Random thoughts in the life of a Cow Girl

BORED AND PERHAPS A LITTLE EVIL...

2012-02-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

It's Friday and I have already worked out, finished morning chores, vaccinated, weighed, and re hooded the new calf,cleaned the kitchen, washed my cover-alls and answered some email. Now I'm bored. The wind chills are pretty spectacular so I really have no intention of playing outside today; cow checks are the only excitement on my agenda.

Bored, bored, bored. Cool, here comes the Fed Ex guy. Hmmmm, too early for a valentine delivery (ha, ha, ha...that's funny, as if) Not really expecting anything except a semen shipment. Eureka!!! Oh joy, the boredom is over! What fun I shall have with the Fed Ex dude. I must be bored if the mere thought of making the Fed Ex dude blush makes me laugh audibly and kind of like the witch on the Wizard of Oz.

Quickly I formulate a plan as I watch from my kitchen window while he shuffles through his cargo. O.k., so here is my plan. I am going to answer the door like a Publishers Clearinghouse winner, screaming with excitement at the sight of the mushroom-shaped tank he is carrying. I will throw my arms around him hugging and thanking him with tears in my eyes (note: he's REALLY nice looking...BONUS!) then I will explain to him that he was delivering the Semen I had been waiting for FOREVER and that I was the luckiest woman ever. Then I would ask him if he could wait a moment while I unloaded the shipper. When I return with the shipper I will say something clever like, " thank you SO SO much and my future offspring thank you too!"

Imagine the look on his face. I can't stop giggling. God I'm bored. Yes, and pretty much CHICKEN too. Today the FedEx dude gets off easy. I will just meet him at the door, giggling like an idiot, and then thank him for the semen!

WHAT IF.... THE LAST LAUGH

2012-02-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ok so before I get started I just want you to know that I am NOT planning on dying anytime soon. But... IF I do... I want somebody to document the comments from whomever comes into my house to empty things out. I can only hope that whoever it is has some sense of humor or at least understand the life of a cow family. Maybe I am not the only person that leaves things where I do but I am certain, without a doubt, that if my city sister knew what half of this stuff was that she would pass out.

It really didn't dawn on me until today when I was baking in the kitchen and went to grab something out of the spice speed rail that I have on the back of my counter. As I sorted through the spices I grabbed a half used bottle of Estrumate. It was right between the Cumin and the Celery Seed. Clearly it had been mis-filed! I didn't use it by the way. I went to the fridge to grab some butter out of the the butter tray and noticed the cysterelin next to the bottle of 5 Hour Energy and pound of butter. Beside the fridge is a hanging pan rack...devoid of any pots or pans but draped with my XL o.b. chain and a rather alarmingly large collection of orphan keys.

Beside the fridge are three...yes THREE spotlights. It's like the three bears house. One is too large, one is not working and the smallest is JUST RIGHT. OMG...I must be a hoarder!!! And the cords!!! There are cords EVERYWHERE...spotlight cords, phone charger cords, ipad cords. At least I have them all labeled. Oh yeah, and then there is the dremel charger for the dremel that I use to trim Darby's nails. (No, not my nails!)

So I am sure there will also be comments about the boxes of syringes and needles that I keep in the cupboard. I suppose it does look a little suspicious but if they find all of the donor drugs first I guess it really doesn't matter what they think about the syringes.

And finally, I guess that even I would have to admit that the spare bottle of O.B. lube under the kitchen sink is a little bizarre. Honestly though, when it is all said and done, I should get the last laugh.

CALVING SEASON: THE DEFINITION

2012-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

SLEEP DEPRIVATION: the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain.^[1] It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function.^[2] Few studies have compared the effects of acute total sleep deprivation and chronic partial sleep restriction.^[2] Long-term total sleep deprivation has caused death in lab animals.^[4]

Imagine my chagrin when I read that sleep deprivation can cause weight GAIN! Pffffft! So that would mean that I would have to find the brain power to actually formulate a cooking plan, do the actual act of cooking and then hope to have enough energy left over to stuff it in my pie hole! I actually envision myself some days eating a burger while my head is laying on the table...or floor...David Hasselhoff-style only without the self-induced hangover.

