Farm family 2017

THE DAVID STROHL FAMILY

2017 PRAIRIE COUNTY FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR Making Time for ...

Family, Farming, and Community!

A Special Tribute from The

Grand Prairie Herald

Wednesday, July 26, 2017 Section B Congratulations and Best Wishes from our staff and the supporters appearing in this issue!

Page 2B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

The David Strohl Family, fourth generation farmers on the Grand Prairie, named Prairie County’s 2017 Farm Family David and Cindy Strohl, along with daughters, Taylor and Whitney, have been selected to represent Prairie County as the 2017 Farm Familyof the Year. The family farm is located in Tollville.

David said, “We are honored and humbled to be chosen, but reluctant to accept this honor. We are a small operation in the midst of larger, incredible farm families.

We, as Strohl Aviation, are privileged to fly for many of them.”

David and Cindy farm 1000 acres as D & C Farms. They also operate an agricultural aviation company, Strohl Aviation, which is based in Tollville.

David has always wanted to farm and to fly. He says it’s in his roots. His

great grandfather, Charlie Strohl, came to Prairie County from Champagne, Illinois, in 1902 and purchased 320 acres of land for $3000.

Hay and cattle were the main crops in the beginning, but he eventually was one of the first to grow rice in Prairie County.

Fibur Reservoir, a 270 acre lake later renamed Strohl Reservoir, was built in 1939 on part of the original 320 acres Charlie Strohl purchased and was used primarily for irrigation. This was one of the first large irrigation systems developed in our area. When Charlie Strohl died in 1956 he owned 1000 acres of land, 500 acres of which is still in the family and D & C Farms lease 190 acres of these.

Congratulations

Thank you

Farm Family of the Year

David Strohl Family for your continued business and congratulations for being selected as the 2017 Farm Family of the Year

Petrus Seed & Grain Co., Inc.

ELDER DRILLING & SUPPLY CO. INC.

to the David, Cindy, Taylor, and Whitney Strohl Family for being selected to be the 2017 Prairie County

Robert and Terry Petrus

4100 Hanson Rd. Hazen, AR 72064 Office: 870.255.3346 Cell: 870.672.1930

P.O. Box 1080 Carlisle, AR 72024 Don Elder 501-658-1824

Shane Elder 501-658-1814

Eric Stovesand 501-773-3658

(870) 552-7515 office (870) 552-3231 fax

Congratulations Strohl Family, on being named 2017 Prairie County Farm Family

Page 3B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Family and Faith Cindy is a graduate of DeValls Bluff High School and received her R.N. from the Baptist School is Nursing. She has worked in SVI Heart Unit and Springhill Surgery Center.

She is Secretary/Scheduler for Strohl Aviation and works as PRN at Springhill.

Cindy was also raised

on a farm near DeValls Bluff. She helped her dad on the farm, so it was natural for her to help David. Cindy said, “I learned to drive while helping Dad plant beans. I would stay in the field all day just to get to drive the pickup to the point of filling up the planter with bean seed.” While helping David load the bean

planter this Spring using a tender with a conveyer to transfer seed, she remarked at how much easier it is today.

Cindy and David were married June 14, 1991, and have two daughters: Taylor, Valedictorian of 2014 Hazen High School Graduating Class, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority,

and a nursing student at ASU, Jonesboro; and Whitney, a member of the Hazen High School class of 2018. Taylor helps Cindy in the office at Strohl Aviation during the Summer and Whitney works part time at Farmers Express in Hazen.

Both daughters were active in school activities. Taylor played basketball and softball and was cheerleader all six high school years. Her trademark is her smile.

Her personalized license plate actually reads “Smiley”. Her dream job, after receiving her R.N. is to be a flight nurse.

Whitney played basketball, but was primarily a cheerleader. She has also been cheerleader the entire six high school years. She will be graduating next year and plans to go to nursing school and hopes to be a N.I.C.U. nurse. She has been a favorite baby sitter to many of the younger kids in the area.

