Farm 'Family of the Year' part of UAM family

Karon Parrish
Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Advance Monticellonian w/permission Farm 'Family of the Year' — Members of the Miles family include (from left) Larry Don Jr., Dalton, Melissa, Ramona, Larry Don Sr., Maddison Daniels, Monica Daniels and Jonathan Daniels

   The 2004 Drew County Farm Family of the Year has ties to UAM that make the university proud to have been a part of their education. The Advance Monticellonian recently named the Larry Don Miles Sr. family as Drew County’s Farm Family of the Year.

   Miles attended UAM for one year on scholarship before embarking on his farming career. He is also a mentor farmer for the UAM Technical College Youth Apprenticeship Program at McGehee.

   The Miles’ oldest daughter, Monica Miles Daniels, received her degree from UAM in accounting and certification in business education. While at UAM, she was named to Who’s Who Among American College Students. She is currently the administrator for the Cornerstone Christian Academy, a private K-12 school in Tillar which is funded solely by student tuition and offers a Christian-centered curriculum. Larry Don Miles Jr. attended UAM for two years before deciding that full-time farming was his real passion.

   “I hope he will go back and finish his education, but he really enjoys farming so much,” his mother Ramona said.

   Youngest daughter Melissa Miles took her pre-requisites at UAM before being accepted to the University of Tennessee Health and Science Center to pursue a degree in dental hygiene. During two years at UAM, Melissa remained on the Dean’s list, was active in the Foreign Language Festival and participated in the Spanish, Biology and Medical Sciences Clubs.

   “I wish everyone had a chance to attend UAM and end up living close to home,” Miles said. “I feel so blessed that my children could attend UAM. Right now our youngest daughter, Melissa is in school in Memphis but she says she is coming back home when she finishes.”

   Miles gave some advice to potential young farmers.

   “Pay attention to the new technology that is available,” he said. “UAM provides not only an education for a young person to fall back on in case farming doesn’t work out but the vast amount of trials, tests, and studies have helped farmers more than double their yields.”

   Miles said doubling crop yields in turn makes more money for farmers, although crop prices have not increased in many years. He said he believes research conducted by UAM's Agriculture and Forestry departments provides some of the most important studies available to farmers.

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