Beef Magazine

Count Your Many Blessings

Amanda Nolz October 27th, 2009

I’ll admit that, as of late, I haven’t been feeling exactly positive about the state of the beef industry today. What with the cold, wet weather conditions slowing up harvest and making muddy lots, it hasn’t been the best of times this past month. And, I’ll be frank and say that the market conditions don’t exactly encourage a young person like me to jump into this industry with both feet. Yep, it seems like I had lost my enthusiasm for the cattle industry, and I wasn’t sure when or if it was going to come back. However, yesterday I was out helping my dad do chores, and the sun was shining and the rain had finally stopped, and the only way to look was up. I couldn’t help but smile as we watched the calves belly up to the feed bunks to eat, and I was excited to see combines out harvesting as we were moving cows to another available grazing spot. I realized that although the weather and market conditions may not be ideal for us right now, there is hope for the upcoming years, and I’m proud to be a part of this business.



Today, as we face the challenges of high moisture crops, muddy lots, low market prices and high input costs, we need to focus on our many blessings. Yesterday I bottled up that sunshine for future use, and I want to share it with all of you today. What are you thankful for? What keeps you enthusiastic and optimistic about the beef cattle business? Why do you love this industry? Leave your thoughts in the comment section. You never know, you could brighten up someone else’s day, too. God Bless the American farmer and rancher!

BEEF Daily Quick Fact: Of the 3.3 million U.S. farm operators counted in 2007 Census, 30.2%, or more than 1 million, were women. (Ag Census)

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7 Comments to “Count Your Many Blessings”

1. Kristin Stephens Says:
   

   October 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am

   Well, I have to say, your topic this morning struck a prticular interest with me. I just could help but reply. I am a 23 year old college grad, currently working as an inside sales representative for an animal health company while running a small herd of commercial cattle along with my parents cattle operation. Last month we brought our cattle home from the mountains, weaned the calves, picked out replacement heifers, and took the rest to the local auction yard. While my parents large lots of comparable calves brought anywhere from $87 - $95, I was left in the dust with my higher quality, pasture fed calves in small lots bringing $55-$75.

   Talk about discouraged, I was beyond disbelief, especially knowing the quality of heifers in those groups were worth keeping as replacements. Here I am, trying to find my place in this crazy industry and I’m being shot down on the one thing I have known and been involved with all of my life. I must admit though, I never once had a thought of giving up and moving to something else, because just as we have hard times in the cattle industry, everyone else has those hard times too, just in different ways, shapes, and forms.

   I just continue to remind myself of everything I love about the cattle industry and what I have had such a passion for all of my life. We all need to do this, because at the end of the day we will be happy working in an industry we love, despite hitting hard times and experiencing losses…it will still make us happier than working a job we don’t have the passion for, that is only bringing in a paycheck. So as the winter approaches, just as you have, we must all look up and know the sunshine is just around the corner.

   Kristin Stephens
   Tollhouse, CA

2. Randy Rouse Says:
   

   October 27th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

   Amanda and Kristin,

   You both incredibly hit the nail on the head! Like Kristin, discouragement can set in, especially when your first calves go to auction and when you get the results it seems like you worked all that time just to give them away. And then, you have a weekend like this past Saturday when you bring the herd in from the hills and work the calves only to find that your prize bull (purchased to improve your herd’s genetics) has a slight limp and has to be sequestered and watched and one of your best cows is nowhere to be found - oh it can be discouraging.

   But then, on Sunday it all seems to change. You go to church and get blessed in so many ways and then you haul hay to the ranch and find that blessing that you will get only by being a rancher - that missing cow! Well, she had an excuse for not showing up the previous day. She was busy giving birth and adding a frisky little bull calf to the herd! There’s just nothing like a newborn calf…

   So, here’s to the farmers and the ranchers! At times its tough but more so than not, the blessings are tenfold!!!

   Hang in there kids. Take it from the old guy - it’s well worth the effort!

   Randy Rouse
   Hondo, TX

3. Benita Wells Says:
   

   October 27th, 2009 at 4:28 pm

   We all have trying times, no matter what your business. I believe we cattle producers have one-up on other businesses because we can sit in the pasture and watch the newborn calves, watch the stockers eat heartily, and see the mama cows come when you call them. It is settling to the mind and nerves for me. Blessings come in lots of different packages. Working with our cows is one of our blessings. Unless you are a “cow” person, you just dont get it.

4. Ruth Farnsworth Says:
   

   October 27th, 2009 at 8:13 pm

   Amanda,
   I am a very solar powered person, it was so good to see the sunshine the last two days. We are a little behind on our weaning it was too wet to get to some of the cattle with trailers to bring home the calves. I am so thankful to be able to work with my husband as we gather another crop of calves. They look good and it is satisfying to just see the improvements in our herd whether we always get the price we need or not. We had a very trying spring and things didn’t look the greatest when we turned them out to pasture but with that behind us we look forward to another year. We just pray that we will keep the freedoms that we do have and enjoy hearing the optimism in the young people just entering this industry.
   Ruth F SD

5. John R. Harbison Says:
   

   October 28th, 2009 at 8:31 am

   Checking a good set of calves, on a good horse with your good dog, Well it just don’t get much better than that.

   John R. Harbison
   Mercedes, Texas

6. Amanda Nolz Says:
   

   October 30th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

   I love the insights provided in the comments section on this topic, from the seasoned cattle producers to the younger crowd. I appreciate all of you for your continued readership and support. Best wishes down the road.

7. Sheila Orms Says:
   

   November 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm

   Sure nice to see young’uns like Amanda full swing in the beef business. My husband and I both grew up on farms/ranches, and my oldest son, now 20, has worked at ranches and dairy farms before he could uh, drive, legally. Finally, we are to the point now of starting our own beef herd after wasting many years with raising horses.

   We are presently building fences, working yards, updating barns and equipment, and purchasing more equipment. Slowly but surely, we’ll get to our dream, of which our sons will be a part of. It’s definitely something that gets in your blood and stays there, no matter your age.

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