Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Mintons 2001 Clark County Farm Family of the Year

For this year's Clark County Farm Family, the title truly fits.

Mr. and Mrs. Wyndal Minton Sr. and Mr. and Mrs. Wyndal Minton Jr. and their three children keep the family farm in well working order.

The Minton family farm was originally started by Wyndal Minton Sr.'s father back in 1919. Their farming legacy began with row cropping.

The Minton farm is located two miles south of Gurdon on Highway 53. They have a quaint gravel driveway leading directly to both houses.

Wyndal Minton Sr. and his wife Betty live in the first house you see as you drive across the cattle guard and begin across the pasture.

The house sits in the middle of the greenest, plushiest yard you could imagine for this time of year.

The house is a modern home built out of brick with a double carport to the right side. On the front door hangs a wreath with colorful butterflies and flowers on it Betty made herself.

As you enter the home, you notice Betty's touch for decorating. She makes a lot of her decorations herself.

On her dining room table Betty uses a colorful quilt her mother made years ago as a tablecloth. However, no one actually eats while the quilt is on the table.

In the living room Wyndal Sr. has a beautifully handcrafted grandfather clock he made himself from old timbers found in a barn on the family farm.

"When I was a kid, we used to play in that old barn. I can remember seeing 1901 carved in one of the posts," Wyndal Sr. said. "The barn is still standing today. I thought it would be a good way to preserve the wood and the history by making the clock."

The original nail holes and worm holes are still visible when looked at closely. This combination adds real character to the clock.

Wyndal Sr. was born and raised on the farm. After finishing high school he attended the University of Arkansas and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture. He then worked for the Arkansas Agricultural Extension in Hempstead and Miller Counties for a year and then returned to the farm to manage and operate the farm with his father in 1952.

At that time the Minton's raised cotton, corn, and beef cattle.

Although Wyndal Sr. was busy with school and a farm he still had time to meet and marry Betty Stone. The two were married in 1947.

They have spent many years working together on the farm.

The Minton's had two children together, Wyndal Minton Jr., better known as Wyndy, and Julie Minton Mulkey who now lives in Mobile, Alabama.

Wyndy was also born and raised on the farm. After high school he attended Southern Arkansas University and then joined the Air Force.

He just couldn't stay away from the farm life and returned home in 1972. At that time he and his father raised beef cattle, hogs, soybeans and milo.

Wyndy lives about 350 yards to the left of his parent's house.

Wyndy's house is the house Wyndal Sr. was born in. It is a yellow house covered with siding and has a relaxing front porch.

Sharon is having lots of remodeling done to the inside and hopes to have it finished soon.

Wyndy and his wife, Sharon, have three children. Mike is 24 and helps keep the farm going by taking care of the chickens, cows, hay and many of the other farm activities. He and his father do most of the mechanics on the farm equipment.

Ginger, 21, has spent many hours in the chicken houses and helps with raking hay.

Marc, 13, is the youngest and has the big job of handling all the chores around the house such as keeping all the yards mowed. This is a job that has been passed down from Mike then Ginger and now Marc.

However the whole family stays busy with all the different chores that come with having a farm.

Betty enjoys having a garden each year.