AI in the spring

This is one of the most exciting times of the year for us as cattle producers. Coach and I have been thumbing through sire catalogs to find the best genetics for the heifers and cows we will AI this weekend.
Coach is better at this than I am because he doesn't get swayed by cool names like Womanizer, BuckCherry, Friday Night Lites and Red Headed Stepchild. He is a genetics guy and he understands what it is going to take to build a club calf operation.
The really exciting part of all of this is that we're building a club calf operation. Us. We. I have accepted a position at Genoa-Hugo High School for next year and you can join us at our reception August 29 in Hugo.
The even more exciting than that part? We will have our first big batch of club calves for sale next year. Life is good out here on the plains.

Rachel the Showpig

One of our livestock judging kids is the 8-year old daughter of one of the best livestock judges to hail from Lincoln County. She is cute and can give a set of reasons that will make you sit up and take notice.
Mikayla shows a number of species but I am, of course, the most interested in her pigs. It sounds like she has a pair of nearly every breed around. She's serious about this showpig thing.
She found me in Sterling after the judging contest to tell me that she has a pair of Durocs to show this year.
She went on to tell me that they are the same color as my hair. I asked what she named them and she replied with a shy grin that she named one Rachel.
I asked if she had named one of her show pigs after me and she grinned and nodded a yes. I've never been so flattered!
I hope Rachel the Showpig does well this year!

I do love pigs

It's true. And I was pretty distraught when I received an email from Jon Fisher, a head honcho in the pork business, detailing the sad state of affairs in the pork industry.

Here's the deal, folks. This chart illustrates how the flu hysteria has impacted the Pork industry. Hard working pork producers' livelihoods are in grave danger since the H1N1 virus was labeled "Swine Flu".

Pork is safe to eat. Period.

Misinformation could bear irreparable damages to the family and large farms all across America. These are the same farms that are such a vital part of our worldwide food supplies. Allowing this trend to continue will put farmers, like us, in a terrible situation and will cause the price of groceries to leap. There is no need to buy into the hysteria based on misinformation.

Take care of yourselves and be smart. As for us...we'll be in the hog sheds.