Bloomfield, Missouri -  The Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce held their annual award ceremony at the Assembly of God Church on Thursday, April 20, 2017. 

Several awards were announced including Woman of the Year, Business of the Year, and Organization of the Year, Man of the Year, Educator of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Farm Family of the Year Award.

The Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce Farm Family of the Year was awarded to Vaneta Hendley-King, James and Joe Hendley family.

The King-Hendley Farm is one of only a few Stoddard County Century Farms.  This means the farm has been in operation by the same family for at least one hundred years. 

The Hendley family came to southeast Missouri in the 1840’s and Henry M. Hendley served in the Civil War as a Confederate soldier.  Today four generations are involved in the operation:  Mrs Vaneta Hendley-King is the mother of James, James is the father of Joe and Tyler. 

Joe has five children and the older ones enjoy helping with chores.  Tyler is studying to be a minister, so the time he is actively engaged in the operation is limited at the present time.The family raises Black Angus cattle, a great deal of hay and row crops on about 1200 acres.  Mrs. King has a fish pond that is open to the public.

Since James’ wife Fran retired from the Bloomfield School System, she has become a beekeeper; she also spends several weeks each year in Georgia where she and her sister have a farm partnership. 

Joe’s wife Kathy has recently become a farm appraiser for Progressive Farm Credit Services.

Mrs. King is a member of the Bloomfield General Baptist Church, James and Fran are members of Bloomfield Trinity United Church, Joe and Kathy are members of the Advance Methodist Church and Tyler and his wife are serving God in the St. Louis area where he will soon complete his study to be a minister.