A John Deere Publication

person in a cowboy hat writing in a book

Payton Harms, a cowboy poet from Lincolnville, Kansas, draws inspiration from the green grass, blue skies, and cattle around him.

Agriculture, Specialty/Niche November 01, 2024

Tallgrass Troubadour

A cowboy poet is inspired by the Kansas Flint Hills.

by Bill Spiegel

It has been said that Robert Frost's poems were inspired by the flora, fauna, and daily chores on his 30-acre farm near Derry, New Hampshire.

The Flint Hills of Kansas provide similar inspiration for Payton Harms.

Green grass, blue skies, and baby calves are part of what motivates Harms to write cowboy poetry, which he posts to his personal Facebook page and on other social media platforms.

And no one is more surprised at his creative outlet than him, as creative writing wasn't exactly Harms' strong suit in school.

"I never really enjoyed writing, but I listen to a lot of music, and I've heard a lot of different cowboy poems, western poems, and western music," Harms says. In response to the glorification and popularity of ranch life by the television series "Yellowstone" and its producer Taylor Sheridan, Harms wrote his first poem.

"He brought the romantic side of agriculture to light, and that is desperately needed. On social media now, you see a lot of the horseback riding, the roping, the horses," he explains. "Those are the pretty parts of this life."

The Poet

"Momma always said use your words but I never thought they would be heard much less seen
Ink soaked paper keeps a tired soul fed and a wandering mind keen..."

In reality, ranching can be lonely, full of introspection and isolation where taking care of the land and animals is the priority. It's easy to get lost in one's thoughts, Harms says.

"The inspiration is bringing to light and showing both the hardships and the romantic side. You need to see both," he says. "And I believe we sometimes lose the narrative that this life isn't for everybody, and it can be difficult."

And, Harms points out, television and movies rarely share the hardships. Calves are lost to illness and horses do go lame. Blizzards disrupt calving season, when all a rancher wants to do is eat some hot food and get a good night's sleep.

"It is part of life, and the hard facts of life, but the sun will rise up again and God will get you through it," Harms says. "So you just believe in that. You hang your hat on those little victories. They make it all worthwhile."

Above. Ranch life is romanticized in movies and television, but there's no place Harms would rather be. His bay roan, Rez, is a trusted partner. Harms keeps his poetry in a leather-bound journal.

Self Inflection

"Can you stand that mirror reflection
Or are you a walking contradiction
Wrestling with internal confliction..."

The challenge of making words rhyme and fit together is part of what drives him. That, and the creativity from his wife, Sienna, whom he married in 2022.

"Listening to her songs and reading her poetry has pushed me to be better and to grow myself," he says. "She's really good."

He doesn't put any rules on his writing; there's no stress over counting syllables or lines. It's mostly just for fun. "I do write a lot about faith, because that's a big motivator for me. It takes a lot of faith to want to ranch for a living," he says. "God is part of who I am and my faith is in my heart."

Harms Plainview Ranch was founded by his ancestors in 1885 in the Flint Hills prairie, near the town of Lincolnville. In 1993, Kim and Mark Harms, Payton's parents, established a purebred Angus operation. The ranch has since added the fifth generation in Peyton and Sienna; Peyton's older sister, Taylor Minihan and her husband Chase; and Peyton's older brother, Cade. The family now offers Black Angus, Red Angus and Charolais bulls and females.

For Payton, the ranch is a calling.

"From the time I was little, all I wanted to do was ranch. I grew up doing it but I found a passion for it since I was little. I couldn't see myself doing something different," he says. "The biggest victory and biggest reward is calving," he continues. "Getting to see those baby calves grow up and become what you put all your work into, and why you do what you do. At the end of the day, those calves are your paycheck." ‡