Happy New Year

Welcome to 2013.  I am not sure where the last year went but it sure seemed to fly by.  Time for blogging was limited, so I will try to be more diligent this year.  Or maybe teach Rob how to blog.  It seems when we are so busy that we sometimes forget all of the great things that happened in the last year so here is a recap.

January

• Calving begins and the first calves of Elegant Force and Sure Fire arrive.
• Rob and I attend the National Western Stock Show - first time in over 20 years.

February

• Mom & Dad celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary
• Drayton Valley Livestock Show committee folds after 20 years. :(

March

• Revolution sons sell well at Red Deer Bull Sale.  Bulls sell to Alberta, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.

April

• Crystal and Jon are married in Independence Iowa.
• Stacy & Dan Move into their new house.
• We get tickets to see Garth Brooks at the Calgary Stampede.

May

• Dad celebrates his 75th birthday.
• Spring rains bring early grass for cows to go to pasture.

June

• Robs mom celebrates her 80th birthday.
• We display cattle at the Alberta Simmental Association Tour and annual meeting.
• Bathroom renovation is completed.

July

• Garth Brooks Concert at the 100th Calgary Stampede.
• Stacy and Dan are engaged.
• Meet Brandon Callis and his family after many stories from Crystal when he was her judging coach.
• Celebrate Uncle Jacks 70th birthday.

August

• Rob helps Jon & Crystal at the Iowa State Fair, while I attend Ryan & Nanita's wedding.
• Attend pasture tour of Mappin Simmentals.
• Attend annual meeting of the Canadian Simmental Association in Nova Scotia. 
• Rob judges National Young Canadian Simmental Association show in Nova Scotia.

September

• Crops are harvested - poor quality from hail damage.
• Steer calves are sold = net $950

October

• Beautiful fall days to finish off some of those projects.

Res. Jr Champion @ Farmfair 2012

November

• Cattle shows take up most of the month. 
• Quick trip to Iowa to see Crystal and Jon. 

December

• Stacy buys her wedding dress, with a surprize visit from Crystal.
• Checkers sale is amazing - High Country has high selling heifer calf  @ $25,000 and her momma sells for $20,000
• Year ends with embryos and semen selling at the New Years Resolution Sale

Diamond in the Rough

A diamond is usually recognised as the symbol for a 75th Anniversary.  2012 marks the year of the Diamond Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth.  Today May 26 also marks the 75th birthday for my dad - Chuck Groeneveld.  We think he is a diamond in the rough.

Now he may not look quite as young as he did a few years back, but with all the of the things that he is active in, most probably would not think of him as being 75.  Last week he started his summer project of attending over 20 parades though out Alberta with the Alberta Beef float.  In between the parades he will also take the Alberta Simmental Booth and the Alberta Beef booth to many functions including the 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede.  Dad has been a volunteer at the Calgary Stampede for over 40 years.
His interests over the years haven't changed much.  These are the things that he loves:

• Family
• Beef
• Kids
• Cats and dogs
• Talking about beef, his grand kids and his cats and dogs
• Volunteering
• Alberta Beef Producers
• Calgary Stampede
• and thinking up his next project.

He certainly is one of a kind.  A true diamond in the rough. Growing older is a privilege, growing up is optional.  We hope that he keeps being Chuck, Uncle Chuck, that Beef guy or how ever you know him and we hope he never grows up.  Happy 75th Birthday Dad and wishing you many, many more.

A Rewarding November

A couple of weeks back I mentioned that November had been a very good month.  We always look forward to November as this is the start of the show and sale season.  We get to reconnect with our cattle "family", see how our genetics compare to others in the cattle industry and meet some new people.  It's kinda like an early Christmas for us.

We had a great show at our National Show in Edmonton.  All of the cattle we exhibited placed well and the interest we had at the stall was one of the best years ever.  Along with the National Simmental Show, was the AGM for the Canadian Simmental Association. There was some really good information shared about our breed and the initiatives that are happening to advance our breed and the beef industry.  Along with all of the usual information that is given out they also induct a few breeders each year into the Canadian Simmental Hall of Fame.  This year there were 4 inductees.  My dad - Chuck Groeneveld along with Lewis Farms,

Rodney James of Transcon, and Lazy S Simmentals were all awarded this honor.  It usually pretty hard to keep a secret from dad but he didn't figure it out until right before the awards. 

