In honor of Women’s History Month, we are thrilled to highlight the story of the Mason family, where three strong women – a mother, Angie Mason, and her two daughters, Halle and Bailey – play integral roles in running their multi-generational family farm. Their dedication exemplifies the strength, resilience and innovation of women in agriculture.
The Mason family farm is rooted in history, with nine generations of farmers committed to cultivating the land and supporting their community. Angie, who grew up in town, embraced farm life after marrying Trent Mason, quickly learning the ins and outs of agriculture. Now, she serves as the "glue" bringing many parts of the operation together. She supports the team by managing logistics, helping handle finances with Trent and ensuring everything runs smoothly. "I’m pretty much the support person in the whole operation right now," Angie explained. "I taxi everybody around and move vehicles from field to field, doing whatever it takes to make sure things get done."
Her daughters, Halle and Bailey, returned to the farm after college, driven by a deep pride in their family’s legacy and a love for the lifestyle they grew up with. Halle, who holds a degree in Agricultural Studies from Iowa State, plays many roles, all of which she takes great pride in. "Over the past couple of years, I’ve become the designated, full-time grain cart driver," Halle said. "Every day I’m in the tractor, working with two combines. It keeps me busy and makes the day go by faster."
Bailey’s role involves overseeing seed delivery, grain operations and anhydrous application. "In the spring, I pick up and deliver all the seed to the planter and keep track of where everything is going," Bailey explained. "In the fall, I unload all the trucks at our grain facility and keep track of each load that comes in."
Together, the Mason women are preserving their family’s heritage while bringing fresh perspectives to the operation. "Thinking about how much hard work and sacrifice it took for our family to carry on this long, I can't imagine dedicating my life to something else," Halle said. "It makes me so proud, and I know that it makes my family proud."
While their journey has been rewarding, it hasn’t always been easy. The Mason women have worked hard to overcome stereotypes about women in agriculture, and their expertise is sometimes questioned. "Growing up, my dad never made us feel like we couldn’t do this. He always told us to get in there and figure it out," Halle said. "But in college, I experienced a stigma about women in agriculture. Even now, there are times when people question us or call our dad to confirm what we say. But it doesn’t bother me anymore – we just keep doing what we do and prove them wrong."
Through their TikTok account, Mason Family Farms, Halle and Bailey showcase their day-to-day farm tasks from grain cart driving to seed delivery, often adding a playful twist with funny videos and trending farm challenges. "It’s fun to share our work and show people who don’t live farm life what it’s really like," Angie said. "Even people in our own farming community say, ‘I had no idea that’s how it works!’"
This Women’s History Month, we celebrate Angie, Halle and Bailey Mason, whose commitment to their family, their farm and their community stands as a testament to the essential role women play in agriculture. As Angie proudly said, "There’s not another place I’d rather raise my kids than on the farm, learning values, hard work and teamwork. It’s our way of life, and even with the ups and downs, we can’t imagine doing anything else."
You can follow Mason Family Farms on TikTok @MasonFamilyFarms.
