Troy Marshall nailed it

[Turkey Track Bar]

This came in my email from the Beef Cow-Calf Weekly. I think Troy nailed it, and it brought a tear to my eye, and a twinge in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with those in SE Colorado, Western KS and OK, who battled record drought just to get nailed with a record blizzard. There are some folks are on ranchers from those areas. I wish we could do more to help.


TTB

The Story Of A Cowboy Hero

Mar 16, 2007 11:15 AM




Public interest in the 6-ft. snowstorm that hit Southeast Colorado has melted away with the coming of warmer temps, but the difficulties for area ranchers in many cases are just beginning. The calving stories are almost too horrific to recount -- abortions, weak calves, older cows calving early and/or not producing milk, and poor calving percentages. I recently talked to a cattleman who said he'd consider a 50% calf crop at this point a minor victory.

This rancher had been planning to background last year's calves through the winter. Instead, he sent what calves he could gather to town in early January in an attempt to preserve his limited feed resources for his cowherd.

He confided that, like so many other cattlemen, this was a storm he wouldn't be able to ride out. He was making plans to capture whatever equity he had left, and was plotting a direction for his family in the next stage of their lives.

Despite the fact he was wrestling with feelings of failure, regret and the repugnant prospect of moving into town to get a job once the last of the cows and land were sold, he still took pride in the fact his calves had topped that early January market. It was a validation of sorts that, despite the giant curveball thrown his way, he'd fought the good fight.

I didn't have the words to make this cattlemen feel any better. I couldn't imagine the toll all those 18-hour days had taken on his psyche, all the stress, the frustration, and to have known the outcome was decided in the first few weeks. Still, he'd lived up to the code. His thoughts through it all had only been on the welfare of his cattle and his family.

As our conversation ran down, he looked at me. I thought I detected a tear in his eye and a slight quake in his voice, but I couldn't be sure because I was too busy trying to hide my own. He said, "I'll be able to provide for them (his family); I know that. I just can't shake the feeling that I'll always just be an unemployed rancher. That was all that I ever wanted to be."

I understood what he was saying. Like so many other times, I realized how fortunate I was to live this dream. It also made me understand just how dependent we are on Mother Nature and the fragility of our livelihood.

That rancher may not have cows this time next year, but I hope he knows that in my eyes he'll always be a cattleman of the highest regard -- a cowboy with grit. There's no higher compliment.

-- Troy Marshall

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I had just read that on the E-Mail. really sad that with all we face that the weather took him down. Agriculture needs a quality disaster program in the US and Canada.

 

[feeder]

I agree with you BMR. There is money for hurricanes and what not but how about snow,drought and flooding, It seems the majority of farmers and ranchers are just one weather disaster away from going under. Yet we hold our heads high and try to think positive thoughts.

 

[Red Barn Angus]

I sent this article to the Congressman from my district. I think these people need to see this kind of information. We've spent billions on weather disaster problems to those who built in a swamp beside the ocean, why is there no help for "salt of the earth" people like this cowman in Colorado or Kansas or wherever?

 

[Work Hard and Study Hard]

That is a sad story. Drought is one of those disasters that Washington doensn't pay attention to. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards catch the media headlines yet drought is 10 times more costly and you die a slow death. Here in SW SD we are entering the spring drier than the previous 7 years. I hope to god we get a wet April and May or there will be a lot of cows sent to town. It gets pretty damn discouraging to work your ass off and have it all come down to weather. But I guess it's always been that way and always will be.

 

[S CO rancher]

Having just finished my first week at a full time job in town, I can fully identify with his feelings, it is hard not to feel like a complete failure. I am working at the Soil Cconservation Districts and NRCS, one of my 'jobs' is to learn how to map and add soil types to the maps for what I am going to be doing this summer. They told me to work on a place that I was familiar with, so of course I chose my home place. After 10 minutes I had to quit, go out back and shed my tears. In fact as I write this I teared up, it happens at odd times when something brings up a good memory, then realizing that I can never experience it again, it almost becomes unbearable.

Tomorrow is going to be another difficult one. We sold the replacement heifers, so the last generation of cattle I have raised is going to someone else. A good rancher and friend is getting them, but they are no longer mine and will be 180 miles away. I know there will be tears when the trailer pulls away.

I know it will get better, but talking to someone who sold out 10 years ago, he still feels a failure and misses his ranch to the point of distraction.

We are cattlemen-women, it is in our blood, we love our God, our livestock, our land, our families, our country, we will never outlive or forget that love.