Life In the Field
May 2024Farm Families Show the Power of Local Agriculture
Farming in the Suwanee Valley benefits the local economy with about $500 million in agricultural products sold annually. But the value of agriculture extends far beyond dollars. Farms also lend a sense of heritage to the community.
“Faith, family, and farming is what the Suwannee Valley Area is founded on,” says Erin Jones with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Farmers and ranchers have worked for multiple generations to preserve the rural America that we get to call home. Farmers in the Suwannee Valley region are stewards of the land, embracing the change of society while maintaining practices to protect our environment, and working to sustain agriculture to ensure a way of life for future generations.”
Jones says agriculture has continued to thrive in the region despite challenges, which are growing.
“While agriculture remains diverse among the Suwannee Valley Region, rural development continues to encroach on our farmland,” Jones says. “While I see agriculture remaining diverse in our region, I believe our farmers and ranchers are going to have to become creative in their production practices to reach current yields while working with less acres. Preservation of our rural way of life is vital to maintaining a sustainable agriculture industry for future generations.”
That’s why, each year, the university system’s extension offices and county farm bureaus collaborate to present Farm Family of the Year awards. Here are the SVEC consumer members who were recognized last year for their exemplary service to the local farming community through membership in the bureau and partnership with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Gaylard Farms
A.W. and Carolyn Gaylard, of Gaylard Farms in O’Brien, were the 2023 Suwannee County Farm Family of the Year. The couple took over the farm in 1974 to continue a family tradition. At the time, they raised cattle and produced vegetables.
Now, they produce hay as well as registered Angus and Charolais cattle. A.W. and his grandson, Jonathan, run an artificial insemination effort in the cattle program to advance the herd’s genetics. A.W. and Carolyn are the third generation to run the farm.
They have three children, six grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. Jonathan is joined by two other grandchildren, Jordan and Andrew, in working on the farm while also managing full-time jobs.
Milk-A-Way And K&H Dairies
Gary Keyes and Johan Heijkoop, as well as their families, earned Lafayette County Farm Family of the Year honors in 2023 for their agricultural excellence and environmental stewardship.
The pair operate Milk-A-Way and K&H Dairies, both of which have used rotational grazing for their herds, bred entirely through artificial insemination. Milk-A-Way Dairy has worked with 4-H Clubs, especially youths involved in the 4-H Dairy Project, and FFA chapters with the Florida Dairy Heifer Lease program.
The freeze of 2022 and Hurricane Idalia added to the challenges of dairy farming, according to the Lake City Reporter, but through a strong partnership, community support and a strong team of employees, Milk-A-Way and K&H Dairies persevere. Their resiliency encourages those who know them, and they provide a great example for future generations.
Deas Brothers Farms
Zachary and Hannah Deas represent the Deas Brothers Farm as the Hamilton County 2023 Farm Family of the Year. Four generations have farmed the 2,650 acres where Zachary works alongside his dad, uncle, and cousins. According to an article in Riverbend News, the family grows 500 acres of field corn, 1,000 acres of peanuts, and 100 acres of small-grain oats. They also have the largest beef cattle herd in the county, raising around 700 crossbreed replacement heifers each year.
“Zach, as well as other family members of the Deas Brothers Farms, are known for the quality of the product they grow, as well as for their adoption of innovative practices,” says Greg Hicks, UF/IFAS Hamilton County Extension Director in a Riverbend News story. “Besides in Hamilton County, Zach and the Deas Brothers are very active supporters of agriculture in the state and the nation. They are proactive participants of the Farm Bureau, UF Extension Service, and the Cattlemen’s Association. Zach is a Hamilton County Farm Bureau board member and serves on the UF Extension Hamilton County Ag Advisory Committee.”
