2023 Drew County Homestead Family- Keith and Jean Alexander, Alexander Farms
October 3rd, 2023 by Joe Burgess
Homesteading is a life style that can look different for each family. For our family it is a journey to become as self-sufficient as possible.
Being lifelong educators, it is important to us that we learn new skills each year. We love sharing ideas and practices with friends and neighbors as well as asking them to share their knowledge with us. In other words, to grow our community.
At Alexander Farms this includes crafting, growing our plants from seeds, planting and growing an extensive vegetable garden, medicinal and culinary herbs, fruits, gourds, flowers and raising chickens for eggs. An important part of our self-sufficiency is preserving the food and herbs that we grow in order to cook from scratch. Preservation also allows us to make herbal items: soaps, teas, spice blends, vinegars and aromatic herbal baths. Dried herbs help us keep a home apothecary to help keep our immune system strong. Both of us have now joined the 70’s club and have celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this year. We find ourselves reflecting more and more on this wonderful journey of life. It is our honor to do something God himself did. Genesis 2:8, “The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He place the man whom he had formed.” We believe in putting God first in our life and that God honors this life style.
We would like to thank our two sons, Brad and Brian Alexander for helping us put the structure in place for our farm, helping us grow, mow when we get behind and getting us to the Farmers Market in years past. To Brian, thank you for helping us keep the garden going and sticking hundreds of tomato plants. To Brad, thank you for keeping our computer going and sprouting seeds for micro greens. To April, our daughter in law thank you for putting up with me growing plants in the house, painting signs and tagging plants for the market and chasing quail who escaped! To our two granddaughters, MacKenzie and Mary, you keep us going. Thank you for loving to raise baby chicks, turkeys, pigs, a cow, quail, rabbits and a worm farm. We always want to make you proud! To my mother, Norma Allison (who’s the real force behind what we do) and my late Dad, Bobby Allison thank you for bringing me up with a love for our Lord, the land, and helping me learn to garden, which is still an ongoing process! A thank you to our community for this honor and recognition. We are very humbled. A special thank you to Dr. David Streeter of Hamburg who crafted our first grow beds many years ago. We give thanks for you every time we look at them. To Mr. Sampy Jones for helping us get our chicken flock going and always incubating more chicks for us. You are the best!
The years we were able to be a part of the Monticello Farmer’s Market will never be forgotten. Our customers became our family. We loved growing, crafting and cooking for you.
Many thanks to our friends, Louisa Smith and Susan Wishard for keeping it alive. You are all appreciated. To our friends, Linda Davis and the late Levi Davis a special thank you for being our friends, mentors and cheerleaders. We learned so much from you! The seed gift will never be forgotten. Special thanks to Monica and Danny Smith, Kevin Ferrell, Sonny Withers, Shannon Pace, Jayne and David Taylor, Neil Wilson, Bob and Judy Person, Greg and Wendy Stanley, Rusty Glennon and Zach Hill. We appreciate your expert advice and help building our farm. Homesteading has its success but also, its failures. Remember our favorite words “There’s always next year”!
Come and enjoy refreshments with us at our home and farm on Sunday Oct. 29, 2023 3:00-5:00p.m. 133 Hwy 172 Monticello, AR.
Keith Alexander was a Coach, Teacher, Principal and Superintendent in both Louisiana and Arkansas and worked with the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. Although retired, he still works as a Compliance Officer with the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and does additional work with the Arkansas Department of Education with Title IX work.
Jean is a retired Music Teacher in both Louisiana and Arkansas. She also was a Hospitality instructor for UAM-CTC.
Keith and Jean enjoy helping their son, Brian in Chef’s Restaurant and are proud members of Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Monticello, AR