Calving season is both exhausting and exhilarating. There is no way to explain the satisfaction that comes from seeing each calf born. No amount of sleep deprivation can make me too weary to enjoy fruits of my labors. The four hour nightly checks are immediately forgotten. But when these old heifers continue to chew their cud and stare at me like I am a bloomin' idiot every time I stumble through them during the night clad in pink coveralls and jammies with my spotlight in hand I start to wonder if it's worth it.

Men can do all of this and drag their bods back to bed and fall immediately back to sleep. How do they do that? But not I...oh heck no. I get to lie in bed listening to the soft snoring of Bradley and the Darby dog. Happily, most nights, I will dose off after an hour or so of Married With Children re-runs only to wake up shortly for the next check.

So, when I drive the four wheeler down the lane to run to town rather than my pickup or fill the dog dish with hot water or do the same load of laundry two...ok, THREE times because I can't remember if I put laundry soap in I would have to say that SLEEP DEPRIVATION is working for me. And if anyone suggests otherwise (like age and hair color) I may hurt you!

PAY IT FORWARD

2012-02-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

Ok, this is a little off the definition theme but I just wanted to make a comment about how sometimes the simplest comment can really have a good...or bad influence on somebody. A good friend of mine stopped by the farm a few days ago and commented that he missed reading my blogs and that I needed to get back to writing. I honestly couldn't believe that he followed any of my blogging. It made my day. Not that my blogging is driven by other people's responses. Honestly I don't care if anyone reads them. They simply make me feel good and hopefully make somebody think outside the box once in a while. But when he commented about my Blog it made me feel wonderful. I don't think I can ever make him understand what that meant. It honestly was such a simple way to make somebodies day. I hope that I can return the favor or make somebody feel just a little better today by something I say. Remember that today and PAY IT FORWARD.

PROCRASTINATION

2012-02-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

pro·cras·ti·nate (pr-krst-nt, pr-)

v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates

v.intr.

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

v.tr.

To postpone or delay needlessly.

What a great way to start off Monday! My house needs a serious overhaul top to bottom and the sheer magnitude is overwhelming. I don't seem to be lacking motivation...I just don't have it as high on my priority list today. So am I a procrastinator? 1. I have already had my morning workout at the gym. 2. Chores are finished, cows have been checked twice and the wandering calf has been returned to momma. 3. I have had my morning cup of tea/caffeine and the pooches have savored their treats. 4. I have sent all of the correspondence that was required of me today. 5. I am ACTUALLY doing my blog! So, perhaps I am not a procrastinator by definition. I don't make a habit out of it and I can't say that I am being lazy today. SO WHY CAN'T I GET MY CLEANING ATTITUDE IN GEAR?!

OK, so I have four main areas that need a cleaning overhaul. Is there any reason that I can't just tackle them one day at a time? Sweet Jesus! (hey, that's a song!) Then it won't be so overwhelming. Or perhaps I just need some stronger motivation? I could get cleaned up and go to town for some serious Java infusion and possible that will just get my jiggy going and I can tackle the entire job. Or I could just sit here and blog all day until it's too late to get anything done. Too hell with it. I think I will just go find Mr. Clean and get down and dirty with him!! Look out kitchen...here I come!!!

2012: Definitions

2012-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

CATHARSIS:
ca·thar·sis/kəˈTHärsis/
Noun:
The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

I have been away from my blog for quite some time. I tried to blog during our sale last fall but it was almost painful and laborious for me. Some days the thoughts and ideas pour out of me but over the most part of last year the well was dry. I think that over the last few months I have been undergoing a catharsis that has enabled me to view and handle things in my life differently. I sometimes liken it to an awakening of sorts, when you are able to open your mind and soul to focus on the things in life that have always been there but you have never seen or understood. The transitions during this "awakening" seem to go slowly for me and I would have to say that at this point I am actually still a little groggy and trying to wipe off the sleepy dust.

