Whispering Hills Farm Turns Overgrown Kentucky Property into Award-Winning Operation

Mike Wilson says years of hard work and stewardship helped transform the farm for future generations.

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association) — As National Beef Month continues, one Kentucky cattle operation is being recognized for turning neglected land into a productive farm focused on stewardship and sustainability.

Whispering Hills Farm, owned by Mike Wilson and his family, was named a 2025 regional winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program.

Wilson purchased the original 75 acres in 1999 after the prhttps://www.beef.org/operty had sat largely untouched since the early 1970s. He says that improving the land and keeping the farm sustainable have remained priorities ever since.

“If you don’t take care of the land, it’s not going to take care of you,” Wilson says. “So I’m a firm believer in taking care of what you have.”

He says transforming the property took years of work, but he is proud of what the farm has become.

“I’m grateful for what I’ve got,” Wilson continues. “I’m grateful for what I’ve managed to accomplish — getting it cleaned up — but it took a lot of sweat and blood to get it to where it’s at now. But I can look back on my accomplishments, and I’m very satisfied with my results.”

Wilson says he hopes the farm will continue being passed down through future generations of his family.

All month long, RFD News is highlighting beef producers who help feed families across the country and around the world. To find more stories and recipes that celebrate beef, CLICK HERE: May is National Beef Month!

Related Stories
Moly Manufacturing welcomed renowned cattle expert, Dr. Temple Grandin, as the keynote speaker for its “Beef and Greet” livestock industry event.
The ranch’s stewardship practices are designed to support both cattle production and long-term sustainability.
The Perrier family says maintaining herd quality has helped keep the operation strong.
The award-winning pitmaster discusses choosing the right beef cuts, managing grill heat and building confidence behind the grill.
Texas Farm Bureau takes us behind the scenes at USDA’s sterile fly facility, considered a first line of defense against New World Screwworm, a fight Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller fears is “futile.”
Triangle H received the 2022 Feedyard Commitment to Excellence Award from Certified Angus Beef, gaining national recognition for its cattle care and quality.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Pre-filled Applications Available Online to Producers with a Login.gov Account
Kerry Hartwig from Sukup Manufacturing previews the grain management solutions they plan to share with producers at the upcoming Commodity Classic in San Antonio.
Mason McGuire with the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association recaps this year’s event and looks ahead to the premium sale in April.
FBN co-founder Charles Baron previews the upcoming Farmer2Farmer event and how technology and AI are shaping the industry, offering growers practical insights and farmer-led strategies for modern agriculture.
Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum discusses the latest Farm Bill proposal and the path ahead for Congress and U.S. agriculture.
The Ranger Road Fire spreads from the Oklahoma Panhandle into Kansas as high winds and red flag conditions persist
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.