CommonGround Farmers


Love for the land, our families, our friends and our food – that’s what fuels our CommonGround community. Scroll down to learn where our volunteers are located, or Contact Us to get involved.

CommonGround Texas

Back to Our Farmers

Bobbie Black

Muleshoe, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, cotton, oats, peanuts, sorghum, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, speech therapist

My Hobbies: arts and crafts, baking, cooking, overall fitness, photography, running

Ask Me About: animal welfare, GMO foods, sustainability

About Me: I grew up as a farmer/rancher’s  daughter. Growing up, we were given responsibility, which made me think farming was the last thing I wanted to do as an adult. Tyler (my husband) and his family farmed across the road from our house. He would ride his dirt bike to their farm and try to convince me to date him.  We started dating right after graduation and both moved away from home for college.  It was during this time we realized what a blessing the lifestyle of farming had provided for the both of us.  After graduation, we moved back to Muleshoe, TX, where we bought the house his great-grandfather built in the 1940’s. We renovated the house, and in 2015, we were able to buy the land his Great-grandfather, grandfather and dad had all farmed at one time.  We are fortunate to be raising our three children in agriculture.  When I am not working as a speech therapist, the kids and I are busy working alongside Tyler.

Lindsey Bowers

Inez, Texas

Our Farm: catfish, corn, sorghum

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, grain merchandiser

My Hobbies: photography

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food prices, sustainability

About Me: I am active in my local church and love spending time with my boys. We farm as a family partnership with my husband’s siblings as well as his parents. I love advocating for agriculture through our local farm bureau, and I also serve on the board for South Texas Country Elevator Association.

Facebook: 5B Farms

Jaimie Davis

Muleshoe, Texas

Our Farm:  beef cattle, corn, sheep, sorghum, wheat

My Work:  farmer, wife, mom, teacher

My Hobbies:   baking, traveling, writing, reading, running, hiking, fitness, photography

Ask Me About:  biotechnology, sustainability and conservation, animal care, family farms

About Me:  My husband and I purchased our farm in 2015. We started with row crops and recently added cattle and sheep to our farm. Time on the farm with our family is always the highlight of our day. We are blessed to watch our crops, cattle, sheep and children grow in an agriculture-rich environment.

Kyla Hamilton

Lubbock, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, cotton, oats, sorghum, vegetables, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, movies, photography, running

Ask Me About: animal welfare, farm ownership, sustainability

About Me: I refer to myself as a farm girl by accident. Although I grew up in a rural community, my family was not directly involved in agriculture in any way. I married my high school sweetheart who happens to be a fourth-generation Texas farmer. He and I, along with his parents, farm a variety of crops, including cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, corn, several varieties of hay and a summer vegetable garden. We also raise cattle. Our family loves to share our farm with our community. We open our farm gates twice a year for the public to enjoy Sunflower Days and Christmas on the Farm, as well as offering direct to consumer beef and pantry products. We are passionate about creating a sustainable farming future to pass along to our four children.

 Facebook: Hamilton Farms LLC

Elizabeth Van Hersh

Plainview, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat

My Work: rancher, farmer, wife, controller for a cotton gin 

My Hobbies: music, spending time outdoors, traveling

Ask Me About: sustainability, farm ownership, food prices, local/organic, animal welfare, family farms, beef production

About Me: My husband and I both come from multigenerational farming and ranching families in the Texas Panhandle. We primarily run a commercial cattle herd and have recently started selling beef directly to the consumer through our business, Spring Creek Texas Beef. I also work at a cotton gin and help farmers market their crops. I enjoy sharing with people where their food and clothes come from and why agriculture is important to all of us!

