By: Lisa Bicknell
The Irvine-Ravenna Kiwanias Club presented Heritage Farm and Business Awards to Estill County farmers David Newton and Doug Arvin on Thursday night.
David Newton is the son of Elmo and Jewell Newton, the third of five siblings.
He attended schools in Estill County and graduated from Estill County in June of 1972.
After graduating from high school, he attended Faulkner State Jr. College (now Faulkner State Community College) and then attended the University of West Florida. He graduated from there in 1977 with a degree in information systems and a minor in busienss.
After graduation, he returned home and helped his dad on their 333 acre farm while searching for employment in his chosen field.
Newton was hired at Carhartt in October of 1977, but he continued to help his dad on the farm. After 35-plus years at Carhartt, he retired but continued to farm.
Newton married Marcia Tipton in April, 1978. They have now been married for 44 and a half years and have two grown children, Jonathan and Kara. Kara is married to Jason Williams, and they have two girls, Sophie and Ellie. All of them live on the 177 acres that David and Marcia currently own.
In 2021, David purchased his dad’s farm equipment.
In total, David and his dad worked the farm together for 33 years. He described those as the best of times for both of them, through the ups and downs of farming, raising cattle, corn, and some different grains.
His dad retired in 2010 and sold his share of the cattle.
Dave was deeded 135 acres of the farm in 2007. He and Marcia purchased 42 acres of adjoining land from the estate of Doug Worrell in January of 2017.
“We continue to raise beef cattle, hay, pasture for grazing, and grain on the 175-acre farm, of which approximately 140 acres are tillable.”
Jonathan and Jason help on the farm as needed.
“Marcia and I have truly been blessed throughout our life. Farming is a tough way to make a living but it is so satisfying to look back and see what can be accomplished with God’s blessings,” he said.
“I don’t see how any farmer cannot believe that God exists.”
Beverly Douglas “Doug” Arvin, Jr. was born in 1951 to Beverly Douglas Arvin, Sr. and Lydia Ann McIntosh Arvin. He is married to Sondra Boian Arvin. Doug and Sondra have three children: Tina, Beverly and Chasity; and five grandchildren.
He also has two brothers and two sisters.
Doug graduated from Estill County High School in 1969 but he started helping his father with the farm when he was younger.
After graduation, he worked for the tobacco re-dryers, and raised vegetables/tobacco in the summer when the re-dryers were not operating.
Doug, with the help of Sondra and Chasity, has continued to raise tobacco, hay, corn for livestock, and corn for cornmeal. They keep chickens, sell eggs, and grow many vegetables, most of them from heirloom seeds.
After tobacco production waned in the county, the Arvins have mostly raised vegetables which they sell at area farmers’ markets and at home.
They are also teaching their grandchildren to garden.
Big E insurance was named the Heritage Business of the Year by Kiwanis.
Big E Insurance has been in business for 50 years. It was formed by Kelly Morefield in 1972, and in 1976, Big E and Estill Insurance merged and Kelly hired Butch Birchfield.
In 1977, Richard Snowden joined the firm.
A couple of years later, Kelly retired and Richard and Butch became partners in the agency.
Jean Brandenburg worked for Big E for many years, as well as Cindy Morefield Stevenson, Kelly Morefield’s daughter, who has worked there since 1979 to the present.
In 2001, Butch Birchfield left the agency, leaving Richard Snowden as the sole owner.
From 1976 to the present, Big E has been located in the same building on River Drive, although they have recently moved a few doors down.
Big E Insurance agency provides a general line of insurance coverage, including agriculture, home owners, and auto insurance.