Some things contributing to my apparently ongoing "Catharsis"?:

1. A strict workout routine/diet- I found myself the most fit person in Denison and enlisted his help as my whip-cracking P.T.A. coach (Pain, Torture and Agony) and I signed up for a year membership at the fitness club. I spend at least an hour there every day and sometimes up to two or more. God bless him! He's a rock star.

2. Eating healthier-You seriously need to take some time when you are grocery shopping and READ the labels! It is amazing how different similar items are nutritionally. I gave up deep fat fried EVERYTHING for a month. Yes, it almost killed me but now I can hardly stomach a french fry or a chicken nugget. A donut makes me gag. And sugar...oh sweet sensuous satisfying sugar...well, I have mourned its loss like a dead friend. Not saying that I have given it up altogether but at least I am not eating powdered sugar straight out of the bag!

3. Taking time - take time to enjoy the little things, the big things and anything else that needs to be noticed. The cattle won't die if they are not fed a precisely the same time every day. If I die tomorrow they aren't going to put "She was a crappy housekeeper" on my headstone. If Darby asks me to roll with him in the grass in the sun then by God I am going to do it. I am going to skip cleaning the barn today to fiddle with that creative walnut chair project sitting in the shop. Take a day and go spend it with my kids. Take time to just do something special with or for somebody. Take time to laugh...and take time to cry. No regrets-No guilt.

***Above all, take time to let the wounds heal...and take time to understand that it simply takes time for that to happen. Pain itself is cathartic.

4. Picking My Challenges- lowering my stress by feeling comfortable with tackling less challenges both in work and in other parts of life. QUIT TRYING TO SOLVE ALL OF THE WORLDS PROBLEMS AND QUIT TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING! DUH!

5. SAY NO! - It's interesting how my diet has influenced the rest of my life. Not only am I putting smaller and healthier portions of food on my plate but when it comes to my "life plate" I am doing the same thing and it has almost the same result. It's good to clean your plate but it works so much better if you work hard not to over-fill it to begin with. Tackle smaller portions at a time. Oh, you won't believe how much less stressful it is.

I think I shall dwell on definitions for a while. I will attempt add some humor...Juli style. Some days may be a little out there (like today) but hopefully I can bring a little sunshine to your day.

Final Countdown

2011-09-03T04:33:00.001-07:00

Well the weekend is upon us and the rains as well. The heat finally broke last night with a welcome rain. A beautiful rainbow could be seen across the paddocks from the porch of the bunk house. There is another good chance of rain today but we are ready and waiting for all of our visitors today.

Welcome to all who visit, both in person and on the internet. Please remember that if you have any questions about the sale or calves or bidding process to please don't hesitate to call one of us. We are always happy to talk to you.

I think there are several calves that are seriously outstanding that are still getting looked over. A few are getting missed just because they might not have the same hair condition as some of the others. You have to keep in mind that some calves came from totally different environments. Miller's calves, for example, came from much more moderate climes. They still have a lot of fuzz but they didn't lose their baby hair until later and therefore are not as thick on their new hair. Paul Miller commented to me earlier that these calves were the SUPER hairy kind! Don't miss these calves just because their hair isn't as fresh as some of the others. The shows are still quite a ways away and there is plenty of time for them to Yak out on you!!

Hope to see everyone this weekend. The weather is going to be BEAUTIFUL! High 60's and low 70's.

P.S. If you eat at The Pub tonight, don't forget to ask them for the Club Calf Paradise special!!!

Juli

Mobile friendly: not so much

2011-08-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

I just love modern technology but everyday is a learning experience. If younger trying to bid from your phone you may be experiencing some problems. I just found out that the site is not mobile capable...or something like that. Anyway, you will have to bid from your laptop or computer. I am sorry for the inconvenience. Please call us if you have any problems! We will rectify this issue next year!

Here comes the sun!!

