Richard and Cecelia Castle of Alfalfa County were named Farm Family of the Year at Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s 71st Annual Convention Nov. 10, in Oklahoma City.

The Castles were one of six OFB district farm family finalists, chosen for their ability to best represent farming and ranching and the spirit of Oklahoma agriculture. As state winners, the family received the use of a General Motors pickup for one year, a free trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention next January in Nashville, Tenn., and other prizes.

The Castles began their farming career in 1960, after they graduated from Oklahoma State University. The couple rented a farm from Richard’s parents and raised wheat and hogs. Today, their operation consists of more than 6,000 acres of wheat, milo, alfalfa and pastureland and 150 cow/calf pairs. They also run about 2,000 stocker cattle each year.

Richard and Cecelia have three children and 13 grandchildren, who all live close to the family farm. Their son, Kent, works full-time for the farm and their grandson, Colton, also recently joined the operation.

The couple’s Farm Bureau involvement includes several local and state leadership roles. Richard has served as a county board member and county president, and Cecelia is a member of the Alfalfa County Women’s Committee. Richard has served as a county delegate to the OFB Annual Meeting, and the couple is involved with the county resolutions meeting each fall. Richard has also been a member of the Lion’s Club for 35 years and is a past president, and the Castles are active in their church, school athletic events and the local fair board.

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Richard and Cecelia Castle of Jet, Okla., are presented with the 2012 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year award from OFB Womens' Committee Chairman Kitty Beavers and OFB President Mike Spradling. The Castles were named Farm Family of the Year during the 2012 Farm Bureau annual meeting in Oklahoma City on Saturday, Nov. 10.

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Richard and Cecelia Castle stand next to the Chevy Silverado pickup of which they won a years' use as being named Oklahoma Farm Bureau's Farm Family of the Year. The Castles, who farm and ranch near Jet, Okla., were given the honor at the OFB annual meeting in Oklahoma City on Saturday, Nov. 10.

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Clara Wichert of Major County was recognized as the Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Farm Bureau award winner at the OFB 71st Annual Convention Nov. 10, in Oklahoma City.

The Distinguished Service Award honors OFB members who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture and the Farm Bureau organization. Wichert has been an active OFB member for more than 40 years. She and her late husband, Lloyd, raised cattle and wheat on their farm near Fairview, and she continues to help her two sons with the operation.

Wichert has been a member of the OFB State Women’s Committee and served as the chairman for eight years. She has also been involved with Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom since it’s first organizational meeting in 1981. She is a charter member and still serves on the AITC advisory board, and she received the 2012 National Ag in the Classroom Ag Advocate award.

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Clara Wichert of Fairview, Okla., (center), poses with her family as she receives the 2012 Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Farm Bureau Award from OFB Executive Director Monica Wilke (left) and OFB President Mike Spradling (right) at the 2012 OFB annual meeting in Oklahoma City November 10.

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Adam and Nicole Martens of Major County are the 2012 recipients of Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement award. They were recognized as OFB’s top YF&R farming and ranching couple at the organization’s 71st Annual Convention Nov. 10, in Oklahoma City.

As Achievement winners, the Martens family received a new WW Livestock Systems squeeze chute and an all-expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention next January in Nashville, Tenn.

Adam and Nicole farm nearly 750 acres of wheat near Fairview. They also manage a 70-head cow/calf operation and run 160 stocker cattle. They are graduates of Oklahoma State University and have two children: Sydney, 8 and Reed, 6.

The Martens couple has been involved in Farm Bureau since 2005. Adam currently serves as the Major County Farm Bureau YF&R chairman and a member of the county resolutions committee, and the couple served as YF&R State Committee chairs in 2011.

OFB’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program is open to both men and women, ages 18 to 35, who hold a membership in his or her county Farm Bureau.

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Brent Straub (left), presents Adam and Nicole Martens of Fairview, Okla., with the 2012 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award. The Martens received the honor during the 2012 OFB Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City Nov. 10.

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Adam and Nicole Martens of Fairview, Okla., pose with the prizes they received after being named winners of the 2012 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award in Oklahoma City on Nov. 10. The Martens receive a WW Livestock Systems chute, a John Deere lawnmower from P&K Equipment and an Echo chainsaw.

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Oklahoma Farm Bureau has named Garvin County as the John I. Taylor Award winner for 2012. The announcement was made Nov. 10, in Oklahoma City at the OFB 71st Annual Convention.

The John I. Taylor Award is named after OFB’s first president and serves as the organization’s highest county honor. County winners are required to earn the Four-Star Presidential Award and excel in at least six different program areas.

Garvin County is active in all 11 program areas, including membership, program planning, policy development, policy execution, information and public relations, safety, service to members, local affairs, policy education, women’s activities and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Program. Garvin County received the most combined total points out of five top finalists.

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Garvin County Farm Bureau President Dale Schauer (left) accepts the 2012 John I Taylor Award from Oklahoma Farm Bureau president Mike Spradling during the 2012 OFB annual meeting in Oklahoma City Nov. 10. The John I Taylor award is the highest honor OFB awards to a county Farm Bureau.

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Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Major County Young Farmers and Ranchers committee is the 2012 recipient of the Charles L. Roff Award. The award was announced in Oklahoma City at the OFB 71st Annual Convention, Nov. 9.

The Charles L. Roff Award encourages county YF&R groups to improve their local committees and activity participation while strengthening the Farm Bureau organization.

Major County YF&R’s highlight activities for the year included hosting a mud volleyball tournament to raise money and recruit members, helping with Ag in the Classroom projects and assisting with the county’s annual meeting. The committee also had members who competed in the state YF&R Discussion Meet and who won the state YF&R Achievement Award.

Major County YF&R received a traveling plaque in recognition for their outstanding committee involvement.

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Nicole Martens (left) of the Major County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee accepts the 2012 Charles L. Roff Award from 2012 YF&R Chairman Brent Straub at the 2012 OFB annual meeting in Oklahoma City November 10.

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