Today in Ag Radio Show Host

Let’s Talk About Agriculture

“I actually love putting up hay, especially alfalfa. It’s the smell of alfalfa when you’re baling it. There’s no other smell like it in the world.”

That’s what Jimmy Clark said when asked why he loves agriculture.

But his love of ag goes beyond the five senses.

“I love the unity of the farming community,” Jimmy said. “The way folks help each other out.”

Jimmy is bringing his love of the land to 96.5FM KECO weekdays at noon with his show, “Today in Agriculture, With Jimmy Clark.”

GROWING UP IN AG

Born Feb. 2, 1962, at Elk City Community Hospital to Joe and Mable Clark—the youngest of 10 kids—Jimmy’s been involved in some form of agriculture most of his life.

“I was raised in town but everybody in my family chopped cotton.”

He was active in the Elk City FFA program with Larry Long through his junior year of high school. When he transferred to Canute for his senior year, he worked nights welding at Graves Manufacturing in Clinton, helping manufacture hay handling equipment.

After graduating in 1980, Jimmy welded in the oilfield. When the oil boom went bust in 1983, he went from earning $35 an hour welding to making $5 an hour as a farm hand at K&D Farm & Ranch at Foss. His job as a farm hand meant doing whatever needed to be done for 500 mama cows and 5,000 acres of wheat.

Jimmy did that until 1989 when he went back into the oilfield. But his service in the military took him to the Middle East for Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991.

After that, he moved to Kansas City and worked in the oilfield for 19 years.

BACK HOME, BACK IN AG

He moved back to Western Oklahoma in 2008 and continued working in the oilfield.

But he bought land in 2010, six miles west of Willow in the Breaks. He runs a cow-calf operation he calls C Trough Farm & Ranch. He also raises hay crops on a farm west of Carter on the river.

AG ON  THE RADIO

When he was approached about doing a show on KECO 96.5FM about farming and ranching, Jimmy jumped at the chance.

“Most agriculture programs deal with state and national issues. I want our community to know what’s going on with our  farmers and ranchers here at home.”

Agriculture changes all the time, Jimmy said. There are lots of struggles right now.

“Just because you inherited land doesn’t mean you can make ends meet.”

There are lots of aspects involved in farming and ranching, and Jimmy plans to cover them all.

One day, he’ll talk about cattle—sale prices, processors making more money than the guy raising the animals, vaccinations, and feed. The next day, he may talk to high school kids raising animals. The day after, the show might be about cotton farming or raising peanuts.

“I want to talk about everything. Seed, feed, feed trucks, chemicals, animals, veterinarians.”

He plans to interview lots of local guests and give as much information as he can gather about farming and ranching right here. And though the weather may turn dry, the show won’t be.

“We’re gonna have a lot of fun.”

Since he’s been heavily involved in ag production for a long time, and since he knows so many other producers in agriculture’s close-knit community, Jimmy Clark has a pretty good idea of what farmers and ranchers face.

“We want to inform our community that lives on the farm or ranch isn’t a piece of cake. There are struggles every day.”

To keep up with what’s going on in farming and ranching in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, listen to “Today in Ag, With Jimmy Clark” weekdays at noon on 96.5FM KECO.

PHOTOS

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Jimmy Clark

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