Family & Traditions

 Being an adopted part of the Barker clan, the Ottley Crew lives here and works 24/7 in the Elba Valley.  We love this lifestyle, the heritage, and beautiful setting we get the opportunity to work in with our own family.

 Having family come home IS one of the best things ever, and Memorial Day Weekend has become a gathering of the Barker friends & family in Elba.  This past weekend was one of the largest gatherings and a testament to the saying "A Family That Plays Together...Stays Together".   It can be stressful however when rain storms dampen the plans and cause everything to move indoors. A quick headcount Sunday night  (give or take a few!) calculated to 72 people coming through the doors.  A beautiful rainbow was the reward for the "closeness" inside!

Front Porch Rainbow!

It wouldn't be a Memorial Day Weekend without a branding to do.  We may not hold the Guinness record for 15,000 worked in 4 1/2 hours, but it's possible we did have the largest family crew ever. Being a "cowboy" for the day is all part of the experience and Tom delights in the first "fling" over his shoulder when cutting the steers.  Uncle Ray commented he still loves the smell of the branding smoke, but probably not everyone concurs with that!

We pay tribute to those who have come before and look forward to our future!

Gathering in the backyard for the hot dog roast with all the fixin's and smores is a must!

We love these people and their families!  Thank you for everything you've done!