It’s a Family Tradition: Vaughan Farm

By: Rhoda Kerr, Soil Conservation Technician, NRCS, Opelika, AL

Though Walton Vaughan is basically a “city” boy, growing up in Huntsville, Alabama, he always had a great appreciation of the land. This love of the land was instilled in him from fond memories of times spent on the family farm in Chambers County. It’s not surprising then that when Vaughan and his family made Auburn their home, he would become much more active in the family farming operations. By day, Vaughan is Vice-President of First National Bank of Lee County, but during his free time, you will find him, his wife Amanda, and their three young sons enjoying the land that is dear to their hearts.

The Vaughan farm has been in the family for three generations. Walton’s father, Herbert Vaughan, always impressed upon him the importance of making good decisions about the farm and honoring the family’s connection to it. Vaughan grew up under the tutelage of Andy Scott, a nearly 90 year old gentleman who was born on the farm and has lived and worked there his entire life. Scott is the resident expert who knows the land, pastures, and trees like the back of his hand.

Vaughan has a great appreciation of the land, but he relies upon others to provide the direction and practical application. While Scott provides the day-by-day care of the land, Vaughan sought the technical expertise of USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help achieve his conservation goals. Vaughan wanted to boost the cattle herd, start a rotational grazing system, and improve the water quality on the farm. With technical assistance from NRCS and cost-share assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), he can achieve all of these goals.

To establish the rotational grazing system, the pasture needed to be segmented into paddocks and the forage needed to be treated. Josh Elliott, technician aid for Lee County Soil and Water Conservation District, says, “The cross-fencing posts are set and pest management treatments are showing success. Plans are in place to install conservation practices that will improve the water quality.

As a one-day old calf wobbles near the Black Angus bull, Vaughan describes how anxious he is to complete his conservation plan. He says, “For me, farming is definitely a ‘learn as you go’ process. Working with NRCS has helped me think about the farm as a whole and plan for the long-term in making decisions. We are controlling undesirable vegetation that had gotten an aggressive foothold in the pastures. We are minimizing the negative impacts of pest control in streams and ponds on the farm. The EQIP program has enabled me to implement new practices that improve the farm and help achieve my conservation goals.”

With the practical farming activities provided by Scott and the technical advice of NRCS, Vaughan has already seen an improvement in his farming operation. He is looking forward to his second cattle sale and is anxious to implement all the planned conservation practices. Just as a love of the land was passed down to him, he intends to continue that tradition with his own sons—Jess, Andy, and Nathan. And, yes, Andy is named after Andy Scott, a tribute to the close relationship of the two families and the shared connection to the land.

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