First Time Fun…

There’s ALWAYS a first time for everything! Just thinking about that brings back some super fun memories! Of course, there are all of the standards – first steps, first words, first day of school, and on and on. For farm and ranch kids – there are some other really cool first time events! The first time of ever seeing a newborn calf come into the world; the first time selling a favorite 4-H steer; the first time you are allowed to drive a tractor or the 4-wheeler; Kaydee’s favorite first thing she can remember is winning a rosette at her first show and Emmet tells me his favorite first time event is showing a calf. Well, that is a GREAT lead into the rest of this story!

As I write this, Matt, the two spawn, and I are in Denver at the National Western Stock Show. Now, all four of us have been to the Stock Show previously, but never to show. Yes – FIRST TIME!!!  If there is any one livestock event that has a load of history, it would be this one! My Grandpa George, who is into his 80’s now, participated in the Catch-A-Calf contest here when he was a youngster. Kaydee and Emmet are showing in this, the 107th National Western. Gramps is awaiting a phone call from us to see how it is all going.

First time…not so fun!!!
Our arrival in Denver last night was one of sheer chaos! We finally, after more than one or two times driving around the area, found the spot we should be to show health papers on the heifers and get our exhibitor numbers and souvenir badges. The next step was to get stall assignments, tie heifers out for the night and get the stall set up. Weeellll, not so much. We did find a tie-out (a place where the cattle can be outside overnight for fresh air and rest from the barn) so the heifers could get off the trailer, eat, and rest. Whew! Cattle comfort is first priority! Stalls for the inside – well, we would just have to come back this morning and see if they had any….really? We paid a significant amount of money for quite a few stalls! But, so did a LOT of other people – who apparently didn’t have to wait for kids to get out of school.

Oh well, heifers were settled. We could just head to the hotel and get some supper and get some rest ourselves. UUmmm, yeah – who really rests well the first night in a hotel? Anyone? Certainly not me!

Today is a new day – and a pretty good one at that. As it turns out, we got stalls, we have dear friends stalled on either side of us & the kids are starting a vicious game of spoons as I finish writing. Good times, wonderful memories, and time for me to go get some hot chocolate!

A couple of pictures from today…here are Kaydee and Emmet each getting their heifers checked in. Remember that post I did ages ago about tattoos?  Well – here they are, checking tattoos…

                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can only imagine the fun stories the next few days will throw my way…

Finally…Thank you so much to the Montgomery family for their help when we were getting our stall situated this morning!

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Trust…

This weekend was a first for our family. Matt and I went away overnight on a date (no, that isn’t the first, but I will admit, it doesn’t happen often!). The “first” I am referring to is Kaydee and Emmet going to a cattle show all by themselves. Oh – they weren’t totally on their own. We had a very nice neighbor that was kind enough to let  our heifers hitch a ride to the show in their trailer. And, another family who lives just down the road was there, too. Not to mention all of the wonderful families we get to visit with only at shows…yes, it takes a community to raise a child and the cattle show community was there for us this weekend. Oh – it took a tremendous amount of TRUST on our part to let our kids go 3 hours away on their own, stay in a hotel on their own, get up in the morning and take care of the heifers on their own; get the heifers show ready and be in the ring on time on their own; and on and on and on. But, they did it! They joined some wonderful friends for a Thanksgiving feast on Thursday night after they got the cattle washed, fed and settled. They got all checked in for the show and into the hotel. The didn’t wreck! Wow! Maybe we have done a few things right getting them to this stage, LOL! I just can’t believe they did all of that, and did well, without me there doing my motherly duty of nagging!

Emmet and Rosa in Final Drive

The kids had a great “Showcation” over Thanksgiving weekend, while Matt and I spent a day celebrating the life of a very good friend who got to spend his Thanksgiving in heaven and then we left for a couple of days in the city – First for us…attending an NFL game.  FUN TIME!!!!  Back to the kids… What is a “Showcation” you might ask? It is time off work that is spent at a cattle show or in a cattle show environment. Showcation often financially replaces a traditional vacation. (for many years). But it is SSSOOO fun!!!

Trust…it has to be earned. It can take years to earn one’s trust and then it can be diminished in one quick wrong choice. Yes – I said choice.  Every decision we make is a choice. For those of us growing food for many others besides ourselves, we make the choice every day to treat our animals well. Our family chooses to raise cattle that will become beef, which we hope many, many others enjoy as part of healthy meals. Our choice to keep our cattle healthy and comfortable will result in a great eating experience for someone else down the road. We want customers to trust that the beef they are buying is tasty, tender, and healthy and that the cattle were treated well along the way.

