Investing in the Future of Agriculture
In 2010, a young Will Carter proudly showed his animal project at the Denton County Youth Fair. His project made it to the Youth Livestock Auction where AgTrust Farm Credit placed the winning bid for his steer. After the sale, Will sent a Thank You note to the office along with a photo commemorating the day.
Fast forward to 2018 when Will Carter walked into the AgTrust Farm Credit Denton Credit office to apply for a loan. He was surprised when he recognized himself in that photo from long ago proudly displayed in the office.
The Road to AgTrust
Will was searching online one night at 3:00 a.m. to see if any new properties were listed for sale. He soon found that the land that interested him was owned by a family he had known for a long time. The realtor for the property was Joey Higgs, the owner’s son, who happened to have been Will’s 7th grade history teacher. They were excited at the possibility of Will purchasing their land. “Joey Higgs was also the one who pointed me towards AgTrust Farm Credit,” shared Will. “I knew he had my best interests at heart so using Loan Star Ag Credit was an obvious choice.”
Walker Dailey, loan officer in the Denton credit office, helped Will close the loan on his Cooke County ranch. “We believe in the future of agriculture and now having Will as one of our customers is a great example of how investing in the future of young people involved in 4-H and FFA can foster a relationship that benefits them as an adult,” commented Walker. ” At AgTrust, we want to be involved with and serve the people in our community and supporting organizations that align with our mission is one of the ways we do this.”
Preparation for Land Ownership
Will Carter has been involved in agriculture all of his life. He is a 4th generation cattle rancher on his father’s side and his mother’s side of the family comes from a long line of cattle and goat ranchers. Will spent summers working wherever he was needed. Sometimes he harvested in Decatur and other times he helped sheer sheep and goats in Rocksprings. He also did all things in between, “Working long hard days was just something you had to do, to be in my family. I thank my family for that,” stated Will.
Plans for the Future
Will is working on his property part-time. He is a full-time Firefighter/Paramedic and is also attending college. The work he does on his place is in his free time. Finding time to get projects done isn’t always easy, but he plans on having the property for a lifetime. Will says, “Owning my own property has brought me a great deal of pride. I can’t wait to see what all happens as the years go on and the projects continue.”
The immediate plan for the property is to put some of his cattle on the land to help grow his herd. The long term plan includes building a home and living there. Will keeps reminding himself that he is only 22 years old and has plenty of time to complete the projects and dreams he has for his place. At the age of 15, he knew he wanted to own his own land and he said with a smile, “the thought that he has now purchased the property sometimes still feels surreal.” He gives credit to God for giving him parents to teach him the life skills needed to get where he is today and friends in his life like the Higgs that led to this particular property.
The Satisfaction of Ownership
“Growing up on my parent’s ranch was the best life I could have asked for. We were always working or doing something,” said Will about his idyllic childhood. “As a kid, there were times I would get tired of working, but it always seemed like my Dad could work forever out there with a smile on his face. I didn’t fully understand why until I bought my own place. There is just something about working on land you own that is very satisfying.”