Facebook and Instagram: @springcreektexasbeef

Facebook: @ElizabethVanHersh

Kalley Howard

Dalhart, Texas

Our Farm: alfalfa, food-grade yellow and white corn, yellow feed-grade corn

My Work: farmer, mom, wife, blogger

My Hobbies: baking, blogging, cooking, fishing, fitness, hunting, writing and the pursuit of self-betterment

Ask Me About: sustainability, farm ownership

About Me: My husband and I farm together with his extended family. We both grew up on farms and are exceedingly proud to be privileged to raise our children in agriculture. Each year our children’s knowledge and growth mirror our own as farmers, which is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve known. Many people in our society don’t have a clear understanding of food or where it comes from. I believe by sharing our farm knowledge, we can meet consumers in the middle to have less food waste and a better relationship with consumers, and ultimately move further toward a unified goal — a safe and stable food supply.

Facebook: Kalley Preston Howard

Instagram: @thefarmershobby; @kalleykhoward

Website: thefarmershobby.com

Kristen Johnston

Sandia, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, honey bees

My Work: farmer, wife

My Hobbies: cooking, hunting, leather works, reading, sewing, theater performance

Ask Me About: organic and local food, sustainability

About Me: My husband and I are together almost all of the time. I have a wide range of interests – from ballet to traditional archery. On our farm, we are first-generation farmers, with registered Red Angus cattle and honey bees. Everything we have and do has been built from the ground up. For example, we moved onto a boat and then a bus in order to rent out our home to help with the start-up funds for our farm. We love farming, being good stewards of the land and helping others.

Facebook: Lost Oaks on the Nueces

Jennifer Martinka

Buckholts, Texas

Our Farm: ​​corn, cotton, wheat, livestock, pecans

My Work: farmer, wife, CPA/comptroller

About Me: I did not come from a farming background, but I am grateful to be part of the ag community now. I have proudly supported my husband as he, along with his brother and cousin, have built a successful farming operation from the ground up. Faith, family, and hard work are the heart of our farm. We hope to instill these values in our kids so that our farm will thrive for many generations to come.

Instagram: instagram.com/jennifermartinka

Lindsie Mathis

Plainview, Texas

Our Farm:  corn, cotton, sorghum and wheat

My Work:  farmer, wife, mom, optometrist

My Hobbies:   baking, cooking,  snow skiing, arts and crafts, fitness, lake activities, game nights

Ask Me About:  local and organic foods, sustainability and conservation, family farms

About Me:  I grew up in a farming community, but not in a farming household. My husband has farmed with his dad since he was a little boy and is the fifth generation of his family to farm. I have been involved on the farm and with local farm organizations since I married my farmer husband. I love to share the hard work, education, technology and research that goes into family farms like ours with others. We expose our children to as much of the farming operation as we can.  My husband and I are heavily involved in our church and community with Lion’s Club, the Rainbow Room (a resource for troubled families), and our local Farm Bureau.

Ashley Pool

Muleshoe, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, black eyed peas, corn, cotton, edible beans, peanuts, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: cooking, fitness, travel

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food prices, food safety, GMO foods, organic and local foods

About Me: Our farm is diversified in more than one way. Three generations work together on our farm to raise beef cattle and grow a variety of crops. I take it upon myself to share the truth about agriculture because there is a lot of false information out there, and I want consumers to know the facts.

Facebook: Jordan Pool Farms

Emily Reid

Lorenzo, Texas

Our Farm:  beef cattle, cotton

My Work:  farmer, wife

My Hobbies:   backpacking, cooking, hiking, watching movies,  traveling, photography

Ask Me About:  local and organic foods, animal antibiotics, hormones in meat and milk, family farms

About Me:  We love living on our farm and caring for the land and our cattle. I appreciate that people have questions about where their food comes from and how it’s grown. I am proud to share information and answer questions about how we grow cotton and raise cattle on our farm. When I am not working on the farm or caring for my family, I work in my family’s small engine business in Lubbock, where I specialize in sales and financing.

