Boys From Chamois: Producing A Legacy
“Our uncles wanted us to come back to the family farm, but there wasn’t room to support us,” shares Ben Paulsmeyer, seventh generation farmer and great-grandson of Arthur Paulsmeyer, Sr. who began farming the Missouri River bottoms near Chamois in #Agri-Ready Osage County in the early 1900’s. Innovation and efficient stewardship practices limited the next generation’s opportunity to farm. But the Paulsmeyers were committed to bringing more generations back to live and work on the farm, so they put their innovation to work. Today the seventh generation of Paulsmeyers are expanding their tradition of agriculture through produce production as the Boys From Chamois.
A Productive Solution
Ben began growing watermelons when he was young to sell at a roadside stand with an honor payment system. To support his farm salary when he returned to the family farm post-college in 2010, Paulsmeyer Farms, Inc. acres were dedicated to Ben’s produce enterprise. Ben partnered with his brothers Alex and Eli to strengthen his endeavor, and the Boys From Chamois sprouted and took root. Alex’s agronomy degree informs planting and maintenance prescriptions. Eli contributes to marketing efforts while he is away from the farm at college.
Who are the Boys from Chamois?
Ancestors of the Paulsmeyer family planted their first crops in the Missouri River bottoms in 1837 and another generation of the family put down roots near Chamois in #Agri-Ready Designated Osage County in the 1880’s. Today, seventh generation river bottom farmers Alex, Ben, and Eli are committed to keeping the family tradition alive through their produce production business. What began as young brothers growing watermelons to earn a little spending money has become a valuable component of the family’s farming enterprise and vision to create opportunities for future generations of Paulsmeyers to continue living and working on the family farm.
“Small Town. Big Farm. Bigger Plans.”
Boys From Chamois grows cantaloupe, sweet corn, pumpkins, and are still known for their seeded and seedless watermelons. They added a high tunnel for tomato production and have grown cucumbers, yellow squash, potatoes, and onions.
“I love growing zucchini,” Ben says. “The secret is timing. You have to keep them maintained on schedule. During the growing season, we are picking vegetables every day. Seedless watermelons are our most valuable crop.”
Marketing Their Opportunity
The Boys’ roadside farm stand is a nearly famous destination for fresh produce in Chamois. The brothers have been marketing at the Columbia Farmers Market since 2010 and have developed relationships with grocers in Warrenton, Mexico, New Haven, Jefferson City, and Holts Summit. Fresh delivery of their perishable product is their paramount priority from about July 15-August 15.
Overcoming Challenges
Having deep, fertile river bottom soil doesn’t guarantee bountiful success growing produce.
“There’s a lot of pests. Marketing is hard work, too. Finding the right buyers at the right time is a challenge. Building a network of customers over time is the best solution.” Ben continues sharing by saying, “It’s not a matter of if it will flood, but when it will flood and how much. Because vegetables are so labor intensive, we are very selective with the ground they are grown on. Row crops are more tolerant of over watering than our produce.”
The River Runs Through It
The shape and size of their produce fields inform planting plans as much as the location of a field relative to the river.
“Soil stewardship is more than just what crop we plant, what inputs we choose, or what machines we use,” Ben describes. “Stewardship is also understanding what our soil is made of and where our fields lay in relation to how the river moves. Our decisions about how and where we plant are based on our family’s generational knowledge of how the river runs, where it rushes versus where it rises through the timber, and where it swirls back.”
Looking to the Future
“We’ve got to keep up the innovative momentum to be able to bring more of the family back home to farm,” says Ben. “I believe vegetable production is a solution to the challenge. There has always been enough to do, but we need enough cash flow to make it work.”
Besides spearheading Boys From Chamois, Ben’s role as part of Paulsmeyer Farms, Inc. continues to expand. Arthur Sr. would appreciate how his work ethic and values still guide the sixth, seventh, and eighth generations of Paulsmeyers through farming practices, land stewardship, and farm succession in the Missouri River bottoms.
More About Ben
Ben and his wife Brittany, have a son (age 5) and two daughters (ages 3 and 1) who are already enjoying farm life. Brittany works off farm. Ben is a member of Missouri Farm Bureau’s Horticulture Committee, served on the local bank board, and the board of the Columbia Farmers Market. The ‘Boys From Chamois’ make regular donations to fill produce boxes for local food pantries. Paulsmeyer Farms, Inc. is the recipient of the 2026 Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award.
Agri-Ready Designated Osage County
Agriculture, including food, feed and forestry, contributes $204.2 million in value added products, $625.6 million in output, over 3,100 jobs, and adds $243.3 million to household incomes in Osage County according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study.
What is the Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award (MASA)?
This prestigious, annual award recognizes Missouri’s farmers and ranchers who voluntarily employ careful management of land, natural resources and animals entrusted to their care. Missouri agriculturalists set a high bar for responsible stewardship.