The Dixon Family, Lee County

By Marlee Jackson

At just 2 years old, Chandler Jane Dixon is an ace at racing down rows of cotton. Her pure joy is infectious and reminds her father, Garrett, of his childhood on the same Lee County soil.

"You learn a lot of life lessons on the farm," said Garrett, 33. "At her age, Chandler Jane can tell what fields are cotton and what are peanuts. Other than growing up out here, you wouldn't find kids that young who can pick up on things like that."

Chandler Jane gets her curiosity honest. Garrett and his wife, Robin, are self-described lifelong learners who have grown their row crop and cattle farm through trial and error, research and carefully cultivated relationships with mentors.

Robin's role models include her high school agriscience teachers, who inspired her love for agriculture. She's paying their lessons forward at Smiths Station High School.

"I use Garrett and his experiences a lot in class," said Robin, 32, who teaches plant and animal agriscience classes. "There's so much misconception out there, so telling my students the actual story of agriculture is important to me."

She's also learning alongside her favorite pupils - Chandler Jane and 2-month-old Cash.

"I'm experiencing farm life for the first time and get to see the joy in Chandler Jane's eyes when she sees Garrett pull up to the house on a tractor," said Robin, a Florida native. "The science of raising row crops really does fascinate me, and learning from Garrett is awesome."

Garrett's maternal grandfather, the late Bob Ed Gullatte, planted the young farmer's first seeds of agricultural knowledge. His childhood in Salem was flush with tractor rides through the fields he now tends.

The farm transitioned away from row crops when his grandfather died. Garrett was just 10. As a teenager, Garrett baled hay with his uncle - hard work that fanned the flames of his desire to farm.

"I didn't know exactly what it would look like, but I knew I wanted to farm," Garrett said. "Eventually, the Lord provided that opportunity."

Dixon Farms developed slowly but surely. When he and Robin met at Auburn University in 2014 while studying animal sciences, Garrett had already grown his first crop on formerly fallow land and was managing a small herd of cattle. That first year was a learning experience, Garrett said.

"I was trying to minimize the amount of money I had to borrow, and soybeans were cheaper to grow," Garrett said. "They burnt up and didn't yield. That was a reality check and really solidified the need to grow cotton and peanuts."

Those two crops now make up Garrett's primary rotation. He's invested thousands of hours into improving the soil, transitioning fallow or overgrown land into productive acreage. Grid-sampling to check, and then correct, soil fertility has resulted in increased yields. Garrett has also invested in precision-agriculture technology, plus irrigation pivots. Garrett's outgoing personality has helped root strong relationships with landowners, eventually expanding his farming footprint through custom mowing, fertilizing and spreading.

Garrett's mother, Ann Gullatte Dixon, was raised on the family farm. It's a legacy she's proud of, though her perspective has changed in the last decade, she said.

"I don't know if I ever worried when my dad planted a crop. Now, when I see a row of cotton standing up, I think, 'Oh, good!'" Ann said with a grin. "Even though the uncertainties of farming make me nervous, I am confident Garrett's passion and knowledge will help him continue to be successful."

Involvement in the Alabama Farmers Federation has been integral to that success.

Garrett is a former State Young Farmers Committee chair and graduate of Agricultural Leaders For Alabama. He and Robin are leaders in Lee County Young Farmers, while Garrett is a local board member.

The last decade hasn't been easy, Garrett said. He's battled drought, hurricanes, a devastating tornado and depressed commodity markets.

Despite the hardships, he's found strength in his faith, reinforced by Robin's prayerful spirit and willing ear.

"There's a certain satisfaction that comes with growing a crop," Garrett said. "I do think that creation points us to our creator. Special moments remind me how blessed I am to be able to tend the land, work the land and grow crops that feed and clothe America."

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