2011-08-28T10:13:00.001-07:00

Well if you are running around Crawford County, Iowa looking at powerful club calves you will be happy to know that colorweather radar is showing that the storm is passing! I can already see some clear sky to the northwest. So if you are ready to look at calves we have them rinsed...thanks to Mother Nature! Stop and grab some lunch and we will guarantee sun when you get here!!

A tough day at Paradise!

2011-08-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's what we do in Iowa when it rains! Typical males...feed them and show them an easy chair... I'm just saying!

All about the cowpower!

2011-08-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's not hard to tell why the Lot 18 Heifer sired by Redemption is such a hot little number. She comes by it naturally. I haven't had an opportunity before this sale to see any Redemption calves but I have to say that I definitely will be talking with the Miller family about carrying his semen next spring. But you have to seriously understand that the maternal side of this heifer's pedigree is just as powerful. This picture of her dam says it all. Wouldn't you love to have a pasture full of these kind? How could you possibly go wrong in today's market with females of this caliber.

Just a few more hours!

2011-08-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for your patience on our auction site. We are downloading pictures as we speak and should have the video up within the next 24 hours! If all goes well we will have the auction ready to start bidding by tomorrow night! Once the auction is running we will be able to approve bidders so if you have already applied but havent received your verification, it will be coming soon.

Again, thank you for visiting Club Calf Paradise!

NEW BIDDING FORMAT

2011-08-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Our sale website should be up very soon and you can register to bid. We are happy to take your bids on the phone too. This year we are changing our online bidding a bit. You can bid at any time before Labor Day but at 6:00 on Monday (Labor Day) the actual auction will begin. A timer will be set for ten minutes. You must be online to bid at that point. NO CALF IS SOLD UNTIL EVERYONE IS DONE BIDDING!! That means that you are free to bid on any calf at any time. Whenever anyone bids the clock automatically resets to 10 minutes. When there is no more bidding and the timer runs out, the auction is over and all calves are sold.

This will hopefully alleviate some stress and inconvenience for our bidders. The sale should, in theory, run very rapidly and make it possible for everyone to get to bed early!

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me and talk to me. I look forward to helping you out and helping make your next show calf purchase.

Juli

Picture day and videos: Woof I'm glad they are over!

2011-08-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Mark Sneed and his amazing help, Katie Smith (Crocodile hunter). It all went amazingly well and I laughed like I hadn't laughed in years. What a wonderful support team we had for pictures. Maximum Exposure is currently working on editing pictures and videos for the website and we should have them up this week. If you stop by and can't find us you might need to look in the kitchen. Brad will be busily working on baking multiple cheesecakes for a certain someone. Long story. I am just saying that the way to a man's heart is directly through his stomach!

Mark did forward one picture to show me how the lighting was that day...we were fighting the clouds so had to practice LOTS of patience.

This is a Gigolo Joe calf (Lot 32) consigned by the Smith family.

SMOKING!

2011-08-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

Another Iowa State Fair draws to a close and marks the beginning of the new club calf season as kids and their families head out on the quest for their new show projects. The calves have arrived at Club Calf Paradise and are settling in very well. We have actually had some visitors already.

This is easily the most powerful set of calves that we have ever had at paradise. If you can't find what you are looking for here then you aren't looking hard enough. They are all very well mannered too and we have picked out some of the "characters" already. You will have to watch the site for stories and pictures as Team Paradise (Nick Anderson, Cam Stateler and Nate Ketelson) works on keeping the calves looking their best. I am sure there will be stories about "Shamu" and "Pork Chop" as well as pictures.

We will be taking pictures and video this weekend so watch for those up dates. MOST IMPORTANTLY be sure to ask about our new completely online bidding.

Hope to see you all at Paradise!

Crawford County Fair Feeder Calf Champion

2011-07-29T13:05:00.003-07:00

Here is a consignment from the Smith family. He is already winning the purple!!

How to beat the heat!

2011-07-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

Darby does as well in this heat as I seem to do!

Congratulations!

