too many pics...

[R A]

I hope everyone is having a great start to a new year!

Today (Feb 1) is the first day I have fed the cows anything this winter.

 

[Soapweed]

Wonderful photographs, R A. They are all of calendar quality. You are a great caretaker of your animals, and you have pictures as proof positive. Just post them more often.

 

[R A]

Wonderful photographs, R A. They are all of calendar quality. You are a great caretaker of your animals, and you have pictures as proof positive. Just post them more often.

Thanks, Soapweed! ...too kind though! I make sure I don't miss any photos you post! Keep up the great photo taking of a great way of life! I wish cows had 8 or more babies twice a year like pigs....my pig herd is taking off like a rocket, where as my cow herd is still gaining at a snails pace... .

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Great set of pictures, you sure have a great eye.
Nice to have you back hope you had a Merry Christmas and are having a great new year.

 

[3 M L & C]

Great pictures!! Are those coyotes trapped?

 

[PureCountry]

Amazing pictures RA! How are ya getting the closeups of the yotees and such?

 

[R A]

Thanks, Big Muddy rancher!

Thanks, 3ML&C! Yes, those coyotes are trapped. My first year trapping. I knew nothing of trapping a couple of weeks before season. The coyotes have started using my place more at night instead of during the day like they used to and I haven't been able to pop them as easy or as many. So I got into trapping. I had a blast and learned a lot this season. Thanks to youtube and a message board I was able to catch some critters...lol. I just trapped behind my house this year, but plan on getting other places around this area next season to trap...and am going to run the line with my horses. I kept all my furs this year so far and am going to get into tanning and making things out of them. I'm also learning how to put up fur better for selling. It's been a really fun learning experience!

 

[R A]

Amazing pictures RA! How are ya getting the closeups of the yotees and such?

Thanks! I'm cheating... . I'd say I'm stealthy like a ninja, but the wild critters are all held by traps.... .

 

[bverellen]

Where in Missouri are you located RA ? I'm located just north across the Iowa line near Centerville.

bart.

 

[R A]

I'm not too far south across the line. I'm about 45 or 50 miles south of Lamoni, Iowa. ..between Cameron and Bethany, Mo. ...a little ways west of I-35. We are somewhat close neighbors as far as this ranching board goes.

 

[MO_cows]

RA, glad to see ya back! Another great set of shots. Your country always looks so familiar, got a friend up around Eagleville and that's how his land looks. And it looks a lot like that around here once you get up out of the river bottoms too.

What kind of hogs are those?

 

[R A]

Thanks, MO_cows! I'm mainly raising registered Berkshire pigs. I do have a couple of registered Spot females also....as in the Spotted Poland China variety that is now just called Spots. The babies up there in these pics are from a reg Berk boar and one of those reg. Spot females.

 

[George]

I look forward to your post! Thanks

 

[3 M L & C]

Those are some really good looking hogs also. My family then I raised hogs from 1969-2004. I kind of miss them. The price has been a roller coaster since then. Always a constant money flow though. How are you marketing them? I know a guy that sells to a place and they do a yearly contract. They have to use berk boars raise on dirt and be all natural. He does good doing that.

 

[gcreekrch]

Hey RA, glad to see you are still ticking and clicking

For your next challenge you can come up and catch some wolves. I've been trapping coyotes and wolves for 40 years and you've already caught more coyotes than I have. :wink:

Things look good at RA Ranch and Farming. Thank tou again for a great bunch of photos.

 

[R A]

I look forward to your post! Thanks

Thanks! I hope your family, cows and dogs are all well! If I seen your signs that were working dogs or had dogs in your vehicle, I'd certainly respect it and stay back... .

 

[R A]

Those are some really good looking hogs also. My family then I raised hogs from 1969-2004. I kind of miss them. The price has been a roller coaster since then. Always a constant money flow though. How are you marketing them? I know a guy that sells to a place and they do a yearly contract. They have to use berk boars raise on dirt and be all natural. He does good doing that.

Thanks! I'm very much enjoying raising hogs! If I had to only raise one of species animal, it would be the pigs.... . I'm mainly selling weanlings at around the 8 to 10 week old range for feeders, breeders and show. I'm just starting to get into selling fat hogs where I take them to the butcher and sell them by the hanging weight and the buyer pays for processing. I'd really like to produce for an outfit. I've looked into one place so far and they didn't pay very well, IMO. They are looking for Berkshire producers, but they were maybe still too much in the middle maybe. I'm thoroughly addicted to eating homegrown pork now... . I can't believe the flavor! I eat some form of pork about everyday. I'm even addicted to eating the pork burger.

 

[R A]

Hey RA, glad to see you are still ticking and clicking

For your next challenge you can come up and catch some wolves. I've been trapping coyotes and wolves for 40 years and you've already caught more coyotes than I have. :wink:

Things look good at RA Ranch and Farming. Thank tou again for a great bunch of photos.

Thanks! I hope all is well up there! Ah man!..that would be awesome to be able to run a line up there! I love to try and catch some wolves! I wish trapping season was still going on here....closed Jan 31st. I walked where my traps were today and seen where a coyote had really worked a dirt hole set that I had. I just spend a few hours overlooking that area with this bright moon and snow cover hoping it would come back and I could pop it, but didn't see anything. Going back out first light to take a peek and sit a bit.

 

[burnt]

Thank you for the pictures and the glimpse into your fascinating projects! It's a pleasure to see someone derive such obvious enjoyment from such a diverse way of life.

I agree on the flavor of home-grown pork. We ate very little until we started raising one or two for our own consumption. Last year a friend who works at an early-wean sow barn dropped off two little sucker piglets in a shoebox! She kept them for us when they were destined to die because they were very underweight and barely thrifty. They weighed just under 7 pounds each!

We had a milking cow then and so they got all the cow's milk they could handle. And they made real pigs of themselves!

When we butchered them 6 or 7 months later, they dressed out at 270 pounds each! Wow, what a pork chop that makes!

We are so fortunate to be able to grow so much of what we eat here. It's more work and likely not a lot cheaper, but it sure is good.

And by the way, as good as our pork is, beef still rules here! :nod:

 

[R A]

Thanks, burnt! Sounds like you raised some great pork! I'd love to be giving my pigs milk. Someday. Someday I'll have a milk cow or 2. It most definitely can be lots of work raising and growing your own food. Last year was pretty big, but this year will be a lot bigger and busier. Awesome though. Yeah, much beef would be consumed here if there was beef to consume...lol. I keep having to sell my butcher steers...lol. I have my best steer from this year out there now and am really trying to keep him all the way to butchering. I can't wait for that! I should of raised more chickens last fall....I'm about out of chicken.