Jackson and Oralie Smith had two, very different journeys to the dairy farm.
Jackson knew from the time he was young that he wanted to be a farmer. “I love everything about the dairy business. I mean, I’ve always loved it. Ever since I was a little kid, it was always what I wanted to do.”
Oralie, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure. Growing up, her dad warned her not to marry a farmer. But, then she met Jackson and everything changed. The couple now proudly owns a dairy farm along the Utah and Idaho border. Oralie manages the farm’s finances and enjoys collaborating with her husband on farm-related projects. Despite her early opinions, she’s grown to truly love her agricultural lifestyle. “It’s fun, I get to spend a lot of time with Jackson and I know what’s happening on the farm. It’s fun to do together.”
A way of life
Jackson and Oralie have eight sons and have found the farm to be a great place for them to grow up. Oralie said, “They’ve learned how to work and they’ve learned the value of work.” And they also have a good time, “You have to run the farm as a business, but in the meantime, you can make it a way of life. It’s enjoyable and fun” Jackson added.
Since the beginning
In addition to the boys, Western AgCredit is an important piece of the Smith’s farm family. Jackson said, “Western AgCredit’s been a huge part of our business. They’ve been with us since the very first day I came to do business here.”
If Jackson and Oralie are planning an expansion or if they’d like to make a change to the farm, they take the numbers to Western AgCredit and trust that someone there will speak openly with them about whether or not they believe it’s a good business decision. “It isn’t always exactly what we want to hear but it’s the information that lets us make sound business decisions,” said Jackson.
For Casey Beck at Western AgCredit, working with the Smith’s has been one of the highlights of her job. “One of the things that I really appreciate about working with Western AgCredit is the opportunity to work with families like the Smiths. Jackson and Oralie have always done a great job preparing for the future.”
