Ranch Raised

It is times like these when you feel very alive. There is a blast of air that hits you and tries to cut through you. There is ice that hits your face that you swear might scar.

By the end of a very long day of competition at West Holt High School, in Atkinson, I made sure to thank every volunteer I came into contact with. I can not imagine how hard it was for that community to host 16 other schools and put on a brave face with breaking inside of their own grief. This community won’t just be in my prayers with week, after what I witnessed yesterday, it will be etched in my heart forever.   

I salute the men and women who are cutting a lick in this cattle market! May we remember these times, while holding on to the hope that they can continue for a few more years so we can strengthen the balance sheet of rural America!

And now you know another reason that I am so committed to this way of life. When I am out there chopping ice and scooping bunks, I am dreaming of the days where I can grab a package of beef sticks from a cow that lived a good life and enjoy a snack with my family!

The American dairy farmer is a resilient bunch! Those cows not only need fed daily, but they need to be milked twice and in some cases three times a day, every day, even on holidays!

If anything holds true as we transition from one year to the next it is that Your Ag Network will remain your trusted source of market and ag industry news with rural life flavor.

It is no secret that a lot of trauma accidents happen here in rural America, so I think it is important to help play a part in balancing that reality. January is National Blood Donor Month!  

I think we can all thank the American dry edible bean farmers by enjoying in the fruits of their labor. So start that big pot of chili cooking and don’t forget to add the beans!