Patty Wood: Called to Teach, Blessed to Learn
By: Gentrie Davis
Patty Wood has spent more than five decades serving her community through education and agriculture alongside her husband, Pat, on their family farm near Sedalia in Agri-Ready Designated Pettis County. From raising cattle and crops, to educating consumers about where their food comes from, Patty’s passion for agriculture has helped strengthen her family’s farm and the community.
The Transition to Farm Life
Patty did not grow up on a traditional farm. She was raised south of Sedalia and always knew she was called to education. Patty began her teaching career before marrying Pat in 1971 and became part of his family’s farming operation. What started as a transition from small town to country life quickly became a lifestyle that made her proud.
“I think farm life was a gift,” Patty shares. “Every day there was something new to learn.”
Patty and Pat built a diversified business centered around cattle, row crops, and hay production. The farm’s history dates back to 1941 when Pat’s parents purchased acreage and established a herd of purebred Polled Hereford cattle. The family has grown and improved the herd through careful genetic selection and practices such as artificial insemination. Their son, Brian, manages the herd today and does all of the artificial insemination.
Pettis County Agricultural Impact
Agriculture, agri-food, forestry and related industries in Agri-Ready Designated Pettis County contribute more than $398 million in value-added products and generate nearly $1.2 billion in total economic output for Pettis County. The local agriculture supports more than 6,700 jobs across Pettis County while contributing $345 million in household income to local families and communities.
Strengthening the Herd
Their daughter, Stacey, studied agriculture and the reproductive physiology of beef cattle at the University of Missouri and helped introduce the family to advanced technologies that have strengthened their cattle program. Today, the family continues focusing on genetics, herd health, and responsible stewardship to produce high-quality beef for consumers.
“We want people to enjoy beef and know they are getting a quality product,” Patty says. “That’s why we continue learning and improving.”
AGvoacting in The Classroom
Patty’s commitment to lifelong learning has shaped her as an advocate for agriculture. Throughout Patty’s career as an educator she always looked for opportunities to connect students and consumers to farms.
One of her favorite memories was teaching elementary students in Sedalia. Patty had decorated her classroom with corn stalks and pumpkins during harvest season, and students questioned how corn was grown. Many had only ever seen sweet corn at the dinner table and had never been exposed to field corn production. The conversations those corn stalks sparked were meaningful for Patty.
“I think people are so removed from agriculture today because they don’t see it,” Patty explains. “Any opportunity we have to educate and share what we know is important.”
Patty takes every opportunity to share agriculture’s story. In 2020, she was featured in Missouri Farmers Care Agriculture Education on the Move Story Time. The meaningful work of connecting students to agriculture continues through Ag Moves. Since 2022, Ag Moves has partnered with Pettis County FFA members and educators to present hands-on lessons connecting students to where their food comes from. Over 625 elementary students in Northwest, La Monte, Green Ridge, Parkview, and Smithton elementary schools as well as homeschoolers have each received Ag Moves 10 lessons. Learn more at www.agmoves.com.
From the Kitchen of Patty Wood
Another way Patty educates is at her dinner table. One family favorite is a recipe she calls “Bubble Beef Pizza”. The recipe has become a staple at family gatherings and highlights one of the products Patty and Pat have spent their lives producing: BEEF.
“For us, food has always been a way to bring people together,” Patty says.
The dish starts with browned ground beef mixed with pizza sauce, layered over quartered buttermilk biscuits and topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheese before baking until golden and bubbly. Like many farm family recipes, it’s simple, filling, and will feed a crowd!
Continuing the Legacy
The next generation is writing the next chapter of the Wood’s story. Patty and Pat’s grandchildren are actively involved in agriculture and education, carrying forward the same values of hard work, learning, and service that have defined the family for decades.
Patty’s impact can be seen in the cattle they raise, the crops they grow, and in the lives she has touched along the way. Her story is proof that meaningful moments come through service, education, and a willingness to keep learning.
______________________________________________________________________________
Patty and Pat are members of the Missouri Cattleman’s Association and FCS Financial, partners of Missouri Farmers Care.
