Good Times, White Lines, and Stock Shows

First off, we want to thank everybody that follows us here.  Although this blog was originally intended just for marketing, it has been fun to share with you all some of the craziness that happens in our life on a daily basis....kind of an "online therapy" if you will.  Obviously, there must be enough folks that follow us, as we received our very first Best of the Barns Nominations this year for "Best Ranch/Farm Facebook page" and for "Best Cattle Blogger".  We are really excited and honored to receive both nominations from the folks over at RHD, we have been dilligently working to gain new contacts through our Facebook page, and being that our blog is relatively new, we were extremely excited about this one.  I think people are able to relate with all the different things we talk about. So, thank you....

Now, about the title, "Good Times, White Lines, and Stock Shows".  This pretty much sums up this time of year for us.  The month of Novemeber generally becomes a little of a blur.  We just got back from Rd 1 at the NAILE with Kendall and his barrow Kermit.  Kendall did very well.  It was by far the best job he has done showing anywhere. He ended up making the sift in class.  We thought he would be a place or two higher, but at this age, it is about experiance. We are so proud of how far he has come in the past 2 years in terms of not only his showring presence, but also that he is starting to understand the whole big picture and and the sacrifices that are sometimes made in order to participate in this project. I will tell you though, he is also of the age, it is not getting any easier to let our animals go.  Below is a picture of Kendall and Kermit getting ready to show.  I have noticed within the past year, that although Kendall knows he will be getting a premium check for his pig, right before he shows, he gets in the pen and starts getting quiet and petting his pigs.  I think it is his way of dealing with the fact that he knows they are not coming home with us. One thing that we have taught him is the value of humane animal treatment and that first and foremost, animals are raised to provide safe, healthy food for people, so he knows that Kermit will become bacon, but it still does not make it any easier.

Kendall and Kermit

 He got to spend the weekend with his friends, oh, and of course he had to buy something at the giant country store.  I swear, that place is a shoppers weakness.

Steph, Taylor, Beth, Kendall at the pig show

  

Dusty, Beth and Kendall at the Cowpokes booth in the Giant Country Store



 I absolutely love showing in Louisville, whether it is cattle or pigs.  That Country Store, seeing old friends, making new ones, and of course...THE GREEN SHAVINGS!  Now, it is pretty neat that the pigs show on green shavings, but I am not going to lie, that view walking down into Freedom Hall and seeing the green shavings and all of the people in the stands is one of my most favorite things. It gives me goose bumps every year when I walk in there for the first time.  For those who have never exhibited cattle at the NAILE, Ranch House captured the view that I am talking about in this motivational poster:



 We got home Sunday night in time to get a shower to get the pig smell off of ourselves and get two loads of laundry going(thank God for a second washer/dryer in the basement).  We regrouped Monday and  today , getting ready for round 2 in Louisville next weekend. I( Beth) am working on getting the laundry done and suticases repacked as I have to be at Purdue Weds, Thurs, and Fri. for meetings.  Dave is busy working on getting the first round of fall cows bred, cattle moved around and some last minute clipping done before we leave. Oh, and Kendall starts basketball on tonight.   Even though it is exhausting being in Louisville 2 weekends in a row, we would not miss it.  We got to see all our pig friends last weekend and are excited to see our cattle friends over the next weekend.  Kendall is way excited to go back to Louisville to pick up part of an early Christmas present.  Kendall is finally( after a year of asking) getting a Corgi puppy of his own.  If you see a little blonde haired boy dragging around the puppy below, make sure to stop and tell him how cute it is. We have not come up with a name yet, we are working on it. 

We will be kinda all over the place this upcoming weekend in Louisville, so make sure to catch up with us.  Dave will be doing a clipping/fitting demo with Kirk Stierwalt, sponsored by Weaver in New Market Hall as well as we will have a heifer there and helping on some fat steers on Sunday. Also, don't forget to look for us at the Donors on Ice Saturday night at the Hilton.  We are consigning some outstanding embryo packages to that sale.  Thanks to Tyler Humphrey for asking us to be apart of it.

Now, the rest of the month----

Come home from Louisville(again), and we are off for 1 week(Yay!!).  Then, Thanksgiving, and on Black Friday we leave for Lima, Oh for the Heart Of it All show, come home, then, start clipping cattle for Hoosier Beef Congress the following weekend. Whew!!!

It is crazy how busy this time of year gets, but we would not change one bit of it.  Good luck and safe travels to all at the NAILE and all the other shows.  We look forward to catching up with everyone.

Dave and Beth