Jack Reaper

Jack Reaper was a World War II soldier who was captured by the Germans and ended his military time as a prisoner of war. He was determined to stay alive and return to White County as a farmer. His agricultural beginnings were humble, even by post-war standards. He started with 24 acres of corn and cotton which grew under his dedication and stewardship to more than 1,500 acres. It became one of the most diversified and profitable farms in the state.

Reaper made a science out of farming and changed in 1963 from broilers to a commercial laying operation, including a 30-case per hour washer and grader machine. He also contracted with other county farmers to produce eggs that were marketed in Arkansas and the northeastern United States. At its peak, the operation boasted more than 250,000 layers before returning to the broiler business and producing more than 650,000 annually.

The work earned Arkansas Family of the Year honors in 1964. The Arkansas Democrat referred to Reaper’s farm as one of “progress and steady improvement.”

He often said he wanted to “make a good farm better,” and Reaper’s farm became more multi-faceted. Beef cattle were added, with more than 400 head of mixed commercial cows. In 1978, Reaper was one of the first farmers in the area to precision level land and build 60 acres of reservoirs and a tailwater recovery system. From 1982-2012 he operated a 600-head Holstein-replacement heifer operation for dairies.

Born in Hickory Flat in 1925, Reaper graduated from Pleasant Plains High School. He passed away on Dec. 7, 2016, having built a diverse enterprise, finding solutions to farming problems in the Ozark Mountain foothills.