By Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau Outreach Director: Begun three years ago in March with the help of Arizona Farm Bureau’s communication interns, we now have more than 100 Arizona farm and ranch families profiled. But, we still have hundreds of farm families’ stories missing from the mix.

Photo courtesy Kacie Tomerlin, rancher in northern Arizona.

Our Arizona Farm Bureau policy directs us to “tell our story.” So now, who is missing from the list below? At the bottom, I provide the 10 questions we typically ask our farm and ranch families. If you are in agriculture in Arizona, feel free to answer them and send your answers back with some photos attached if you’re so inclined.

You might want to keep the list below for future reference. While our farm and ranch family stories have changed and expanded in some cases, the core of what so many do so well is highlighted in these inspiring stories below. It’s the best list we have produced!

  1. Cecil Miller Family (Farming and ranching)
  2. Jack Brown (Farming and ranching) Crafted in Leadership
  3. Carl Stevenson Family (Cattle Feedlot)
  4. The Sossaman Family (Traditional row crops and ancient grains)
  5. The Gladden Family (Dairy and row crops)
  6. The Jean and Ferrell Anderson Family (Equine)
  7. Predmore Family (Wine grapes)
  8. Max Koepnick (Cotton and small grains)
  9. The Ham Family (Landscaping)
  10. The Aggie House (U of A’s oldest social organization)
  11. Sanders Family (Alfalfa)
  12. Warner Glenn (Rancher)
  13. Alan Seitz (variety of crops)
  14. Harold Maxwell (Equipment dealer)
  15. Scott McDaniel (Cattle broker, Ranching and event rodeo)
  16. Scott Koehn (Alfalfa and small grains)
  17. Jim O’Haco (Ranching)
  18. Bostock Family (Wine grape growers)
  19. Crystal Killian(Sheep Shearer)
  20. Stambaugh Family (Cotton and Cattle)
  21. Chaz Shelton(Aquaponics)
  22. Shedd Family (cotton, wheat and alfalfa)
  23. Karl Wyant(Soil Doctor; Crop Advisor)
  24. Christine Roth (Equine)
  25. Balow Family (Agriculture supplies, Hay broker)
  26. Milton Smith Family (Cotton, Wheat and alfalfa)
  27. Jim Parks (Cattle)
  28. Aja Family (Cattle and Sheep)
  29. Larry Whipple (Cattle)
  30. Phyllis and Jack Carlisle (Cattle)
  31. Paul Prechel (cotton and alfalfa)
  32. The Alder Brothers (Cotton, cattle and alfalfa)
  33. Wilbur Lunt (Cotton, small grains & assorted crops)
  34. Pacheco Family (Cotton, small grains, alfalfa)
  35. Danzeisen Family (Dairy)
  36. Dunn Family (cattle)
  37. Dean Fish (cattle)
  38. Statler Family (summer vegetables & floral farming)
  39. Rogers Family (Cotton, small grains, alfalfa)
  40. Augustine Family (Cattle, plant nursery and general farming)
  41. Paul Bush (Regional Vice President for Calcot, cotton marketing organization)
  42. Smallhouse Family (Cattle & Cactus)
  43. Bales Family(Cotton, Wheat & alfalfa)
  44. Gertie and Bill Hickman (Laying Hens)
  45. Oliver Anderson Family (Cotton, dried flowers)
  46. Prosser Family (cattle)
  47. Harold Payne and Fort McDowell Farms (citrus, alfalfa, small grains)
  48. Philip Bravo (cattle)
  49. Mellon Family (Vegetable crops, cotton)
  50. Carlson Family (wine grapes)
  51. Wendy Cavalliere (cattle)
  52. Zambrano Family (Rodeo stock)
  53. Terisha Driggs (Cattle and crops)
  54. Evans Family (sweet corn)
  55. Richie Kennedy Family (cattle)
  56. Petersen Family (Cattle)
  57. Vernon Schulz Family (various crops including almond trees)
  58. Shawn Wright Family (crop advisor)
  59. Ryan Colville (Crop advisor)
  60. Neely and Morrison Families (cotton, wheat and alfalfa)
  61. McDonald Family (4-H and FFA livestock)
  62. Gerald Flake (Ranching)
  63. Mark Spencer Family (Citrus)
  64. Emmett Sturgill (Ranching)
  65. David Sharp Family (cotton and produce)
  66. Shiew Family (cattle)
  67. Boelts Family (Produce, wheat & cotton)
  68. Clyde Sharp Family (Cotton and produce)
  69. Alcaida Family (Cattle, Cotton)
  70. Killian Family (Crops, citrus and cattle)
  71. Alpha Gamma Rho (Ag Fraternity)
  72. Clifton Family (Agribusiness, Feed Store)
  73. Marguerite Tan (Agribusiness)
  74. Brooks Family (Vegetables, Hay and Grains)
  75. Dinsmore Family (Vegetable, Hay and grain farm)
  76. Cullison Family (alfalfa and wheat)
  77. Newbold Family (manage a cow/calf operation)
  78. Claridge Family (Cotton and alfalfa)
  79. Hickman Family (egg farmers)
  80. McGuire Family (various crops, "Agucation")
  81. Palmer Family (Cotton, wheat and alfalfa)
  82. McNelly Family (ranching)
  83. Pearson family (Melons)
  84. Hatley family (Cotton and sweet corn)
  85. Caywood family: (Various corps)
  86. Ware Family (various crops)
  87. Ott Family (various crops)
  88. Gasho Family (ranching)
  89. Glenn Family (ranching)
  90. Murdock Family (various crops)
  91. Murphree Family (Cotton, Wheat and alfalfa)
  92. Morrison Family (crops, livestock)
  93. Sloan Family (Equine Business, Livestock)
  94. Creech Family (direct-to-market farming, retail farmer)
  95. Kerr Family (dairy)
  96. Anderson Family (direct-to-market farming, retail farmer)
  97. Mortimer Family (direct market farm, cattle, plant nursery)
  98. Johnson Family (cattle)
  99. Hauser Family (cattle)
  1. Saylor Family (cotton, alfalfa, small grains)
  2. Graham Family (wine grapes, pistachios)
  3. Caballero Family (dairy)
  4. Don Van Hofwegen Family (dairy)

Questions for our farm and ranch stories.

  1. Tell us about your farm, ranch, or agribusiness operation(s):
  2. Any farming practices that highlight water conservation, soil health or and other special practice you instituted to save money and improve the farm?
  3. What is your educational background (i.e. Degree(s), certifications, honors)?
  4. What are your community activities?
  5. What do you love the most about farming, ranching, or the agriculture industry in general?
  6. What do you enjoy doing, and what is one fact/achievement that nobody knows about you?
  7. Why are you a Farm Bureau member?
  8. How will the next generation of agriculturalists have to operate?
  9. What is the best business advice that you’ve received and/or have given?
  10. What business-oriented advice would you give young farmers/beginning farmers?

 Stay tuned.

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