We make up an interesting group of cattle people from all over.

[Telos]

Have really liked this thread. Thanks everyone for sharing some of their upbringing.

Red, you get the award for making all of us smile. (clapping)

 

[DL]

Great job Red (I see another award night coming...) but I can't tell what/who I am......an amorphous critter of rapier wit?

 

[red]

It's a hockey player!!!!!

 

[DL]

I guess I am having conceptual issues!! And I wanted to be Mary Sunshine!! ;D

 

[showcattlegal]

LOL good one red.

 

[Show Heifer]

A little about me: Red nailed me as far as Taz goes.....I have been known to, well.....attack the un-attackable, and just tear into something!!! Maybe that isn't so good sometimes!
I live on the family farm that has been in my family name for 165 years.  I was raised with cattle and sheep. And still have both! Both my parents were in education, Dad being a high school teacher (he was also an Air Force Pilot), Mom being a elementary librarian. I was my Dad's shadow growing up. I was big into the animals and attempting to do field work (plowing wasn't pretty....my debute and finale was the same day!!! :) I loved it all.
I attended college and got my BS degree in Animal Science with genetics and repro as my "emphasis". Whatever thats worth! My real education came from doing chores everyday and solving problems first hand! I am sure we all know about that!
I was big into 4-H and showed about everything I could (I even showed a pig! and chickens!!) Oh my!
I took my share of purples, but never really "got cut throat." I loved every minute of it. Made millions of memories and hundreds of friends. ( And I am sure, a few enamies!)
I can't spell either, never could!!!
Growing up, I would wander around the pastures. Playing in creeks, picking up frogs (I like frogs) and going barefoot in "farm mud" usually with a green tint to it! We alway had pets, I can name every one of them.  :'(
I even raised a litter of skunks....Dad had hay conditioned their mother and when he went around again, he saw the babies curled up against their dead momma. So he stopped, put them in his pockets (all six of them) and surprised me with them at lunch time! I raised them until they dug their way out of their pen and off they went. My job was done!
Best b-day gift was a black horse for my 8th.  We taught each other how to ride and a lot more!
I baled hay, detassled corn, and walked beans.
I learned to drive a truck in a hay field, and learned how to back a trailer in a hay field with bales in it. I only hit a few!
I drove a tractor before I drove a truck. And my first car was a Tempo (pathetic huh?)
I love to fly, and have traveled overseas a couple of times.
I played sports, but sucked at them all! Still play a few games of softball and volleyball. But hurt afterwards!!
And I LOVE to cook. Anything. Roast, grilling, desserts, breads (thanks Gypsy for that recipe) and have been known to make a mean chocolate fudge pie.
Everything I know, and everything I am (good and bad) I owe to the farm upbringing. I don't back down much (ya'll figured that out already huh?) and I stand behind my words. Dad taught me early that anyone can take anything from you, but only you can give your reputation away. I live by that everyday. (clapping)

I have enjoyed "meeting" all you guys/gals and hope to meet many more!!!

 

[red]

I guess I am having conceptual issues!! And I wanted to be Mary Sunshine!! ;D

Nope! I found a perfect one for you DL! Give it time to do all it's stuff.

 

[Up North]

Show heifer....you almost made me cry with your story !!!!  I love your dad's "life words" 

My story is a little like this:

Grew up in the "thumb" of Michigan on a beef and hog farm.  My dad retired out of Moormans after 32 years and my mom ran the farm "meat business"  We had customers all over several states.  I am the youngest of 5, got my degree from MSU in the late 80's.  Showed beef since I was little.  My sisters and I would plan parties when mom and dad would go away and tell the neighbors AND my big brother (who couldn't get down the road with the tractor and plow on Saturday night due to all the cars lined up and down both sides of the country road for a mile) Dad was having a "MOORMANS" meting !  (lol) (clapping)  Needless to say, dad was one of the top salesmen in the company, and taught us girls alot about keeping a serious face when trying to sell something !!

After several years of working in the dairy business (yes, my degree is in BEEF production), I tried my share of selling feed.  I did very well, received many award from the company, but found myself missing the cows.  I now live in SW Wisconsin, with 3 girls of my own, and am a herdsman on a 1000 cow dairy.  The girls keep their beef calves at one of the heifer replacement farms, and once in a while have to help the guys move the Holstein heifers from pasture to pasture.  They do come to work with me and help deliver calves, heat detect, move cows, and yes, even had their arms in a couple cows to start learning how to AI.  They are 14, 11, and 9.