All the Strohl family

are active members of Calvary Baptist Church in Hazen. David serves as usher and Cindy and Whitney serve as Nursery Workers.

David, Cindy, and Taylor are part of the Discovery crew at Calvary that serves supper to approximately 200 kids, ages 2-20, on Wednesday nights.

David serves as president of the Hazen School

Board. He has been a member since 2004. He is also member of National Agricultural Aviation Association, Arkansas Agricultural Aviation Association (serving as treasurer), Arkansas Soybean A s s o c i a t i o n , Congressman Rick Crawford’s Row Crop Advisory Board, and Farm Bureau.

Congratulations to The David Strohl Family on being selected the

2017 Prairie County

Farm Family

Grower’s Aire Service Hazen Airport Hazen, AR Phone: 870-255-4873

Congratulations to the

David Strohl Family

For being selected the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year Prairie Farmers Association

Farmers Express

Hwy 70 E Hazen, AR 870-255-2255

Hwy 70 W Hazen, AR 870-255-4815

Farmer Owned and Operated

Page 4B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Farming and flying go hand in hand

Rice is a major crop for the Strohl Family.

After Cindy and David were married, they organized D & C Farms and farmed rice, wheat and soybeans on land leased from Rhodes, Inc. This was before Round Up technology. Soybeans had to be cultivated to control weeds. Henry Strohl, David’s dad said, “Cindy is the best bean cultivator that was ever on the farm!” If David was flying, she did much of the farm work.

In addition to D & C Farms, David and Cindy were partners in Quad S Farms with Henry and Gloria Strohl until Gloria and Henry retired in 2008. This entity farmed around 2500 acres.

When his family retired, David and Cindy chose to downsize their farming operation so David could also continue his dream of owning an agricultural aviation business. He had flown for Vincent Aviation, Custom Air and Skarda Flying Service.

Gary Skarda’s (David’s mentor, employer and friend) untimely death 2004 created an opportunity to base an operation at home in Tollville.

Strohl Aviation was established in 2005 and employs 1 full time and 2 part time employees-

Chris Weatherley, Trevor Mapps and Cutler Taylor.

The flight fleet consists of two Air Tractors 602’s, One additional pilot, Jon Edge, completes the crew, David says, “I treat every field I fly as if it were my own! I am blessed with great customers!”

D & C Farms operate 1,000 acres, rotating soybeans and rice. All this acreage is within a 4 mile radius and leased on a crop share basis. D & C Farms has one full time employee, Rodney Horton.

Congratulations to the

Best wishes to the The David Strohl Family

David Strohl Family for being chosen Farm Family of the Year for Prairie County from all of us at

Murry’s Restaurant Hwy 70 West Hazen, AR

Phone: 870-255-3266

Prairie County’s 2017 FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR

Billy’s Trucking Service 1203 Hwy. 70 West - Hazen, Arkansas Phone 870-255-4432 or Nights 870-255-3983

For all your trucking needs call the local service with the experience you need to get the job done right!

We congratulate the

David Strohl Family Prairie County’s 2017 Farm Family of the Year

We wish you the best in all that you do!

Offices in Hazen and Des Arc 870-255-4527 (Hazen) 870-256-4116 (Des Arc)

Page 5B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

New farming practices improve production ____________________ David and Cindy agree they have been blessed.

Crop yields have been consistently good. Rice averages were 200 bushel per acre and soybean averages were 70 in 2016.

Rice has all been Ricetec Hybrid. Soybeans varieties are Pioneer, Dynagrow, Asgrow and Armor.

Rice irrigation is 90% side inlet for water conservation. Soybean irrigation is all furrow irrigation, even if rows must be planted at different angles to avvommodate.

This has worked well for D & C. D & C Farms run John Deere equipment. All tractors and harvester are green. As much ground preparation as possible is done in the fall for the following spring crops. Rice stubble is rolled and flooded for migratory waterfowl. Soybeans stubble is disked and field cultivated in the fall, and depending on weather

conditions, floated down for early Spring planting.

