Another Successful Year

Calves have been weaned and vaccinated with their first round of shots since September 17th. With warm and dry weather we had after weaning, there was no need to run any calves through the chute to treat for coughs, temperatures or runny noses. Weaning weights this fall were average for both steers and heifers at each herd. This was expected with the hot, dry summer we had. It is amazing how quickly the calves are growing. Looks like I will be halter breaking heifers very soon!

Since the crops were harvested, the cows grazed on corn stalks in the fall. What a pretty sight, especially with a gorgeous fall sunset in the background! November 26th and 27th, we pregnancy checked and vaccinated our cattle herds with our pre-calving health program. We were very pleased that our cattle had a conception rate of 98.5% and were due to calves in March and April. Our calves received their second round of vaccinations on December 17th. My dad and I went through the selection process of choosing replacement heifers. Each year we retain 12-14 head of heifers or about 20% of our herd. This year, we chose 12 head of heifers. They received their calfhood vaccination from our vet, Dr Baird. We put in a new numbered tag to identify our heifers. I recorded data to prepare for registering our heifers for pedigrees with the American Shorthorn Association.

Feels Like Fall

Leaves changing color from green to gold or crimson; geese migrating south; combines rolling through the fields; wearing Carhartts; the smell of corn drying and newly weaned calves bawling are sign of fall in Illinois. Fall is a nice transition from summer to winter. The rural landscape during the fall is a beautiful sight to me. From the tractor cab, I enjoy seeing the lights of tractors and combines surrounding me as we work in the fields at night. I love fall...the energy, enthusiasm, long hours and hard work. Fall brings a sense of pride and accomplishment, as it is the reward for a season of hard work.

Fall in Love with Fall

I have no favorite season, as I am fond of them all. In fact with each change of season, I find different aspects to love and appreciate. There are so many reasons to adore fall. On weekends, I love waking up to brisk, sunny fall mornings. Crisp mornings transform into beautiful, warm afternoons. Fall colors are absolutely magnificent with hues ranging in read, orange, yellow and purple. These colors are an amazing contrast to the bright blue sky. It is incredible the colors that nature creates. The sound of the breeze blowing through the trees and leaves gently floating to the ground is peaceful. The fuzzy caterpillars are a funny sight as they inch their way along. As a young girl, I loved finding different colors of caterpillars. Fall has a simple beauty in its sights and sounds. Take time to appreciate the beauty of fall.

Lightning Bugs

Once I figured out that lightning bugs wouldn't 'zap' me, I fell in love with them as a young girl. During summer nights in the country, I loved running around in the yard barefoot chasing and catching lightning bugs. That is one of my favorite memories I have growing up on the farm. Hopefully it will be a memory and pastime that I will share with my three nieces each summer.

To this day, I am still fond of them lighting up the summer sky. In the evening, I enjoy sitting outside on my porch relaxing and taking in their beauty. The glow from the lighting bugs in contrast to the darkening sky truly is a beautiful sight in the country. Lightning bugs look so peaceful as they float through the air twinkling as the sun is setting. The almost look like stars...only a little closer to us. Summer seems to be the perfect time to sit back and enjoy the simple things in life.

Tools of the Trade

When you think of tools of the trade for a cattleman, you typically think of a four-wheel drive truck, livestock trailer, four-wheeler, or a cattle dog. Do you think of Facebook, Twitter or YouTube? Today, the use of social media is becoming increasingly important to agriculture. We need to educate our non-farm friends about our industry and what we do as farmers and ranchers. On Facebook, I write posts about my daily chores on our cattle farm. Sometimes my Dad wonders if I get anything else accomplished. But, he now understands how crucial it is for us livestock producers to get our message out to our friends and consumers. To reach a broader audience, I started blogging to talk about my daily life on a cattle farm. We are the experts in our industry. We need to tell our story. And, we have a great story to tell! We as cattlemen are stewards of the land, we care for our livestock at all times of the day and in all types of weather, and we work hard to provide safe and nutritious beef for our consumers. Cattlemen are proud people. As a 3rd generation cattleman, from a family that has been raising purebred cattle for close to 70 years, I take great care and pride in what I do. It is a job I take very seriously. And, I think this can be said for most farmers and ranchers in the United States.

For those who know me, know the beef industry is a great passion of mine. I have dedicated my life to promote and protect an industry I love and shaped me into the person I am. We need to be advocates of agriculture. I am very passionate about telling the story of a cattleman and of the beef industry. Whether it is blogging about the days on our cattle farm, representing beef producers on the Illinois Beef Association and Knox County Cattlemen's Association, teaching 4th grade students about beef cattle at Knox County Ag Day for Kids, or explaining to my nieces what my Dad and I do and giving them first-hand experiences on the farm, I am an advocate and challenge you to do the same.