empty nest

[jodywy]

This place never really needs a full time hand, most the time one person can keep it running., the modern hay equipment, the head gates and ditches, my alley way and corrals. There are always a few jobs that need help or go faster with help fencing, moving cows, branding. No rope and drag usually 3 of us and a calf table. Well my youngest is in Costa Rica on a LDS mission. My hand, my daughter is home from college and is leaving her horse and all the work I had planned for her too run off to Montana to work close to where her Boy Friend is. He oldest who was a good hand is on the other side of the Veil.
Just trying to find a high school kid to push calves into a chute is impossible today years ago we had so many show up they wrestle calves, and the be so many ready it was hard to keep the irons hot and a cutting knife sharp. There guys that will come and rope and drag, but we set up easier to use the chute and table as the cows need worked too. Sue and I done it before guess she take a day off work and we'll do it again.

 

[gcreekrch]

I know where you are coming from Jody. We hope we never experience the loss you and Sue had but the boys are gone to live their lives in their own way. i guess I was the same way.

The oldest is married with a son 5 hours away and has a good job and his own starter ranch. The youngest is working in the oil patch as an electrician in Saskatchewan. He's now talking about buying an island in the Phillipines and building a resort. If a guy is going to dream it may as well be big. :roll:

We got the first bunch worked yesterday with the help of 2 grandpas and one's grand daughter. Have another friend that will come to brand if we need him.

This winter has been far too long. Grass is still slow, raining again since yesterday afternoon and we are nearly out of hay. Corrals are too wet to work cattle in again. Creek is really high now and we are still in danger of losing a 6 foot culvert on our driveway. Only way now is up. :wink:

 

[George]

I had great aspirations of my son taking over the Gravel business but while he was great at it his heart is in farming - - - but we have been able to buy several farms close and as such he and his wife and my 2 grand kids are about 6 miles by road ( 3 as the crow flies ) and farming 2,300 acres and running about 30 cows.

They are doing great and I am very proud!

My daughter only helped part time in the gravel pit and joined the Marine reserve out of high school and is attending college to be a physiologist and states I will have to pay her $250.00 per hour to talk to her after she gets her degree.

That leaves me at 63 trying to find the right person to lease my pit on a percentage basis. I feel most of the people who have approached me so far are not the right ones. I require that they sign a letter authorizing a complete criminal and personnel background check. Several have refused and thus I show them the gate and several that have agreed don't measure up.

The last candidate is on his 5th wife and has lost his driver's license for life due to DUI - - - he is quite indignant that I will not hand the keys over to him.

Getting help with my cattle is like pulling hen's teeth so I keep my herd around 20 and work them by myself. My Granddaughter is 3 ½ and my Grandson is 5 months so I might have to keep after it another decade or so.

 

[burnt]

Jody that's a hurtin' way to get to a tough place. So sorry for your loss.

The pictures are powerful and speak well to your situation.

 

[WVGenetics]

Deeply sorry for your loss Jody. My parents have said there is no harder thing to endure. They lost my older brother when I was only 2 and in a farming accident no less. I don't think my dad has ever forgiven himself. I had one particular close call on a piece of equipment in high school, rolled it over right in front of my dad. He was so scared he shook and he wasn't even mad about the damage, at least until the fear wore off. Then it cost me a pretty penny to fix his machine. Sending a prayer your way.