Released: February 16, 2005

Stockton Couple Named Master Farmer, Homemaker

STOCKTON, Kan. – Gregg and Susan Gartrell of rural Stockton, Kan., believe that as the number of people who are tied to the land decreases, the importance of their promoting agriculture in both small towns and in urban areas increases. The couple and their three children have all been active in numerous community organizations.

“We got involved early on,” Gregg said. “To keep ourselves and our community progressive, we need to stay informed and involved in school, church, business, economics, and other issues at all levels of society.”

The Gartrells will be recognized as a 2004 Kansas Master Farmer and Master Farm Homemaker during ceremonies at the Holiday Inn in Manhattan, March 11 at 6 p.m. Friends can make reservations for the banquet by calling 785-532-5820 by Feb. 25. Tickets, including dinner, cost $20 for adults and $10 for children under age 12.

The program, which recognizes six Kansas families every year, is co-sponsored by Kansas State University Research and Extension and Kansas Farmer Magazine. Nominated by the Extension Council in Rooks County, the Gartrells will become lifetime members in an association dating back to 1927.

Farming has always been a part of life for both Gregg and Susan. They each grew up on a farm. The Gartrell farmstead where they now live was originally settled by Gregg’s great-grandfather in 1902.

Gregg graduated from K-State in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering. Susan graduated from K-State in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics education.

One of the first organizations Gregg and Susan got involved in was the Rooks County Conservation District Board. Gregg helped promote the use of conservation practices and provided leadership to the board as they dealt with government program issues. Following the introduction of the 1985 farm bill, Susan worked as the district information coordinator. She wrote news articles, developed informational pamphlets and flyers, and organized public meetings, among other activities.

Gregg and Susan have also been agricultural ambassadors for rural Kansas, with Susan at one time traveling to Brazil, and Gregg visiting China.

As their children grew, Gregg and Susan found the organizations that they were involved in changed as well. That led them to involvement in 4-H and FFA.

“4-H is one organization that we really benefited from,” Susan said. “It allowed the kids to pursue projects and special interests outside of school, and to hone their leadership skills. We live far from town, so it was an opportunity to interact with others in our community and for the kids to make stronger friendships. I am still active with our local club, even though the kids are grown and away at college.”

Gregg took over management of the family farm in 1977. Over the years, he and Susan began planting non-traditional crops and in 1996, they made the decision to use longer, diverse rotations in a no-till cropping system. The use of no-till reduced equipment and labor needs while increasing yields, raising organic matter levels, conserving moisture, and preventing erosion, he said.

In 1980, big improvements were made as their cattle working facilities were redesigned and rebuilt. The Gartrells began using exotic bloodlines in the breeding program to increase weaning weights. They currently use Angus/Red Angus x Gelbvieh breeding for maximum hybrid vigor along with matching composite bulls. By using the crossbred bulls with the cows, the offspring are as close to a 50-50 hybrid as possible. In 1995, the Gartrells began retaining their feeder cattle through the feedlot stage.

“This system has allowed us to profitably retain ownership of our calf crop and also get the side benefit of receiving carcass data on our cow herd,” Gregg said. “This information has become a valuable selection tool for genetic improvements in our cow herd.”

Gregg has also worked at developing a new rotational grazing system in the past two years.

The couple are members of the 21st Century Grain Processing Cooperative and have grown confectionary sunflowers under contract. Computerized records help the Gartrells track and analyze information related to crop and livestock enterprises and other financial records.

Most farmers know that being tied to the land means that things will not always be easy. It takes time and money to diversify an agricultural operation. Droughts, floods and low grain prices can make it hard to survive. The Gartrells attribute their having an overall successful life to their belief in God.

“Church attendance has always been important to our family,” Gregg said. “Amazingly, we always got the crops in and our jobs done without working on Sunday.”

The couple said they taught their three children the value of teamwork early on – and they took them along whenever possible.

“Our family worked at being flexible and multi-talented in our job roles,” Susan said. “Ethan and Brett can cook and clean just as efficiently as Heather can operate a combine.”

“You train your children to help perform important tasks responsibly from an early age,” Gregg said. “But when they’re finally old enough to be really good help, they get busy with school and other activities. Then, they go off to college. I guess that’s part of parenting; helping them grow up to be capable adults, and then letting them go.”

The Gartrells’ son, Ethan, is a senior in computer engineering at K-State. He completed an engineering internship at Research Concepts, Inc., and has served in youth service projects at his family’s church and as a 4-H camp counselor and event judge, among other activities.

Son Brett is a junior at K-State, majoring in agronomy. He worked as a summer research assistant in entomology and has also been involved in many church and school activities.

The Gartrells’ daughter Heather, is a freshman at K-State, also majoring in agronomy. She was valedictorian in her high school graduating class and has also participated in numerous school and church clubs and activities.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Crystal Rahe
cer5665@ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News