Spring tillage for prior year Rice ground also spends on weather conditions. Stubble is usually disked twice field cultivated, and floated twice.

Rice seed bed preparation is field cultivating, drilling rice, flat rolling behind the drill and pulling levees for irritations. Lots of people who are not familiar with rice farming ask what all the “squiggly things” are in the field. We explain, “Each levee is surveyed at an elevation that will keep water on one side of the field the same depth as the opposite side.

Elevation is graduated from high end to low end so the field will drain properly.

D & C is experimenting with a “new-to-us” practice this year-row rice.

The 30’s rows are bedding just like we do for beans, but then we drill rice on top of the beds. This has

worked well for several farmers. In addition to water conservation, the advantage of this would be not having trouble with levees breaking and causing havoc as much danger of rice lodging in the fall if we get a heavy rainstorm with wind.

When this happens the wind will whip rice along the levee down to the ground and make it difficult to harvest.

Soybean spring tillage consists of field cultivating, bedding 30 inch rows and plating on top of beds. This process has always worked great for us. We then can furrow irrigate down the rows.

All crops are delivered to Riceland Foods in Hazen or Stuttgart. Rice is predominantly marketed by Riceland in the Members Seasonal Pool.

Soybeans that are not booked ahead of harvest are usually also placed in the soybean Seasonal Pool.

We Salute the David Strohl Family for being chosen the 2017 Farm Family of the Year!

Pizza Classic Hazen, AR 870-255-3595

Congratulations to the

David Strohl Family Prairie County’s

2017 Farm Family of the Year

Congratulations to the David Strohl Family for being selected as 2017 Farm Family of the Year

700 E. Park St. Carlisle, AR 72024

from

Paul and Donna Hall

Frank Elder 501-658-1828

Clay Elder 501-454-8855

Phone: (870) 552-7010

Page 6B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Conserving water resources Water is a key factor to any crop production.

Wells and reservoirs are both used for irrigation, reservoirs being preferred when feasible. Ground water depletion is a serious concern for our area and all farmers try to conserve as much as possible for future generations. Anytime surface water can be used for irrigation, it is a plus.

The White River Irrigation District, currently under construction, will be operating in the near future and will be a big boost to conserving our ground water. This project will divert surface water from the White River to the Grand Prairie area for crop irri-

gation in 2001, in conjunction with the White River Irrigation District, a reservoir featuring a tail water recovery system was built on the Strohl farm. This 20 acre pond recovers natural drainage from almost 400 acres, is relifted into the reservoir and used to irrigate 350 acres that D & C farms, David adds, “To the credit of the ingenuity of my great grandfather, Charlie Strohl, we irrigate 120 acres, formerly owned by him, from Strohl reservoir through relifts and canals diverting water 1.5 miles to these fields. This is the only established water source for these acres.”

One of the reservoirs located on the Strohl’s farm.

Congratulations and Best Wishes

Congratulations to the

to

David Strohl Family

The David Strohl Family on being named the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

109 S. Livermore Hazen, AR 72064 Ph. 870-255-2332

1109 Hwy 70 E. Hazen, AR 870-2255-44679

Taylor and Whitney pictured with their grandparents Henry and Gloria Strohl.

We congratulate

The David Strohl Family

for being chosen Farm Family of the Year

Congratulations to

the David Strohl Family on being selected

2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the year!!!

Hazen Florist and Gifts 114 N. Livermore Hazen, AR 870-255-4611

Parts World Hazen, AR

Congratulations to the

David Strohl Family David and Cindy Strohl

Congratulations on being selected the

2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year Prairie County’s 2017 Farm Family of the Year

Wishing The David Strohl Family The Best of Luck!

1920 South Main, Stuttgart, AR

Member SIPC

Prairie County Judge Mike Skarda

Page 7B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Favorite Family Recipes 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin seed 1/2 Teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter.

