Yon Family Farms is a family-owned operation whose primary purpose is to raise high-quality Angus, SimAngus, and Ultrablack cattle. The Yon family consists of Kevin and Lydia and their three children: Sally, Drake, and Corbin. Kevin is a first generation Angus breeder who got his introduction into the cattle business at the age of twelve. It was then that he borrowed money to purchase an Angus heifer. Kevin met his wife, Lydia, at Clemson University where they were both pursuing degrees in Animal Science. After college, they got their feet wet as a couple in the cattle industry by landing their dream job of managing a registered Angus operation, Congaree Farms, near Columbia, SC. After seven years of growth there, the owner decided to disperse his cattle operation. Out of a job, but not their dream, the Yons took the plunge in 1996 and started their own Angus operation, Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring, SC. By this time, the Yons were the proud parents of three children under the age of six, who made the move with 100 head of Angus females to embark on the venture that would become the family’s sole source of income to this day. With both parents working full-time on the farm, the children have essentially “grown up” with the farm and have been part of its development every step of the way. Angus cattle have been an integral part of their lives and they were very involved in National Junior Angus Association activities as well as 4-H and FFA. All three children have graduated college (Sally- ’13 Clemson University/’15 Oklahoma State University, Drake- ’14 Clemson University, Corbin ’16 Clemson University) now, and have returned home to work at the farm full-time. What began on 100 acres with additional leased land has evolved into an operation utilizing over 5000 acres, which maintains approximately 1200 head of registered broodcows and 200 commercial cows. The Yons will host both a Spring and Fall Production Sale where they sell around 425 registered bulls and 200 females each year. The Yons stress the importance of utilizing all the tools available. They develop three groups of sale bulls each year. Their operation is forage based and focuses on producing cattle for their customer base which is made up mainly of progressive commercial cattlemen.