More than 98 percent of Kentucky’s farms are operated by individuals, families, or family partnerships. Learn about the people who are growing your food and caring for our natural resources. You may also find farms and farmers by county by visiting County Ag Data.
“Our mommas either bring meat to the hill, or they become the meat.” That’s the no-nonsense motto of Ramey Watkins, a goat producer and breeder in Metcalfe County who runs Rafter W. Farms near Edmonton, Ky.
The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame is designed to honor a member of the organization that has given time, service, and talent to the betterment of the Cattlemen's Association at the county and/or state levels. Five people are inducted each year into the KCA Hall of Fame, with one inductee being from each of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association Membership Regions. Inductees are nominated by their peers.
Working in agriculture, a male-dominated field, Chaney’s Dairy Barn farm manager Dore Hunt's life has revolved around cows for years.
Jim Coleman owns the same Fayette County farm his great-grandfather bought 136 years ago after first tilling the same land as a slave. He is the fourth generation of the Coleman family to live and work on the farm.
Jerry Wyatt, 82, has been growing fresh produce for 67 years in Marshall County and has no plans to stop anytime soon.
Webster County farmer Eddie Melton was elected as president of Kentucky Farm Bureau in December 2023. He has served on the organization’s executive committee for the past fifteen years.
At a time of year when holiday stories about shepherds are prominent, Trent Jones is living the experience in ways reminiscent of those described in the Bible, with a few updates conveniences.
“Young, ambitious farmer looking for land to lease.”
That’s how Ryan Bivens described himself in ads when he moved to Hodgenville 20 years ago hoping to establish a farming career. It might be an unorthodox way to build a farm operation, since most farmers inherit a family business, but it didn’t take long for people to see how serious Bivens was, or how successful he could be.
Brenda Paul and her family raise cattle, alfalfa, hay, sorghum, and soybeans on her nearly six-thousand-acre farm.
Tom Folz and his family raise corn, soybeans, wheat, and tobacco plants on more than 4,500 acres in western Kentucky. In addition to his farming operation, he runs a Beck’s Hybrids dealership, which is an integral part of his business.
Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) today announced that Jed Clark of Graves County has been selected as the 2023 KFB Farmer of the Year. Clark will be awarded the honor during the organization’s 104th annual meeting at the Galt House in Louisville later this year.
In the ever-evolving landscape of Kentucky politics, Jonathan Shell emerges as a notable figure, having just been elected as our state's Agriculture Commissioner. His journey to this pivotal role in governing Kentucky's vast agricultural sector is marked by a blend of legislative experience and a deep-rooted connection to farming.
The Adams’ are passionate about expanding their farming operations and continuing to push the limits as first-generation farmers. “We hope to grow the row crop enterprise to 800 acres in the next 5 years and to 1000 acres in the next 10 years,” they noted. “We would also like to grow our cow/calf operation to 100 brood cows in the next 5 years by better utilizing the pasture we currently have.”
Putting down permanent roots sometimes means uprooting first. The family of Catlin Young knows this too well.
Learn about Alice Baesler's legendary career and influence in Kentucky agriculture.
Establishing buffer strips, crop rotations, no-till practices, and cover crops have reduced soil erosion and improved water quality at their beef cattle and grain farm. Selective harvesting and thinning overgrowth promote the quality of timber in the farm’s 125 acres of forests. Planting trees and native grasses has created a habitat for wildlife and insect pollinators.
“We started with a little, tiny plot out front…Every year we expanded a little bit more. Now it is a pretty major source of income, where before it was just a hobby,” Diane Vetters said. The process of growing effectively and thoughtfully is one that the Vetters have adjusted and made improvements to over the years.
In Carter County lies the town of Grayson. It is home to McGlone Farms and Kee’s Farm Service. McGlone Farms has been in operation for six generations and traces its roots back to 1883. Kee’s Farm Service hasn’t been around nearly that long, but about ten years ago, it was purchased by Hannah and Jason McGlone, and business has certainly changed since Hannah took over.
Learn about Mandy Bryant and how her life has been shaped by owning her family farm.
Learn about Alana and how she believes others can make an impact in agriculture.
Cecil, who has been farming for 49 years, raises crops – including watermelon, corn, soybeans, mixed vegetables, and greenhouse flowers. Cecil and his wife, Imelda, have three adult children who are involved in the operation of Cecil Farms.
While the DeWeeses also have hill ground and various other soil types to work with, the river bottoms are tricky. Like many other row crop farmers in the far western portion of the state, the DeWeese brothers have turned to contract growing of hogs in order to diversify their operation and maximize their profit margin.
For 60 years, Cecilia resident Kenneth Hayden has farmed 850 acres of land, and the 91-year-old is still at it.
Sarah and her husband Bart own Red Hill Farms, an esteemed livestock and crop farming operation spanning south central Kentucky and northern middle Tennessee. Not only does Jones oversee the sale and care of Red Hill’s many cattle, but she also manages its finances, records, marketing and promotions.
The Thomas family has a deep family history in agriculture, and both Mark and Wesley were raised on farms. While Wesley is now also a Nurse Practitioner, Mark is fulfilling his lifelong dream. “From an early age, I have always been dedicated to agriculture and the farm. I have never wanted to do anything but farm full-time,” noted Mark.
When you hear the words “firewood operation,” you may envision large, desolate sections of land absent of hickory, oak, and maple trees. That’s not the case here. As Reed looks over a tract of land they farmed for firewood in recent years, he bends down to point out oak and maple saplings flourishing on the forest floor.
When asked how he feels about growing chickens on contract for Tyson, Tim Morrison said “I’m lovin’ it,” with a grin. The reason for that grin is apparent when one learns that all the chickens grown on Morrison Farms – and that’s a LOT of chickens – are processed in nearby Obion County, Tennessee, for use in McDonald’s restaurants all over the world.
Learn about Coopman Farms, the last dairy in Ballard County.
JD Country Milk is a family owned and operated dairy farm and processing plant located in Logan County, Kentucky. Willis and Edna Schrock have created quite a niche market for their milk, and over the years they have raised eight children.
Fischer lives with his wife, Barbara, in Daviess County and farms with his sons Brian and Jerry, along with the third generation which includes Robert and Jake. There, the Fischers grow soybeans and corn, with the younger Fischers also raising a tobacco crop.
