June 2024
2024 Farm Family Salute 19
than I needed a senior trip. That’ s how I started my cattle herd and I’ ve had cattle pretty much ever since,” he said.
This is where the story takes a wide bend. Marion literally bought a forest to get his farm started.
“ It’ s nothing but woods and I’ m turning it into grass. I don’ t know of anyone who started out( farming) by clearing a bunch of timber,” said Marion.“ We work daylight to dark. That’ s the only way we know how to do it and go get it.”
He’ s cleared about 350 acres, with plans to make the rest usable as well. His brother lives on the home place and its 200 acres, which they share.
“ I learned a long time ago that you can get money to buy cattle, but you can’ t get land,” said Marion. So on every opportunity that turned up to lease land, he did. That’ s how he came across more than 3,000 acres after three decades as a farmer.
“ I would say that it’ s rare to see people these days cleaning off timber to turn it into a farm or ranch. A lot of people are going the other direction,
taking a farm or ranch and turning it into development,” he said. Wistfully he added of the American farm culture,“ We’ re losing it.”
High Lonesome Farm is a successful farming operation with a history of a family working together.“ I’ m thankful that my family supports me and backs me,” said Marion.“ When it comes to cattle, you had better not get into it for the money, because you’ re getting into it for the wrong reasons.”
There is a return if the operator makes good decisions along the way. Marion and his family are on the other end of it now, where they’ re making a profit.“ You spend a lot more money than you make those first 20 or 30 years,” he said.“ Equipment, cattle, land – it’ s tough when it’ s not been handed down.”
Marion bought out five separate owners to assemble his farm.“ We just kept clearing land, clearing land and building fences. No one’ s passing a check to us, we’ ve had to go out and work for it all,” he said.
The farmer has logged 80 acres of pine, which has helped defray some
Congratulations James & Christina Marion
2024 Crawford County Farm Family of the Year
Thanks for choosing Farmers Coop
VAN BUREN 2105 Industrial Park Rd. Van Buren, AR 72956 479-474-8051 FORT SMITH 201 South 10th Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-783-8959
FARM SUPPLY HEADQUARTERS
OZARK 1100 Marts Drive Ozark, AR 72949 479-667-3825 GREENWOOD 1235 W Center St. Greenwood, AR 72936 479-996-4335
SUBIACO Highway 22 Subiaco, AR 72865 479-934-4207 BRANCH 8 Highway 41 North Branch, AR 72928 479-965-2237
WALDRON 1942 South Main Waldron, AR 72958 479-637-5641 MENA 318 HWY 71 S Mena, Ar 71953 479-394-3373
295258-1
It’ s our honor to serve the Marion Family with our auction services.
We salute you as the 2024 Crawford County Farm Family of the Year James and Christina Marion