Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
Last week, I set out of a journey that I have taken 1000 times through the Nebraska Sandhills up to the Black Hills.
Just when I think I have seen it all, it never fails, there is always a surprise on this stretch road. As I was heading west out of Hyannis, NE last week I quickly came upon an ole boy toodling down the highway on his very old, cabless International tractor. There wasn’t a stitch of paint left on it, so forgive me if I am wrongfully assuming that it was an International. I was impressed by the modern amendment that was added to the back of the tractor, a small platform with caker. I could only further assume that this cattleman was off to cake some cows on a Sandhills hay meadow. As I slowly passed him, I was in no hurry and him and I seemed to be the only ones out of the open Highway 2 road, I was surprised to see a double bale spike mounted on the front of the tractor. It has been unseasonably open and mild in these parts, this winter so no need to hay the ole girls, but an interesting attachment nonetheless.
Despite being a beautiful mild day for January in Nebraska, I mean it is still January in Nebraska and as I mentioned this tractor was cabless. While I no way of knowing how many miles this man had to put on that day in order to complete his choring mission, when connected with his small face, framed by the hood of his coat drawn tightly around his face, I could see that this cattleman was no spring chicken and the lines on his face had stories to tell in my rear-view mirror.
That’s all the time I have for today, so meet me right back here tomorrow on Ranch Raised.
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Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 3 daughters near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Watching the cattle industry go the path that it has gone, she could no longer sit quietly at home checking cows, fixing fence, and doing all the everyday tasks wondering when some else was going to make it all better. As she became more active and outspoken on industry issues, she was asked to join the R-CALF USA staff in September 2020 as the Checkoff Petition Campaign manager. That position transcended into her current role as full time Field Director for R-CALF USA.
You can hear her almost every Friday on Your Ag Network’s Hot Barn Report that is broadcast on 60 radio stations with coverage in 9 states, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights R-CALF’s work on industry reforms. Listen to Ranch Raised on a Your Ag Network hometown station or www.youragnetwork.com where she talks about her daily life on the ranch.
Cattle producers are her people. She will meet you at the county fair, at the sale barn, or anywhere the dusty trail leads.
karina@youragnetwork.com or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
