On Tuesday, March 25th, Jackson County Farm Bureau held their annual banquet at Rivertown Community Church. Over 300 members came out to celebrate the success of the organization over the past year. The highlight of the event was recognition of the Outstanding Farm Family and retirement of two career supporters of agriculture . The family of Wendell Williams was recognized as the 2025 Outstanding Farm Family. Ronald Barber and Cindy Jordan also received recognition after their recent retirements for their significant careers serving the agricultural industry.
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Wendell Williams Family – 2025 Jackson County Outstanding Farm Family
At least four generations of the Williams family have farmed in Jackson County. The Williams are a long line of hard-working people who provided for their families, respected the land under their care, and loved growing crops and livestock so much that they sacrificed their own leisure time to carry on the family tradition.
Will Williams, Wendell’s grandfather, had a diversified farm raising crops with and a variety of livestock that included chickens. They lived in the Allison Community along Fort Road or what is now Highway 69, in the Northeastern part of the county. Will, like most farmers of his generation, had a large family and limited cash income, so bartering was a common practice. It was quite common for him and other families in the area to send their kids to the local stores with fresh eggs and farm products to trade for sugar or other goods. Legend has it, bartering was so common in Allison that the community was later renamed Two Egg, as patrons would barter farm products at Lawrence Grocery or Pittman Store.
John N. Williams, Wendell’s father, followed in the tradition of his father Will, farming crops with mule powered implements, which included corn to feed hogs and of course the mules. He also drove a school bus to help make ends meet while holding a full-time position working nights at Florida State Hospital, in Chattahoochee. John and Alzadia had nine kids, three boys and six girls who all grew up doing chores and helping on the farm. After graduating high school, the daughters gradually left the farm, each setting out to continue their education and start families. The three boys: Nathaniel, Wendell, and Michael helped their father John on the farm. They got their first tractor, a Ford 8N in the early 60s. Wendell went to Chipola and became a certified auto mechanic and eventually opened a car repair shop in Gordon, Alabama. Michael joined the Marines, but Nathaniel and Wendell continued to help their father on the farm until John was ready to retire.
In 1980, Nathaniel and Wendell each started farming on their own, with help from their father at key times of the season. Wendell grew his farming operation up to 700 acres, primarily on rented land, growing peanuts, corn, or a double crop of wheat and soybeans. In addition, he gradually built a swine operation that peaked at 200 sows. Hog farming was a major part of numerous farms in Jackson County until the vertically integrated corporate farms slowly eliminated local markets. Wendell sold his last 40 hogs for 4ȼ/lb. in the late 1980s.
Wendell loved farming just like his father. He loved it so much, like his father, he found a full-time job that would allow him to keep farming even in tough times. For 35 years, Wendell worked the 11 PM-7 AM night-shift at Florida State Hospital, in Chattahoochee. He worked all night and farmed until 5 PM, took a shower, ate dinner with his family, slept three hours, and drove back to Chattahoochee to work either 7 days on and 2 days off, or 9 days on and 4 days off. Wendell was not the only one who worked hard in the family though. Wendell and his wife Betty were married for 27 years before her passing. She raised three daughters – Twanna, Katrinia, and Nakia, managed the household and all of the pageants, cheer practices, and extracurricular activities, plus owned and managed the Koffee Pot Restaurant, in Greenwood. This hard-working couple made sure that all three girls graduated first from high school, and then college at Florida State University.
In 1989, Wendell bought a gleaner combine to harvest corn, soybeans, and wheat. To help cover the cost of the machine, he started offering a custom harvest service to other farms in the area, but he never quit his night job, because farming in the late 80s was hard, much like the last few years have been. In the late 80s, Wendell also started a commercial beef cow herd to replace the diversity of income he had lost from his hog herd.
At age 75, Wendell has no plans for retirement. He has slowed down some, farming about half the acres he once did. He still grows peanuts and manages his cow herd, which includes growing enough corn and hay to feed his cattle through the winter. He offers some sage advice from someone who has farmed his entire life. “You can’t buy everything you want. Only buy what you absolutely need. Instead, take care of what you have, and you won’t need something new.” Wendell’s newest tractor is a 1990 model, and he has no plans to replace it, because he knows how to fix it when a repair is needed. Most recently, Wendell is now helping his daughters with their new farming endeavor.
Twanna Nelson is The Deputy Director of Programs and Strategies for the Georgia Health Policy Center, at Georgia State University. Katrinia Williams Patrick is the Program Coordinator for the Florida Center for Public Management, at FSU. Nakia Williams is the kindergarten through second grade Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher, at Malone School. So, they are not only college graduates, but Wendell and Betty’s girls have made their own marks on the world and have done well!
