meet your
Photo by Mandy Villines
neighbors
Faith, Family and Farm By Mandy Villines
Nichole Chambless and her family work together to build their family’s farming operation
Nichole Chambless of Bentonville, Ark., is the epitome of women in agriculture. Mother of two sons – 20-year-old Kale, who is serving in the U.S. Army, and 17-year-old Kase, a senior at Har-ber High School in Springdale, Ark. Nichole has been married to the love of her life, Jeff Chambless for 20 years. Nichole graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s in poultry science and a minor in history. After marrying in 2002, Nichole moved to Jeff’s 20-acre ranch in Bentonville – Chambless Farms. A few short years later, they wanted to expand their farm and purchased 15 head of black and black motley-faced cows, a black bull, and some adjacent land to their farm. Alongside Nichole’s daily job as the senior manager of dry grocery supply at Sam’s Club, she’s balanced the role of a mother and ranch life, including sports games three days a week for her sons, being an active member in her church, and helping her husband in as many ways as possible. She works equally with Jeff, JULY 11, 2022
raking and hauling hay, brush hogging, ners,” but Kase and Kale understand the and working with equipment. At Cham- value of hard work and being humble, bless Farms, visitors can find matching, Nichole said. well-maintained, matching equipment. Nichole and Jeff have helped their Even the tractors and balers are well- children become financially savvy and oiled and shiny. helped them build their own cattle herds Nichole loves landscaping, kayaking in exchange for work on the farm. The and barrel racing. She currently has two proceeds from cattle sales have helped barrel horses and completes in local jack- Kase and Kale set money aside for college pots. and purchase their own vehicles. Nichole has a huge heart for animals, Over the years, Nichole and Jeff have which shows in her happy herd of many narrowed their herd to 60 head of their pets, including Corgies and Border Col- preferred bloodlines, along with three reglies. They utilize their Border Collies as istered black Angus bulls on 80 acres. cow dogs. They are mainly a commercial cow/calf Pets for Nichole can also be found in operation with a spring and fall crop. the pasture. “Sweet Pea” is a black-whiteNichole and Jeff have a deep knowledge faced cow from their original herd. She’s of grass and its science, and the couple the spry age of 24 and gets a pasture to strives to produce the highest-quality hay herself, along with a spefor their herd and for their hay cial diet of treats and head Bentonville Ark. customers. They spend the scratches. Sweet Pea is a remajority of their summers cutminder of humble beginnings ting and selling top-of-the-line and hard work, Nichole said. Bermuda hay to private buyers, Nichole has tremendous in addition to with private sales pride in her sons. She refers to of their farm-raised premium beef. them as “spoiled but with manTheir hay is bundled using an Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
Arcusin bale bundler, which Nichole said is very rare in the Ozarks. The system makes it easier for the buyer to load and for the family to sell their hay. For other women involved in production agriculture, Nichole offered a bit of advice. “First of all, faith over everything,” she said. “We put God first and tithe our earnings. We always thank God for any success we might have and believe in the power of prayer. I believe my faith should come first, my relationship with my husband second, and my children third. “We take pride in taking care of our equipment and take no shortcuts. If you do it right the first time, you’ll not have to do it again, take care of your land, and it will take care of you. And lastly, do not be bitter towards your spouse. Take time for each other. I highly suggest a vacation for just the two of you once a year. This industry is trying on marriages and mental health, and you need a strong relationship to keep up with the hard work.”
7
