OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY
2800 N. Lincoln
Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4912
PRESS RELEASE: FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21,
2018
FOR MORE
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Betty
Thompson, 405-522-6105, betty.thompson@ag.ok.gov
Significant Women in
Oklahoma Agriculture
Highlight: Jill DeRusha
By: Bryan Painter
WILLOW – Jill
DeRusha wears her hands-on love for agriculture with
pride.
Before the
sun has snuck a peak at the new day in southwestern Oklahoma, the 60-year-old
who lives 18 miles northwest of Mangum in the Jester/Willow Community,
is out at the barn feeding. Depending on the day, she’s checking to see if
heifers are calving. She’s checking water on the places with no ponds. She’s
taking a diesel truck to fill up tractors. She’s running after parts for the
machinery. She’s making sure everyone has lunch and that the paperwork is
filled out for the Farm Service Agency office. She’s checking on markets for
cattle and crops, and selling crops “when appropriate.” She’s feeding hay to
cattle and, when time permits, she’s mowing the yard.
So by the
end of the day, DeRusha is always wearing her love
for ag not only in her heart, but on her button down
shirt and blue jeans.
“On any
given day, I can have manure, hay, dirt and grease on me somewhere,” DeRusha said.
Paying attention
She and
husband Randy raise cattle, cotton, wheat, alfalfa and some milo. They’ve had
roughly 2,000 acres of cotton in recent years. They also have 350 mama cows.
They own some acres and lease the rest.
DeRusha
said, “We have a sign that says, ‘Jill Ranches, DeRusha
Farms.’ That sums up our roles around the place. I
can operate most of the machinery, but Randy is who keeps it running and in
good shape. I take care of the cattle and he helps with them when needed.”
When DeRusha says she checks on her cattle, that doesn’t mean
she’s simply counting them. She knows her mama cows – and the reason for that
dates back more than 50 years.
“My granddad
would take me everywhere with him,” she said. “He taught me to tell one cow
from another. He would say, ‘Just look at their faces or look at them closely.
That’s ole curly face, that’s short tail, that’s nub horn.’ To this day, I
don’t tell my 350 mama cows by an ear tag. They all look different or have
different personalities.”
DeRusha
firmly believes agriculture has shaped her entire life.
“I think the
way of life on the farm or ranch teaches a person to deal with everyday living
in a positive way,” said DeRusha who’s quick to point
out that their ag operation is four generations deep.
“One learns there are many different paths to reach a goal or complete a task.”
The
well-known drought in the 1950s ended the year Jill DeRusha
was born, 1957. However, Jill and Randy found themselves right in the middle of
the historic drought that sank its teeth into Oklahoma less than a decade ago.
“One of
worst times we have faced was the drought of 2010-2011,” she said. “We had to
decide whether or not to hold on to our cattle. We kept all but the 50 head and
sold those. We fed hay. We hauled water. Every other day, I hauled a little
over 3,000 gallons of water. It paid off, because when it rained and the grass
came back we didn’t have to buy all the cattle back that we needed.”
It was a
lesson of life, of carrying on, to pass along to family, regardless of their
professions. Between them they have five children. Her daughter Jaclyn and
son-in-law Trey Christensen live in Oklahoma City, daughter Kelsey and
son-in-law Kelby Merz live in Elk City, and son Kolby
Miller and daughter-in-law McKenzie live in Oklahoma City. TaShina
DeRusha lives in Somerville, Tenn., and Jared DeRusha lives in Dallas, Jill and Randy have six
grandchildren.
“I’m
thrilled that the fifth generation loves coming to visit us at the farm,” DeRusha. “I am so proud of our family.”
Always a part of her life
DeRusha’s
parents, Jimmy and the late Joyce (Wheeler) Heatly,
were partners in the family farming and ranching operation which included a
cow-calf operation, cotton, wheat and hay.
The first
tractor DeRusha drove was a Massey Ferguson 65. She
was in second grade.
“I could
jump across the width of the plow, so you didn’t seem to get much accomplished
in a day’s time,” she said. “I loved the cattle part of the family business the
most and my brother Jack would rather be on some piece of machinery, so it
worked well. We learned teamwork was always the best way to get things done and
that hard work usually pays off.”
Through 4-H
and FFA their family traveled near and far showing cattle.
“It taught
us more about hard work and responsibility for our animals, as well as
sportsmanship and competition,” DeRusha said.
“Through 4-H I grew to love Oklahoma State University. While there I was the
Agriculture Queen, and even won the wild cow milking contest.”
She finished
in the top 10 in the “Ag college.” That college experience only deepened her
love for agriculture and she went on to work in the OSU Extension Service at
the county level as an Ag Agent. She was a pacesetter in that regard.
She uses
that knowledge and experience daily in their ag operation.
Knowing a little about a lot
Paul
Harvey’s “So God Made a Farmer” includes a heartfelt description of just some
of what is required of a farmer and rancher.
“I love Paul
Harvey’s poem, ‘So God Made a Farmer,’ and it is on our wall,” DeRusha said.
Why does she
love it? Because she believes that in agriculture you not only have to be
determined, you have to be flexible.
“I think
farmers and ranchers wear many different hats and I have worn a lot of them,”
she said. “I love the spring or fall
when the weather is cool. We calve both spring and fall and I love seeing the
calves running around their mothers. I love the smell of fresh cut alfalfa hay
and the sound of rain on the roof is music to my ears.”
So whether
it’s mud, manure or grease that she has on shirt and jeans at the end of the
day, DeRusha will be found wearing every bit of it
with pride.
###
Editor’s
note: This is part of a continuing series of stories on Significant Women in
Oklahoma Agriculture. The project is a collaborative program between the
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry and Oklahoma State
University to recognize and honor the impact of countless women across all 77
counties of the state, from all aspects and areas of the agricultural industry.
The honorees were nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of
industry professionals.
Photo
Caption: Jill DeRusha of Willow is being recognized
as a significant woman in Oklahoma agriculture.