Success StoryRetired Military Couple are Beginning Farmers



Retired Military Couple are Beginning Farmers

Author: Dee Heimgartner

Planning Unit: Crittenden County CES

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Plan of Work: Increasing Knowledge in Agriculture, Home and Community Environment

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

A military couple bought some farm ground in Crittenden County for hunting purposes but had other plans for the property after retirement. They reached out to the ANR agent Dee Heimgartner for soil sampling. During a conversation the couple asked many questions about farming and were wanting to try a broad range of farm production from goats, chickens to produce. The couple stayed in contact with the agent while they were stationed in another state. Once they both retired they moved full time to Marion and proceeded with advancing their farming dreams to a reality. The couple has said the best advice that ANR Agent  Heimgartner gave them was to take it one step and enterprise at a time. The couple has fenced the property and is now in their second year of raising goats. They are continually utilizing the Extension Office for soil testing, hay testing and have attended several meetings on forage production and goat management, specifically parasite management in small ruminants. They are also raising a home garden with plans to expand and also possibly expand into other farming enterprises.






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