Agricultural News
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Announces Four Farm Family of the Years Finalists- Top Award to be Handed Out Friday Night
Thu, 10 Nov 2016 05:39:27 CST
Four Oklahoma Farm Bureau families from across the state have been named District Farm Family of the Year and are nominated for the state Farm Family of the Year award.
The farm family program, sponsored by the OKFB Women's Leadership Committee, recognizes farm and ranch families who embody the best traditions of Oklahoma agriculture and rural life.
Each family will be honore at the 75th annual OKFB convention Friday, Nov. 11, at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, where the OKFB State Farm Family of the Year will be announced.
District 1 The Maschino Family
Roger and Idella Maschino of Guymon raise cattle in Texas, Cimarron and Delaware counties. The couple is focused on quality animals, which produce quality beef for consumers.
"We have developed our beef to where our calves are grading 100 percent choice and higher," Roger Maschino said. "They go into an all-natural beef program that is sold through the website 44steaks.com.
"We like quality and our quality is good enough that it is now featured in 200 restaurants across the United States."
Roger and Idella continue to develop their cattle herd by collecting detailed harvest data and careful selection of breeding stock.
Idella, a Colorado native, still holds an interest in her family's farm in southeastern Colorado, where the family raises white wheat, which produces a unique, high-quality flour.
Ranching is a passion for the Maschnios, who raised two children on the family's ranch, and who now work alongside their grandson, passing along their love for agriculture.
"In the ag environment, whether it be farming or cattle, there's two things that you have to have, and that's passion and commitment," Roger Maschino said. "You either love it or hate it, and if you love it, it doesn't matter how tough things get, you will find a way to survive."
"I remember my dad saying, 'It wasn't what you made in farming that kept you farming. It's what you're going to make,'" said Idella.
District 2 The Lanig Family
Joe and Cathy Lanig grow wheat, cotton, soybeans, canola and raise cattle on their Roosevelt-area farm. The family uses minimum-till techniques, soil sampling and precision farming to increase efficiencies and use their resources responsibly.
The couple farms alongside their son, Brad. Their daughter, Katie, helps out during critical times of the year, such as wheat harvest. Joe and Cathy's three grandchildren also get to spend time on the farm, marking the fifth generation of Lanigs to grow up on and around the farm.
The Lanigs pride themselves on taking care of their land and their animals as a family on land Joe's grandfather started farming in 1902.
"My grandfather started here, my dad was raised on this farm, I was raised here and my kids were raised here," Joe said. "So that means a lot to me."
The Langis built up their farm over the years through hard work and careful management. Today, Joe and Cathy reap the rewards of decades of long hours and dedication.
"I enjoy being self-employed and taking care of the crops, cattle and taking care of the land," Joe said.
Cathy works off the farm at AgPreference in Altus as an accounting supervisor, following years of work for an accounting firm.
"It's so satisfying," Cathy said of the family's farm life. "God gave us this land, it's nice to be able to pay him back and take care of it."
District 6 The Parker Family
Joe and Kelli Parker raise cattle, horses and chickens on their Talala-area farm. The couple also grows soybeans and hay, and Joe runs a custom spraying business, providing weed-control services to area farmers and ranchers.
The Parkers raised three children on the farm, and daughter Scotti and her husband, Addam, recently moved back to help farm.
"We couldn't have made it without them," Kelli said. "We appreciate their help on this farm."
The Parkers use a variety of farming practices to care for their land and their livestock. No-till farming practices conserve moisture and help prevent soil erosion. The family also bales and wraps sorghum sudangrass to create a high-protein feed source for winter months.
The Parkers have served Farm Bureau in a variety of capacities over the years, including state Young Farmers and Ranchers Chairmen, AgFund board members and state resolutions committee members. In fact, Joe has been a Farm Bureau member all his life.
"Dad bought a Farm Bureau membership for me when I was born," Joe said.
Laid on the foundations of generations before them, the Parkers have built up a family farm by taking care of their land and their livestock.
"We're going to treat our animals well because we want to," Kelli said. "God has entrusted us with that. It's a blessing, and we just praise the Lord for the opportunity to do that."
District 8 The Morrow Family
Joey and Monica Morrow run a cow/calf operation and grow wheat, hay and canola on their Roff-area farm. The couple's four boys, Lucas, Jonathan, Andrew and Thomas, work alongside Joey taking care of the family's cattle and crops.
"It's a good environment to raise the kids in," Joey said. "We get to be able to know them better as they grow up. We get to instill some values in them that they're going to need to get through life."
The Morrows are transitioning to a no-till management system on their crop land, which Joey said helps improve soil health while providing erosion control.
"Joe loves farming," Monica said. "He has a work ethic that is not the typical work ethic anymore."
Monica also works off the farm as a Kindergarten teacher at Latta, where she is the 2016-2017 District Teacher of the Year.
The Morrows are involved in their local church, where Joey serves as a deacon. Joey also serves as a city council member at Fitzhugh and is a volunteer fire fighter.
Through all the Morrow's work and dedication as a farm family, Joey and Monica hope to provide their boys with an opportunity to continue the family's farming tradition.
"We're very blessed to be here, and we're very thankful for what God has blessed us with," Monica said.
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