2011-07-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Jarrod Gaines post on facebook today:

Hey Juli Just thought Id Let you know your Heifer Just won AGAIN Champ Commercial hefier and Reserve Supreme Overall at THe Marion Co Fair In Hillsboro Kansas! I will send you a picture !
13 hours ago · Like · · See Friendship

Jarrod purchased a Heat Wave X Hereford heifer from our sale last year. Congratulations! BTW...I have her full brother selling this fall!!

How NOT to beat the heat.

2011-07-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

The spring storms were a little tough on the trees on the farm. Every time we get a little wind the limbs keep falling down. Thankfully Ryan Gotto, who helped with the sale last year, offered to lend a hand. By the grace of god the tree missed the spare house!

Fair Times

2011-07-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

The heat didn't slow things down in the show world this last week! Congratulations to the area families that showed calves from Club Calf Paradise and Nelson Cattle Company.

Mason Mentink showed a division winner at the Harrison County Fair held in Dunlap, Iowa. Mason purchased the Captain Morgan steer on our 2010 Club Calf Paradise sale. He has done a great job getting this steer ready for the shows. We have a maternal sister out of Monopoly selling this fall.

Makayla Smith showed the Champion Maine heifer and Reserve Over-all heifer at the Crawford County Fair in Denison. She bought the heifer from Nelson Cattle Company last winter. The heifer is sired by Nelson 26T2 and out of a Mona Lise/Big Improvement daughter.

Dalton Smith showed the 5th Over-all Market animal. He purchased the steer on the Club Calf Paradise Sale in 2010. The steer is sired by Heat Wave out of a Hereford cow. We have a full brother selling on our sale this fall.

Keeping hydrated

2011-07-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure that these babies thought I was mixing up margaritas but they sure weren't disappointed when I got finished and they realized it was Gatorade. When it's 103 degrees I guess you need to find any way you can to convince calves to drink electrolytes!

Darrel Nissen Memorial Open Cattle Show: Denison

2011-07-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Reserve Champion Feeder Heifer: Darrel Nissen Memorial Show was a Maine-Tainer sired by Heat Wave out of Black Betty (Daines Dr. Seuss) raised and owned by us, fitted by Nick Anderson. Thanks Nick!! Watch for "Diva" on our Labor Day sale!!

Congratulations to Dalton Smith and his Champion Breeding heifer today at the Nissen Memorial show in Denison. He purchased this Dr. Who heifer on our Club Calf Paradise sale last fall. Sorry we don't have a picture from the show today...I will post as soon as we get one.

Kids and family: the big picture

2011-06-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in Kansas City watching the Trifecta of Junior National cattle shows; Maine Anjou, Chianina and Charolais. It is still early in the week but every parent here looks like they just finished a marathon and the kids don't look much better. It is impossible for anyone not involved to even imagine the work that goes into getting these kids here and the support that goes into putting on an event like this. These kids work their tails off and will leave at the end of the week with memories to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

I love watching the fitting contests and especially enjoy sitting in the stands and listening to the parents spew advice from the rail. Oh what I would give to see the parents out in the ring doing the same thing their kids are doing. Most of these kids, even the youngest ones, could run circles around us big kids!

Every kid here is going to leave exhausted but the motivation levels should skyrocket! This just reinforces that winning is not always the ultimate goal in this business. This kids, and hopefully their parents, are learning the value of the learning experience and the social and responsibility skills we are giving our kids. Positive life experience far outweighs standing in the winners circle in my book. We can still set and achieve goals. At the end of the day they should all be able to crawl back to the motel with pride in what they do and a passion for their work.

Monopoly X Gigolo Joe/Irish Whiskey Heifer

2011-06-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

I never got along very well with this heifer's mother but she is the pasture pet this year. Brad has her spoiled! I love her look, her attitude, her color and her potential! Watch for her on our pasture sale this fall.

Why I love Maines: Lesson #1

2011-06-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

Gigolo Joe: six year old Maine Anjou bull. He is a gentleman in every aspect of the term.

Consistent Donors: That's the key!

