#knowyourlocalfarmer
On CopperTop Legacy Farm we believe that your food will taste better when you know who grew it. And if you know who grew it, you will be able to know exactly where your food has been. Even more important, when you #knowyourlocalfarmer, you can find them out and about in your community and ask them about the food, fuel, and fiber that you use every day. We welcome all of your questions about agriculture! But first, here’s some of our story so you can get to know us better…
Hugh C. Wilkerson officially homesteaded our family farm in 1856 near the intersection of Highways 60 and 125 in Rogersville, MO. We still live and work on 80 acres of the original homestead. Our family has farmed TOGETHER, locally, for over 150 years, for Seven Generations. When we say that we practice “Generationally Sustainable Agriculture”, it means that we are currently training and teaching the 8th Generation about farming so they can continue the family legacy if they choose.
We think that having multiple generations working on the farm is the best way to instill Leadership values; there are plenty of jobs for each of us to go around….
Travis (8th Generation) Grounds & Gopher
Travis is 8 years old and he likes to do anything (that he is in the mood to do). He is really on his way to being a jack of all trades. Travis loves to fetch tools, tighten and loosen bolts, and check fluids in the machinery shop. He often mows the yard, burns the trash, picks up walnuts, and works gates when we handle the cattle. He also keeps records occasionally. Travis is learning to rake hay during the summer. He is pretty good at math, terribly sneaky, and is learning to tell a good joke. He is dedicated to the food business and makes sure that lunch plans are made first priority every day. Travis is excited to be a “real” 4H member this year and learn about small engines. He plays soccer in his spare time. His family legacy trait is probably his (poor) temper.
Keith (7th Generation) Director of Operations
Keith is a 1998 graduate of LRHS. He has lived, worked, and served in the same community his entire life. Keith helps coordinate the day-to-day operations of the farm as a whole and works to design the feeding rations for our #locallygrownbeef. Keith was truly “born to farm” and learned to drive everything from our Grandpa Lee years ago. Keith serves on the local Farm Bureau Board and has advocated for the Beef Industry for several years. Just this summer, he was elected to the Missouri Beef Industry Council where he will work with colleagues from across the state to communicate with consumers. Keith is a fan of Kermit the Frog and Dr. Pepper. His legacy trait is his passionate drive (which he is known to drive from sunup and past sundown; sometimes he nearly drives into tomorrow.)
Lucas (8th Generation) Mechanical Intern
You have to have the guy that can keep things running. Lucas is nearly 14 years old. He is very mechanically inclined and is learning about shop work, maintenance, and mechanics from his Grandad. Lucas is a great academic student and he can do anything—he just prefers to drive a tractor more than anything else. Lucas is starting his 7th year as a 4H member. He has been learning about animal husbandry and record keeping with his goats for 5 years. He has also learned to weld and has a great little business making and selling decorative pieces. He looks forward to getting to participate in High School Agriculture classes soon. He is learning a lot from Mack, his new puppy. Lucas’ legacy trait is his face (he is often referred to as ‘a Wilkerson’ around the neighborhood).
Emma (7th Generation) Media & Marketing
Emma is a 2002 graduate of LRHS and she earned a degree in Horticulture from MSU in 2005. While working with plants and flowers for nearly decades, she has gained excessive experience with color, texture, design and space so being in charge of communicating with our customers is a natural transition for her. Emma handles our Missouri Grown status, product placement relations, social media, and more. She is no stranger to working with animals, either. Since she is in the “parenting” season of life she much prefers spending time with the farm herds because they are usually glad to see her and don’t back talk. Emma is the local 4H leader and enjoys participating in leadership training and opportunities through Farm Bureau. Emma has recently been able to rekindle a love of reading and hopes to go back to quilting regularly before she dies. Her legacy trait is her requirement to be busy (which accidentally manifests by being involved in a few too many things).
Mark (7th Generation Out-Law) Director of Finance & Reality
Mark is appreciated on the farm for his willingness to put up with Emma. Mark and Emma were high school sweethearts and married in 2004. Mark did not grow up on a farm or with connections to agriculture. To say he has learned a lot about our industry is an understatement! He is willing to help with the chores at hand and even gets to take a turn in a tractor occasionally. Mark has nearly 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry pertaining to business and management. For the rest of us in the family, farming is not just our career; our views are often clouded by the fact that farming ties us emotionally to our family legacy. Mark serves a great role by being able to see the farm from the outside and give us a common sense check and a reality shove every once in a while. Mark keeps up with Legislative Advocacy and serves in that capacity on the local Farm Bureau Board. He used to enjoy hunting and hiking and if he survives parenting, hopefully he will enjoy those things again. His family legacy trait is…a lot of things actually (he fits in pretty well).
Kevin (6th Generation) Director of Wit & Wisdom
Two generations have proven Kevin’s role as a “great-uncle” (literally and figuratively) and these days he answers to the title “Special K”. Kevin has been milking cows in the same barn ever since….the day he was big enough to start milking cows. He knows a few things because he’s seen a few things. Not only does he know a lot about farming, but he knows most things about life and family and godliness. Kevin has set the standard by preaching and teaching to us all at Bible class all of our lives. He has told us what God’s word says and shown us what it says by working alongside us on the farm. If we have a question, we can count on him to answer with, “Oh, I don’t know….” and stare at us thoughtfully until we figure it out. Kevin always confers with Travis to coordinate important lunch plans (since Travis can’t drive, someone has to). He enjoys young’ins: a whole herd of his own grandkids and two great-nephews that he is always cracking jokes with. Most would probably not describe Kevin as “lighting up a room” or “dynamic” (although we all think he’s incredible). He is a quiet leader; that is his family legacy trait.
Our CopperTop Legacy
Your food will taste better now that you know more about us! Our family doesn’t just share a LEGACY of farming. We are also unfailingly loyal, hot of temper after excessive provocation, and there seems to be generation after generation of red hair…. We have been LOCAL for a lot of years; your community is our community, and we want it to be healthy and successful, too. We want to serve as LEADERS that understand agriculture and look forward to sharing about it with our consumers. See you around the neighborhood!
