Smiths chosen as Benton County Farm Family

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL
Jim Singleton (left), chairman of the Benton County Farm Family of the Year selection committee, presented the 2021 Benton Farm Family of the Year plaque to Kaleb and Chrisie Smith of Gentry, along with their two boys, Paden, 7, and Paxton, 5, at their farm near Gentry on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Jim Singleton (left), chairman of the Benton County Farm Family of the Year selection committee, presented the 2021 Benton Farm Family of the Year plaque to Kaleb and Chrisie Smith of Gentry, along with their two boys, Paden, 7, and Paxton, 5, at their farm near Gentry on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

GENTRY — Kaleb and Chrisie Smith, of Gentry, and their two boys, Paden, 7, and Paxton, 5, were announced as the 2021 Benton County Farm Family of the Year before a crowd of friends, family, neighbors and dignitaries at a special ceremony held at their farm on Arkansas Highway 43, west of Gentry, on Wednesday morning.

The Smiths operate a beef cattle farm west of Gentry and north of Siloam Springs on just over 1,200 acres — 1,015 acres owned and 200 acres rented. The farm lists 34 head of registered Brangus cattle, 1,280 commercial cattle (some in Oklahoma and Kansas), and 10 quarterhorses, as well as litters of AKC Labrador retrievers.

In addition to their work on the farm, members of the Smith Family are active at their church, in the International and Arkansas Junior Brangus Breeders’ Association, in Logan 4-H and in the Siloam Springs Youth Baseball League.

Both Kaleb and Chrisie come from generations of farmers, and excellence in farming seems to run in the family because Chrisie’s parents, Dennis and Marlene Schwerin, were the 1998 Benton County Farm Family of the Year.

Chrisie was raised on the farm and earned an agriculture business degree from Arkansas Tech University. In addition to his farming skills, Kaleb is also a certified Powersports mechanic.

Being able to work together as a family and raise their two boys on the farm and teach them values and skills learned from farming was high on the list of likes about their farm for both Chrisie and Kaleb. Chrisie said she likes it that she can raise her boys on the farm with her parents close by — the Schwerins work together with the Smiths on the farm.

Chrisie said the family works together and has common goals. She said improving the herd’s genetics and providing a better beef product for consumers is something the family is always working on.

Kaleb likes the fact that every day’s work is different on the farm, and he enjoys being with his family each day.

Paden said he enjoys baseball and showing cows, and Paxton just likes “being here” on the farm, he said.

Jim Singleton, chairman of the Benton County Farm Family Committee, made the announcement and presented the Smiths with a plaque. He also served as emcee for the ceremony.

Benton County Judge Barry Mohring read a proclamation which he presented to the family, and Jeff Thacker shared congratulations from U.S. Congressman Steve Womack.

According to Singleton, this is the 74th year of the annual Farm Family of the Year program. He said, “Every year since 1947, this program has served as a vehicle to recognize outstanding farm families throughout the state.”

According to Singleton, the Farm Family program gives recognition and encouragement to farm families which are doing an outstanding job on their farms and in the community, recognizes the importance of agriculture in the county and the state, and disseminates information on improved farming practices and farm management.

“The goal of the committee is to select a family [which] utilizes improved farming practices, plays an active role in the community in which they live, and best represents Benton County agriculture,” Singleton said.

As winners of the Benton County honor, the Smiths are in the running for the district and state Farm Family of the Year.

Other winners in the northwest region are: Boone County, Richard and Gina Blevins Farm, Omaha; Carroll County, Fred and Mitzi Worley, Berryville; Crawford County, Scott and Tanya Rogers, Alma; Franklin County, Mark and Becky Campbell, Ozark; Johnson County, Chris and Brooklyn Heiser, Lamar; Logan County, Whitaker Farms, Booneville; Madison County, Jack and Brook Hudgins, Huntsville; Newton County, Dustin Cowell family, Mt. Judea; Sebastian County, Woody Hester, Hartford; and Washington County, Froud Farms, Springdale.

Scott County didn’t participate this year, according to the Farm Bureau.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL
Kaleb and Chrisie Smith of Gentry, along with their two boys, Paden, 7, and Paxton, 5, hold the 2021 Benton Farm Family of the Year plaque at their farm near Gentry on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Kaleb and Chrisie Smith of Gentry, along with their two boys, Paden, 7, and Paxton, 5, hold the 2021 Benton Farm Family of the Year plaque at their farm near Gentry on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.