Inspiration from "Turquoise Thursday" on Cattle Call

I have always thought turquoise is a really pretty color on other people and for decorating in other people's homes.  About a year ago I found Crystal Cattle: Turquoise Thursday blog. I enjoy reading her blog and this also began my not only noticing more turquoise around me, but truly appreciating the color.

A couple of weekends ago Jake took the girls and I to Amish Country and I walked into Miller's Dry Goods and Fabrics . This was one of my Grandma Poorman's favorite fabric stores.  As I walked to the back of the store I was instantly drawn towards a stack of fabrics centered around the Moda line of
Marmalade.  I decided to buy the fat quarter stack. Because I am new to turquoise after I got all the pieces cut out, I was scared of what I had.  I got some confidence to move on with the project from my quilting mentor Jennifer and Jennifer at the girls' bus stop.  I finished the quilt top last weekend.

Thank you for the inspiration Cattle Call and thank you for the courage to forge on Jennifer and Jennifer.  Stay tuned to see the finished product in it's final destination.

Ohio Valley Cattlemen's Banquet

I am aware that most American families go to the movies or maybe bowling on Saturday nights.  However this past Saturday after we went to Mass we attended the Ohio Valley Cattlemen's Banquet.  If you have not attended your local cattlemen's banquet - you should.  It is good food, usually the best steaks with a salad, green beans, potato and pie.  There is usually a speaker followed by door prizes.  I'll take you through the night as it unfolded.

We ate a lovely dinner of steaks, potatoes, green beans, salads and pie.  We had lovely company, as we sat across the table from two older couples.  One of the ladies shared with me that Russet Potatoes make better mashed potatoes than Idaho Potatoes.  That is good information you can't get at the bowling alley. She also told be that Riesbeck's has them this week.  Looks like I will be going there.

Dr. Francis Fluharty from The Ohio State University was the guest speaker.

Dr. Fluharty was my professor at The Ohio State University for Feedyard Management.  After the banquet I asked if he would let me use his slides.  He graciously sent them to me via email.  There were so many good points, that I will break them out over several blogs.  The first point was most interesting to me not only as a beef producer, but as a mom.

1950 those had to have been the days.  There were only two cities of more than 10 million people each,  New York City and Paris. 

This is the map for today.  This seems reasonable. But then . . .

This is the map that concerns me. In 2050 I will be 72 years old.  The girls will however be in their 40's.  What does this map mean to them.  Although the girls were sitting next to me, they don't yet grasp the concept of megacities, billions of people or even other continents.  Jake has since downloaded the app "stack the countries".  

This leads me into the next slide Dr. Fluharty went over. Which is where will we find enough Agricultural Land to feed all of these people?  As Agriculturalists that is how we think.  Dr. Fluharty later told me I should make sure the girls learn a second language.  I put that on the list.  This graph also makes you think of several other career ventures including International Agriculture and Real Estate Investments.

I will continue this discussion in the next few weeks about what this makes me think about the beef industry and ours along with the girls' futures owning a feedyard and cows.

The door prizes were then handed out.  The girls were excited as they began calling names.  The first door prize was handed out a hat from the local farm machinery dealership, and a couple gift cards.  Soon Jaelin's name was called.  She won a gardening hoe.  She kinda liked it. She used it Sunday to dig up treasures in the yard.

Then Jacie's name was called.  She won a tube of grease and showed little less enthusiasm.

It was a great evening of beef knowledge and fellowship with the local beef community.

Making the Leachman Bull Cut

When all the cows are gathered up and sorted from their calves to be bred, it makes an excellent opportunity to evaluate the calves.  Although at this young age calves can still change a lot, most things won't change. A heavy muscled calf is a heavy muscled calf, and a structurally sound calf is a structurally sound calf. The top end bulls will be saved from the castration line later to possibly be sent to the Leachman Bull Sale this fall when they are weaned and sold next Spring.  This decision is huge.  

There is nobody who understands the Leachman Bull philosophy better than Bobby and Steve.  They have been cooperators since 1998 and have helped many other producers breed some of the best composite bulls in the country. The highest selling bulls in the sale could bring $20,000.  I sure hope we have never castrated a $20,000 bull. That really makes you scratch your head.  Doesn't it Steve?

