Tricia and Jay McKay and their daughters have spent their lives in farming. They farm full time with Jay’s Dad and brother. Several years ago they decided to feed out their cattle on the farm rather than using CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feed Out lots). Their cattle graze green pastures with supplemental grains. They do not use growth hormones nor subtherapeutic antibiotics. Tricia and Jay are proud of their farm and the food they produce there.

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Jim’s grandfather and father bought their farm in 1938. Jim lived on the farm until he left to attend K-State and serve in the U.S.Army. After several years with the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, Freda and Jim moved to the farm and continued his dad’s cow/calf operation. Besides the cattle and raising Royal Berkshire pork, they grow corn, milo and soybeans and a little wheat or oats. When not running the county library, Freda helps out on the farm.

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Don is a retired, large-animal veterinarian who raises Black Angus Beef and Royal Berkshire Pork. He lives on the farm his family started and over the years has added more than 200 acres. “I want to live in this area,” Don said, “and fill the high-quality niche markets rather than raise large, commodity herds.” He decided to raise beef for Good Natured Family Farms because of the emphasis on quality and the partnership between the producers.

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Ed, his wife Mary along with Evan and Ella, moved to Mary’s great grandparents farm and lived in the old farmhouse until they got their dream home built in 1997. The property was originally deeded to a Civil War soldier who died and left the farm to his parents. Mary’s great grandparents bought the farm from that family and it has been in Mary’s family ever since. Today they raise beef, organic soybeans, corn, alfalfa, barley, grass and hay. Much of the grain feeds their cattle for the all-natural beef program.

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Brad and Teresa, along with their eight children and Brad’s parents, Clifford and Barbara, farm the rolling prairie of Northeast Kansas. In addition to raising all natural beef cattle for Good Natured Family Farms, the Edelmans grow corn, soybeans, oats, barley, clover and alfalfa hay. About 18 years ago they decided to farm using organic practices and now use no pesticides or fertilizers on their fields.

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Diana and her husband Gary moved back to Southeast Kansas to farm. Gary’s great grandfather, Samuel Endicott, had one of the first homesteads in Southeast Kansas in the 1800s. Since returning Diana and Gary have developed the Good Natured Family Farm Alliance with other small family farms to market natural and organic local foods to sell to Hen House Markets and Balls Price Chopper supermarkets in the Kansas City metro area..

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“You can’t keep taking from the land and not give back.” That’s how John, a member of the Soil Conservation Board, introduces his wetlands. “It controls erosion and is beneficial to the wildlife.” As a fourth generation beef producer on his land, John knows the importance of conservation. When Wyman Baugher, John’s great grandfather,was looking for his land, he insisted that it have no hills, no flooding and no rocks. He found his land and the family has been there ever since.

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Gary and Marilyn Edelman’s farm has been in their family for over 100 years. Their operation covers 830 acres, which they work with their daughter, Carrie and her husband Wayne Grimm. The farm is divided into fields of corn, soybeans, hay and pastures for their cattle. One of these days, their granddaughters, Elsie and Sadie will help, too.

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Bob’s grandparents bought the farm back in the early 1900s, and there’s been cattle on the farm ever since. It’s natural since the farm sets on the Chisholm Trail. Bob has lived on the farm all of his life. Judith put in a large garden and has 60 hens that produce the eggs she sells in Abilene. “We’re picky about what we eat, and we send what we eat to market,” Bob said. He’s just as picky about what he feeds his cattle and raises the grains they eat.

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As the sun peaks over the horizon, Alex and Daniel Hemme herd cattle across the grassy meadows of the Kaw Valley on their family farm in Perry, Kansas. The Hemme family farm was founded in 1867. Alex and Daniel Hemme are the fifth generation of their family to farm this land. Alex and Daniel knew that they would someday take over the farm. However, they never expected it to be so soon. Their dad, David Hemme, passed away two years ago. Their mom, Susan, marvels at how hard her sons have worked to keep the farm going.

