By Marlee Jackson

Three exceptional, hard-working couples are in the running to be named Alabama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF).

Cade and Shelby Easterling of Barbour County, Jacob and Misty Porter of Clay County, and Garrett and Robin Dixon of Lee County qualified for the elite honor following an interview and application process earlier this year, which narrowed a stacked pool of producers to the Top 3. Those families then welcomed experts to their farms in June for a final round of judging.

The OYFF will be announced during the Alabama Farmers Federation Farm & Land Conference in Mobile Aug. 8. 

Federation Young Farmers Division Director Hunter McBrayer said honoring Alabama’s OYFF is a top moment of his year.

“The more time I spend with these folks, the more I appreciate their faith, commitment to family and sheer determination to make a living off the land,” McBrayer said. “The Easterlings, Porters and Dixons represent the very best of the best. What I know is while they excel now, this is just the beginning. We’ve seen OYFF winners go on to become state board members, Federation presidents and national leaders who are truly making an impact. The OYFF is more than a contest. It’s a training ground, and we’re excited to see where each family goes from here.”

OYFF applicants receive more than half their income from production agriculture. The contest focuses on farm growth, profitability, Federation involvement and civic service.

This year’s OYFF will receive $40,000 toward a Ford vehicle courtesy of Alfa Insurance; a year’s lease on a John Deere tractor from John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen; and a John Deere Gator from Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit.

Additionally, the OYFF will represent Alabama during American Farm Bureau Federation’s Achievement Award contest in Charlotte, North Carolina, in January.

For the third year, the remaining finalist families will receive prizes from perennial sponsors.

The OYFF first runner-up will receive a 250-hour lease on a Kubota tractor from Kubota, while the second runner-up will receive a custom chemical package from Corteva Agriscience. Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit will present $500 to both families. 

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The Easterling Family – Barbour County

When Cade and Shelby Easterling tied the knot Jan. 23, 2023, they didn’t just become one family.

They joined farms, too, uniting her Generation Ridge and his Red Rock — two broiler chicken operations in Dale and Barbour counties, respectively.

“We both love to farm, and making our farms work together was never a big to-do,” said Cade, 31. “From Day 1, it was just part of life.”

Near the top of the newlyweds’ farm to-do list was transitioning to the same integrator across all eight poultry houses. That move streamlined bird size, flock placement and sell dates for the nearly 3 million chickens they raise each year.

“We grow a rotisserie-sized chicken, so that’s 3 million meals we are providing families all across the U.S.,” said Shelby, 30. “That sits well with me because I know the food we grow is wholesome, good to eat and safe because I feed it to my family.”

The Easterlings’ southeast Alabama flock extends beyond poultry into goats, sheep and cattle.

Their most precious lamb, however, is daughter Mary Jo. The 18-month-old farm kid toddles in her parents’ bootsteps, whether checking chickens with Shelby, feeding cows with Cade or setting out on the family’s favorite pastime — coon hunting.

“When Mary Jo was a little bitty baby, we could slide her down in Cade’s overalls, and he would take her all over the farm. That is just the most precious memory,” Shelby said with a sweet smile. “Now that she’s big enough to wear overalls, I love to put her in them and just see them go and do their thing. I can stay home and cook dinner and know they’re out there solving all the farm’s problems together.”

The simple lifestyle is an answered prayer and fulfilled dream.

A straight-shooting handyman with a knack for solving problems, Cade earned an aviation mechanic certification after high school. A local poultry farmer took Cade under his wing around the same time, teaching him the ropes of raising chickens.

Despite Barbour County’s proximity to aviation mainstay Fort Rucker, the clarion call to farm was clear.

Cade stepped out on faith and built four poultry houses, naming the farm Red Rock after a childhood nickname due to his ginger-hued hair. Red Rock’s first flock was delivered May 28, 2019.

Just 20 minutes away, Shelby’s Generation Ridge received its first flock weeks earlier on April 1. The poultry operation shares a moniker with her on-farm event venue, a weathered wooden barn that hosts sundry celebrations. Cattle chomp tall green grass nearby, adding to the agritourism-esque atmosphere. 

