Peaceful River Farm, nestled along the peaceful Strawberry River in Evening Shade, Arkansas, has belonged to the Kunkel family for over a century. In 1956, David Kunkel married Emmaline Casey and began a cattle operation. They would farm corn, watermelons, hay, hogs, and beef cattle throughout the years. As soon as John was old enough to join 4-H, he would show cattle, goats, and poultry at the co
unty and district fairs. Later John would become active in FFA and community service, and the family homestead would take on the name, Peaceful River Farm. John moved from Evening Shade and attended Harding University where he received his undergraduate degree in Leadership and Management and pursued a Master of Business Administration. During his career, he worked at Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and PetSmart Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. Throughout his retail career, John was Senior Brand Manager, Senior Buyer, and Senior Director of Promotional Effectiveness and Pricing. His vast retail experience would prove invaluable as he and Emmaline launched Angus beef and product sales under the Peaceful River Farm, LLC brand. After the loss of David in 2012, John returned home to the farm for good in 2014. In 2016, Emmaline and John purchased their seedstock of Angus cows and aggressively implemented artificial insemination (A.I.) in their program. The Kunkels believe the key to a thriving herd is to utilize superior quality bulls that continually enhance genetics and raise the bar on their herd. Using bulls such as BUBs Southern Charm, the first proven bull in the Angus breed to bridge the gap between phenotype and carcass cattle, and proved to work in the Ozarks was the beginning. However, a good program takes years to develop. In the fall of 2020, Peaceful River Farm added the genetics of another such carcass bull, Sitz Powerball 643D, by purchasing his son, BUBs Powerball 976G, and making him the resident herd sire. At Peaceful River Farm, we also believe in sustaining and maintaining our pastures while doing our part to preserve the beautiful Strawberry River. Partnering with USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Services, they fenced off the river, preventing the herd from damaging any natural resources. They also developed a management plan and implemented rotational grazing to improve pastures and forage quality. This method enhanced the health of livestock and water quality due to continual fresh water from an artesian spring provided by automatic watering facilities. At Peaceful River Farm we take great pride in our genetics and are proud to say we use no additional growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics in our production. We are glad you stopped by and would love to visit with you about our beef products and other merchandise. From our farm to your table, we look forward to being a part of your family’s lifestyle.
