In northeast Alabama, Courtney and Jon-Michael Clark are carving out their own kind of modern homestead. After stints in traditional neighborhoods in Texas and Georgia, the couple, both Alabama natives, began to crave something different: a deeper connection to the land, and a new experience for their family. “I think there’s a growing desire to make life simplified,” Courtney says. “I’ve seen a shift in so many younger families wanting to get back to this sort of lifestyle.” So when their oldest son was one, they decided to return to Alabama and give farming a try. “It was about six years ago, and we started with just a few laying hens and a garden,” she says. “We had no idea what we were doing, so we started small, watching lots of YouTube videos and reading books.”
by RACHEL HAHN
video by MIKA ALTSKAN AND MATVEY FIKS
SPONSORED BY
With the help of two trusty Kubotas, the Clark family have made their dreams of an Alabama homestead a reality
Back to the Land
Since then, the couple and their three sons have moved to a larger property, where the operation has only grown. “Now we have a large garden, pigs, cows, meat chickens, and a milk cow. It’s pretty wild,” Courtney says. Jon-Michael has a full-time job, and Courtney homeschools the boys, but farm duties remain their passion in every free moment. In a nod to this mindset, they named their plot Little Lagniappe Farm. “Lagniappe means ‘a little something extra,’” Courtney says. “It’s funny, because we originally thought of the farm as just our little something extra. Now, we’re able to sell some of what we produce, so it’s become something extra in a different way—something to help fund what we do.”
Tasks are plentiful around the farm and come with a learning curve. From butchering to milking to developing a rotational grazing system, the family has taken each new challenge as an opportunity to grow. “To anyone who wants to do this, I would say not to get overwhelmed with the notion that you have to do it all at once,” Courtney says. “We’re still learning every day, and I do think small growth has value.” For Courtney, an avid cook and baker, the opportunity to make her own cheese has been especially fulfilling. “I’m a huge foodie—that’s probably my greatest motivation,” she says with a laugh. “We got our milk cow last year, and I dove into every book and blog about cheesemaking.” Now she’s mastered the likes of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and gouda, savoring the chance to be even closer to the food she loves. “It does take longer, but it gives you so much freedom to create what you want,” she says. “We know exactly where everything came from and what the animals were fed.”
As a small operation, the Clarks know the difference the right equipment can make. “We did everything without a tractor for the longest time, but we knew we wouldn’t be able to have cows until we got one,” Courtney says. “So we saved up and bought our Kubota in the summer of 2019, and it’s been the biggest blessing.” In addition to their MX5200 tractor, the family also has an RTV-X1140, or “side-by-side,” which helps haul everything from harvested crops to posts and fencing for the pastures. “During the summer, we’re rotating our cows every two or three days, and the side-by-side has been fantastic for that. We just throw the posts we need in the back.” An added benefit: Back-row seating allows for helpers to climb aboard.
Lagniappe means
‘a little something extra’
—COURTNEY CLARK, LITTLE LAGNIAPPE FARM
When reflecting on the lessons of the past few years, Courtney wouldn't have it any other way. “For me, one of the most rewarding things is being able to cook a meal for family or friends that is completely made of things we grew,” she says. “It’s a true labor of love, because it’s not just the cooking—it’s moving the pigs or milking the cows when it’s ninety degrees and we’re all sweating. It’s waiting six months or more for the cheese to age. We really do put our blood, sweat, and tears into every detail, and that, to me, is the epitome of hospitality. Being able to say, ‘we love you, and we did this for you.’”
We really do put our blood, sweat, and tears into every detail, and that, to me, is the epitome of hospitality. Being able to say, ‘we love you, and we did this for you.’”
—COURTNEY CLARK, LITTLE LAGNIAPPE FARM
To learn more about these and more Kubota products,
visit kubotausa.com
“It has that perfect balance of tangy
and thick”
“Lagniappe means
‘a little something extra,’”
—COURTNEY CLARK, LITTLE LAGNIAPPE FARM
“Lagniappe means ‘a little something extra,’'...It’s funny, because we originally thought of the farm as just our little something extra. Now, we’re able to sell some of what we produce."
—COURTNEY CLARK, LITTLE LAGNIAPPE FARM
“It’s a true labor of love...and that, to me, is the epitome of hospitality.