A long-time believer in the tenets of FFA, Shelby taught agriscience before returning to the farm. While she’s no longer in the classroom, Shelby remains a passionate proponent of youth education and volunteerism, lending time to the Alabama CattleWomen’s Association, the Beef Checkoff Committee and the State Young Farmers Committee. She and Cade serve on the State Sheep & Goat Committee, in Barbour County Young Farmers and as grassroots Extension advisers.

“Cade sometimes jokes, ‘Which one are you going to today?’” said Shelby, also a member of the elite A.L.F.A. Leaders program Class VII. “It all goes back to serving other people and making sure we have a future for our children to grow and prosper in.”

To secure that strong future, the Easterlings continue to improve their farm. They’ve replaced fencing, acquired land, improved weed control, upgraded equipment, diversified into custom farming and repaired machinery for fellow farmers.

They’re good shepherds reliant on the Good Shepherd — giving Him praise in seasons of plenty and times of petition. 

“Everything I’ve ever wanted is to have my children and my wife here on the farm every day with me,” Cade said. “As we wake up in the morning, my goal is to make it through the day and for nothing to do without. I don’t want my chickens to do without, my cows, my sheep, my wife, my little girl. If we make it through the day and nothing has done without, I think that’s a pretty good day.” 

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The Porter Family – Clay County

Fresh out of high school, Jacob Porter’s checklist had a hefty line item: Finagle a way to farm full time from near scratch.

Fourteen years and countless hours of labor later, he and wife Misty live out that dream in the hills of Clay County.

“It’s just in my DNA,” said Jacob, who grew up on a hog farm and began raising cattle as a teenager. “Everyone has a thing they truly love to do, and farming is mine.”

Jacob was just 20 when he plunged into poultry farming. He built four broiler chicken houses — a leap of faith that positioned him for future success.

“Being young gives you an advantage,” said Jacob, 32. “Here I am 12 years in, and I don’t have the debt above my head that I had. Some people get in at my age, and they’re taking out loans for $2 million. I’m ahead.”

In those early days as Jacob tended flocks, rebuilt fences and beefed up his cattle herd, Misty earned a degree in elementary education from Auburn University. The farm became her classroom, too, as she learned the ins and outs of agriculture from her high school sweetheart. The Porters married in 2015.

A natural educator with a calm demeanor, Misty has spent the last decade caring for kindergartners at Ashland Elementary School. She’s planting seeds of agricultural knowledge through lessons on the chicken life cycle, “adopting” a dairy calf and leading science experiments.

“That is my favorite part about teaching, the science and the agriculture,” said Misty, 33, who co-chairs the local Women’s Leadership Committee to promote ag literacy. “All kids can do this and get excited about it. Anything we can get our hands dirty with, I like to bring to my classroom.”

Admittedly Type A, Misty thrives on organization, giving credence to the adage that opposites attract.

“Jacob is carefree,” Misty said. “He goes with the flow. I love a plan. Most of the time, that’s not going to work on a farm. You adjust and have faith that things will work out.”

Misty and sons Olen, 7, and Asher, 2, beeline to the farm after school. There, they find Jacob, check cows, mend fences and give thanks for God’s creation. 

Smiles stretch across the boys’ faces as they traipse through pastures, jump on mounds of cotton seed destined for feed bunks or load up for a spin in the tractor with Jacob.

“He wants to teach them all the things and be there and be present,” Misty said. “Farming takes a lot of time, but he includes them in everything. It doesn’t matter if he has to go back out to the farm afterward, he’s always there for bedtime. Seeing him take on the role of dad, it’s his purpose.”

Jacob has balanced family time while improving the farm. In the last decade, they’ve increased the cattle herd, improved livestock genetics, added custom hay work and acquired additional acres. They’ve also expanded into hog production, harkening back to Jacob’s childhood.

Each step has been grounded in guidance from above, Jacob said.

“I’m not sure how anyone can live life without faith,” Jacob said. “Being a farmer, we get to see it firsthand. We can do everything, as far as giving animals the right nutrition, but you can only do so much. The man upstairs is in control.”

