June is beef month, and cattle farmers join together to promote and educate consumers on the nutritional value of beef.

Past president of Georgia Cattlewomen Association and cattle farmer, Carla Payne Kelsoe, is a Calhoun native who has a passion for agriculture and the promotion of beef.

“As a farmer it’s our job to making sure we educate others about beef and produce,” said Kelsoe.

Kelsoe grew up on her family’s cattle farm called the ‘Payne farm’ and has grown a love for farming produce and tending cattle, she said.

She has a drive to educate people on the importance of where food comes and grows from.

Kelsoe said most children and adults think hamburgers come from McDonalds or other grocery stores, but in reality beef and produce comes straight from farms like her family’s.

“American farmers are the backbone of this country and we as farmers do not want to rely on oversea supplies to provide all of our food needs,” said Kelsoe.

One farmer can currently feed 129 people and Kelsoe said she strongly believes education is necessary to emphasis the need for American farmers.

Kelsoe said the ‘Payne Farm’ contains 160 acres of production land and they have hundreds of commercial cows and cultivate an abundant supply of produce.

She said they have everything to vegetables to fruit which they grow and sell at equal or cheaper market value prices.

“People come to our farm and buy their beef and produce, and most of the time it saves them a large sum of money,” said Kelsoe.

She said their farm is growing, but would like to stay a small scale commercial farm to offer better quality to Gordon County and the North Georgia region.

“There are currently three full time employees on the farm and we hire seasonal help when the need arises,” said Kelsoe.

She currently plays a vital role in her family’s farm as she now runs and oversees the farm company.

Kelsoe’s father, Sam Payne of Calhoun, still works on the family farm and is the past president of the Georgia Cattlemen Association and the past president of the National Beef Board, she said.

Her mother, Ann Payne, was also the president of the Georgia Cattlewomen Association in years past.

Amongst farming and gardening for her family’s farm company, Kelsoe has been involved with many associations and organizations which promote beef and agriculture.

Like Kelsoe’s mother, she was greatly involved in the Georgia Cattle Women Association and become president for a two year term.

She said there were approximately 500 state wide members involved and the number has been increasing.

Kelsoe said her responsibilities of being the President of Georgia Cattle Women Association were promoting publicity of the beef industry and attending oversea trips and fairs.

The local Cattle Women Association is open to other counties as well, but their main focus is on the promotion and education of beef.

“We had educational classes and would often times we go into schools to teach children and young adults about agricultural” Kelsoe said.

In the past, Kelsoe was also involved with the local farming organizations such as Farm Bauru Young Farmer and Rancher Association, Future Farmers for America, Georgia Cattlewomen Association and more.

She is presently a member of the Georgia Young Farmer Association which is a continuing education program for agricultural and has been involved for 10 years and counting.

Kelsoe said being involved with the Georgia Young Farmer Association it is her job to be an educator, promoter and producer.

“I really enjoy all the organizations I have been involved with in the past and present,” Kelsoe said, “I have the opportunity to fellowship with farmers and meet a lot of people within the associations I’m involved with.”

Kelsoe went to Gordon Central High School and was heavily involved with 4-H and Future Farmers for America Association during her teenage years.

She then attended Dalton State University for a two year associates degree in environmental horticulture.

For more information visit on the Payne farm family business visit www.paynefarm.net