The farming gene runs deep in the Freel family, beginning with Herb Freel (Doc’s father), who was in the dairy business in Ft. Madison, Iowa. Bill and his five siblings all helped on the family farm, where he developed his lifelong fondness for dairy cattle and dairy folks. Knowing early on that he wanted to become a large animal veterinarian, Bill attended Iowa State University Vet School, and after graduation the family moved to Florida to start a dairy farm. Bill and Megan went on to own Country Oaks Veterinary Clinic for 30 years, and after selling the practice in 2007, Bill continued serving many of Florida’s dairy farms and beef ranches as a large animal veterinarian. Today, many Freels remain involved in agriculture in both Washington County, Iowa, and Weirsdale, Florida. Bill’s passion is breeding top-quality Angus genetics at Country Oaks Angus Ranch, with his daughters Molly and Erin close by to help with marketing, recordkeeping, and sales of the Certified Angus Beef line. The family’s three granddaughters—Riley, Reagan, and Emma—love being on the farm and helping their Poppy check cows, carrying forward the family tradition of agriculture.