A selfless servant, Jacob has cultivated leadership skills through involvement in ag organizations. He serves on the State Poultry Committee, State Young Farmers Committee and Clay County Farmers Federation board. His flexible schedule helps him serve the local community, too, through the volunteer fire department and church.

It’s a lifestyle they hope to cultivate for generations to come.

“In the future, I’d love to still be right here doing what we’re doing, maybe a little bit bigger,” Misty said. “We won’t be here forever, but what we leave behind us will be. Every day, we try to make a difference and leave things better than we found them.” 

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The Dixon Family – Lee County

When the going gets tough, Garrett Dixon gets going — digging in, doubling down and asking God for guidance on his Lee County farm.

“I love farming in spite of all its challenges because you see the fruits of your labor rewarded,” said Garrett, 35. “When you plant a tiny seed and then harvest a crop in the fall, it’s satisfying knowing you were with that crop every step of the way.”

Calm determination is classic Garrett, said his wife, Robin. She’s been Garrett’s stalwart teammate since their early days as students at Auburn University.

“Garrett is the most driven person you’ll ever meet,” Robin said. “That inspires me daily. He gets up every day trying to get as much work done as possible.”

She added, “He’s also goofy. Anyone who knows Garrett knows he will pick and mess and make a joke.”

His farm, however, is no laughing matter.

It’s a labor of love Garrett built from the ground up, starting with a few head of cattle in high school. He found his true passion for farming in the row crop fields of Salem — land his ancestors toiled since the 1800s.

A skip-generation farmer, Garrett started with 100 acres of soybeans in college before switching to a rotation of peanuts and cotton. The crops are more suited for sandy soil and thrive in hot weather, Garrett said.

“As a peanut farmer, I help feed Alabama,” Garrett said. “By growing cotton, we can clothe the world and state, too.”

In the last decade, Garrett has expanded acreage, installed irrigation and improved soil fertility, facing challenges like tough markets and weather woes along the way.

Garrett and Robin recently welcomed a new challenge by expanding the farm’s cattle herd. The cattle spend summer months grazing peacefully in recently acquired pasture; they’ll munch fields flush with cover crops this winter — adding even more value to the land.

The Dixons are investing, too, in their young farmhands, Chandler Jane, 4, and Cash, 2, who are often found visiting Garrett at his shop, scouting for bugs or hitching rides in the sprayer.

This year, a sign sways in a field of young cotton proclaiming CJ’s Pickin’ Patch. The handful of rows near Garrett and Robin’s home is a classroom of sorts for the Dixons’ daughter.

“We’ll take some of those proceeds and give to her to use as she wants to teach her to be responsible, to tithe and to take some ownership, albeit a small slice, at a young age,” Garrett said.

The investment in the farm’s seventh generation mimics Garrett and Robin’s childhood experiences selling bottle calves and show pigs, respectively.

Robin’s sphere of influence extends beyond their home. As an agriscience teacher and FFA adviser at Smiths Station High School, she ties on-farm experiences into curriculum standards. 

 Her students calculate sprayer formulas after watching footage of Garrett driving machinery across a field, discuss animal husbandry while clicking through slides of the Dixons’ herd and even visit the farm to see agriculture in action.

“They buy their groceries in the store but don’t think about where their food comes from,” said Robin, who cultivated a love for agriculture through FFA in her native Florida. “With my personal perspective, it really opens their eyes when I’m late to school because the cows got out or whatever it is that’s happened on the farm.”

The Dixons additionally live a life of service to their community through church and political involvement. 

They’re also committed to grassroots organizations.

Garrett has chaired the State Young Farmers Committee, serves on the Alabama Peanut Producers Association board and is a Lee County Farmers Federation board member. He’s also graduated from two elite leadership development programs — A.L.F.A. Leaders Class V and the Peanut Leadership Academy. Both Dixons have held various roles in Lee County Young Farmers.

Each area of service yields rewards far beyond what meets the eye, Garrett said.

“He knows how this will play out,” Garrett said. “Knowing He is sovereign gives you a sense of peace. That transcends agriculture.”