Benton County: Evans Farms

“My wife and I were both born into farming,” began Wes Evans, who with his wife Laura, own Evans Farms, Benton County’s Farm Family honoree this year. “We both grew up on dairy farms until our early adult years. We married at age 19 and took town jobs until we were able to grow our farm to the point that it was able to support one of us to stay home.”

Wes worked in town as a machinist for 12 years and Laura worked as a nurse for almost 16 years. Farming has always been their way of life. Evans Farms has experienced remarkable growth since they began in 2008. They started with 20 rented acres and 25 owned acres. Currently, the Evans Farms operation boasts 2,100 acres rented and 103 acres owned.

Evans Farms’ crops include 920 acres that yield four tons of dry hay per acre and 100 acres that yield six tons of Haylage per acre per year. Their livestock operation consists of 550 head of commercial angus mixed cattle and 10 head of registered Charolais cattle.

Evans Farms typically group their commercial steers and heifers up into desirable sizes and sell at local sale barns. For their registered calves they typically use social media or word of mouth. Their hay operation is also marketed by word of mouth and to repeat customers. On top of all that, the Evanses have multiple businesses that go hand in hand with the day-today operations on their farm.

“We supply 23 veterinarian clinics, within a 50-mile radius, with an animal cremation service,” Wes explained. “We are also available to schedule walk-in services for individuals as needed. Our company, Arkansas Pet Services Inc. is one of only two pet cremation facilities in Northwest Arkansas. With the help of two part-time employees, we are cremating over 200 small ruminants and pets per month.”

The Evanses are currently building their own personalized wooden urns for private cremations.

“We bought this business in July of 2022,” Wes said. “It allowed Laura to be able to come work at home and quit her nursing job after almost 16 years of working in town.”

The Evanses also operate a small Agriculture Fence and Fabrication company where they provide much needed services to local farmers.

“Our shop has built over 1,000 custom gates, around 30 coral systems, tractor implements from the ground up, such as haylage grabbers, bale spikes as well as designed and produced over 12 poultry litter forks for local farmers,” Wes said. “We also do repair on farm trucks, tractors, equipment and even keep common truck and trailer tires in stock to help out our farm neighbors when they get into a bind.”

They have built over 1,000 miles of fence, in 15 years of business and have been able to provide a source of income to 10 to 15 farm hands over that time.

“Many of these workers needed a chance to work that no one else would provide them with after struggling with substance abuse or military PTSD,” Wes said. “Our Fab and Fence business has been essential to be able to keep our employees with work year-round, outside of hay and cattle working seasons. Being able to manufacture our own equipment and implements needed on the farm has saved us an enormous amount of money over the years.”

In the last few years, they have expanded their operation to include being a Pro-Energy Liquid Feed dealer. The original plan was to use that to better their own livestock, but it has really become a way to help out other farms in our area by providing them with the service as well.

The Evanses have two children, Emma, 14, and Weston, 12. When

asked to list their achievements, the children are always at the top of the list.

“We are successfully raising farm kids that have a passion for agriculture,” Wes said proudly. “They have both competed for livestock judging and meat judging, as well as showing cows at multiple jackpot shows. We love raising our kids on the farm and being able to teach them that hard work and responsibilities can take them a long way in any career that they choose.”

The kids have also provided Wes and Laura with some of their best stories about life on the farm. Like the time the pigs got out of their pen.

“It was pretty devastating to our 4-year-old to discover that our pigs had gotten out of their pens and were having a hay day in the kiddie pool when returning home one day,” Wes recalled. “When building a bigger above ground pool, it was a blast for the kids to swim with baby ducks that they were raising. Always having some kind of pets around makes for entertainment on the farm.”

Getting named Farm Family of the Year is something the Evanses have not taken lightly.

“Not knowing what to expect at first, it’s been a huge honor being recognized for all of the hard work and passion that my self, spouse and kids demonstrate on a daily basis,” Wes said. “The overwhelming support from our local state representatives, county judge and Farm Bureau has been heartfelt.”

“If I had any advice to young people starting out, it would be to never compare your farm to other farms,” Wes said. “Every farm is unique and was started in different circumstances. What works for some people may not work for you.”