T
he Piguet family of Vinita was recognized as Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s District 6 farm and ranch family of the year at the organization’s 84th annual meeting Saturday, Nov. 8, in Oklahoma City.
The Piguet family operation began in 1985 when Jerry and Carolyn Piguet married. During that time, the two raised registered Limousin cattle and merchandised several outstanding cattle from artificial insemination and embryo transfer before moving to registered Angus cattle.
Upon the passing of Jerry, Carolyn perused a path for her husband’s love of good food and entertaining people with her passion of being an agricultural ambassador, creating Piguet’s Prime Time.
A farm-to-fork restaurant, Piguet’s Prime Time serves as an avenue for Carolyn to share her love of cooking and agriculture with her customers. Set on her 80-acre Vinita ranch, the restaurant allows her customers to enjoy a fine dining experience while also being able to see where their food comes from.
“By me being in this scenario, that people are coming out for fine dining, I can talk to them about how things are grown, how we local source and try to use the best clean practices,” Carolyn said. “That gives me an opportunity to teach people accurate agricultural facts.”
With the implementation of the restaurant, Carolyn had the opportunity to modify her cattle herd genetics to produce for her new consumer base. She introduced Wagyu cattle to her heard, creating first-generation Wagyu-Angus cross cattle that are utilized in the restaurant. From the utilization of the land to place the restaurant to breeding, growing and marketing her own beef, the restaurant truly epitomizes farm-to-fork.
Open on Fridays and Saturdays on a reservation basis only, Carolyn has also been able to take the restaurant from a destination location to out on the road with catering services.
Jerry and Carolyn raised their two children, Kelli and Casey, on their farm, and the two have taken their parents’ love for agriculture and carried it into their adult lives. Kelli raises her own cattle, with her two children exhibiting cattle. Casey also raises his own cattle in addition to his horses. Working in the cattle industry caring for other’s cattle herds, Carolyn says he is sure enough a cowboy.
“That links us all together and is something that each one of us really considers to be who we are,” Carolyn said. “They both help me in the restaurant and with catering whenever I’ve needed help. My family is very close and they’re just very strong, and I equate it to a lot of our interests being the same.”
With the busyness of the restaurant and caring for her cattle, Carolyn finds importance in being involved within her community.
“I taught agricultural education for 10 years and that was probably the pinnacle of my education career,” Carolyn said. “I loved it the most of any because through that I got to help nurture other agricultural ambassadors.”
Carolyn currently serves as a co-leader for local Prime 4-H club, providing agricultural opportunities for 40 4-H members and families. She also serves on various groups in the Vinita community and around Grand Lake. She hosts several groups at her restaurant that support agriculture leadership and commerce as well as health and wellness. Carolyn also serves as a Craig County Farm Bureau board member.
“I am a fifth-generation agriculturalist who genuinely believes in the true value of agriculture,” Carolyn said. “I have been involved in all aspects of crop production, livestock production, marketing and now merchandising. Agriculture is my passion. My heritage is a love of the soil.”
OKFB’s Farm and Ranch Family Recognition program celebrates nine farm and ranch families from around the state who carry on the best traditions of Oklahoma agriculture and our rural communities.
“Our family farmers and ranchers across Oklahoma work each and every day to feed and clothe our state and country while caring for the land and natural resources that we all depend on,” said Mignon Bolay, OKFB WLC chair. “Our Women’s Leadership Committee is honored to recognize these nine farm and ranch families and share their stories of agricultural achievements and service to their local, rural communities.”
As part of their recognition, the family received a cash award and a custom sign to hang at their farm gate. The family was also recognized at the 2025 OKFB convention with a video sharing their agricultural operation and heritage.
