David Schwarz is obviously a proponent of the KISS method of business. He definitely "Keeps It Simple Stupid" in just about every aspect of his farming life as well as his life outside of the farm.

Three generations of Schwarz farmers pose for a quick family photo at their farm in Weiner. (Buddy) Schwarz and his wife Mary (left), are all smiles as their son, David, his wife Myra and their son Brad were named the 2008 Poinsett County Farm Family of the year. (Democrat Photo/Dan Brawner)

Schwarz, of Weiner, along with his wife Myra and son Brad were honored as being the 2008 Poinsett County Farm Family of the Year recently. But even though they have known for a number of weeks, Schwarz was still somewhat surprised at being selected for the honor. In fact on media day, he remembered how Poinsett County Agriculture Agent, Rick Thompson, was hesitant to tell him about the selection considering how busy Schwarz stays on his operation as well as the fact that Schwarz. clearly is the type of person who thinks the honor belongs to someone else.

"He called and said he needed to come out and talk to me," said Schwarz who operates what is probably one of the smallest farms ever chosen for the honor. "He talked about a lot of things, then after a while, said he wanted to wait until Myra got there. He still didn't say anything about it though."

"Finally it got late and I had to go pick up Brad at school," said Myra, laughing. "After we left he finally told David. It's still hard for us to believe."

At 465 acres, Schwarz operation is one which many people would consider well below the amount of acreage needed to even make a living, much less be chosen as a Farm Family of the Year farm. With his selection, however, Schwarz has obviously proven such critics wrong.

In his application to the Farm Family selection committee, he wrote:

"I know of no other farmers who farm as small as I do and live solely off the land. I have no one hired to help with the labor and I keep a close overall watch on the operation. The one major problem I have to overcome is being able to update my equipment and still maintain an excellent financial statement while farming a small acreage. I have been successful in this by doing as much of the maintenance and repairs on the equipment that I am able to."

"I see a lot of young farmers who want to hire someone to do everything," added Schwarz on media day. "But, we try to do everything we can ourselves. We can control the expenses better that way. Another thing I see are farmers who are trying to farm land that is really poor. And that's just making it tough on the farmer even before he gets started."

While he has no "hired" help, the operation does include his father H.J. or "Buddy" as he's known by most people. Even though well into his eighties, Buddy still helps his son with his farm east of Weiner.

"Every now and then someone says that they saw him in the fields working," Schwarz said of people who tell him this out of concern for his father's health. "But I tell them that he's always said if he dies out there in the field he'll die happy."

Buddy, no doubt, helped give his son this sort of work ethic during the 22 years he has been farming.

"I got started in farming as a young child helping my father and his brother, John Schwarz, in their farming operation." said Schwarz. "Then when I graduated high school in 1975 I went to work for them full time as their farmhand."

Schwartz continued to work for his father and uncle until 1986 when some farm ground became available to rent. At that time he and his father started farming as partners until he retired in 1996. From that point he became so proprietor of his farming operation.

Today, of the 465 acres the family farms, 230 are dedicated to soybeans with the remainder planted in rice. His yield for soybeans has been 47.5 bushels per acre, while his rice production has come in 176.54 bushels per acre.

"We market the majority of our crops through Riceland Foods, Inc." said Schwarz in his application. "Our medium grain rice and some of our soybeans are marketed through Riceland Foods seasonal pool. Some of the soybeans are also forward booked and the rest are placed in Riceland Foods Growers option program for later pricing."

Schwartz said he would like to increase his operation to from 1000 to 1500 acres eventually if the right ground became available. For right now, though, he is making the most of the operation as it is which has been good enough for 22 years and to make he and his family Poinsett County Farm Family of the Year for 2008.