By Marlee Jackson

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

That tenacity helped Garrett and his wife, Robin, earn top honors in Alabama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family contest. The cotton and peanut farmers were recognized during the Alabama Farmers Federation Farm & Land Conference Aug. 8.

“It truly is an honor to have been named the 2026 Outstanding Young Farm Family,” Garrett said. “This has been a long but fruitful journey that wouldn’t have been possible without the mentors and friendships made through the Alabama Farmers Federation. We are better farmers, advocates and citizens because of the impact Alfa has had on us.”

The OYFF contest gauges producers on farm growth, Federation involvement and civic service. The Dixons will receive $40,000 toward a Ford vehicle from Alfa Insurance; a lease on a tractor from John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen; and a John Deere Gator from Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit.

They’ll represent Alabama during American Farm Bureau Federation’s Achievement Award contest in January.

Planting Seeds

Robin and Garrett have been stalwart teammates 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 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.”

Cultivating Success

In the last decade, Garrett has expanded acreage, installed irrigation and improved soil fertility while facing market and weather challenges.

Garrett and Robin recently welcomed a new challenge by expanding the farm’s cattle herd. The cattle spend summer grazing peacefully in pastures; they’ll munch fields flush with cover crops this winter.

The Dixons invest, too, in farmhands Chandler Jane, 4, and Cash, 2. They often visit Garrett at his shop, scout for bugs or hitch rides in the sprayer.

This year, a sign sways in a field of 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.

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, discuss animal husbandry while clicking through slides of the Dixons’ herd and even visit the farm to see agriculture in action.

Growing Grassroots

The Dixons live a life of service to their community through deep involvement in church, the political arena and grassroots organizations.

Garrett chaired the State Young Farmers Committee in 2019, serves on the Alabama Peanut Producers Association board and is a Lee County Farmers Federation board member. He graduated from A.L.F.A. Leaders Class V and the Peanut Leadership Academy. Both Dixons have held roles in Lee County Young Farmers.

It’s an impressive track record of service, said Federation Young Farmers Division Director Hunter McBrayer.

“Garrett really gets the importance of getting involved and staying involved in organizations like the Federation,” McBrayer said. “He’s not only grown his farm over the last decade; he’s grown his leadership skills, and that’s paying dividends on his farm, with his family and in his community. Robin has been there every step of the way. Folks like the Dixons make this organization special, and I’m excited to honor their faithful work.”