Cherokee County Farm Bureau

09/02/2026

Cherokee County Farm Bureau Chair Kurtis Gregory, DVM, and board member Jennifer Eshelman along with FB member Barbara Allen attended the district D3 listening post Monday, August 31 at Greenbush. The meeting was chaired by Kyle Rennie, our state D3 resolutions committee member along with John Kennedy, our Field Services Manager. The well attended meeting included discussion of 2027 state tentative resolutions, spanning topics such as noxious weeds, property, assessment, and taxation, natural resources, and conservation, data centers, and more. Joined by Tim Tyson, District 3 State Director, and Glenn Brunkow, KFB President, several hours of debate and great conversation took place and changes in and additions to recommended policies were accomplished. Your local views and opinions matter and are taken upwards where they can become issues KFB advocates for at state and national levels. KFB members can login and view details of policies, issue surfacing, live stream meetings and recordings at KFB.org.
Getting involved means results!

09/02/2026

Attention Members:
RSVP date is approaching!! Make sure to sign up to join us for food, guest speakers, our annual meeting information and door prizes!

08/11/2026

We still have room available for vendors! Call us today to reserve your spot!

08/07/2026

08/05/2026

Join us and RSVP today!

08/05/2026

Mental health matters and just like the broken gate, our annual meeting sponsored by Spring River Mental Health & Wellness is featuring just that. Guests speaking includes Rachel Coe, founder of Wild Haven and Thomas Eisenbarth, founder of Grounded and KFB 2025 Rural Minds Matter Young Advocate of the year. We invite and encourage our members to attend this free event by RSVP today! Mailed invites have been sent but will be reshared on this page.
(Permission for repost from and thank you Rutherford Cattle.

This here’s a gate I hung over 35 years ago. Right in this very spot is where we sort cattle every day. It’s been a good one and served its purpose well. I’ve seen cows jump on it, climb it, kick it, ram it, and then turn around and jump on it again. We patched it up more times than I can count, but truth is, it was never quite the same.

Well, the other day, we had a bull come off a truck and started to jump clean out of the pens. He didn’t just try to jump, but he tried climbing out and then back again. He got about halfway up and the whole gate just gave out, like it melted. We patched it up the best we could to get through unloading that truck, and then had to turn around and load the next one.

As soon as I could, I called the welder and told him I had an emergency. Told him I needed a gate built, and I needed it as soon as possible. We cut the old one out, and he built us one that’s gonna last a long, long time.

The old gate served its purpose, but it’s gone now. Time to move on. I’ve got cattle to buy and cattle to sell, and I don’t have time to sit around crying over a piece of failed equipment.

Truth is, that’s how life is sometimes. Maybe you were successful in the past, but now something just isn’t working. It’s broke, and you’ve tried to fix it, but it just can’t be put back together. And that’s okay. Set it aside. Replace that broken gate in your life with a new one.

That broken gate might be a job, a car, a house, a relationship… whatever it is, just remember: you matter to God. He wants you happy. You’re not a failure. You just might have a broken gate. Do everything you can to fix it, but if you’ve done all you can, let it go.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share.

-Bubba Rutherford

PS: You might be wondering what happened to that bull. Well... think of him next time you’re enjoying a hamburger.

08/03/2026

Congratulations to one of our own Greg Mowdy and his family. A family with a strong history in agriculture and its preservation, protection and promotion. Congratulations!

Each year, Kansas Farm Bureau recognizes outstanding Farm Bureau families who have distinguished themselves through participation in Farm Bureau programs and leadership, family activities, community and civic service, as well as good farm operation management. These Farm Family of the Year designees receive an attractive Farm Family of the Year yard sign, which will be presented to the family at respective county annual meetings. Counties may also choose to give other recognition items at their discretion. The families are also honored at the Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Manhattan. Honorees will receive special recognition, a commemorative gift and an invitation for immediate family to the recognition banquet.

Congratulations to the following families for being named KFB’s 2026 Farm Families of the Year:

• Leslie and Lisa Berndt — Saline County
• Hayden and Breanne Cross — Nemaha County
• Fred and Megan Goossen — Gray County
• Austin and Nicole Hiebert — Harvey County
• Colin and Alissa Kirchhoff — Phillips County
• Roger and Dana Long — Barton County
• Dustin and Ashleigh Mengarelli — Shawnee County
• Nathan and Heather Mentzer — Allen County
• Greg and Jennifer Mowdy — Cherokee County (pictured)
• Jon and Jenna Pretz — Miami County

Learn more about the Farm Family of the Year program at www.kfb.org/farmfamilies. Look for posts coming in the next few weeks where we'll highlight each family.

07/19/2026

Cherokee Co. Farm Bureau Exhibitor Breakfast

07/16/2026

Our youth and families have spent countless hours and funds to provide the fair with a quality group of livestock for competition and exhibit. Cherokee County Farm Bureau believes in supporting these young people and encourages you to do so as well.

🐖🐄 Support the Future of Agriculture at the Cherokee County Fair Livestock Premium Auction! 🐑🐐

Join us Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 PM for the Cherokee County Fair Livestock Premium Auction.

Many people think they're buying an animal at the auction—but that's not actually how it works.

The Premium Auction is an opportunity to invest in our local youth. These exhibitors have spent months caring for, feeding, and showing their market animals, learning responsibility, hard work, and valuable life skills along the way. The money raised through the auction helps offset the cost of their projects and gives them the opportunity to continue participating in future fairs.

Whether you're a business, organization, family, or individual, your support makes a lasting impact.

🍽️ Past and new buyers are also invited to a complimentary dinner at 5:00 PM at the Extension Office before the auction.

Every contribution helps support our exhibitors and encourages the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Thank you for supporting the hardworking youth of Cherokee County. We hope to see you there! 💙💛