2011-06-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

Black Betty hit a home run again this year with her second calf. Her Heat Wave heifer is truly a Diva and we are pleased to say that Black Betty has earned her way into the Donor lineup for this year. Once again, Cowpower has paid off and "Diva" will most likely be hunting for her place in the purple in the near future.

GRIZZLY

2011-05-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

I can "bearly" keep this semen in inventory. The sexed Grizzly semen has been incredibly popular this spring as well as the regular semen. Mr. Guyer even dropped off some Whizard semen. He is 1/2 SIMM and 1/2 Maine out of Steel Force. We are adding new bulls to our inventory daily.

Semen sales are GREAT!

2011-05-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU PHIL LAUTNER! Meyer 735 sexed semen is FLYING out the door. OVER 90 UNITS IN THE PAST WEEK TO MY LOCAL AREA CUSTOMERS!

Give me a call anytime to chat about

Help Has Arrived!!

2011-05-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

Finals are officially...well, final I guess. Nick (the other son)is home to the big D and ready to have fun. Oops, I mean WORK! I'm just saying!

BUNK HOUSE SEMEN: Captain and Co-pilot

2011-05-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Things look a little cluttered right now but the semen is flying out the door! Thank goodness I have GREAT help as backup.

360: Join The Revolution!

2011-05-03T08:36:00.001-07:00

Well, we know what the maternal route can do...Denver Champion Foundation Simmental Female out of Meyer 734. Incredible donor in the Jones family string out of Maximus. Now we can see what the club calf genetics will do on 360. Her Heat Wave and Who Made Who offspring will make your head spin!

Be sure to stay tuned this fall for embryo and pregnant recip purchase opportunities!

Congratulations Colin Barker!!!

2011-04-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Colin Barker for another purple! Colin's heifer was the Champion Chi heifer and the Reserve Overall Heifer at the MU Block and Bridle show. This heifer was purchased on the 2010 Club Calf Paradise sale last fall. She was consigned by the Barry Maas family and we are all really excited for Colin. Barry Maas is like a proud new father. He has the heifer picture on his phone and shows it to everyone! Keep up the GREAT work Colin!

BAZINGA!! Not just another pretty face.

2011-04-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

BAZINGA! Pictured at 7mos of age. Homozygous Black Smooth Polled THF/PHAF
Dam:Black Betty (Daines Miss 42U) Sire: Gigolo Joe BW:76

Once in a GREAT while you find a cow that makes your mouth water and you can't live without her. If you are lucky enough to get her into your program and she produces a fabulous calf straight out of the starting gate you count your blessings and hope that it wasn't a fluke. Then you probably do something crazy and take a chance at breeding her to something completely different because you want to see if it really was a fluke or if the cow is actually a rock star and can consistently produce a bell ringer. So, when she does it again out of a completely different bull you jump for joy. That female is no longer just another pretty face in the spotlight. She is a proven producer and a donor!

Bazinga was Betty's first calf. He is pictured at barely 7mos of age. This bull is incredibly massive, hairy, moderate framed, soft and sound and he can't be anything but incredible coming out of a young female like Betty. This bulls pedigree is stacked for calving ease, growth and maternal traits. He is now owned by Brady Lee of Charter Oak, Iowa but you can purchase semen from many distributors including Bunk House Semen at Nelson Cattle Company. We are really excited about this bull's outcross pedigree and his potential on both purebred and crossbred cattle/heifers. If you get a chance, take a look at him at Nichols in Ankeny.

OH YEAH, you might want to stop and see the Heat Wave heifer that is at Betty's side. She is a DIVA!

Dalton and the Red Head

2011-04-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

Dalton Smith of Charter Oak, Iowa purchased this Dr. Who daughter on our 2010 Club Calf Paradise sale from Dave Cornelius. That boy has a good eye! This female is already winning the purple for him. She was the Reserve Champion MaineTainer at the Algona, Iowa open show and then the Overall Reserve Champion Female at the Kent Habeger Memorial in Webster City a few weeks ago. CONGRATULATIONS DALTON!!

