Farm Festival raises $22,000 for Texas, Oklahoma farmers

FAYETTEVILLE — From hay donations to a major fundraising event at the Washington County Fairgrounds, a group of about 12-14 farmers from Prairie Grove have worked hard to help farmers and ranchers who lost almost everything because of wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma earlier this year.

Steve Bartholomew of Prairie Grove, though, quickly points out that none of it was possible without many others volunteering to do their part.

Farm Festival, held April 7 at the fairgrounds, included free food provided by many organizations, with cash donations accepted for the food, a silent auction and a live auction. The festival had tractors and farm equipment for kids to climb on, fire trucks and live music. Prairie Grove FFA brought animals for a petting zoo and set up games for families to play.

Bartholomew said he thought the event would raise $10,000 to $15,000 but he was hoping for more. At the end of the day, the event had raised more than $22,000 and raffle tickets are still being sold for a riding lawnmower through the end of April.

The devastating fires in Texas and Oklahoma hit home, Bartholomew said, because he has been a rancher his whole life and could “feel their pain.” According to several media sources, the massive wildfires consumed more than a million acres, killed thousands of cattle and displaced thousands of cattle.

Bartholomew said his involvement really started with a comment from his 7-yearold grandson who wanted to donate his only $29 to the fire cause to purchase hay bales.

“That lit a fire in me to want to help,” Bartholomew said.

Bartholomew’s group of farmers went into almost immediate action using social media and other means to ask for hay donations to take to the farmers. About 2,000 bales of hay have been donated, and 420 square bales, 800 round bales and pallets of feed have already been delivered to farms in the two states.

Bartholomew, who manages Ogden Ranch in Prairie Grove, said they are working on logistics to get the rest delivered.

The hay already delivered equals about $40,000 in donations, Bartholomew said Sunday, as he stood on a trailer to thank people for coming to the fundraising event.

“Folks, we’re helping,” he said. “This is helping.”

Cheryl West, another Prairie Grove farmer, said all the work has been a “labor of love.”

The money raised at the Farm Festival is going to help ranchers with buying supplies and materials, including fencing materials and milk replacers for the calves. West said it was calving season and cows’ udders were burned so that they could not feed their calves. Nurseries have been set up for the calves.

West estimated 400 to 500 people showed up for the fundraiser. “It was just amazing the number of people that came out,” West said. “I think what really touched us is that this was something that had not hit our area but was for people two states over.”

West expressed her appreciation to everyone who volunteered and donated items for the Farm Festival.

“It took a small army of folks to make it happen,” she said.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) Scott Stone of Prairie Grove dips out cooked beans for Zander McKeown, 6, of Star City, and his grandmother, Stacey Gragg of Lincoln. Free food at the Farm Festival included beans and fried potatoes, hot dogs, chicken legs, smoked bologna and desserts. The event raised more than $22,000 through donations, a silent auction and live auction.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lynn Kutter) Steve Bartholomew of Prairie Grove thanks everyone for coming to the Farm Festival to help farmers and ranchers who lost almost everything in wildfires earlier this year. Bartholomew is standing on a trailer filled with donation items for a live auction. These items included a Big Green Egg, Stihl pressure washer, John Deere toolbox, John Deere pedal tractor. Other tables were lined with items donated for a silent auction.