Four generations of the Teasley Family have farmed near Bowling Green in #Agri-Ready Designated Pike County. Frank Teasley and his wife Betty still have interest in the operation along with their son Bennie, and his wife Tonya. Bennie and Tonya’s son, Payton, and his wife Paige, also farm full-time. The Teasleys have designed and developed diversity on their family farm and are utilizing the POWER of Missouri’s changing seasons to create year-round revenue for their family. The family’s jobs are included among the 2,425 Pike County residents employed in agriculture, a $394.7 million economic engine in the county. 

During the month of December, the highlight of their farm is at Prairie’s Edge Garden Center. Shoppers can visit the farm to find holiday gifts and decorations among seasonal floristry selections. Visitors will enjoy the treasure hunt for the perfect ornament on eleven beautiful Christmas trees, artfully decorated with items available for sale in the garden center. Prairie’s Edge was born from the Teasley’s desire to create enough revenue on the farm to support more members of the family returning home to live and work. Tonya shared the story of the garden center’s beginning.

“What we really wanted to do was start a corn maze and a pumpkin patch. Our goal was to have income for the farm year-round. So many seasonal crops worked well together to make the garden center possible. We opened Prairie’s Edge and the corn maze in 2007. We started by purchasing annual bedding and small vegetable plants, but now we grow them ourselves in four greenhouses. We offer lots of seasonal decorations, patio furniture, and more through the garden season. We also grow our own mums to sell during the fall season,” Tonya said.

Past generations of the Teasley family grew grain and livestock. Today, Frank and Bennie partner together to grow corn, soybeans, and wheat in rotation and Payton grows row crops on Tonya’s family land. The family utilizes guidance systems and drone technology in their row cropping operation to reduce fuel use and decrease their dependence on inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, advancing their farm’s economic and environmental sustainability. Frank and Bennie raise hundreds of acres of hay and pasture that support their cow/calf operation. Payton is building his own cattle herd also. 

The garden center operations include a fall agritourism venue as part of the farm’s seasonal cadence. Tonya raises a flock of pygmy goats because baby goats are an important part of the farm experience. The Teasley’s grow three acres of pumpkins, gourds, and squash to sell. Their corn maze covers eighteen acres. Corn maze admission includes the hayride, corn pit, petting zoo, games and many memory making moments. The family kicks off the season with a ‘Fall Fun Festival on the Prairie’ at the end of September each year. “My favorite season is fall because of the pumpkins,” Tonya said. “The livestock keep us busy through the winter and we always look forward to spring. It is good to see sprouts in the greenhouse and corn popping up in the fields that will become the bounty of our next season.” 

The garden center is located on Highway 61 and many St. Louis metro travelers stop in to visit and shop. Guests can view the Teasley’s row crop, livestock, and horticulture practices and many have questions which gives the family a great opportunity to advocate for agriculture. One subject that hits close to home for the family is farm equipment safety. “We farm along the highway and it is the only way for us to move our equipment. Bennie was involved in an accident while moving farm equipment this past summer because of a distracted driver,” Tonya said. “We share that story and hope that travelers will learn, sympathize, and drive with more caution in rural areas.”

The Teasley Family has each of Missouri’s seasons covered with planting, care, harvest and husbandry. “Every member of the family is flexible enough to help with any part of our family operation. Farming is a family habit that we can’t overcome.  We are blessed with enough opportunities and resources to support three generations of our family with farm income,” Tonya said. “And we have room to continue to grow.”

Tonya serves on the local FFA Advisory Committee, is a member of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, and the Bowling Green Missouri Convention and Visitors Bureau. Payton has participated in the National Corn Yield Contest as a member of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, a partner of Missouri Farmers Care. The family supports the work of their Pike County Farm Bureau, an affiliate of Missouri Farm Bureau, also a partner of Missouri Farmers Care.