Paul Hooks’ connection to Prairie County runs deep. His great-grandfather started their farming operation at the turn of the 19th century. His grandfather was a founding member of the Hazen grain dryer – his name still hangs on a plaque in what is now a Riceland location. The family operation was passed on to Hooks’ father and continued to evolve.
Today, Paul and his brother Dan operate under Wolf Creek Farms, Inc., established in the early 1980s. They mostly grow rice and soybeans, though have had wheat, milo, and oats over the years.
When asked what keeps Paul farming each year, he explained, “it’s just the love of the smell of the dirt in the spring and the challenge of every year.” For Paul, no year is ever the same – evolving technology, input costs, and weather are all factors that keep him on his toes.
Offseason allows farmers a chance to reset and prepare for spring. Time is prioritized for going over books, determining planting acreage and varieties, and maintaining equipment. In his free time, Paul is spending his winter deer and duck hunting and picking up pecans.
In tough times, Paul returns to the advice of his parents, “You’ve got to keep the faith and hope for better days and it will turn around.” Most farmers can relate to this advice. Hooks continued, “it usually seems to turn around. All of a sudden that rain would come, or the markets would turn around and you see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel again.”
To build grain bins or not to build? For Hook's father, the answer was simple, “why build bins when you have Riceland Foods?” The Hooks brothers have followed this sentiment, they know they can deliver their crops and have one less thing to worry about.
From available technology to growing practices used, agriculture is constantly changing. Aside from better equipment and seed varieties, Paul has seen positive changes in on-farm practices. “We’re using less water than we used to use. We’ve built reservoirs and put underground pipe in, which saves on pumping costs.”
We are thankful for farmer-members like Paul Hooks, who have contributed to Riceland’s success for over 100 years!
