Women’s History Month: Mother-daughter duo on a farm in Slaton

SLATON, Texas (KCBD) - One handles the day-to-day jobs and the other takes care of finances: that’s the story of a mother-daughter duo on a farm in Slaton.

Molly Vardeman and her mother Lacy are involved in Vardeman Farms and Cotter Key Farms. They manage cotton, wheat, cattle and other cover crops. Both of them have a hand in the operation on different sides.

On the tractor, you’ll find Molly.

“Irrigation, working on tractors, maintenance, taking care of animals, watering cows,” Molly said.

On the business side, you’ll find her mother Lacy.

“I do the bookkeeping, a lot of the interaction between us and landowners, and I do a lot of work between our partnership, brands and retailers,” Lacy said.

Molly has her masters in accounting, but she stuck with what she loved to do. She says it’s because she didn’t want a desk job.

“I love just working outside,” Molly said. “That’s my big thing - I like being outside and I like working with the land and seeing all the changes we do.”

So, Molly is using skills her dad taught her.

“I think he was probably the most excited he’s ever been when Molly decided to not go into accounting and to come back and farm full-time with our family,” Lacy said.

Like mother like daughter, Lacy learned her ag skills from her father.

“I was always grateful my dad taught me just as he was teaching my brothers, and I’m grateful for that background,” Lacy said.

In Lacy’s years of agriculture experience, she says she has felt nothing but support from the men in AG. Molly agrees and says the AG community is accepting of everyone.

“Doesn’t matter too much whether or not you’re a woman or a guy, we’re always happy to have you,” Molly said.

In this family, most of the women did decide to pursue agriculture. Lacy says there are more females in the family in AG than men.

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