Prairie Talk: The Anderson/Patton/Johnson Stories

The Patton and Johnson families came to southern Chase County shortly after the Civil War. The Pattons settled west of Matfield Green and the Johnsons settled east of Matfield Green. Both families farmed the fertile soil along the creeks and ranched in the rich upland native tallgrass prairie pastures. Six generations later, some Patton/Johnson ancestors still live and work in the Flint Hills. 

Matt and Julia Anderson, along with their son and daughter-in-law, manage the family ranch outside of Alma. They run an award-winning cow-calf operation, annually raising roughly 500 head of Angus cattle from birth until the calves are one or two years old. They also offer birth to butcher beef, direct to consumer.

This Prairie Talk will focus on how farming and ranching were equally important to the economic survival of pioneer Flint Hills families. The symbiotic relationship between farming and ranching still exists in 2023. Learn More

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Story in the Emporia Gazette