Saute' onion, bell pepper and celery in butter. Add all other ingredients. Cook in oven at 350 degrees one hour.

CREAMY RICE

Taylor and Cindy working on one of their favorite recipes MANDI'S KISSES Microwave 1 1/2 lb.

Almond Bark (chocolate or vanilla) until smooth (Approx. 3 minutes.

Check at 2 minutes and continue in 15 seconds increments until smooth.)

onion and cook until tender-crisp. Combine all ingredients. Pour into 2 quart buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

SLOVAK CUMIN RICE 1 1/2 cups parboiled uncooked rice 2 cups chicken broth 2 cups beef consomme'

Melt 1/2 cup butter in baking dish (at least 1 3/4 qt. size). Add one can cream of chicken soup, 1 Teaspoon salt and 2 cans of water.

Add 1 Tablespoon Wyler's Chicken Instant Bouillon Powder and 1 cup uncooked rice.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - 1 hour until all liquid is

absorbed. Serves 4.

melted. Serves 6.

GLORIA'S CHICKEN AND RICE

RED BEANS AND RICE 1 lb. red beans, washed 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 cup diced onions 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced bell peppers 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (or 1Tablespoon garlic powder) 1 ham hock (or 1 pound boiled ham, cut into 1/2 inch cubes) 12 oz. smoked sausage or polish sausage, sliced 8 - 10 cups water

1 chicken, stewed, skinned, deboned and cut into bite size pieces 1 medium onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup uncooked parboiled rice 1 (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup 2 cups chicken broth 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper Velveeta Cheese Lightly saute' onion and bell pepper in butter. Stir in mushrooms. Add soup, broth, salt and pepper. Fold in chicken. Spoon into 9x13x2 inch buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Top with sliced Velveeta cheese and bake until cheese is

Saute onions, celery and bell peppers in oil.

Add red beans, spices and enough water to generously cover ingredients.(If using ham hock, add it now).

Continued on p. 8B

CONGRATULATIONS

to the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year The David Strohl Family

Stir in 1 heaping Tablespoon Peanut Butter. Add one 12.4 oz. can Spanish Peanuts. Fill can two times with crispy rice cereal. Mix well. Drop on wax paper by teaspoons. Let set until firm.

RICE AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE 2 Tablespoons butter 3/4 cup chopped onion 3 cups cooked rice 2 - 10 oz. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 1 - 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup 8 oz. American cheese, cubed 1/4 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon pepper Melt margarine, add

Grand Prairie Veterinary Service Charles J. Dulany, DVM

David deciding what to cook for dinner.

Congratulations to the

David Strohl Family for being chosen the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year.

Best Wishes from all of us at The Prescription Shop.

The Prescription Shop Livermore Street Hazen, AR 72064 Phone: 870-255-4403

Clinic: 870-255-0022 Emergency: 870-552-6025 3rd & Chester Streets, Hazen, AR

Congratulations to

The David Strohl Family Prairie County's Farm Family of the Year 2017

It is our continued pleasure to serve the finest farmers in the world, the farmers of the Grand Prairie.

Prairie County Farm Bureau Hazen Ave., Hazen, AR Phone 870-255-4596

Page 8B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Family recipe favorites continued Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours. DON'T LET THE BEANS BOIL DRY. ADD WATER WHEN NEEDED. After about an hour, add sausage. If using chopped ham, add it with sausage.

CONFETTI SALAD 1 head cauliflowerchopped 1 bunch broccolichopped 1 red onion- chopped 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 lb. bacon- crisp and crumbled

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sugar 2 T vinegar Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Toss with mixture of mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Chill until serving time.

STUFFED PEPPERS 1 lb. hamburger meat 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 8 oz can tomato sauce 1 can cream of chicken soup 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup sour cream 4 bell peppers, washed and cored Place peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Remove, drain and set in baking dish.

Cook hamburger and onion until done. Add tomato sauce, spices and soup. Stir until mixed well. Fold in rice and sour cream.

