MEMBER FEATURE
Never Stop Learning
Forward thinking helps Tyler Rush pave his own path as a
young producer.
By Joann Pipkin
Headed west, the two-lane leaves
the Ozark Mountains in the
distance. As the pavement winds
through the countryside, the rocky
hills transform to fertile fields east
of the Interstate 49 corridor. Here,
a quiet morning in the countryside
is rejuvenated following a
welcomed late-summer rain the
afternoon before.
In the weeks leading up to our
visit, Jasper and Barton counties
were not unlike their north
Missouri counterparts. Parched
pastures yearned for relief. Corn
and soybeans wilted under the
afternoon sun. Today, though, the
sunlight glistens in the morning
dew as our drive to the bean field
dodges an occasional puddle.
“We’ve caught a few showers,”
Tyler Rush says.
While the young farmer is
beyond appreciative for the much-
needed moisture, he’s also come to
realize southwest Missouri is never
too far away from a drought.
“Whenever it comes down to
our no-till and our water holding
capacity, we actually have a little
bit more because we have our
organic matter built up (in the
soil) and that helps the ground
hold water longer,” he explains.
Since incorporating no-till practices into his farming operation, Tyler Rush has seen an
increase in both soil health and crop health. He grows corn, soybeans and wheat as well
as alfalfa hay and has cow-calf and pastured poultry operations.
Rush’s wisdom isn’t
happenstance; it comes from
generations of experience. It comes
from his steadfast desire to never
stop learning. At a mere 29, Rush
comes by it honest. From his great-
grandfather to his grandfather and
on to his father, the ability to look
ahead and try new management
techniques has never strayed far
from the Rush family. It’s a trait
that Tyler keeps close at hand as he
paves his own path in the industry
he always knew he’d come home
to.
growing his roots
Raised on a family farm southeast
of Jasper, Rush grew up showing
registered Red Angus cattle with
his sister, Shelby. While in high
school he received a loan from
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