I pray my girls grow up with the same passion and respect for agriculture that I have, learn to work hard for what they need, and be satisfied with the simple things in life.

 

[austin]

Nice Story, Up North!  (clapping)

 

[garybob]

I would like to apologize for my lashing out at JustMe.

Shouldn't have penalized her for some of my life's experiences, which, have shaped my viewpoints. Had a resume rejected one time, when I applied for an entry-level position in the Feeding Industry. Wasn't applauded for my interest and obvious qualifications. Feedyard Mgr said he never knew anyone "down there" even knew about Performance Records,let alone those that affect Feeeding Preformance and Beef Quality, and, based on the SW-MO/NW-AR/NE-OK cattle he had fed ( I guessed he had some duds in his pens), he didn't really believe that anyone form the greater Ozarks Region would make a hand, based solely on his experiences.
I can remember MANY times at both Youth and Intercollegiate activities, those of us from the MId-south would be kind of left to interact among ourselves.Got insulted about everything from incest/mobile homes/methamphetamines/teen-pregnancy. I knew, right away, that prejudices existed in other parts of the country. It ain't just a Southern Thang. When I would travel to look for Herd Sires, I'd get shown the sorriest cow-fresheners among the potential sires offered. Cagwin was the worst.Bill Smithers, Dave McFarland, Tom& Ron Moore, and Harold Bertz were very much the opposite. Never bought any of their bulls. Didn't have to, either, in order to maintain amicable relations. Everyone else I have met I found to express a directly insulting demeanor to me, and, made frequent remarks about my home area.
Excuse me for my tactlessness.You didn't mean anything by it.

 

[shortdawg]

I guess the thing that would make our neck of the woods different is that we raise Tobacco. I know some people may not like Tobacco but,  farming it is a way of life for us. I learned my right and left on a harvester when I wasn't even in school yet. I used to get checked out of grammer school to drive the tractor for transplanting. We used to do all the work from the transplanting , spraying , suckering & topping , cropping , loading , unloading, to the selling. Things have changed over the years with migrant labor being available. Now instead of actually doing all the hands on labor I manage the whole deal ; but , I still don't trust anyone except myself to do the curing. Tobacco farming is very hard work and labor intensive.
    We also farm many other crops of which my favorite is watermelons. They are a lot like raising good cattle. They  show the time and effort you put into them. We plant transplants in late March - early April and start cutting in June. We usually ship around 5 million pounds a year. We have about half seeded and half seedless. Even some yellow meated. Our other crops include cotton, peanuts, corn, and of course cattle on about 1350 acres of cropland.
    I am at least a fourth generation farmer and don't really have a desire to pursue any other career. I did get a degree in Ag Economics from UGA just in case I have to leave the farm one day. I praise God for the opportunity I have to raise my two sons and daughter on the farm. It's not an easy way of life but , it's worth it.

 

[Up North]

These are some great stories !  Keep them coming you guys !  It sure is ineresting how different we all are, but with one common thread, can talk about cows and such and have a great time learning ! (cow) (cow)

 

[OH Breeder]

I looked at OH Breeder's closer & I want everyone to know that's a regular cigarette in the mouth not a funny one! didn't want the wrong impression of him to get out!!!!

Red

Maybe in my younger days. Not anymore.... ;D
Thanks Red! those are great!

 

[Barrel Racer]

Oh my gosh Red, those smiley's are so funny!!

I'll play too.  Born and raised in central Illinois.  Have my M.S. in genetics working with the one of the best equine talents Dr. B  (lol)  As far as cattle and farming go, I grew up in the country have had horses ever since I can remember, but never cattle or pigs or farmed.  I met hubby who is about 8th generation farmer (not for sure on that one all I know is that I live on the centennial farm that was granted that status in 1985).  We decided we wanted some cows to keep my horse company.  One thing I have learned is that any couple wanting to marry should have to work 5 stubborn cows together and then you will really know if you can handle anything  (lol)  If I never hear "make sure she doesn't jump out over that gate" while the 1,200 pound animal has already jumped over it and I am on the ground with the gate on top of me, I think I'll be just fine.  I have also learned that the clutch on a tractor and that on a car are a little bit different.  While having hubby in the bucket of the tractor raised up trying to reattach our old shed doors to the tracks accidentally popped the clutch and ran the bucket with him in it into the barn.  So I am not allowed to drive anymore   

p.s. I have some really good news on the horse front.....(BABY!!!!).... I'm at home and my dialup won't let me do pictures so I'll have to post them tomorrow!

 

[genes]

I would like to apologize for my lashing out at JustMe.

