Where have all the readers/posters gone?

[SEA]

Just wondering “What has happened to this site”?  It seems very few cattlemen follow this forum or if they do, they do not start posts or comment.  This past weekend was the “Big Weekend” of the NWSS Display Bulls.  The NWSS is the largest cattle event of the year in this country.  Yet almost no posts about it.  Years past there would have posts (and photos) for several weeks before and after the NWSS.  The last “Bull Directory” post was April 18, 2018.  The last “Cattle Sale” post was May 25, 2018.  Now, someone puts up a post about a bull or a sale or has a question and there are no or very few responses.  And usually only the same few people that do respond. 

Social media is exploding in numbers of people engaging in it.  So...what is the reason?

1. Too much false information?
2. Too much drama?  (Hard to believe with all the other drama that is written on other social media sites).
3.  Not enough content which they seek?
4.  Gone to another site?  Where?

 

[aj]

As I understand it i am the earliest poster remaining( that is active). I think that there are a lot of other boards around.......more than there used to be. They concentrate on selling and buying cattle and not really other issues. Just my opinion. Some sites specialize in breeds and areas and what not. I am the earliest registered on site or what ever. 2006?

 

[knabe]

i'm feb 2007, a transplant from showsteer or whatever it was when people were arguing there. I used to email red a lot when the site first got started and the first feud broke out because pha had just come out and she had a carrier bull and didn't throw away all the semen and buy back all the animals that were made because of it. then that morphed into anyone that had carriers were evil, then the ones who said they were evil took one to denver and can't understand the irony in that. conversations mutated around that and people left because they were tired of people being hypocrites and others like me, calling them out. moderating a board takes too much time. most of this is just solved with posting interesting information. it is somewhat annoying to post a few pictures say of a few display bulls. when people do, the conversation goes into, this one toes out, look at all that hair, they are too small, they are too whatever. people in general probably feel comfortable with their own outlets for information than on here. when they did, people would say, oh, i remember him, he did wrong on a deal with me and i got the shaft. it's sort of what is playing out in the media today.  here's an article that describes our society's current enlightened way of dealing with people we disagree with.


https://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/guest-columnists/david-brooks-column-the-cruelty-of-call-out-culture/article_014ff474-92a5-5fca-9f8c-8830b49ee5fb.html

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

It’s an odd format and will morph into something different eventually. Social media is brutal. I quit FB completely. The problem on here is there are wolves in sheeps clothing and those who cry when they don’t get a participation trophy. And everything in between. The truth gets lost in the noise. It’s no different than when Trump gets boxed in a corner. He attacks and flips the conversation. All of us on here are cattle nuts. The problems arise when a pissing contest begins. Nobody can admit fault for fear of losing sales and nobody ever has an average animal for sale. It’s always “the best I’ve ever raised”. Somewhere in the middle is the truth. Finding it is where we lose our way.

 

[Doc]

I'm right there with Knabe. I started April 2007. Back when I started Red, Shortdawg, Jill, CAB, Knabe, Justintime, Mark and AJ (and others) would get on here and get some good debates going. It seemed like that maybe people didn't get so butt hurt as they do now. Or maybe they go to more Facebook group pages now and discuss things. I know I have enjoyed meeting a lot of people that I never knew until Steerplanet came along into my life. One of my good friends is Shortdawg, that I never knew until I started talking to him on Steerplanet. Will Lane is another good friend that I met here on Steerplanet. Red was a great person and I always looked forward to seeing her at NAILE. Don't know the answer, just know that there is a lot of good people on here and a lot of good info once you get past a few certain deals.

 

[Lobatomy]

I'm new to posting on here but have read it for years now. I really enjoy this forum and have enjoyed giving my 2cents recently. You all that have been on here for years have great insite into many realms of the cattle industry. I will say I don't always agree with you but highly respect your opinion. I hope this site continues with respectfull debate on where this crazy industry we chose as life heads. Keep up the good words and keep challenging me to think in a different direction. You all have my upmost respect.

