The Opportunities Begin

I am beginning to feel like I am having the time of my life if the old age saying "Time flys when your having fun".  It seems like just days ago that we were preparing for the 2011 show and sale season and now we are just a couple of weeks away from heading out on the road of 2012.

 Farm and ranch people seem to define their lives by events, the drought of 2006, the cold spring of 2010, the record breaking bull sale year of 2012.  That or the year that they attended an event.  Farmfair 2009 or  the 20th Agribition that we attended.

With each new season that approaches we are all filled with optimism and high expectations.  There have been so many decisions that have gone into getting you to where your farming operation is, hoping to take you to the next level.  Your hopes may be a greater acceptance in the market place, a championship banner, making the highlights of a sale report, going home with a list of potential buyers for your bull sale, connecting with past customers and hearing their successes with the breeding stock that they purchased from you.  The list is ling.

One of the first events for us on the circuit this fall is Farmfair International., in Edmonton, AB. This show has a long history but through thick and thin it has treated us well and been a great place to market our cattle.  With the addition of the Ranch Rodeo, another sector of potential customers are stopping by to view our program. 

Our string is a bit smaller this year, but has some unique individuals in it. 

• The first daughter of McIntosh Sweet Talker will sell at the Headliner sale on November 9th in Edmonton.

McIntosh Sweet Talker 32X

• We will be exhibiting a Fullblood Simmental for the first time in 21 years.

Stop by the stall to see what Fullbloods in 2012 look like.

• We will be caring for cattle of Lyle Peterson's of Bar L7 from Calgary.

Stop by the stall for a visit and if you are looking for a really nice black baldy Simmental heifer for a youth project. RJY Sweet Dreams 44Z may be worth a look.  Hope to see you in Edmonton in a couple of weeks.

Blonde's and Cows

Now I'm sure that you are thinking there are no way that these two things go together, but in our house they really do.  For those of you that don't know our daughters they have been toe heads from the day that they were born.  The delivery nurse we had with Crystal, took her into the nursery and announced to all the "little boy baby's" to have a good look at her "because this was the first and last true blonde they would ever see".

Crystal - age 2 months

Over the years Rob loved spending time with his girls working on cattle in the barn.  They had their 4H projects and then their junior Simmental projects.  Our weekends and summers were consumed with packing in as many shows as possible.  It was great quality time spent together as a family.

Stacy on a weekend visit.

Now that our girls are out on their own, his time is limited to the weekends and shows that Stacy can fit into her schedule, visits to see Crystal, or when she can come home to the farm.  We are so fortunate that Stacy gets out to the farm a couple of weekends each month and takes some of her vacation time to join us at the shows. 

Rob flew down to the Iowa State Fair this past summer to help Crystal and Jon with their Herefords.

For the past few years Rob has been watching another "blonde" that loves her cows.  She is such a hard worker and very good at what she does.  She is also very humble and quite, but don't be fooled she is also a fierce competitor.  Rob and Katherine can often be found at a show looking at cattle......mostly in the prospect steer barn.  They have tried a few times to be partners but it has never worked out. 



Katherine family owns and operated JT Livestock.  They hold a steer and heifer sale each fall.  We live about 2 1/2 hours from them.  I visited with the Dollivers this summer when Rob was in Iowa.  I thought their was a few steers their that he might like.  On Sunday we went through the steers and Rob mentioned to Katherine that if she needed a partner he would be interested.  When the sale was done that night, they had become partners on these two little guys.


Whiskey Son

Monopoly Son

I know that over the next 9 months we will be visiting with Katheryn lots and once again spending weekends at the junior shows.  Rob will once again get to hangout in the show barn with one of his new favorite blonde's.

Thankful

First thank you for reading this blog.  I have been very unfocused at writing on the blog this summer and fall.  I think that it had something to do with all of the wonderful weather that we had.  It was a great summer full of sunshine and heat and rainstorms at night.  Then we were blessed with a wonderful September.  The leaves stayed until last week and were full of color.

With this weekend being Thanksgiving here is Canada, I wanted  to take a moment to think about all of the things that we are Thankful for.  Of course FAMILY are on the list, but not everyone gets to say that they have a wonderful family.   Many are not close in distance or relationships with their family members. 
We get to enjoy the company of both sides of our family.  Stacy and Dan are close by and we get to see them often.  Not so much with Crystal and Jon.
 As I make my pumpkin pies and rolls this weekend I will be thinking of them.





Next on my list would be FARMING.......sometimes I wonder why we do what we do, but most days it is comforting to be able to live in this great province, look out our window at the stock that we have invested nearly 30 years of sweat, blood and tears into to make a better genetic BEEF product for the world to enjoy.  This past two weeks has been challenging to listen to every news report and the ecoli mess that has been created.  We want people to choose our product, we do everything that is asked of us to make sure when it leaves our property that it is safe, nutritious and been humanly raised.  Then it is out of our hands.  Unfortunately the people that situations like this cost the most to are the producers and we have no control....except to go out and tell our story more.  To be even better advocates as to how we do business.  Let's not let the media and others be heard the most.

I would also have to add FREEDOM, and HEALTH to the list.  Being able to live in a county where we have choices.  Where we can become most anything we want to, and do what makes us happy.  As for health, I know that our health care system is not perfect, but when we see those that we care about receiving good care and that their is HOPE when they do experience illness, then I am thankful for that.
 
 What ever your plans are for this holiday weekend.  Take the time for just a moment to reflect on all of the good in your life and the things that you are truly thankful for.  If your list is short, then hopefully you will choose to make changes and next year be full of Thankfulness.