Rana Dowdy
Owner of RDH Farm & High School Liaison for University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
Hometown: Batesville, AR
Briefly describe your role: As the owner of RDH Farms, I am in charge! I choose the breed of cattle, the feed, the vaccinations, when to breed, when to pull the bull…everything. I feed cattle, manage pastures, fix fences, bust ice when the pond is frozen, doctor sick cows, scratch them on the head, and feed them treats out of my hand. I do the hard stuff and the fun stuff.
As the high school liaison at UACCB, I manage the concurrent credit program. Concurrent credit program consists of high school students taking college courses while still in high school. I manage this for 12 different high schools. I do this part time so I can still be available for my daughter and my farm.
Q: Is what you’re doing now what you always pictured you would do?
A: Heavens, no! I grew up in a rural neighborhood on a 2-acre lot. We did not have livestock growing up. I went to college to become an elementary teacher. When I graduated from college, I met my late husband. He introduced my family and me to ranching. We decided to invest in a cattle herd and move to the country. He lost his life to suicide 5 years ago. I had to make the decision to either sell everything or dive in and learn everything I could to be able to continue on. With the help of my parents, I have been able to continue expanding the herd and have been ranching for 10 years now. I love farming/ranching and hope to always have a cattle herd for the rest of my life. It’s like therapy for me.
Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges for women in your chosen industry? What are the greatest opportunities?
A: I believe that one of the greatest challenges for women in this industry is being taken seriously. I can’t count how many times I’ve been overlooked or asked where my “husband” is for consulting about cattle. People always assume that I do this with a man. They are dumbfounded when a woman is the owner of a cattle herd. It is not the norm for a woman to be the soul owner of large tracks of land either. I was having my farm fenced and I met the fencing team there. I greeted the foreman and shook his hand. He was very brief with me and acted like I was wasting his time. He spoke to me about the weather and then let me know he was waiting on the landowner. I quickly let him know that I was the land owner. His attitude changed in a hurry. He assumed that because I was female and dressed in pearls and high heels, that there was no way I was the owner of RDH Farms.
I feel that the greatest opportunity for women in this industry is female empowerment. In the 1960’s women were not allowed to have their own bank account without their husband’s name too. In 2021, women in ranching have the power to help feed the world. Women have access to available resources to improve pasture land, expand ponds, cross fencing, and other ranching needs/wants. Because women in agriculture are considered a minority, there are government grants available to improve farms. Improving farms means improving cattle herds. Improving cattle herds means, more revenue generated. More money generated equals, one good leader.
Q: Who has inspired you in your life/career?
A: My parents have inspired me in my personal life and also career. My parents have been married for 43 years. They are still madly in love with one another. I hear the words, “sugar, baby, and honey” more times than I would like! They are each other’s best friend and have been for 43+ years. I’ve watched them struggle, thrive, and grow over my lifetime. They have learned from the hard times and celebrated during the good times. My parents are always up for a new adventure and can’t wait travel at the drop of a hat (not now due to COVID). I want a love like that. I refuse to settle for anything else. They’ve shown me what a marriage should be and how a relationship takes 100% from each partner. They’ve set the standard high and I’m not mad at it.
My folks are no stranger to “starting over.” They both began careers that would last them until retirement. Life set in and changes had to be made. I watched as both of them at different times overcame the odds and created new careers. They supported each other and worked hard to achieve these new goals. I was shown by my mother at an early age that education was important. Excuses were not an option and that grit was required. As an adult, my father showed me that starting over at any age is possible. His determination and resiliency allowed him to begin a new career well into his 50’s.They both showed me that hard work will always be required and that life is not always
Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring professional?
A: Always believe in yourself and in what you are doing. If you believe in yourself and love what you do, it's easy to achieve your goals.
Q: What’s been your secret to success?
A: It is no secret that my past has not been a fairytale. It’s been filled with tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and grief. However, it is not my past that defines me. It is the present and the hope for a brighter future. The drive to move forward and create a life that my daughter can be proud of burns deep within me. I want her to know that her mama was resilient and overcame obstacles that some couldn’t survive. I want her to know that I worked hard for stability, peace, equality, and a life that she could be proud of. I want her to know that none of that was possible without the help and support of my parents and the never-ending love of God. I hope I am able to build an empire and leave a legacy for my daughter. I hope she someday knows that her mama was successful because of her support system and inner drive to overcome and never quit.
