Beyond Ready: Youth Discovers His Future through 4-H Beef Project
By: Emma Alexander –
“Sam exemplifies what 4-H is about,” beams Amy Schaefer, leader of the Callao Shamrocks 4-H Club. Sam McMillin (17) has been a Missouri 4-H member for four years. His project is beef production, and he serves as the treasurer of his 4-H club. Sam moved to his family’s generational beef farm near New Cambria in #Agri-Ready Designated Macon County and found what he had always been searching for and more. 4-H guided Sam in finding a career to serve his community, his country and his world.
Finding His Place
“When Sam got his hands on the cattle, something finally clicked,” shares Julie McMillin, Sam’s mom. Four years ago, the McMillins moved to the family farm from urban Des Moines. Sam dabbled in lots of different activities, but had never taken ownership of one until he experienced the farm and 4-H.
Learning about beef production has given Sam independence. Sam credits his 4-H club leader, ‘Amazing Amy Schaefer,’ for teaching him how to work cattle, administer vaccines, perform AI (artificial insemination), do pregnancy checks, and halter-break cattle for shows.
Making the Best Better
“Sam is so fun to work with. He is like a sponge absorbing everything about his cattle project. He is always ready with a big smile and willing hands to help with anything the club or another 4-Her needs,” shares Amy. “Sam exemplifies what 4-H is about: learning, exhibiting at fairs, and utilizing the things he has learned to begin a business. I am so glad he is part of our 4-H club.”
Sam’s favorite part of 4-H is showing cattle. “Working is fun,” Sam believes.Why should kids get involved in 4-H? “So they can get ready for real life after high school,” says Sam.
Making Investments
4-H Wants You!October is 4-H month, when youth enroll for their next year of membership. 4-H has programming for kids ages 5-18. For more information on how to sign up and active groups in your area, contact the local university extension office. 4-H is the youth development program of the United States’ Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System.
Sam uses his earnings to purchase full blood Limousins, slowly building a herd that will help him meet his business goals and meeting other Limousin breeders to grow his network.
“I bought a black Limousin as an experiment. I am curious what Lim-Flex (Angus and Limousin cross) beef tastes like,” says Sam. “My goal is to keep growing higher quality beef and make it more affordable.”
Already an Entrepreneur
Sam’s 4-H project has become a direct to consumer beef business, Area 1851, named after the year his family farm was established. Sam says that his beef is lean, with a perfect amount of marbling, because of the specific feed ration he uses. Sam’s private label beef is sold to customers as far away as Des Moines and Columbus, Oh. Sometimes he delivers, but Sam loves it when customers can come visit the farm so he can show them how he raises his beef.
“People need to know where their food comes from,” Sam shares.
A Day in the Life of Sam
Sam plays a vital role helping his grandpa and grandma with a herd of about 100 Limousin cattle. A typical day on the farm for Sam starts in the show barn before he goes to school. He feeds measured rations, freshens water pails, and cleans out show stalls. After school, he does it all again, washes his show animals and conditions their hair. Sam also tends 10 steers that he is finishing for his direct to consumer business.
Sam Has a Plan
Sam is a junior at Macon County R-4 High School. Even though he wants to “just farm and raise cattle,” he is securing his career options by studying auto mechanics at MACTEC (Macon Area Career and Technical Education Center). He wants to do maintenance and repairs on small equipment like UTVs, ATVs, and lawnmowers as a side hustle.
More About Sam
Sam loves spending his days farming alongside his grandpa and grandma, Russell and Elna Williams, and his uncle Eldon Jones. Sam is the son of Ted and Julie McMillin. Olivia Adkins is his FFA Advisor at Macon County R-4. Heather Murphy is another supportive 4-H cattle project leader. The McMillin family are members of the National Limousin Association, the Heartland Limousin Association, and the Missouri Limousin Association. Missouri 4-H is a program of University of Missouri Extension and a partner of Missouri Farmers Care.
#Agri-Ready Designated Macon County. Agriculture, including food, feed and forestry, contributes $225.5 million in value added products, $582.9 million in output, more than 3,500 jobs, and $248.5 million to household incomes in Macon County according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study.