AWARDS
Next Generation of Agriculturalists
Brian Harrison
From a very young age , Brian Harrison knew he wanted to be a farmer . Many young children dream of returning to the family farm , only to lose interest as they grow older . This was not the case for Harrison , in fact , you could say farming is in his blood . When Harrison wasn ’ t in school , he could be found working alongside his dad or spending countless hours sitting on the tractor floorboard . Harrison ’ s passion for agriculture remains just as strong now as it did when he was younger .
At the age of 14 , Harrison purchased a John Deere 4520 , his very first tractor . With this tractor and a couple hundred acres of farmland , Harrison was determined to have his own successful operation . After graduating high school , Harrison tried his hand at various off the farm jobs . He worked for oil companies and a local oil and gas supplier , all while maintaining a successful farming operation . As the years went on and the farm ’ s success grew , Harrison had to make a choice between working on the farm or pursuing his other job . Naturally , Harrison made the choice to leave his town job and begin farming full time .
Harrison has raised a variety of crops throughout the years . He has grown corn , oat hay , soybeans , alfalfa , wheat and milo . Through trial and error , Harrison has found the best crop combination for his operation to be wheat and alfalfa . Diversification has been the key to his farming success .
In the last few years , Brian has worked to further diversify his operation by incorporating bailage practices into his hay operation . Harrison ’ s operation lies along the Cimmaron River , north of Cushing , where they courrently farm approximately 300 acres of wheat , 200 acres of alfalfa , and 130 angus cross cows . His operation holds diversification and conservation at the forefront of all practices .
In 2006 , Harrison married his wife Whitney and in 2012 they welcomed their son , Tyler . Harrison has spent the last 10 years instilling the same love for farming he had when he was young . In the summertime , you can find Tyler working with his dad on the farm , just like Harrison did when he was a boy . The agricultural industry thrives because of farmers like Brian Harrison and his commitment to instilling a genuine love and appreciation for farming in the next generation .
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COMMERCE | 2023 Profile Magazine of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce