The McCulley Family received a plaque from Farm Bureau at the annual dinner. Presenting the plaque is Damon Deas, Hamilton County Farm Bureau president. Greg Hicks, UF/IFAS Extension Hamilton County director is on the far right side. 

This year’s Hamilton County Farm Family of the year is the Richard and Carol McCulley Family.  Richard and Carol will be married 35 years this coming February. They have two children, Justin McCulley and Candice (Layton). They also have four grandchildren Hunter, Elizabeth, Kaylin, and Gunner. 

Richard has lived on the farm his entire life. Richard worked with the poultry company in Madison before coming to work full time on the farm. Carol also came from a farming family. She worked for the Hamilton County school system and her parents were the Farm Family of Madison County. They both grew up working in tobacco, chasing the pigs and calves and all the things farm-kids did back then. 

Richard’s parents are the late T.C. “Buck” McCulley and Carolyn “Wimpy” Williams McCulley, both Hamilton County natives. Carol’s parents are Clyde (deceased) and Marjorie Plain. They moved to Lee, Florida from Cumberland, Iowa in the early 60s.

The McCulley family farm began 100 years ago in 1915 when T.P. McCulley (Richard’s grandfather) bought a little farmstead and 40 acres in Western Hamilton County. He and his wife Alice had two sons when they arrived (Leonard and Dalton) and would go on to have four more sons born in the farm house (Lawton, Luther, Earnest and T.C). The farm now consists of a little over 400 acres of pastureland and timber.

In the past crops like tobacco, corn, iron clay peas, rye, hogs and cattle were produced on the farm. In 1973 Richard’s father built the first of eventually six poultry houses. The poultry and cattle were a good combination for the farm and soon the cropland became pastures. Richard and his father kept the poultry houses running for 30 years and grew the cattle herd up to 120 brood cows at one time. After the drought in 2012 they decided to cut the herd back in order to be able to maintain a sufficient supply of hay in the winter. 

Today, the McCulley farm maintains 80-90 brood cows and produces their own hay. A couple of the poultry houses are used now for hay storage and about anything else that needs storing. 

The old McCulley home, built around 1900, is still standing along with several out buildings that include a log stable and pack house and the old corn crib. In 1999 the McCulley family began a project to restore the home place of the late Alexander Wells family, built around 1870, along with the Wells Cemetery. Both are located on the farm. It started with a trail ride in October of that year to bring attention to the log cabin and its cultural and historical importance.  Within a short time the rides grew and the McCulleys added camping sites and bathhouses to accommodate the guest. Three of the old poultry houses were converted to stall barns and another was made into a gathering area for meals with fireplaces and a stage with a dance floor. Live bands and DJs entertain the crowds at some rides.

Today, the horse camping and trail riding takes place year round with sanctioned endurance rides, club rides and events, clinics, along with six McCulley family rides. There have been weddings and parties in the party barn as well as many fundraising events for local organizations. Some full service sites have recently been added to accommodate folks from up north that travel to Florida with their horses for the winter for an extended period of time. 

Some of the hay fields and wooded areas become primitive camping sites during the fall, winter and early spring. There are two permanent residents living in park model cabins and boarding their horses on the farm and one rental unit for folks without living quarters on their horse trailers. 

The Withlacoochee is a great canoeing/kayaking river and after riding their horse along the river many enjoy a nice paddle down the river to enjoy the nice springs along the way. 

The McCulleys also design, cut and install vinyl graphics and art work on many of the trucks and horse trailers that arrive on the farm. They also do so some local sign work. It’s a family farm and a family effort. When things get busy, everyone along with some good friends and neighbors, pitch in some way to get the job done. 

The McCulley Family enjoys sharing the local history and scenic beauty of Hamilton County with so many great people and feels blessed to live the “country life”.

They are honored to receive the Hamilton County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year 2015 award.