In the small-town farming community of Port Royal, Ky., service looks like a lot more than just volunteer hours and attending meetings. Sometimes, it looks like being up before sunrise to load fertilizer, caring for cattle after dark and making sure that local farmers have what they need for their business to thrive.
For Houston Parker, living to serve is something more than part of the FFA motto; it’s his way of life.
Parker’s family is the proud owner of Parker Farm Center, a locally based farm supply business established in 2019 that has quickly become a foundation for the region’s agricultural community. The Parkers’ store has everything from feed to grass seed, hardware, farm equipment and fertilizer. It employs many individuals in the area and supports farmers and businesses that stretch across several counties.
About 90% of the Parkers’ business focuses on fertilizer, which is imported from barges in Louisville and mixed by hand. This allows the family to carefully craft its own well-known blends. “All of our mixes are made from soil samples, which makes sure that each farmer gets what their land needs,” Houston Parker says.
Parker plays a 100% hands-on role in almost every step of the operation, whether it’s making tickets or loading fertilizer and spreading it on fields that reach as far as Oldham and Gallatin Counties. “Spring is the busiest time of year,” he says.
Parker finds himself spending countless hours in fields, ensuring that crops across his region have a strong foundation to grow and prosper. From his perspective, Parker Farm Center “makes up his life,” but anyone who knows him knows that this isn’t a complaint — it’s what he’s called to do.
Along with his dedication to his family’s business, Parker serves as the Carroll County High School FFA Chapter’s vice president. At home, the Parkers run about 40 head of beef cattle of various breeds. Using his own money, Parker invested in high-quality feeders and assisted with the development of a strong breeding and sales operation. Every Monday, he can be found at the Sligo stockyards, working cattle. He continuously finds ways to better his skills and give back to the agriculture community in a serving way.
Serving others runs in the Parker family. Houston’s brother, Patrick, sells around 1,000 pumpkins each fall through a business he calls Triple P, or Patrick Parker’s Pumpkins. Through his business, Parker connects with all kinds of families and buyers from across the region. As a whole, the Parker brothers represent the heart behind the harvest of small-town agriculture, family and service.
Houston Parker’s advice for anyone looking to follow his example is simple, but powerful. “Humble yourself often,” he says. “There’s always someone better and more skilled than you that you can strive to follow after.”
Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Parker embodies just that. Even as a good student and busy FFA member, he always finds time to serve others, whether it’s community service, working for Parker Farm Center or running his cattle.
Leaving town for a couple of days during the National FFA Convention & Expo is difficult for him because it falls during harvest season, when he is needed the most. Even then, he understands that leadership means showing up where you are needed.
With his lifelong dedication, work ethic and heartfelt service, Parker makes a positive difference in the state of Kentucky’s agriculture. He doesn’t just live to serve; he serves to live.
