In the quiet countryside of Arkansas, where the land stretches wide and traditions run deep, Richard and Karen McDougald have built a life defined by faith, family, and farming. For over five decades, the McDougald’s have not only nurtured the legacy of a family deeply committed to hard work and trust in God.
Richard and Karen, members of Saline Baptist Church, both come from farming families whose histories span back at least five generations. Their roots are anchored in the rural American tradition of cultivating the land—not just for survival, but for a way of life. Karen’s grandparents,Woodie and Mary Doggett, and Richard’s grandparents, Rufus and Versa McDougald, raised cotton, corn, and vegetables. These crops fed their families and taught the next generation the value of labor, stewardship, and perseverance.
From an early age, Richard worked alongside his grandfather Rufus, tending to cows and managing livestock. He also helped raise tomatoes on his parents’ farm, a crop that would eventually connect both sides of the family. Karen’s parents were tomato farmers as well, known in the area for growing healthy plants for both their own farm and for public sale. These shared backgrounds in agriculture would later shape their life together in profound ways.
Married for 53 years, Richard and Karen’s union has been a story of steadfast love and shared purpose. They raised three sons—Jason, Joey, and Jonathan—and chose the name “Triple J Farm” to honor them. Today, their legacy has grown to include seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, with another expected in June 2025.
Although deeply rooted in farming, both Richard and Karen worked full-time jobs while raising their children. Richard worked over 30 years at Potlatch, and Karen served as a registered nurse for more than three decades at Bradley County Medical Center. Their commitment to providing for their family and maintaining a strong work ethic never wavered.
As retirement approached, the opportunity arose to purchase a 90-acre farm. Rather than slowing down, they saw this as a chance to return to their roots in a more focused way. They began by building two chicken houses, eventually adding two more to make four total breeder houses. These houses would become the core of their agricultural operation, which now has 40,418 breeder hens and 3,617 roosters annually.
Their contract with Bachoco/OK Foods, based in Fort Smith, keeps the farm operating at a high capacity, yielding an astonishing 6,196,280 hatching eggs each year. In 2024, they expanded into cattle farming by adding five commercial heifers, further diversifying their production.
The farm also produces poultry litter, which is sold to contractors—adding another income stream and ensuring nothing goes to waste. Jason, their eldest son, now manages day-to-day operations, while Joey and Jonathan lend their support when needed. Karen keeps the books and manages payroll, making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Despite their success, the road has not always been easy. Life on the farm, and life itself, has tested the McDougalds’ faith more than once.
In 2015, just as Richard officially retired, he expected a slower pace. But instead, he found himself with an entirely new job: managing the newly completed chicken houses. “I thought I would retire,” he said with a chuckle, “but I soon found out I had another job.”
That same sense of humor and resolve would prove invaluable in the years to come. In 2016, Richard was diagnosed with cancer. For seven weeks, he endured daily radiation treatments and weekly chemotherapy. The grueling medical regimen left him unable to oversee the farm as he once had. But help arrived in the form of a brother-in-law who relocated to assist. Richard credits God for sending the right people at the right time.
Then, in 2022, another major health crisis struck—this time, heart-related. Richard underwent triple bypass surgery. Though he initially recovered well and resumed many of his responsibilities on the farm, the following winter brought one of the most harrowing chapters of his life.
On December 30, Richard went into respiratory distress. Karen recalls that he seemed unusually tired and dazed. By morning, he was unresponsive. An ambulance rushed him to the hospital, where doctors discovered that Richard was septic and suffering from multiple life-threatening bacterial infections—four in total, including staph and strep. He was airlifted to Little Rock, intubated, and placed in intensive care. The prognosis was grim.
While he fought for his life in the ICU, Richard’s feet began to turn black from lack of blood flow, a side effect of both the sepsis and the strong medications used to save him. His recovery required not one, but two amputations below the knees in 2023.
Yet through every setback, Richard’s faith never faltered.
“When we worry about things, we go straight against what God tells us,” he said. “I don’t worry. It’s not part of my vocabulary. I’ve turned everything over to Him.”
Richard’s relationship with God took on new depth in 2018 when he realized that although he had long believed he was saved, he wasn’t fully surrendering his life to Christ.
“I realized that I’d been living my whole life thinking I was saved,” he said. “But I realized that I wasn’t putting the Lord in front of me like I needed to. I rededicated my life and it’s been totally different ever since.”
His deep faith became the anchor through every storm. Even now, after enduring cancer, heart surgery, sepsis, and double amputation, Richard carries a radiant spirit of gratitude.
“He didn’t bring me back from the dead for no reason,” he said. “As soon as they took the tube out of my throat, I was so filled with God, and all I wanted to do was tell people about what He had done for me.”
Karen remembers how even Richard’s doctors were amazed at his recovery.
“The first time Dr. Pennington saw him, he said, ‘You know you’re not supposed to be here, right?’” she said with a laugh. “Dr. Jones, his cardiologist, said the same thing. They had never had anybody survive what he did.”
Today, Richard uses a scooter to get around and a cane when needed. Despite his physical challenges, he remains active and involved in the farm operations and his community. His story stands as a living testimony to faith, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a farmer.
The McDougald’s consider themselves immensely blessed—not only by their family’s proximity and support but by the divine guidance they believe has shaped every step of their journey. They eventually purchased the home and farmland that belonged to Karen’s parents, preserving both a piece of family history and a strong connection to their agricultural past.
Even in the face of setbacks—like when Pilgrim’s Pride went bankrupt mid-construction of new broiler houses, forcing Richard to pivot to breeder houses instead—everything “just fell into place,” as Richard puts it. What once seemed like obstacles became turning points guided by faith.
In their home, a photograph on the refrigerator displays past generations of Richard’s family—visual reminders of how far they’ve come and the strength they draw from those who came before them.
For Richard and Karen McDougald, farming is far more than a livelihood—it is a calling, a legacy, and a way to serve. Through health battles, career transitions, and economic shifts, their unyielding faith has remained the cornerstone of their lives.
Their story is one of incredible resilience, marked by miracles, determination, and unwavering belief. It is a story that reminds us all that with strong roots, deep faith, and the love of family, anything is possible.
