Going to the doctor

You know when that day comes and you need to go to the doctor for your annual, or bi-annual, or 10-year checkup...

You get up early, gather up everyone that is going, and make every effort to beat the rush.

But, despite your best efforts, it seems like everyone has decided that this is the day for annual checkups, and it's like a stampede has converged on the doctor's office.

 You finally get in, are given a number,

 and get settled in the waiting room, where there is at least one crying kid.

 The nurse is unimpressed with something that day, and does nothing to calm your nerves, which are fried by the crying kid(s), uncaring mothers of said kid(s), long wait and general ambiance of the doctors office.

The doctor finally shows up, naturally a half hour to hour later than your appointment was scheduled for, and drags in all his equipment from the previous patient.

 You have to hop onto/into the uncomfortable patient table,

 And the doctor performs "unintrusive, minor" poking and prodding to ensure you're in good health.

 You get updated on any of your shots if you need them,

 and discuss any other medications you're taking.

 You leave exhausted, wondering how in the world you managed to pick such a busy day...again,

Then go home and eat comfort food to console yourself until next year.

Ya, my uncle's cows completely understand this week.

Farmers and Ranchers: There is a difference

In the last year or two I have noticed the word "farmer" being used more and more as a general term for the face of agriculture From the media covering agriculturalists collectively as farmers, to being asked by other people in our industry if I'm a cattle farmer, I've seen this trend grow and gain popularity across the country.
It's not that I dislike being called a farmer, or feel they're somehow lesser than ranchers, not at all. It's that they have a different job description from mine. Equally important and similar in that both farmers and ranchers raise food, but still very different in what foods they raise and how they produce those foods.
Farmers raised crops, and hog, dairy and poultry producers are also frequently called farmers. They use a lot of machinery that I have never driven, can't tell you the name of, or what specific purpose it has. They are soil and fertilizer experts, seed variety gurus and plant growing geniuses. They maximize their land potential through the crops they grow, and are often located on the most productive lands in the country.
Ranchers raise cattle or sheep. We use horses and/or 4-wheelers, and a farmer would laugh hysterically at our "machinery." We manage our land to do its best job producing native grass species, and are often doing this on lands unsuitable for farming due to lack of topsoil, moisture, or rough topography. We maximize our lands potential through the pounds we put on our livestock. We are fence fixers, cattle genetic researchers, and we put our water in a tank instead of on the ground.
Farms are also smaller on average than ranches, but that doesn't mean their production is less or the workload is lighter. Farmers have to spend a lot more time per acre on their land to plant, grow and harvest a crop. In comparison, ranchers spend their time gathering, moving and working their livestock, and implementing fences and watering systems, in a fashion that maintains or improves the native condition of their land. Farmers divide their operation up by fields or paddocks, ranchers by pastures.
Again, both very important, but not the same.
Sure, there are those who overlap, and do both. But, for the most part in my part of the world people fall more into one category or the other. There are also those foods that require contributions from both farmers and ranchers before they make it to your plate, and those that come straight from a farm or ranch, through processing, and into the human food chain.
It bothers me that these two very important careers are being lumped together in an attempt to make our industry more understandable. I think it's critically important to inform people accurately, and when people within ag can't tell me what the difference between a farmer and rancher is, it worries me that the general public, who knows little about our industry, will also miss the important contributions both groups make to their dinner tables.
Thank a farmer for your dairy, fruits and vegetables, and thank a rancher for your , lamb and steak!

Weaning and shipping

This is our super-busy week of weaning and shipping from our grazing association, located 200 miles north of our ranch. Each year my family and my uncle's family spends several phone conversations nailing down a schedule to get both his and our calves weaned, then two bunches of cows shipped home a few weeks later. As plans are made they are also inevitably changed based on weather, truck and brand inspector availability and all the other things that can come up with little notice. So far, just this morning, we've switched plans for our weaning tomorrow at least once because they got rain at the association, which means we probably won't be able to get trucks to the set of corrals closet to our cows. It's just part of ranching, and this year everyone is beyond happy to work around rain or snow.
One of the things I love about our operation is that it's based on family, and this week really highlights that. We come out of the woodwork of our individual busy schedules and make it all happen every spring and fall, and we do it together. There is no way it would go so smooth without the great help we have in each other. It's a lot of fun, and that's due to the combination of us loving our work and being able to do it together. We're very blessed to live this life, and weeks like this one give us all a chance to get together and remember that.

P.S. I am linking up with Rural Thursdays over at A Rural Journal

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Fall in South Dakota

I spent last weekend in South Dakota, and boy was it pretty! Here's a glimpse into what I saw while covering the miles.

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. I'm linking up at Fresh From the Farm's Fun Photo Friday. Check out her great blog!