Fill peppers with mixture and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until peppers are at desired doneness. Top with grated cheddar cheese.

TACO RICE 2 lb. ground beef 1 pkg. taco seasoning 1 cup uncooked rice 1 can 8 oz. crushed tomatoes 1 cup water 1/2 cup dice Rotel 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 medium can cream style corn 1 cups grated cheddar cheese Brown ground beef and drain well. Add taco mix, rice, soup, water, Rotel, and salt. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes.

Congratulations and best wishes to The David Strohl Family for being honored as the

We salute the David Strohl Family

2017 Prairie County

Farm Family of the Year Dondie’s

White River Princess Hart’s Liquor Store, Inc. 107 Hwy 70 W. - Hazen, AR 72064 - 870-255-3374

Des Arc, AR (870) 256-3311 Join us for a great time at your next outing!

Congratulations to the David Strohl Family for being selected 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year!

Congratulations

David Strohl Family 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

Greenway Equipment, Inc. Des Arc, AR 1806 West Main Des Arc, AR 72040

Page 9B - Special Section The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Home and family time The Strohl home was built in 1995 and updated in 2014. It is all electric and has lots of shade. It was built in an area where David squirrel and rabbit hunted growing up. The favorite spot at home is around the fire pit on the patio. David and Cindy both do a lot of grilling.

All the Strohl women are animal lovers.

Taylor’s favorite sorority volunteer duty is with the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society. The family dogs are Oreo and Saige; the cat is Calli.

All the Strohls like the outdoors. David and Taylor are avid deer hunters. Whitney does hunt, but not as much as the other two.

All four of the Strohls love to fish on Strohl

Reservoir. Spring brings opportunity for great crappie fishing. Catfish is the major catch the rest of the time.

David remarked, “Farming and flying have worked well for us. Cindy and I can work together.

We have great customers at Strohl Aviation, and just the right amount of farm acreage to allow us to do both! Life is good!”

Congratulations to the

David Strohl Family

for being chosen the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

And thank you, David, for your continued service to our district as president of the Hazen School Board.

The Hazen School District “Home of the Hornets”

Congratulations

Congratulations to

We wish the

David Strohl Family

David, Cindy, Taylor, and Whitney Strohl

Prairie County’s 2017 Farm Family

David Strohl Family

to the

on being named

Prairie County Farm Family! _________________

2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

Westbrook Funeral Home 115 N Livermore Street Hazen, AR 72064

all the best as this year’s

From one farm family to another Tim and Rayanne Bednar

BEST WISHES TO

The David Strohl Family

Congratulations

to the David Strohl Family 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year From all of us at

Craig's BBQ PETRUS

1901 South Main Street Stuttgart, AR 72160 Phone: (870) 673-2664 Fax: (870) 673-1580

DeValls Bluff, AR 870-998-2616 Jerry and Joyce Surratt

Page 10B - Special Section of The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Congratulations to the David Strohl Family!

Congratulations to

Best Wishes and

The David Strohl Family

Congratulations to

The David Strohl Family on being named the 2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

on being named the

2017 Prairie County Farm Family of the Year

Tri-County Farmers Slovak 15144 Hwy. 63, S. Stuttgart AR 72160 Hazen, Arkansas 72064 (870) 255-3523

The staff at PIZZA PRO congratulates the

David Strohl Family for being chosen

Prairie County’s 2017 Farm Family of the Year!

The Rieke Firm, PLLC Highway 70 East Hazen, Arkansas 72064 (870) 255-3523

Congratulations to the

Stedman’s would like to congratulate the

David Strohl David Strohl Family for being named the 2017 Family Prairie County Farm Family Prairie County’s 2017

of the year!

Farm Family of the Year

1201 Hwy. 70 West - Hazen, AR - Phone 870-255-3699

Authorized

Dealership

110 South College Stuttgart, AR 72160 Phone:(870) 673-2676 Fax: (870) 673-3346