Anxious for summer’s arrival, the foliage reaches for the sun-filled sky on this late April day. Turning south from the
bustling four-lane that links the land of Lincoln with the American west, cow country thrives amid the Ozarks hills.
Outside Sarcoxie, Highway 37 winds through the countryside. Cattle graze peacefully. Field after field, fescue dots
the landscape. An occasional parcel of corn or wheat fills in the gaps. Farm roots run deep in Newton County. It’s here,
tucked away near the tiny town of Wentworth, that diversity fuels the farm.
Paul Heidlage is no stranger to the way of life. The youngest of eight children, Paul says he ended up farming
because his brothers “ran off and left him.” His quiet demeanor and quick wit serve him well in the trade he learned
from the generation before him.
Today, Paul farms alongside his wife, Theresa, and son Matthew, in a diversified business that features cattle, row
crops, fescue seed and hay. While the diversity of the operation might overwhelm some, the Heidlage family embraces
each task in earnest crediting success to steadfastness, diversity and the relationships they’ve cultivated over the years.
HEARTBEAT | SUMMER 2016 7