Akransas: The Natural State

     My Mom and I have always been the crazy Tennesseans who drive EVERYWHERE!  This past weekend we attended the 2014 National Beef Ambassador contest.  I have another post about the contest coming up soon!  We were told to take Highway 412 home from Bentonville, AR.  Ryan Goodman, AG Proud blogger, told us that on this drive we would see the Ozark Mountains and the Delta.    My eyes grew large at what he said next.  He told us we would see cotton ready to harvest, rice, and peanuts!  Not the normal Tennessee Crops.  Mom and I headed out, excited to veer away from the interstate and enjoy the 14 hour drive all the way back to TN.  We took a detour into Eureka Spring, AR on the advice of Geneice McCall, my favorite cattlewoman from Arkansas.  We really enjoyed this historic town and took lots of pictures as we walked around.   I should have brought my hiking stick because that little town is hilly! I love old buildings and places with character and this place had both. People where everywhere and the shops were really unique.  After leaving Eureka we continued through the Ozarks and couldn't help think that Arkansas really looked alot like home (East Tennessee).   We kept driving and driving and driving and eventually came to the Delta Region.  The soil looked really sandy.  Since I have never seen a rice field, mom and I were trying to figure out what they looked like.  We have grown peanuts in our home garden so those were pretty easy to pick out. The Cotton was amazing.   I had never seen cotton, but mom had.  We pulled over to the side of the road on several instances to get more of an up close look. It was all very cool!    In East TN we have mainly small cattle farms, soy beans, corn, and a few other crops so I love seeing the crops that are grown in other parts of the country.   East Tennessee is full of knobs and valleys, which I love but I've recently acquired a love for flat land so this was VERY appealing to me.   I was also astounded by all the chicken houses.  Of course, we were in Tyson Country!   I think my mom got annoyed because everytime I saw a chicken house (which was every few miles along the way) I'd say "Mom, chicken houses" over and over and over again!  Then the landscape went to rice fields and peanuts and then cotton and then we hit Missouri...and darkness!   We got home at almost 3 0'clock in the morning, but I didn't care.  I am so glad mom is adventurous.  She is always game for an "off the beaten path" experience and I am thankful that I get to have so many.  So here are some pictures I snapped from the car!