I only understand the basics of the system and that is the bulls are given a $Profit EPD.  The $Profit EPD includes these traits combined.  

Calving Ease, Weaning and Yearling EPD, Fertility, Carcass Weight, Marbling, Ribeye Area, Hybrid Vigor, Mature Cow Size and Feed Efficiency

The customers at the bull sale have a lot easier time sorting their bulls by physical characteristics in pens and then looking at EPD's since they really are all combined into $Profit. Although as an educator and former livestock judging team coach I think it is still important to teach students to read, understand and interpret EPD's. However, I'd rather buy a bull on $Profit.

This $Profit assumes each bull will have 100 progeny in it's lifetime. If you were to buy a $10,000 $Profit and your neighbor bought $6,000 $Profit.  The difference would be $4,000 dollars or $40 per calf. This model also assumes you have 3/4 Angus cows and that you will retain 30% of your heifers. It goes further to assume you retain ownership in your calves and sell them on a grid. Although most people don't retain ownership, you can market and hopefully reap the rewards of a proven calf crop.

If you are reading just to see what is going on with the Wolfinger's, thank you.  If this leaves you wanting to know more about Leachman Cattle of Colorado's Bull Sale, you should visit here: http://www.leachman.com/

Mentor and fellow Cattleman Rick Wyer

I mentioned the other day about trying to make a list of mentors.  The people that have helped Jake and I get where we are today.  I didn't know exactly where to start and how to derive this sort of list.  Then it came to me after receiving the most horrific, sad and disappointing news.  Last night Jake's Dad called to tell him Rick Wyer was killed in a tractor roll over accident while raking hay.  I was so shaken by the news, because he has a wonderful wife and two boys.  I couldn't help but think of all the farm wives including myself that this could happen to.  I also thought this would be an excellent place for Jake and I to start the blogs of thanking people for mentoring us.

Rick has always been a source of information and advice about the breeding of cattle.  Rick although he had no PhD in beef genetics, was outstanding in the field of mating the right cows to the right bulls and raising exceptional offspring.  This bull was just one of them. He also had an eye for finding the great ones.  He did this in the middle of pastures across the country, in show barns, sales and auction rings.  He was a confident, but never arrogant or rude.  He would give an opinion only when he was asked, and then he was never harsh.

WYR Impulse 1 CA Chiangus ACA # 240047 Impulse was the 1999 ACA sire of the year, 1996 National Grand Champion Chi bull at Louisville and Reserve Champion bull at the 1997 Denver Chiangus Classic. This was after pasture breeding cows during the summer of 1996! Impulse offers the flexibility needed in all segments of the beef industry. He has tremendous muscle mass on a long, loose skeletal structure that is moderate framed. Impulse has excellent testicular development measuring 41.75 cm in Denver and that “breeding bull” look. Impulse is out of a Pine Drive Angus dam and was sired by Total Play CAX.

Not only was he excellent at breeding good cattle.  Rick also sold cattle and mentored many youth, including Jake.  When I started teaching at Logan and students were looking for calves to show at the fair, I went to Rick.  He had calves for every level and at every price.  He helped me find calves for students with the smallest of budgets. I am not sure he knew the impact he made by helping these girls.

Hilary Bailey with a Grand Champion steer Rick helped her find.  Hilary is an Agriculture Education graduate of The Ohio State University.

He helped Ashley Meyer (who later was hired at John Deere and worked with him) find this steer.

He helped Kayla purchase calves and even let us use his scales to check weights.  He became a feed consultant at no extra charge and even dropped of the scales before he went to work.  All for no extra charge. Kayla is studying Agriculture Education in Illinois.

Helped Kristy Klingenberg win Reserve Grand Champion at the Hocking County Fair. She is almost a Junior at The Ohio State University studying Animal Science and hopes to continue on to become a veterinarian. 

He helped Katie Barnhart purchase her first steer project. She is now at The Ohio State University  studying  Animal Science and hoping to continue on for a masters in Animal Science - Equine.

Rick Wyer will be missed by many in agriculture including both the beef and swine industry.  My thoughts and prayer are with the family.