Mom and Dad operated Highwood Land and Cattle at High River.  They started to AI our commercial Hereford herd to Simmentals in the early 1970's.  The F1 cross were amazing cattle and the thought was to continue to upgrade.  But they were impatient and so a herd of 150 purebreds from the original SBL herd (home of Parisian) were purchased. 

Through the years that they were in the business, dad was the Alberta Simmental President, on the Canadian Simmental Board and traveled across Canada and the US to many shows and sales. We showed at all the major Canadian shows as well as Denver, Houston, Ft. Worth, and Portland.  He is currently the fieldman of the Alberta Simmental Association.

What was really nice about all of these inductees is that they were there to receive their awards.  Congratulations to all of them and for what you have contributed to our breed.  You have join a very elite group of individuals.

Annual Meetings

Going to a meeting usually isn't at the top of everyone's list of things they want to do.  Often they feel like it isn't a good use of their time.  But meeting can play an important role in the business that you do.  Even if that business is Agriculture.

Annual meetings like the Canadian Simmental Association Annual meeting that is going to be held in Edmonton on November 11, 2011 at 9:00 am is a great place to spend a few hours.  At this AGM you will have the opportunity to:

• Network with fellow breeders
• Meet the staff that work hard for us in the office
• Learn of our associations financial position
• Learn of the work that has been done in the last year to advance our breed
• Give direction for the breed for the next year
• Elect 3 new board members that will represent you

This year the Alberta Simmental Association Board of Directors
has asked me to run for the Canadian Simmental Board.  I have been asked "why would you want to do that?"  In short, I want to give back to an association that has been very good to my family and a breed that plays a significant role in the beef industry.  If elected the areas that I would like to work on are:

• Promotion
• Working with and enhancing the great work that the Provincial associations are going
• Young Canadian Simmental - our Youth program. (YCS)

I was a founding board member of the YCS and feel that with a strong youth program, we strengthen our parent association.  Currently all of the directors on the Alberta Simmental Association were former members of the YCS program.

It would be great to see you out at the AGM on November 11, but if you can't attend you can either fax a proxy vote ( by November 1) to the CSA office or send an originally signed proxy with a member to the meeting.  I understand that there will be an election for the 3 director positions.  Let's get involved in our association.  Hope to see you there.

The Value of Junior Beef Programs

There is always the discussion with Senior agriculture boards on the value of a junior beef program.  How do you measure the value that you are getting for the dollars invested?  We're  not sure that we have the answer to this but we do know the value that it has played in our family.

Rob started his junior beef experiences with the Junior Hereford Association.  He often will recall his trips to the National Hereford Bonanza.  In the 70's and 80's the CJHA was one of the most envied associations.  They lead the pack for the others.

In 1980 the Canadian Simmental Association formed the YCS - Young Canadian Simmental Association.  I had the opportunity to be on the founding board. 

When our daughters became old enough (ages 5 & 7) they couldn't wait to join the AYCS.  Throughout the years this organization gave them the opportunity to fall in love with Simmental cattle and travel across Canada to the National shows.  They also had the opportunity to attend 2 National shows in the US.

Again what value does this bring to the beef industry?  In our opinion it develops the leaders of tomorrow.  For the past few years all of the directors of the Alberta Simmental Association have been past active members of the junior association. 

One year we roughly kept track of the amount of money that juniors bid or spent on cattle at the fall sales that we attended.  Although we weren't  at all the sales, we figured that over $100,000 was generated by junior members interested in Simmental cattle.  Many of them  have gone on to become successful purebred breeders and users of Simmental genetics in there commercial herds.

This past summer our daughter Crystal had the opportunity to speak at the first American Junior Simmental Association Summit. The Summit was held not only for a leadership building opportunity but also as a networking opportunity. 

So whether we are building leaders in our industry, generating revenue for our genetics or just giving youth some great lifetime experiences and memories, we believe that the return is unlimited for the investment made.  We hope that you will take the opportunity to support these associations in the near future.

Year in Review

2010 is almost come and gone.  Another decade finished.  If someone would have told us a year ago that we would be writing a blog in 2010 we probably would not have believed them.  Sometimes the year goes so fast or we are looking forward to events in the next year that we sometimes forget the things that were memorable in the current year.  So let have a look back at 2010.