Life is full of choices and opportunities to earn trust. The kids passed a BIG trust test this weekend. We certainly aren’t ready to let them drive that far on their own with the pickup and trailer! However, we might let them go places on their own more often. And – that means more dates for Matt and I! Plus, I figure that if the kids are hanging out together,  they will look out for each other and we don’t have to worry about them being out on dates – at least for now!

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Why Bother?…Tradition…

I saw a picture on a friend’s Facebook wall recently that says it all. Here it is:

Oh, there are plenty of loud disagreements and long days and sometimes longer nights when you have cattle, but all of it is worth it. Why? There are so many reasons. One, we get to eat delicious, healthy beef & offer that product to customers from all around the world. But there is something more, much more…

It really goes deeper than doing the daily chores and work it takes to be considered a rancher or farmer or seedstock producer or whatever term is most appropriate on a given day. We have just returned home from yet another cattle show. This time, the SUPER FUN Iowa State Fair, where yes, I was reminded again, by my tired body, of how young I am not! Regardless, I was really proud that more than one time other moms observed what close friends Kaydee and Emmet have become. I know that if they were both so involved in separate sports and other activities that they were never on the same team, this would not be the case. However, as it is, they are a team, with their cattle and in our family. And yes, they do team up on Matt & I, more often me than him, darn it! But I do try to keep a smile on…

  

Of course, the friends made at cattle shows are treasured & memories are priceless, but at an event like a State Fair, we have to remember that the cattle barn is also a giant classroom for all sorts of people who do not live on a farm. Many of them have never been to a farm & have certainly never touched beef cattle. So, yes, Kaydee’s heifer, Smalls, who got the privilege of being in the end stall right next to the big aisle where all of the people walk through made her way into literally dozens of pictures. I can’t guess how many times she got petted and thankfully, she was a good sport about it the entire time! On Saturday, Kaydee tried her entrepreneurial skills out, but to no avail! Really, she just wanted people to have to talk to her before they touched her cow. Haha!

Well, another show is done & the awards at this one were not numerous for Kaydee & Emmet, but we all had a really good time. I read recently that people who travel/vacation every now and then live longer because they have good memories to think about. Well, a cattle barn is not very tropical and it certainly doesn’t smell like the ocean, but the memories are abundant. So, yes, for our family, the tradition will continue – I am the sixth generation of my family to have cattle; Kaydee and Emmet are the seventh. We are always for trying out new ideas, but having cattle is one tradition that will stay in our family for a long, long time.

And the tired troops head home until next week – and then it’s off to another show…

 

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Wacky Wing Wednesday

The kids had a great plan for supper tonight!  Wacky Wing Wednesday at Bubba’s in the nearby town of Strang.  YUM!  It is so relaxing and messy and fun!  We were lucky to get there early tonight and get a table right away…plus, it’s planting time, and there is rain in the forecast, so alot of families will work in the field as late as possible tonight, lessening the wing crowd.  On a busy night, close to 2500 wings will be served.

So, you start out with a nice clean table like this – with a plastic tablecloth:

You will soon find out – Emmet avoids the camera as much as possible.

Next, you place your order.  We chose BBQ, Hot, and Bourbon wings with some fries and onion rings. 

Here’s how it is served:

I love it….they bring the food out in little silver buckets and dump it right on the table for everyone to share.  Come to think of it, it kind of reminds me of dumping feed in the bunk for the cattle!

The kids and I had a good visit and good food.  Matt is on his way home – nope, we didn’t save anything for him.  Hope he’s hungry for a roast beef sandwich, because I think that’s about all that’s in the fridge!

If you are ever in our neighborhood on a Wednesday, plan on staying for supper and going out for wings.  I know, I am a total beef person, this is THE RARE occasion I relent and eat fowl.

I have to add – being a teenage girl must be so much more difficult today than it was a “few” years ago.  HA!  She only thinks so!  Gosh – all the girl wanted was to be chosen as a server (she’s just a sophomore) for prom.  That wish came true.  Now she has had to give up showing cattle on Saturday, which she LOVES.  She has had to pass on helping with my parents’ and brother’s branding, which she LOVES LOVES. And, she doesn’t get to go socialize with all of her friends at Emmet’s trapshoot.  DARN!  And….it’s my fault because I didn’t tell her these things might come up BEFORE she accepted the role of prom server.  The conversation to and from Bubba’s was probably more entertaining for me than it was for her!  AAHHH, to be a teenager and have all of the difficulties again….

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