Feeding Traditions: A Father-Son Legacy in Henderson County

Marty and Mark Tolley of Darden, Tennessee, are a father-and-son duo carrying on a family cattle tradition that began in the late 1940s. From Marty’s early start raising pigs with $20 earned picking cotton to today’s partnership in a 45,000-head Kansas feedyard, the Tolley family has built an operation rooted in hard work, faith, and generational values.

Now managing both their Henderson County herd and a growing beef business serving customers in more than 25 states, Marty and Mark share how family, farming, and Co-op have shaped their story—and how they’re preparing the next generation to carry it forward.