In 2021, this 4th generation started an agritourism event center called, “The Farms at Two Egg.” Katrinia visited an agritourism operation in Valdosta Georgia to get ideas for what she wanted to create. What started with the idea of, “We need a better place for our family gatherings,” became a much larger vision that included the needs of their local community. Most farms erect barns to store hay and equipment, but these ladies created a special place with the warm farm feel for families and the community to gather for special celebrations such as weddings, family reunions, horse trail rides, and special parties. They created a venue for up to 200 people to gather at an affordable price. They held their first wedding in September of 2021. Not only are they using the venue for private functions but have been using the barn and property for community events like easter egg hunts, family movie nights, trunk-or-treat at Halloween, and Christmas tree lightings. Plus, the whole Williams family can all gather every Thanksgiving and other specials days at this wonderful venue.
The audience provided a rousing round of applause in recognition of Wendell, Twanna, Katrinia, and Nakia Williams, Jackson County’s 2025 Outstanding Farm Family. On stage with Wendell Williams were his daughters Twanna and her husband James Nelson, and their two sons Ryan and Tyler Nelson, his daughter Katrinia Patrick, and the youngest daughter Nakia Williams and her children Madison and Maddox.
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Ronald Barber retirement recognition for 43 years of service to Agriculture
Ronald Barber’s father, Harold, started Barber Fertilizer in 1974, in Bainbridge, Georgia. Ronald and his twin brother Donald helped during their high school years to start learning the business. Ronald started working full time with the company after graduating from the University of Georgia in the spring of 1982, at Campbellton Farm Service, a satellite store of Barber Fertilizer. With his brother alongside and their father’s leadership, they acquired another satellite store in Madrid, Alabama. Today these three locations buy and handle over 30,000 tons of famer-stock peanuts each year and were honored in 2021 as the National Peanut Buying Point of the Year.
Ronald took great pride in his work & always went above & beyond to ensure customer satisfaction. He will remain actively involved in various community activities including at Graceville First Baptist Church, where he serves on the finance & building & grounds committee, as well as the deacon board. Ronald served as a member of the Graceville Lions Club where he was on the Board of Directors, the scholarship committee & the Homecoming BBQ committee. He also served on the board of Peoples Bank of Graceville.
Ronald was always very supportive of the local UF/IFAS Extension Service and FFA chapter projects. In 2016 he was instrumental in the founding the Southern Cotton Organization Inc., which honors local cotton farmers & their families annually with great food, fellowship and entertainment.
Ronald will be quick to tell you whatever accomplishments he achieved would not be possible without the love & support of Karan, his wife of 40 years & their two sons, Ryan & Evan. He is appreciative of the local farming community for their support over the past 43 years & looks forward to spending retirement enjoying his Grandson Caleb. The audience provided a rousing round of applause in recognition of thanks to Ronald Barber for 43 years of service to the Agriculture Industry in the Tri-State area.
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Cindy Chafin Jordan Retirement Recognition of 33 Years of Service to Agriculture
Cindy Chafin grew up in Altha, in Calhoun County, and graduated Altha High School in 1985. After graduation, she attended Riley Business College, in Dothan and received a certificate in business accounting.
In March 1992, Cindy was hired by Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District as the District Coordinator. For four years she guided the Board of Directors to help them meet their mission. As the county’s only elected volunteers, they Board members relied on Cindy to ensure their organization functioned correctly and carried out the daily activities of the Conservation District.
In April 1996, Cindy joined USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, more commonly known as NRCS. For almost 30 years, Cindy worked with landowners in Jackson County on the implementation of federally approved conservation practices. As a Soil Conservation Technician, her project scope included land surveys, grass plantings, cover crops, fencing, terraces, irrigation systems and more. Most importantly, she was a go-to person that helped numerous farmers meet the federal requirements needed to receive cost-share financial support to make improvements to their farms better.
Cindy married John Jordan in 2002. They have been married 23 years and have two adult sons. Trinity is a pharmacist, who lives in St. Agustine, and Dawson is a full-time student at Chipola, who still helps on the family farm in his down time. After 33 years of government service, Cindy retired from NRCS earlier this month. She is not fully retired however, as she also plays a vital role on her family’s Three J Farms. Now she can fully focus on the needs of her family and their farming operation. The audience provided a rousing round of applause in recognition of thanks to Cindy Jordan for 33 years of dedicated service to helping farms, ranches, and timber operations in Jackson County better stewards of their land and resources.
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