Country Woman Close-up

Cyber Cupid Brandy Phelps-Vaughan paired up her old-fashioned values with modern computer savvy. She started a Web site dedicated to nurturing rural relationships.

A Rural Matchmaker

Brandy Phelps-Vaughan of Amelia, VA tells
CW how she cultivates relationships by running a
Web site where country folks connect..

CW: What is Ag-Personalities.com?

Brandy: It’s a Web site I launched almost 2 years ago aimed at bringing together people with an interest in agriculture and country living. There are lots of on-line dating sites out there, but this one’s different.

Ideally, it will help people find love or a good, lasting friendship. The site’s slogan says it best, “Where happily ever after happens country style.”

CW: Is your site geared strictly to farmers and ranchers?

Brandy: When I say “ag,” I’m talking about people who fish, hunt, camp, raise crops and livestock, ride horses and 4-wheelers, and love tractor pulls and NASCAR.

Many of the gals on my site are strong, independent women, looking for someone who respects where they come from and where they stand. Plenty of the guys want to find a girl to share his hobbies, one who’s not afraid to get dirty.

Some of the people who join my site have urban zip codes because of school, work or other commitments. For most of them, life in the country would be a dream come true.

CW: Do you have a country background yourself?

Brandy: I grew up on a farm where faith, family and good manners are very important. When I moved to the city to attend college, my roots held onto me for dear life!

It’s aimed at lovers of all things country, from agriculture to fishing.

Now, I’m back in a rural area with my own veterinary practice, Hoofbeats Equine Service. My job is never boring. I’ve delivered foals, treated colic and handled vaccinations. Recently, I became a certified animal chiropractor, which I plan to make a focus of my work.

CW: What inspired you to take up rural matchmaking as a part-time job?

Brandy: I’d experienced the frustration of trying to find nice, country-minded men, and heard similar complaints from friends and my younger sister. I couldn’t believe such great girls were having difficulty meeting guys who shared their interests and values. At that point, the wheels started turning. I studied everything I could find about Web site development. Ag-Personalities.com took off from there.

CW: What unique challenges do country people face when it comes to relationships?

Brandy: As a small-town gal myself, I’ve found the selection of compatible people can be limited simply due to the population. I realize country folks are everywhere, but meeting them can be like hunting for a needle in a haystack.

That’s where a down-to-earth on-line network comes in. People who tend to be shy can put away the nervousness and be honest. Generating conversation via a computer screen can be less stressful than doing it in person. In addition, you can make new friends all across the U.S. and Canada.

As an equine veterinarian, she fits on-line work around her commitment to healing horses and farming with her brand-new husband, Winston.

CW: What does membership in your Web site provide?

Brandy: We offer a free trial period for people to test out the site and see if it suits them. That includes access to our chat groups and blogs, a personal profile and the chance to read other members’ profiles.

After that, they can join the site for a month or more at a cost ranging from $24.95 to $145 for a year’s membership.

CW: How do you spread the word about your site?

Brandy: I go where country people go. For instance, I set up a display at sporting and outdoors shows, ag events and women’s expos. I’ve also been fortunate to be interviewed by area newspapers and TV stations. So membership has been steadily climbing.

CW: Have you met your own Mr. Right?

Brandy: Yes! I’m a newlywed of 6 months. My husband, Winston, and I met through friends who are horse people. He team ropes, and we’re both avid rodeo fans.

Winston and his brother are partners in the family farm and raise cattle and crops. He makes a living with his hands in the dirt, which demands long hours, sweat and help from me. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

CW: How does your husband feel about your romantic sideline?

Brandy: Winston knows that I believe in my Web site, and we both want to see it grow. Actually, it’s becoming a family project. My parents hand out my business cards and brochures to help spread the word.

I’ve even involved my cousin, a marriage and family therapist who grew up across from a cornfield. He writes a monthly column for the site, with everything from advice to friendly quotes to live by.

CW: Has your site made many perfect matches?

Brandy: It’s still young, but connections are being made every day. One success story hits close to home. My good friend Jo met a super guy on the site, and they’ve been dating ever since. Seeing them together makes me smile inside!

Editor’s Note: To visit Brandy’s on-line dating/friend-ship site for country people, connect to her Web site via ours on our links page.

 

Photos: John Williams/New Bern Photography; Jim Wieland