Shouldn't have penalized her for some of my life's experiences, which, have shaped my viewpoints. Had a resume rejected one time, when I applied for an entry-level position in the Feeding Industry. Wasn't applauded for my interest and obvious qualifications. Feedyard Mgr said he never knew anyone "down there" even knew about Performance Records,let alone those that affect Feeeding Preformance and Beef Quality, and, based on the SW-MO/NW-AR/NE-OK cattle he had fed ( I guessed he had some duds in his pens), he didn't really believe that anyone form the greater Ozarks Region would make a hand, based solely on his experiences.
I can remember MANY times at both Youth and Intercollegiate activities, those of us from the MId-south would be kind of left to interact among ourselves.Got insulted about everything from incest/mobile homes/methamphetamines/teen-pregnancy. I knew, right away, that prejudices existed in other parts of the country. It ain't just a Southern Thang. When I would travel to look for Herd Sires, I'd get shown the sorriest cow-fresheners among the potential sires offered. Cagwin was the worst.Bill Smithers, Dave McFarland, Tom& Ron Moore, and Harold Bertz were very much the opposite. Never bought any of their bulls. Didn't have to, either, in order to maintain amicable relations. Everyone else I have met I found to express a directly insulting demeanor to me, and, made frequent remarks about my home area.
Excuse me for my tactlessness.You didn't mean anything by it.

Garybob, I'm sorry you've had to run into those people.  It's actually one reason I like internet message boards.  We don't see people as what they look like or who their friends are.  We get to judge people on what they have to say, which is something that doesn't happen enough in the world.  I can tell by your posts you know cattle, and it doesn't really matter how you learned it. 

 

[genes]

Oh Barrel racer congratuations!!  I can't wait to see pictures.

 

[DL]

Baby! Yeah, congrats! Boy? Girl? Name? Color? At long last congrats!!! (clapping) (clapping) (clapping) (clapping)

 

[Barrel Racer]

Oh Barrel racer congratuations!!  I can't wait to see pictures.

Thanks!!!  After 376 days of waiting on the little guy he's finally here.  I went over to the farm I have her boarded at to foal out and saw him this morning, he's just the cutest little guy (can't you tell this is my first  (lol)).  I'll post more details tomorrow, but it is a stud colt and mom and baby are doing great.  The guy that owns the farm asked me if he was for sale this morning...of course hubby says yes right away, I say I just can't do it yet...

 

[showcattlegal]

Well lets see, I was born and raised in indain country but I'm not a indain. We buy and sale cattle to different tribes of them, The Navajo and the Zuni. This can be a lot of fun sometimes and can be really hard. Being in this business like we are we come across some intresting people. Some don't know anything at all and some think they know it all lol. But it's fun to see there faces when they look and my cattle and ask what they are. They think everything that is black is angus. We had a guy bring in  a bull for us to ship for him, this bull is the uglyest thing i have ever seen I will post a pic of him this week so we can try to figure out was it is lol (it is really really bad).

 

[red]

Although he isn't really an official part of the board, my hubby comes into play a lot here. I'll share some information on him because he has been a major influence in my life.
Mark grew up on a farm in North central Ohio. Has lived in 2 places all his life & they were 1/4 of a mile apart. He's the youngest boy of 7 kids.
When he was 15 (he's 47 now) he was goofing off & riding on the hood of a pick-up. he fell off & was drug. It broke several vertebra's in his back. He spent 6 months at OSU & had the back fused. When he came home, they told him he would be in a wheelchair all his life. After spending some time in the house he decided that wouldn't work. He learned how to lift himself up into the tractors & they adapted the pedals so he could operate them. He started welding in the chair.
He decided at one point he wanted leg braces & to use crutches to get around. The doctors told him he would only be able to do this a limited amount of time because it was too hard on his body. He's been doing it that way for 30 years. The trucks have hand controls & he makes special ladders to access the tractors & combines. He & his 2 brothers are now farming 3500 acres.
Mark doesn't know the meaning of it can't be done. He works 6 days a week & a normal day is 12 hours. He's exhausted when he comes home & is usually in pain. He keeps going. His faith has never wavered.
When I met him, he was one of my feed customers. I asked him out. He had a wonderful smile. He prosposed to me in front of the feedlot. We built our home before we got married. He moved in the night of our wedding. He adopted my daughter legally as his own & gave her his name.
He's been with me through cancer, many sicknesses, deaths & lots of heataches. But we've also shared wonderful times together. What man buys his wife a cow for Christmas? One that knows, that's what she wants! He's my best friend & true inspiration. I'm crying as I write this too.
Red