The Lonnie and Sharon King family of Hydro received the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee’s District Three Farm and Ranch Family Recognition during the organization’s 77th annual meeting on Saturday, Nov. 17 in Norman.
The Kings grow wheat, soybeans, grass and other forages alongside their cow/calf herd in Caddo County. Lonnie has spent a lifetime in agriculture after he was raised on the family farm, and he is proud of the care he has poured into the family’s land and animals.
“I think I always knew I wanted to farm, growing up on the farm and being part of it,” Lonnie said. “I enjoy trying to improve the land. I had an uncle one time who said that he wanted to leave the land better than he found it. And that’s what I want to do.
“The land has been good to me, and I want to make sure it’s good to whoever comes along after me.”
The Kings care for their land, in part, by judiciously using irrigation to apply water to almost all of their acres. Careful monitoring of irrigation ensures maximum productivity while conserving natural resources.
After raising their own children on the family farm, Sharon said it is a blessing to see their grandchildren visit the farm and learn the same lessons in the same place she raised her children.
“They think it’s the most wonderful thing in the world, and so that makes you feel good,” Sharon said of her grandchildren’s love of the farm. “When they come and want to go with papa to feed cattle or check crops, they enjoy it, and it’s a blessing being able to raise family on the farm.”
Working on and caring for the land is more than just a job for Lonnie, who said farming gives him a chance to see the work of God on a daily basis.
“I think people who are close to the land have a big advantage over those who aren’t,” Lonnie said. “When I go out, I see the Lord in everything, and it’s a spiritual thing.”
In addition to her work on the farm, Sharon works in Anadarko as office secretary for Caddo County Farm Bureau. The family is active in Oakdale Missionary Baptist Church, and Lonnie serves as a trustee for Cedar Hills Baptist Youth Camp.
OKFB’s Farm & Ranch Family Recognition program honors a farm and ranch family in each of OKFB’s nine districts who upholds the best traditions of Oklahoma agriculture and rural Oklahoma as they raise food and fiber for our state and beyond.
“Our farm and ranch families play a vital role in growing food, caring for the land and making our rural communities vibrant,” said Kitty Beavers, 2018 OKFB WLC Chairman. “Our Women’s Leadership Committee is proud to recognize these families’ hard work and dedication to agriculture and Oklahoma. Each of these families is a tremendous asset to Oklahoma as they continue some of the best traditions our state knows.”
As part of their recognition, the family received a cash award along with a custom sign to hang at their farm gate.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting is the organization’s largest yearly gathering of farmers and ranchers. At the event, members vote on grassroots policy, elect leaders and award outstanding individuals. OKFB has a presence in all 77 Oklahoma counties and serves as the voice of agriculture and the rural way of life. To learn more, visit www.okfarmbureau.org.
Download a high-resolution photo of the King family.
Suggested caption:
Lonnie a nd Sharon King of Hydro were named the 2018 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee’s Farm & Ranch Family Recognition recipients for OKFB District 3 at the organization’s awards banquet on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the 2018 OKFB annual meeting in Norman.