Julie Reznik

Dumas, Texas

Our Farm: corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, elementary school teacher

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, photography, reading, travel

Ask Me About: farm ownership, GMO foods, sustainability

About Me: Unlike most farmers, I’m not a farm kid. I grew up in the city (San Antonio) and moved onto our farm when I married John. Together, we run the farm with John’s parents, and you’ll find each one of us driving a tractor in the busy seasons. It’s a very different life than what I knew growing up! As a teacher, I love teaching my students about farming through hands-on experiments like hatching chickens in our classroom or gardening. Because most people do not have a connection to farmers, I want to take what I’m doing in the classroom to a bigger scale in our community.

Facebook: Julie Reznik, Reznik Farms

Twitter: @juliereznik

Instagram: juliereznik

Jaimie Saylor

Muleshoe, Texas

Our Farm: Corn, Cotton, Sorghum, Wheat

My Work: Farmer, Wife, Mom, Crop Insurance Agent

My Hobbies: Baking, Cooking, Movies, Overall Fitness, Traveling

Ask Me About: Farm ownership, Food prices, Food safety, Local and organic foods, Sustainability

About Me:I am very passionate about agriculture! I’m not only saturated in the day to day operations with my husband, but also local producers as I provide federal crop insurance. As more and more acres are being ‘creatively’ grown, I’ve found myself brainstorming right alongside.

Jordan, my husband, and I have a unique agricultural story. Jordan was your typical farm kid, aspiring to be like Dad and I was raised in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado; knowing very little about the industry. After Jordan and I met in college, married and moved to Muleshoe my passion quickly shifted to ALL things agriculture.

Facebook:Jaime Saylor

Katy Slough

Gruver, Texas

Our Farm: pigs, sheep

My Work: wife, precision agriculture specialist

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, writing, running, traveling, reading, hiking, fitness, and arts and crafts

Ask Me About: biotechnology, sustainability and conservation, animal care, animal antibiotics, food safety, family farms

About Me: My husband and I raise pigs and sheep on our farm. My husband’s family also grows corn, cotton and sunflowers. In the next couple of years, we will transition from helping them to growing our own crops, too. We also plan to start growing vegetables for a farm-to-fork catering business in the area. In addition to my work on our family farm, I am a precision agriculture specialist, where I work with farmers to use technology to more precisely manage the seed, fertilizer and crop protection products on their farms.

Twitter: @ktslough

Instagram: @ktslough

Kristy Slough

Gruver, Texas

Our Farm: corn, cotton, wheat, sunflowers, pigs

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, county extension agent

My Hobbies: cooking, boating – watersports and fishing, gardening, event planning and hosting

Ask Me About: family farms, GMO’s, sustainability and conservation, food and fiber safety

About Me: Growing up the daughter of a 6 th generation farmer I never thought I would return to the farm myself. As an extension agent I was able to stay close to my roots and then I met my husband. He had just started farming (his family was in the agriculture industry but not production farming) when we met, and I quickly realized there was no place I would rather raise my family than on the farm. I love sharing our story with others and providing people with a real look at where and how their food and fiber are produced.

Facebook: Kristy Slough

Twitter: @k_slough

Susan Smith

Sandia, Texas

Our Farm: sheep, vegetables

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, merchandising execution manager at Home Depot

My Hobbies: arts and crafts, baking, fishing, travel, writing

Ask Me About: animal welfare, local and organic foods

About Me: I’ve been raising lambs with my husband on our farm since we were married in 2010. We sell the lambs through a local farmer’s market. Because I didn’t grow up on a farm, I have learned so much about farming including the regulations and labor required to raise a safe product. I want to share what I’ve learned with others and provide people with a real perspective of how food is raised.

Facebook: Susan Ann Smith

Nicole Spurlock

Stratford, Texas

Our Farm: alfalfa, corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, teacher, coach

My Hobbies: cooking, fitness, photography, travel, writing, yoga

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food prices, food safety, GMO foods, sustainability

About Me: I didn’t know much about agriculture until I met my husband at Texas Tech University and we got married. Although I’m fairly new to the farm, I’m learning more every day. Since I’ve developed a passion for agriculture, I often meet people who have never visited a farm and I feel a responsibility to connect them to how their food is really raised. If a girl like me can get on board and learn so much about agriculture so quickly, anyone can!

