For my final post of 2009, I thought I would share the lessons I have learned as a young beef cattle industry professional in the past year. It’s been one crazy busy year with traveling, graduating from college, moving close to the ranch, beginning my career in agriculture communications and gaining important life lessons along the way. As we look forward to 2010, there is so much to reflect upon and be grateful for, and this blog is one of those things. I have learned so much from all of you along the way, and I appreciate all of you for reading and supporting me through my trials and tribulations as I work to make my mark in this great industry that we all love. With that, Happy New Year! Now for my list of lessons learned.

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It’s no secret that I’m passionate about the beef cattle industry. After all, I’ve made the business the major focus of my career. In addition, there is nothing I enjoy better than to spend my free time at cattle shows with my family and my calves. That’s exactly how I spent my afternoon yesterday at the 2009 Davison County Winter Calf Show in Mitchell, S.D. It was a great evening of socializing with friends, hanging out with my two sisters (pictured to the right) and helping out as the ring man in the show ring during the showmanship contest. Today, the show starts at 10:00 a.m., and I’ll be busy fitting the calves and getting them ready for presentation in the ring.

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The next couple of days are going to be a whirlwind for me as we are loading up four show calves to take to the 2009 Corn Palace Winter Calf Show right here in Mitchell, S.D. With my parents on the show committee, it means that my sisters and I get roped into setting up and helping to register the other exhibitors. As a result, I’ll be blogging on location, but before I head out to load the trailer this morning, I thought I would share a recent interview I had with another alumni of the Masters of Beef Advocacy Program, Chuck Crutcher.

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Well, we had a less than typical Christmas weekend as the blizzard blew its way across the South Dakota prairie, but the wind has died down and the snow has subsided and it’s back to normal at NOLZ Limousin. Over the holiday, we received 20.2 inches of snow, so we definitely had a lot to tackle keeping the calves fed and bedded and waterers thawed. This week, we are going to be busy as we continue to push snow. In addition, we are taking four head to the Corn Palace Winter Calf Show on Tuesday. So, grab your ranch essentials: gloves, coveralls, long johns and face masks; winter is here at my operation! What’s going on at yours?

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South Dakota is in a state of emergency as this blizzard moves its way across the Great Plains. For many, that means extra chores, lots of scooping snow, thawing out waterers and fighting to keep the livestock healthy during tough weather conditions. It also means most of us are going to be stuck where we are at instead of traveling to our Christmas destinations. While a blizzard wasn’t exactly in our plans this holiday season, the most important thing to remember is celebrating the reason for the season with family and friends. So, have yourself a merry little Christmas, from my family to yours. How will you be celebrating the day? Share your stories in the comments section. Enjoy the day and travel safe!

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Yesterday afternoon was busy spent outside trying to make last minute preparations to winterize our operation before the big blizzard hits today and tomorrow. That meant moving the cows to the home place where they are close to shelter, water and feed, thawing out our tire tanks, fixing fence and feeding hay, all in anticipation for this rumored snowstorm that weather reports are claiming will rival the blizzard of 1997. You can read all about that blizzard in an old blog post of mine titled, “Winter Wonderland.” Now, I know what you are all waiting for…the announcement of the grand prize winners for the 2009 BEEF Daily Cowboy Christmas Photography Contest. Our two winners will receive a copy of Cowboy Wisdom by David Stevenson. Well, you voted, I counted and the winners are…

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I know I’m starting to sound like a tabloid with headlines like today’s blog post, and I promise this is the last time I will write about any celebrities in 2009. However, this gossip just couldn’t be ignored, and I know I’m writing to just the crowd to appreciate it. According to entertainment media outlets, Carrie HSUS Underwood is engaged to Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher. Who cares, right? Well, it’s interesting that Carrie’s husband-to-be doesn’t quite share the same ideals as she does regarding animals.

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Without a doubt, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) has been a hot topic of debate amongst cattle producer groups, processors and retailers. In a matter of minutes, COOL became the “it” word at most beef industry meetings, and after much heated discussion, mandatory COOL became effective into law on Sept. 30, 2008. This means commodities, such as whole muscle cuts and ground beef, covered under COOL must be labeled at retail to indicate their country of origin. However, they are excluded from mandatory COOL if they are an ingredient in a processed food item.

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To wrap up the week, I thought I would share a blog entry from the Vegetarian Star that might pique your interest. Of course, from the title of the website alone, you probably already know the topic area and the reader demographics. However, you might be surprised to learn that one entry is about me and this little old blog. In their blog spot, “Kellie Pickler Sparks Veggie Hate Among Country Folk,” I’m referred in the comments section as “just one nut case with a blog.” Read on for an excerpt…Enjoy!

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Being a runner, I subscribe to several magazines on the subject, including the popular Runner’s World. Because of the extreme South Dakota cold temperatures we’ve had the last couple of weeks, I’ve been stuck inside on the treadmill to get my daily run in. While I was running the other day, I flipped through the pages of the Jan. 2010 edition of Runner’s World, and I was excited to see an article that praised meat and dairy products! In an age where many health magazines misunderstand the nutrition power-pack of these products, Runner’s World got it just right! The article was titled, “Not Guilty,” by Ashley Gartland, and although it’s not featured on their website yet, I’ll share with you the highlights today. Kudos to Runner’s World on a fantastic article that reminds runners just how important meat and dairy products are for a well-balanced diet! I plan to write them a nice message, and I think you should, too!

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