Cultivating family, growing dreams

By Sonia Duggan
For two families in Collin County, farming is more than just a profession—it’s a way of life. Whether carrying on a legacy that spans generations or forging a new path in agriculture, the McClendon and Cassidy families are deeply rooted in their land, committed to raising their children with the values of hard work, responsibility and respect for nature. Despite their different backgrounds, both families share a dedication to growing their farming operations, navigating the challenges of modern agriculture and raising the next generation.
Farming is more than a livelihood for the McClendon family—it’s a legacy. Located in Lavon amid rapidly expanding housing developments, McClendon Farms has been in operation since 1887, making Clara Nelle, 4, and Campbell McClendon, 3 months, the seventh generation to grow up on the land their ancestors first cultivated.

Colby and Ashley McClendon’s top priority is continuing their family’s farming legacy by preserving the land and serving the community
“I’ve been farming full-time since 2013,” he said. “But I’ve been working alongside my grandfather for as long as I can remember. Everything I know about farming, I learned from him.”
In November 2024, their accomplishments were recognized when they were one of three couples named finalists in the Texas Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer and Rancher contest.
The McClendons raise registered Hereford and Black Angus cattle, rearing Black Angus for their farm-to-table meat market, which they sell directly to customers. Beyond livestock, Colby farms over 2,000 acres in Collin County, producing wheat, oats, grain sorghum, soybeans and hay.
Colby’s daily routine on the farm starts at 6 a.m. with feeding animals, servicing equipment as needed and checking crop fields and pastures. He also packages meat orders for customers. During planting and harvest seasons, workdays can extend until midnight to ensure crops are planted or harvested on time.
Ashley, a first-grade teacher at Wally Watkins Elementary in Wylie ISD, manages the farm’s meat market.
“I handle everything from advertising and customer communication to packing orders and scheduling deliveries,” she said. “After school, I help Colby in the fields, delivering meals, parts, and anything else he needs.”
Despite the demands of farm life, the McClendon’s cherish the unique experiences they can offer their daughters.
“My oldest daughter loves helping me in all aspects of our operation. Her favorite thing to do is ride in the combine and tractors with me,” Colby said. And as she grows, “we’ll encourage her to be involved in the operation as much as she wants.”
Ashley echoed the sentiment. “It’s very challenging to balance farming, the meat market and parenting, but it’s extremely rewarding,” she said. “Our children get to experience many life lessons that most kids don’t,” such as learning about the importance of farming, caring for animals and understanding the equipment that helps provide food for the country.
“These are invaluable life experiences that shape their values and traditions,” she added.
Yet, farming in a rapidly urbanizing county comes with challenges said Colby.
“Growing rooftops is more common than growing crops in our area and that greatly affects our farming operation,” he said, adding that “maintaining fields and staying safe with heavy traffic patterns is another struggle they’ve faced in recent years.”
“We have had to work very hard to continue growing our operation year after year.”
Because their operation is 24/7, their animals and crops need around-the-clock care and attention that doesn’t stop for anything.
“We work many holidays, weekends and evenings and have a very different schedule than most,” Ashley said.
When they do manage to carve out time together, their date nights are anything but conventional. “We love baling hay together—just the two of us,” Ashley said. Colby agreed, adding, “When we’re not in the fields, we love to watch football, attend games, concerts and fix up our family’s farmhouse.”
First time Farmers
While the McClendons have farming in their blood, the Cassidy family of Prairie Grove Farm in Merit are first-generation farmers who continue to work tirelessly to build their dream.

John and Tiffany Cassidy, both electrical engineers by trade, never imagined their family of seven would one day live on 56 acres, raising animals, growing vegetables and much more.
Their journey to farming was a slow evolution, beginning with a one-acre property in Nevada. But as they started using the land for chickens and bees, they realized they were outgrowing it and wanted more land, which was John’s dream from the beginning.
They purchased land in Merit in 2019 with plans to build their forever home right away, but when the pandemic hit and construction costs soared, they modified their plans.
After their Nevada home sold in one day, the family moved to their property in 2021 where they lived in a camper and started the agricultural exemption process.
The land was unimproved and overgrown and had erosion issues.
“We have fence on one side now, but when we moved out here, there was no fencing, no pond,” John said.
The lack of fencing eliminated their ability to raise cows, said Tiffany, but John met somebody who had a similar lifestyle and land who was raising pigs.
Because pigs reproduce quickly and can be managed with electric fencing, the Cassidys started with 10 sows and two boars in 2022, initially for breeding and selling piglets. Later they decided to finish the pigs themselves.
Camper living lasted one year while they built a metal barn, eventually moving into a temporary living space they carved out inside it. Four years later, John and Tiffany said, “We’re hoping to build a house this year.”
Their five children—ages 14, 12, 9, 7, and 5—have been part of the process every step of the way, helping with the building process and chores on the farm.
Farming has also taught their children entrepreneurial skills.
“They recently raised and sold chickens, earning $100 each,” Tiffany said. “It’s important for them to learn responsibility and how to work hard.”
The Cassidys raise pigs, chickens, honeybees, and grow vegetables in a grow tunnel on the farm, allowing them to harvest produce year-round. They sell their pork at local farmers’ markets, co-ops and small grocery stores in Wylie, Farmersville and Rockwall.
John works full-time at L3 in Greenville, while Tiffany manages the farm’s operations, homeschool lessons and business aspects.
“It’s a balancing act,” Tiffany said. “I keep track of our livestock, inventory and schedules for processing pork orders. I also run our website and social media.”
Despite their demanding lifestyle, they prioritize family time.
Since they homeschool, most activities happen during the day, leaving evenings for family time.
“We cook dinner using as much food from the farm as we can—pork, chicken and fresh vegetables,” Tiffany said.
Though their farm keeps them busy — especially in the summer— the family makes time to travel, often taking trips in their camper in the spring and fall.
When they need a break, their older daughters—both certified babysitters—watch their younger siblings so John and Tiffany can have an evening out.
“We try to go out for dinner every couple of weeks,” Tiffany said. “It’s too expensive to take the whole family out, but we make time for just the two of us.”
For the couple, building Prairie Grove Farm has been a labor of love, requiring patience, creativity and perseverance.
“Once we get through all of it, we’ll appreciate everything we have even more because of how hard we had to work to get it,” Tiffany said.