Cattle Farmer

Aaron Clark of Clark Family Farm in Lexington has been in the cattle business for eight and a half years, but jokes that it has been a lifelong endeavor. His passion for agriculture started as a young boy, working with his dad on the farm and playing with farm toys; as he grew, the desire to be outdoors only got stronger, and he decided to pursue it as his full time career. 

To achieve this goal, Aaron sought higher education in the Wendell Berry Program at Saint Catherine College, and then transferred to study Ag Economics at the University of Kentucky. However, something didn’t feel right, and Clark realized that on-the-farm work experience would be more valuable to his goals. 

Now, he spends his days caring for the cattle he owns across multiple farms, cutting hay, and managing rental house properties. The wide variety of tasks to be done, and never knowing what will come next, is the part of farming that keeps Aaron Clark engaged. “My favorite part of the job is the way it’s never the same thing day to day. It’s always something different or new and requires critical, on-the-spot thinking at times, keeps me involved and excited to learn and grow.”

Looking back on his career, Aaron wishes that he had realized sooner that college wasn’t the right option for him - but to that same effect, failure is the most important part of growing as an agriculturalist.

“Work hard and people will notice… don’t be afraid to ask questions or even fail. Failing is the easiest way to learn and grow in AG.” -Aaron Clark