Twitter: @ngarzlock

Instagram: ngarzlock

Madison Stallwitz

Dumas, Texas

Our Farm:  beef cattle, chickens, corn, cotton, sorghum, vegetables and wheat

My Work:  farmer, wife, mom, photographer

My Hobbies:   photography, biking, singing, traveling, skiing, watching movies, fitness, and arts and crafts

Ask Me About:  animal care, antibiotics

About Me:  I am a city girl trying to learn the country ways. My husband is a sixth-generation farmer. I care deeply about the food I feed my family and appreciate that people want to know more about how their food is grown. In addition to farming, I am also a photographer. I love to share farm photos and stories, and answer questions about how we grow food on our Texas farm.

Instagram:  @kmadkstally and @madisonstallwitzphotography

Gina Sugarek

Beeville, Texas

Our Farm: corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, physical therapist

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, traveling

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food safety, GMO foods

About Me: I grew up learning about hard work, responsibility, faith, honesty, and integrity from my parents by working with cattle. My husband is a sixth-generation Texas farmer, and it is our hope and prayer that we will be able to instill the same values he learned through farm living in our children. We would love to be able to introduce both a love for land and animals to our kids through our work and way of life as farmers.

 

Bethany Wanoreck

Robstown, Texas

Our Farm:  corn, cotton, sorghum, wheat

My Work:  farmer, wife, mom, nurse

My Hobbies:   baking, cooking, running, traveling

Ask Me About:  biotechnology, local and organic foods, food prices, family farms

About Me:  My husband and I always dreamed of being farmers. In 2016, we started leasing and purchasing land to build our farm from scratch. We are working to build and grow it and hope someday we will be able to pass this legacy on to our son.

Elsie Wetzel

Tom Bean, Texas

Our Farm: corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, high school English teacher

My Hobbies: cooking, movies

Ask Me About: farm ownership, GMO foods, sustainability

About Me: I love all of the hats I wear: farmer, wife, mom, teacher and more! I’m involved in the Texas Classroom Teacher Association and enjoy reading in my free time. We are third-generation grain farmers, hoping to make it a fourth generation with our rambunctious little boy.

Kelly Whatley

Odem, Texas

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, cotton, sorghum

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, photographer

My Hobbies: cooking, farming, photography, travel

Ask Me About: GMO foods, farm ownership, sustainability

About Me:
I do not want anyone to be afraid of the food they eat or the clothes they wear. Part of my job as a farmer is to pull the curtain back to let you know how we are raising your food and fiber. Even though my husband is the fourth generation to farm, I am from a non-agriculture background. I had many of the same concerns and questions about modern agriculture as you. I love answering questions and making connections from our farm to your table and closet.

Facebook: Kelly Seago Whatley, J&K Whatley Farms

Twitter: @KellyWhat

Instagram: @KWhatley, @Whatley Farms

Julia Williams

Dalhart, Texas

Our Farm: corn, cotton, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, coffee roaster

My Hobbies: traveling, gardening, cooking, peloton

Ask me about: sustainability, conservation, international agriculture, food and farm policy

About Me: I didn’t grow up in agriculture and have been so inspired by what I’ve seen and learned on the farm. I am passionate about building stronger, healthier, more resilient food systems that encourage and include more people in growing, cooking, and enjoying nutritious, delicious foods. In addition to being a farm mom and wife, I also own Purpose Coffee Co. I am able to work with and support smallholder farmers internationally to import, roast, and serve coffee, then invest our proceeds into projects around the world related to sustainable agriculture, health and wellness, and education.

Instagram: @thefarmershobby @purposecoffeeco   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JuliaAndrus512  

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/julia-andrus/