“We have about 150 cows that start calving around March,” explains Alex. “Daniel and I check on them several times during the day and a couple of times during the night, in case a cow is having problems calving. The other day we had a new calf that we needed to check to make sure it was ok. To get a closer look, I grabbed the calf up in my arms and jumped up in the back of the truck. I moved faster than I thought I could when the calf’s mother took in after me. Of course, Daniel thought it was funnier than I did.”

“Although we raise grain crops and hay, I enjoy the cattle the most”, says Alex.

“ I was elected to the All-Natural Beef Co-op board this year. My dad was on the board. It is an honor to continue the co-op that my dad was a part of starting. We raise our cattle without hormones or subtherapeutic antibiotics. We raise the feed for our cattle and finish them here on our farm and not in a huge commercial feed yard. Doing it this way, just makes me feel good.”

When asked what Alex wants to leave for the next generation. Alex replies “What I want to leave for the next generation is that when they walk on this farm they can say that someone did some good and was a good steward of the land.”

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After high school, James Hess went to work on the Trout Family Farm. Since the couple was elderly, James did just about everything, including learning the cattle business. When the Trouts died, James continued to run the farm for their daughter. Today the Trout Stock Farm is a Missouri Century Farm, meaning it has been in continuous operation for over 100 years. James now runs the Trout operation and his own. He’s proud to say that he was the first All Natural Beef Co-op member.

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Mary and Bruce have lived on the prairie in Central Kansas all of their lives. They bought their farm in 1989 and raised their three children, Sarah, Matt and Tyler there. Today they have a 150 cow/calf herd and raise wheat, milo and soy beans. “I’m proud of the way we feed our cattle. We’ve been butchering our own meat for years and we like the way it tastes, and I know what’s in it,” Bruce explained. They recently bought a new farm with a barn built in 1912, which Mary is going to remodel.

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Sherman Dodge has spent most of his life on the Kansas Prairie. He prides himself on raising his cattle to Good Natured Family Farms’ specifications. He started this adherence to high standards before sustainable farming became popular. His cattle roam the Prairie that surround Sherman’s stone front berm home, and he tends to his cattle and crops full time.

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Family heritage runs deep on the Edelman’s farm, which has been in the family for three generations and is going into the fourth. Eugene and Judy Edelman farm in partnership with their sons, Lynn (shown) and Steve and their families. Eugene’s grandparents came to America in the 1800s and bought their current family farm in the 1880s. The Edelmans raise beef cattle for Good Natured Family Farms and also raise a variety of crops including corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wheat, oats and barley.

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Steve was raised on his family’s farm six miles west of Sabetha, where his parents currently farm. He was the youngest of seven children and always helped out on the farm. When he married his wife, Kelly, they purchased Steve’s uncle’s farm, three miles from his dad’s place. He farms in partnership with his dad, Eugene, and his brother, Lynn. Steve and Kelly have two children. They raise cattle for the Good Natured Family Farms Alliance and also a variety of crops.

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Elmer and Carol Lehmann purchased their farm in 1974 and have farmed and raised cattle since that time. The farm is 3 miles from Elmer’s parent’s farm where he was raised. They are joined in farming by their son and daughter-in-law, as well as three young grandchildren who enjoy “feeding papa’s cows.” In 1997 the Lehmann’s made the decision to convert to organic and now all crop acres are certified organic. In addition to the cattle, they raise corn, soybeans, red clover, barley, wheat, oats and grain sorghum.

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Terry and Dean Rice have farmed the land close to Horton since 1966. Recently Terry’s son, Rodney, has joined them to make this a third generation farm. Dean and Terry live right down the road from each other and share the responsibilities on their farms. They raise a variety of crops plus cattle for the Good Natured Family Farms beef program. “We’ve been raising our cattle without hormones or antibiotics for years,” Terry said. “When the Co-op came along, it was a natural for us. We like to know that we’re providing people safe, healthy beef.”

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