I am delighted to serve as an ambassador for the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board by highlighting stories surrounding Arkansas’s largest row crop – soybeans! #ARSoyTour #ARSoyStory #arkansassoy #arkansassoybeans #themiraclebean  

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

These are my one hundred and fifty thank you’s to the Joe and Renee Thrash in Houston, Arkansas. Add another one hundred and fifty thank you’s to Rusty and Sarah Smith in Des Arc, Arkansas. And Doug Hartz from Stuttgart, who serves as the eyes and ears of the land and assets that he manages on behalf of Arkansas soybean farmers throughout the state, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds on thank you’s.

I had the privilege of meeting Joe and Renee Thrash, Rusty Smith and Doug Hartz on the Thrash Family Farm, located just west of Little Rock.  We spent the entire day exploring their farm and talking all things soybeans and well, just getting a feel for what it is like to be a farmer in Arkansas. I really wanted to put a face or two (or seven!) to the soybeans that I talk to you about. All three men were appointed by the Governor of Arkansas and nominated by various producer organizations within Arkansas to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Although board members contribute many hours of their time to administering the program, they serve without pay. It is their dedication and love for the land, the soil and the sustainability of a noble profession that spurs on this wonderful service for their industry and fellow farmer friends.

 

I (and three other friends/bloggers Debbie, Keisha and Jeanetta) took a hayride-guided tour through a section of Joe and Renee’s Trash Family farm. They have approximately 2,000 acres consisting of corn, soybeans and pastureland which includes a hay meadow for their 140 head of cross bread cows. I think it pretty cool that the Thrash’s Farm is able to produce the soybeans that are ground into soy meal that fed their cattle in the winter. Bovine farm-to-table, right?

 

The Thrash’s are third and fourth generation farmers. Their two sons are also involved in Arkansas as a soybean and corn farmer (Austin) and as an entomologist with the University of Arkansas (Ben). Their dad, Joe, learned farming from his dad and grandpa. He talked about his childhood spent on the farm with his dad, “wearing the paint off the fenders of a few tractors.” After high school, Joe Thrash packed up and headed to the UofA to pursue a career in agronomy. “It didn’t take long to realize that home is where the farm is.” Love that.

 

A highlight of the day was having Wes Ward, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary, hop on to our hayride and chat with us. He talked about the great work of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board and how “we work together, trying to move the industry forward.”

In a nutshell (or should I say soybean shell?),these four things made the greatest impression on me:

“The soil is alive.”

Rusty Smith casually commented about this and it really struck a cord with me.

 

“No till to keep nutrients.”

These farmers are dedicated to keeping the nutrients in the soil and they have learned that the old way to tilling at the end of a season actually depletes the soil. Instead, they let it stay natural in between growing, adding back nutrients to the soil.

“You never know what farming is going to throw your way.”

Renee Thrash is so real and her inside beauty glows. Even after thirty years of being married to Joe, she says she still has a small grasp of all that is involved in farming. There are so many variables involved.

“We need the best and brightest minds gravitating towards agriculture.”

Remember those one hundred and fifty thank you’s per farmer? Doug Hartz’s comment about the future minds of agriculture really hit a nerve and we think about the future populations and how that number will grow. Our farmers are so important to humanity… let’s encourage our future farmers!

What questions do you have about soybeans in general? Have you ever considered a career in agriculture? Or, do you have a family farm in your family background? I would love to hear all about it!

Happy Arkansas Soybean Month!

Eat well, my friends.

Lyndi

PS: Here’s a fun highlight video from the farm tour day!