Sherry Saylor came to Buckeye as a newlywed who had never farmed a day in her life—and then spent the next five decades helping write the next chapter of Arizona agriculture. With her husband, Rick, a third-generation farmer, she worked R&S Farms through seasons of cotton, barley, alfalfa, and wheat, the kind of diversified row-crop life that once defined the Buckeye Valley.

That wheat story sits inside a much older Arizona tradition: from Padre Kino’s White Sonora and the grain fields of the O’odham and Pima to today’s revival of heritage and ancient grains that thrive in desert heat and low water.

While R&S Farms grew more traditional grains, like Arizona’s famous Desert Durum wheat, Saylor is committed to representing all farming through the Farm Bureau family.

What she brings into every meeting is the rare mix of counselor, teacher, and advocate. A longtime Buckeye elementary school counselor, Hall of Fame honoree, and former national chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, she leads with relationship first—listening, building trust, then making the case for agriculture with clarity and warmth.

She is known for developing and supporting other leaders, teaching women to tell their farm stories, and turning policy rooms, school classrooms, and community tables into places where Arizona agriculture is understood, not just defended. Whether the topic is labor or Arizona water issues, Sherry arrives ready to connect people, sharpen the message, and leave the room stronger than she found it.

In a previous interview with Arizona Farm Bureau, Saylor said, “I fell in love with the first farmer I met, and then I fell in love with the Farm Bureau and agriculture! When we moved to Buckeye in 1974, I had no idea what farming was all about. I often say that the Farm Bureau saved my life because it provided a community of amazing individuals who in turn allowed me to become a part of their tribe!”

“Getting involved with Young Farmers and Ranchers was the first step, and then transitioning into Women's Leadership helped me continue my journey,” she added. “I began to learn about this amazing industry I was privileged to be a part of. I started going to any conference and training that was offered, and I found it empowering to be able to speak with confidence about agriculture at the local, state, and national level. Farm Bureau gave me the opportunity to make a difference by training and educating me about the issues facing farmers and ranchers. As the leadership guru Simon Sinek has pointed out, we all need to know our "why!" Our collective why is that we desire to provide food, fiber, and fuel to this world to sustain people in the days and years to come! I still am passionate about what I do because I believe deeply in the role the American Farmer plays in our society!”

She shares her family’s farm story and gives insights on “shared leadership” in this episode of Rosie on the House. Oh, yes, we talk about wheat and ancient grains.