store where it sells its products, including eggs, raw milk and USDA pork and beef. Chloe said the store’s business has grown over the past six years, so much that her mother quit her job to work in the ranch store.

At the University of Arkansas, Chloe is majoring in agriculture leadership with a minor in agriculture communications and animal science. She is not sure yet of her plans after college, possibly to live on the farm and continue outreach or become a county extension agent.

Like many kids on farms in Washington County, Chloe was involved with Hogeye 4-H Club and the FFA Chapter at Prairie Grove High School. She showed at many fairs growing up and still shows in open events that are available for those 18 and older. She was a pitcher on the high school softball team.

Presently, Chloe is the Washington County Farm Bureau Ag Ambassador and is an Arkansas Dairy Ambassador.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) Hillian Ranch raises dairy cows for milk and livestock shows. This Guernsey cow is named Bullet. Chloe Hillian said she names all the females and is able to remember all their names. The farm presently has 90 head of cattle.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) This building is the original milking barn for Hillian Ranch off Highway 16 in Washington County. Ivan McFarland started the farm in the 1930s and 1940s. Hillian Ranch is a fifth-generation farm that now is owned by Michael and Melinda Hillian.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) Chloe Hillian fills a glass gallon jar with raw milk produced by dairy cows on Hillian Ranch. The tank holds 500 gallons of raw milk that is sold from the farm’s store.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) Chloe Hillian has a major role on the family farm, Hillian Ranch off Highway 16 in Washington County. She coordinates social media and public relations for the farm, works on the farm and is a student at the University of Arkansas. The farm raises dairy cattle, pigs and egg-laying hens.