 

[knabe]

others i miss chambero, cowz, joe boy, red of course, justme, show heifer, genes, garybob, brahmergirl, dl, elbee, zach, sru, sjcattle, cowboy, telos, but he started showing up again!!. there's a couple more i can't remember their name, eg, there was a shorthorn gal in canada.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I talk to garybob every day. He’s in a group text with me and three others that’s been going on for four years now. He keeps a few cows at Brian Banzets in Kansas. I sold them a bull last year and made a trip out there. Kansas and Ohio May as well be on different planets. It was a good trip for me. If it wasn’t for cattle, I’m not sure how those folks make a living out there. Super friendly to me. Banzet has a shorthorn bull named Viking that should have been a household name in our breed.

 

[Doc]

others i miss chambero, cowz, joe boy, red of course, justme, show heifer, genes, garybob, brahmergirl, dl, elbee, zach, sru, sjcattle, cowboy, telos, but he started showing up again!!. there's a couple more i can't remember their name, eg, there was a shorthorn gal in canada.

I agree on that list of names. What was also funny was how some people would say they were done with steerplanet and not going to post anymore and then they would just come up with a new name and be right back the next day posting !!

 

[cbcr]

We belong to several boards with members involved in dairy and beef.  We have seen quite a decline the last few months of members participating on these boards as well and some are having very little activity compared to just a few months ago.

Facebook has taken some.  Part of it is life, with family and other things taking priority.  Some farmers are struggling to stay afloat because the future of family farms is in jeopardy.  They are taking off farms jobs for extra income to keep thing going and with putting in more hours don't have time left for being on some of the forums.

Most of the members on here have a wealth of information.  One thing about the posts on steerplanet is that the discussions are more organized and easier to follow.  When you read a post on Facebook, it you want to go back and read it again or see who else has responded to a certain post, it is impossible to find it as other posts have been started.

 

[Aussie]

Well while I have not been here since the beginning I used to spent a lot of time on Steerplanet and enjoyed some great debates and through SP have met some great people and made some lifelong friends. I have probably moved to talk a many of people directly on the phone or through FB. I do miss the general cattle chitchat and throwing around of ideas and advice give which is why my first post in a long time is designed to start a conversation.

 

[Woody]

I’m an avid reader but seldom post. SEA I had asked the same question a while back. I still enjoy the useful information found in some of the posts. Maybe I should chime in more.

 

[uluru]

I registered July 2007  and still read it daily.
I have never posted much but do enjoy the informative posts.

 

[Gargan]

https://youtu.be/JPR108kwNo4

 

[knabe]

https://youtu.be/JPR108kwNo4

"i'll do the laundry if you pay all the bills?"

i think there is more to this song.
maybe the cowboy got tired of shaving incorrectly. 

good song though.


this was linked


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSwoM7WIy5M

 

[Clark Club Calves]

I stop by once in a while to have a read haven't logged in for a long time.

 

[jconner2088]

I know several that read but never post. I am one of those rarely post but come to read and then bout this time of year try to sell a few calves. When I was an AG teacher I used it more as a resource for my students to help them get in on debates. However since I have gone to raising cattle full time and farming I don't get on as much as I once did.  Also have found that some of the post have become very repetitive. But still enjoy it when i do get to get on.

 

[aj]

I'd have to agree with E6. It's Trumps fault!

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I'd have to agree with E6. It's Trumps fault!

Never said it was Trumps fault. Lots of other things are his fauk but not the SP traffic. We bought a farm through the usda and everything is on hold because of the stupid shut down. We’ve had to back the closing up twice now.

 

[vc]

Where are the first timers coming to ask for tips and advice, I think we need to make sure we are more cordial when a new comer shows up, "maybe look in the archives" is not the best answer for someone new to the site.
I still enjoy reading the Shorthorn post, never saw so many people from the same breed attack their own so venomously, always entertaining. 
I also thank that some of those here in the past were raising projects, now there in college or married and have moved on.
In 07 my boys were raising projects, now one has graduated college and is working in the landscape architecture field, the other is a foreman for an underground electrical company, not much need to visit this sight anymore.