Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rhodes named Farm Family, 2007

Farming certainly isnt a job for everyone, but Bill and Marcia Rhodes said its provided something important - time to spend with family.

Its really important said Bill during a recent tour of the farm and introduction time to the family.

Its probably the most important thing we do, said Marcia.

Bill and Marcia arent the first generation of Rhodes to make their living by farming in the area just north of Cale. Bills parents, Howard and Louise Rhodes, were in the cattle and poultry business since 1963.

According to Marcia, Bills parents gave him two heifers when he was just 15 years old. From those two, Bill would eventually establish a herd of some 250 mama cows. The family owns 469 acres and rents an additional 400. Cattle, chicken houses and hay make up the majority of the farming operation.

The enterprise has been a true family farm. Bill and his father worked together until the elder Rhodes death in 1996. Bill and Marcias son and daughter, Brandon and Christy, had their share of farm chores as they were growing up and continue to live nearby.

I enjoyed it, Brandon said. I worked in the chicken houses, hauled a little bit of hay, built fence, a little bit of everything.

Whatever he was told to do, Marcia said.

Marcia said the chores may not have always been easy, but growing up on the family farm provided the two an opportunity to spend time with their grandparents.

Thats a tradition thats going on now with a new generation of Rhodes boys.

Today, Bill and Marcias five older grandchildren are already active on the farm.

Marcia said the most important part of the entire operation is family.

Christy is married to Wayne Gourley. They have three sons, 11-year-old Jake, 5-year-old Taylor and 3-year-old Grayson.

Brandon and his wife Shelly also have three sons - Brady is 6, Bryson is 5 and Brogan is the newest member of the family at just three weeks.

While the family members are active in church, sports and school activities, they are also very connected to each other. Marcia said Sunday dinners are a weekly event. She said she cooks for the entire family every Sunday.

We help eat, said Shelly. Thats our job.

Marcia works three days each week as a hairdresser at Hillcrest Nursing Center. She said that takes only a little time away from the farm.

She said its easy to decide whats important to her.

This and my grandkids, she said, waving her hand to encompass the farmland surrounding her home.

Bill and Marcia did the majority of the construction on their home. Marcia can recite the source for much of the materials. One room is set aside as a playroom for the boys. The walls of that room are done in chalkboard paint for anyone who wants to draw on the walls and features painted hand prints of each of the younger boys.

Louise gamely heads out with the family whether theyre headed to the pond to fish or for a look at the chicken houses. And shes generally swamped with great-grandsons eager for her attention.

Louise said she doesnt regret having spent her life as the wife and mother of farmers.

I was happy with it, she said. Always.

She said one of the biggest changes is that many chores are now motorized. She said the biggest jobs during their early days with chicken houses was the clean up and wash down - tasks that are now performed with farm equipment or eliminated altogether.

And if she had one piece of advice for young people considering a life on the farm, what would it be?

Make sure theyre farmers before they do it, she said.

Some people just arent cut out for the farm life.

The Rhodes said they wouldnt change a thing.

I wouldnt do anything different, Brandon said.