Dale County farmers Paul and Vicki Morrison are living proof farmers need only three things to be successful: faith in God; hope that the land will reward them for hard work; and a love of agriculture. That combination earned them the title of Alabama Farmers Federation’s Outstanding Young Farm Family in the Peanut Division.“There’s no way to be closer to God than by farming,” said Paul. “I love putting a seed in the ground and watching it grow.” Fortunately for Paul, there is plenty to watch grow on his ever-expanding farm. The Morrisons have 300 acres of peanuts, 440 acres of cotton, 150 acres of hay, 40 acres of corn, 40 acres of sorghum-sudan, 50 acres of wheat, 110 acres of seed rye and 25 acres of oats. They also have 304 head of beef cattle, manage 400 acres of pasture land and will assume his stepfather’s acreage when he retires in a year.Vicki, a math teacher at George W. Long High School in Skipperville, said while the responsibilities continue to grow, Paul takes everything in stride and never complains. “I enjoy helping on the farm after school and during summer break, but Paul works so hard every day and loves farming so much,” she explained. “I’m proud of everything he does. Being named a finalist is really a testament to his hard work, patience and optimism.”Paul admits his love for peanuts stems from being around them his whole life, but he’s quick to assert the benefits he’s noticed from growing them in his rotation. “On top of enhancing our cotton crop, peanuts go really well with our cattle operation,” he said. “If we have a dry summer and don’t get enough grass hay baled up, we can bale our peanut hay and not have to worry about how we’ll feed cows during the winter.” In addition to their farm life, Paul and Vicki are members of the Dale County Farmers Federation’s Young Farmers Committee and attend Morgan Baptist Church, where – among other roles – they teach Sunday school. Paul serves as secretary-treasurer of the Dale County Cattlemen’s Association; is on the Dale County Farm Service Agency board; and is a member of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association. “We love our farm, and we love what we do,” added Paul. “But we’re also thankful for the opportunities to serve others in church, in the community and wherever we can.”