All in the Family - All in for Quality, By Dale Sandlin

If you visit Rocking W Angus’ operation in Commerce, Ga., it might seem like there are more kids than adults; but the cattle remain the focus. The family includes Robin Wilson, co-owner of Rocking W Angus and CFO of K-12 Solutions Group, and wife Martha, Coordinator of Student Information for Jackson County Schools, and their four children: Brock, Drew, Parker and Carley.

Brock is co-owner of RWA, CEO of K-12 Solutions Group LLC., and a software engineer. He and his wife, Kate, a teacher, have four children: Makenzie, Wyatt, and Dulaney and Ridley. Drew, a surveyor, and wife Ruth, a teacher, have three children: Collins, Burch and Boone. Parker is a pharmacist in Milledgeville. Carley attends Mercer University School of Medicine in the Primary Care Accelerated Track in Pediatrics.

Adding to that, their farm manager and co-owner, Kirk Childress, has worked at RWA since 2014. His wife, Ashley, is a teacher; they have two daughters: Jaymi and Jemma.

The Wilsons have a robust philosophy of family and work: “Sometimes it’s more of a zoo than a farm. We are glad to involve our children and grandchildren in the many aspects of the operation – and hope we raise them to know the value of hard work, relationships, and all that goes into

Top: The RWA Farm Family – (L to R) Phillip and Ashley Cashwell, Beau, Cade, and Finn; Kirk and Ashley Childress, Jaymi and Jemma; Willie and Barbara Flanagan, Robin and Martha Wilson, Brock and Kate Wilson, Makenzie, Wyatt, Dulaney and Ridley. Above: RWA Progress W222 is our rst farm-raised donor who is still active in our program today! Right: We are thankful for our friends and customers who have joined us at our annual spring production sale since 2015 on our farm in Commerce.

raising quality livestock. The lessons learned on the farm will prove beneficial in whichever path our children and grandchildren choose.”

The Wilson family started Rocking W Farms in 2011 as a commercial cattle operation. After extensive research, in 2013 they began integrating Gardiner Angus Ranch genetics into their herd, specializing in Registered Black Angus Cattle; thus they became Rocking W Angus. They presently have more than 300 head in the current operation; they host an annual production sale each spring on their farm, and they sell bulls through Gardiner Angus Ranch. Over time – and with the help of their farmhands, Willie Flanagan and Phillip Cashwell – the farm has grown significantly, including more than 600 acres in Jackson County.

Having grown up in Northeast Georgia, Robin had an experience shared by others involved in agriculture: raising cows, chickens and pigs for both income and food as needed. But the Wilsons’ enterprising spirit didn’t stop there. Robin picks up the story: “Cattle were a hobby when we began. We had acquired some farmland, and putting cattle on it was a logical choice. We started with 10 or 15 commercial cows. The decision to become a seedstock provider became a logical choice once we became affiliated with Gardiner Angus Ranch and their carcass genetic programs.”

Starting off as an AI program for the first few years, Rocking W Angus added Embryo Transfer to improve at a faster pace. “Our first farm-raised donor, RWA Progress W222, encouraged us to pursue ET – and she is still in our program today, as are many of her progeny,” Robin notes with pride.

The operation’s success hasn’t come without challenges. Robin cites “conception rates for both AI and ET, and managing herd condition with all the changing rules for medication and herd health. We work on managing feed cost and availability, weather-related issues, and the economic impact of today’s ever-changing environment.”

Additionally, Rocking W Angus has included DNA Testing and other metrics to assist them within their programs. Robin outlines the process: “We use those results in all of our mating decisions in an effort to produce the highest-quality animals we possibly can. All of our cattle are PI-BVD tested negative, and ultrasound-scanned for intramuscular fat and ribeye values. Data for birth weights, weaning weight, hip height and yearling weights are also collected and reported to the American Angus Association to add to the extensive database of information available for owners and buyers that assists them in making decisions for their operations.”

The Wilsons strive to make their cattle stand out as some of the best in the breed – and they do this with their fellow producers in mind. “Our overall goal is to produce genetically proven, quality animals that help our customers add value to their herds as well,” Robin explains. Adherence to a stringent vaccination protocol and visual inspection of all of their cattle allow the Rocking W Angus team to address any health concerns quickly. Robin stresses the key role that cattle nutrition plays in the operation: “We utilize the highest-quality mineral program that we can provide, based on the needs of our cattle and the grasses they graze. Our cattle are born and raised on our farm and grazed on native grasses, in an effort to produce cattle that work for anyone. We are proud of the land that we farm and work to provide summer and winter grazing that best suits each of the properties we graze.”

High standards and strong efforts have ensured consistency in the Rocking W Angus herd and operation. No wonder producers return as customers year after year. And they will no doubt be back next year; on April 23, 2023, the Wilsons will be hosting their 10th annual female production sale.

Robin recaps the philosophy that underlies these sales: “We’re trying to raise quality carcass genetics that give our customers a quality choice of bulls and females, so that they have a better opportunity to add value to their offspring, whether they sell annually or are building their herd. We know our small production is a spit in the ocean in the beef industry, but we hope our contribution to the process is a higher-quality pound that yields a higher value.”

Overall, Rocking W Angus remains firmly grounded as a family-focused, farsighted operation. Robin looks to the future: “Sharing our love of cattle and farming with our children and grandchildren is one of the most rewarding parts of our family’s farm. We hope we can educate our children to understand the need for farms to continue to feed the world. We hope they have an appreciation for being involved in that. The lessons learned on the farm will prove beneficial in whichever path our children and grandchildren choose.”

If the Wilsons’ progeny choose farming – or whatever profession they pursue – a world of families will benefit from the values instilled in them at Rocking W Angus.