Lifestyle Change Yields Family Time, County Honor
Yangs Chosen Farm Family of the Year
Washington County Farm Family of the year Cindy and David Yang stand with their son Pao, left, 15, on their farm in Summers . The Yangs also have two daughters Maly, 20, and PaFoua, 18, and another son Johnny, 17. The family owns 50 acres and works six chicken houses.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
SUMMERS — Ten years ago, Cindy and David Yang quit their jobs in Minnesota, loaded up their four children and headed to Arkansas to start a chicken farm.
“We both had really good jobs, but we wanted to spend more time with our kids,” said Cindy Yang. “We thought if we lived on a farm, we could do that.”
On Tuesday, the Yangs and their children, Maly Yang, 20; PaFoua Yang, 18; Johnny Yang, 17; and Pao Yang, 15, were named the Washington County Farm Family of the Year.
The Arkansas Farm Bureau coordinating with the Washington County Cooperative Extension Service makes the annual award, which was first presented in 1947.
Berni Kurz, county extension agent, said the Farm Family of the Year is chosen by a committee that considers farmers from throughout the county with different operations. The goal is to select “a successful representative of agriculture.”
At A Glance
Washington County Farm Family Of The Year
Who: Cindy and David Yang
Where: 23852 W. U.S. 62, Summers
Acres: 50
Cattle: 15
Chickens: Six Houses
Crops: Hay, 15 acres; pasture, 30 acres; yield per acre: 140 round bales
Source: Extension service
Cindy and David Yang, who are both from Laos, met 21 years ago in Minnesota. Cindy Yang worked as a computer technician for the U.S. Postal Service, while David Yang worked for General Mills.
“When you live in a big city and you’re working 14 hours a day, you don’t get any time to see your kids,” David Yang said.
Cindy Yang said she and her husband decided to start a farm in 20o2 after visiting her brother, a chicken farmer in Gravette.
They moved to Summers in 2004 and settled on a 50-acre piece of land. They built six chicken houses in the first four months.
“I didn’t like it at first because the smell was not so pleasant,” said Cindy Yang. “But after a while, I thought, ‘This is the place we need to be.’”
Pao Yang said living on a farm has its “ups and downs,” but he enjoys spending time with his family. They also have 15 acres of hay and 30 acres of pasture.
He said they share chores around the farm, which has taught him the importance of responsibility.
“My dad always said that nothing comes easy in life, but if you put your mind to it, you can do anything,” he said. “Whether it’s mowing the yard or picking up dead chickens, if my parents say it, I do it.”
Kurz said the Yangs are eligible for district farm family of the year and ultimately state farm family of the year, which is awarded in December.