January

• First calves of IPU Revolution 172U arrive......we are very pleased.
• Old man winter makes sure we remember what winter can be like

• Rob gets a new calving shed

February

• Simmental bull sales are going strong
• Tickets to Australia are booked

• We say good bye to good friend "Auger"  His family honors us by giving us his show stick.

March

• We get to listen to Crystal speak at Lethbridge College on Agriculture Advocacy and Social Media in Agriculture
• Rob's dad has a massive stroke....family is in shock

April

• April Showers and more rain.  Thank you Mother Nature.
• Bulls are all out working

May

• April showers bring Grass and lots of it. 

• Lots of 4H shows to judge
• We say good bye to Rob's dad - "Howard Young"

June

• Champion Bull and Res. Champion Female at Drayton Valley Show, great night for a BBQ and tunes by Ty Wilson

• Cows and calves are out to pasture, no grasshoppers this year.


• Excellent Alberta Simmental Tour through Central Alberta

July

• Fun times showing steers at Calgary Stampede.  Res. Champion Charolais

• Honored by the AYCS (Jr. Simmental Association) as the Friends of YCS
• Great visit with Buddy and Francis Leachman while watching Lance judge at Synergy

August

• Great long weekend at the Saunders reunion on Vancouver Island
• a few games of golf
• Starting fall work so we can be away for a few weeks

September

• World Simmental Congress in Melbourne Australia

• Sale cattle selected for National sale, Agribiton and Checkers
• Spending some time with Crystal down under

October

• Res. Senior Bull at Olds Fall Fair.....thanks Stacy for taking care of things

• Wine tasting in Australia along with snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and Kangaroo hunting
• Great visits with friends at National Trust Sale

November

• National Champion Bull at Brandon - IPU Revolution 172U
• Grand Champion Bull at Farmfair - IPU Revolution 172U

• Won a Featherlite Stock Trailer for being a contender in Super Saturday at Farmfair - Thanks Warren from Allan Dale Trailers, Red Deer. Ab
• Res Sr Bull - Agribition along with a class winner - RJY Joy's Firstdate 1W.
• Meeting "the Boy"  Crystals friend Jon.

December

• Being a part of the $8400+ average Checkers Sale
• Adding "Elegant Force" to the herd and having her arrive all the way from Kentucky.

• Spending time with friends and family at Christmas





Investing in our Future

As Purebred breeders we are often asked to sponsor or support our local 4H and junior beef programs.  This is something that we love to support as much as our budget will allow. 

Rob was very involved in the Alberta Junior Hereford Association and attended many National Bonanza Shows across Canada.  I was a founding member on the National Junior Simmental Board - YCS.  Both of the girls have followed with their junior careers starting at ages 5 & 7 with their first YCS Show in Bashaw.  They showed the first Black Simmental Heifers ever at an Alberta YCS Show.  Black Beauty was Reserve Champion Female and the sponsor of the award refused to stand in the photo because she was not a traditional Simmental.  Wow have we ever come a long way.  Through the Young Canadian Simmental Program - YCS our family has traveled across Canada and the US for National Shows. 

Through these shows the girls were given the opportunity to see much of North America and form many friendships.  They also took on a leadership role, being on the provincial board of Directors and Stacy being the National President. 

Now many might just see these programs as something for the "kids" of the breed to do.  But the value that we see in the Junior Livestock Programs, is that of developing young leaders in agriculture.  The current board of directors of the Alberta Simmental Association are all alumni of AYCS.  They all are active purebred breeders.  There have been many years when the sales of Simmental heifer calves have been increased because the kids are all looking for a heifer to show.  Here are some of the youth events that we have been proud to support in the past year.

• Drayton Valley and District 4-H Show
• Focus on 4-H - Regional 4-H Show
• Canada's Richest Youth Show - Simmental Division
• Alberta Young Canadian Simmental Show - Res. Junior High Point
• Canadian Simmental Foundation Auction
• National YCS Calender Program

The next time that you are approached to support a Junior Agriculture Program, please give it some consideration.  You never know when your support will make the difference in that young persons life.  In the next few weeks there are some great shows happening.  Might be a good time to stop by and see what amazing things these kids are doing.

• Provincial 4H Beef Heifer Show
• AYCS Summer Show
• Summer Synergy