Sunshine and Easter Bunnies

2011-04-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! Sunshine, green grass and happy baby calves. Life is good. Nick (the adopted son) was home this weekend and we got a wild hare for "livestock beautification". It was so nice this morning to amble through the calf paddock and look at the calves sporting a new look. There is something about looking at a month old calf completely maxed out that just seems strange.

Black Betty, our Maine donor has a knockout Heat Wave heifer on her this year. There is definitely something satisfying when you can take an incredible show and donor female and have her make a calf that outdoes the cow. That's 2 for 2. I guess we made a good decision on this cow.

360, the Angus cow that raised the Denver Champion Foundation Simmental as a first calf heifer has rung the bell again. We took the "clubby" route last breeding season and it looks like it is going to pay off as well. The Heat Wave and Who Made Who clicked and these calves are head-spinners.

Old Herf did it again this year. We refer to her as the old Herf but she's not really old. She foundered two years ago and doesn't get around the best. We baby her and have her feet done regularly but she kind of gimps around like me...hence "OLD" She had a massive Heat Wave bull calf. He isn't marked like a hereford but he is easily the stoutest and hairiest calf she has ever had. He is one to keep an eye on.

We are incredibly pleased with the calf crop this year. Monopoly has definitely made an impression at Nelson Cattle Company. We had no calving problems, the calves are stout, sound, hairy and...most importantly, they are dang good! I used Rocky Balboa on a smaller framed first calf heifer and got a super fancy heifer that is going to be a great show prospect. Nick has a cherry red Tiger Woods heifer that gets better every day; very feminine and has a great show look. I have an Uno Mas bull out of a Maine cow. I honestly wasn't that impressed at the beginning but the little guy is becoming a standout.

If you are ever in the neighborhood this spring I hope you will stop by and see the new calves, sit a spell at the bunkhouse and talk about your semen options this year. We are looking forward to seeing everyone! Have a happy Easter!!

Bunkhouse Semen: Open for business!

2011-04-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

There has to be something wrong with a person if working for hours organizing the spring semen inventory and talking with semen consignors gets you excited! The rainy weather has given everybody time to start worrying about what they are going to use on their cows this spring breeding season. I have been getting lots of calls and texts from people wanting to bounce ideas around. I am hoping that I will have time next week to visit some of the bull studs in the area and look at many of the new bulls as well as the golden oldies! There are SO many bulls out there and some of them get lost because they just don't have the huge advertising budgets.

Bunkhouse semen will be completely stocked and ready to fill everyone's orders by this weekend. I am going to be working on a complete listing of our semen inventory and will have it posted on our Bunkhouse Semen website. Of course, the bunkhouse is always open to visitors! Please feel free to give us a call and stop by.

I liked the old me.

2011-04-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

Forgive me Blogger for I have been negligent. It has been three months since my last blog. The seasons have changed; Spring is here. The cows are done calving, the fields are being prepared for seed, the birds have all returned and are "twiterpated" and the famed Eagles are busy feeding their young. This is my happy season but I can't seem to convince myself to indulge in the festivities of Spring. It's been a long winter and the death of my father has taken its toll on all of us.

Somewhere along this long road I not only lost my father but I lost ME. I don't know where I went. I used to have a rather sick sense of humor, a positive "glass is half full" attitude and a general attitude that no matter how crappy things seemed that there was ALWAYS something positive that could be gleaned from the situation. Somewhere during the last three months I turned my back on that person. God I'm stupid! I have wallowed in sadness for too long and frankly I am sick of it. It's exhausting and nonproductive. It even makes my tukus get bigger! (This new Juli eats too much when things are dark) That is just unacceptable to the old me.

So Blogger, starting today I am going to open the door to the old Juli and let her back into my life. I am ready to enjoy a little sunshine and silliness along with the other attributes that were once part of her life. Mostly I am ready to soak up the enjoyment of my family, friends and livestock. My father's life was about his roots; the family roots, the community roots and the roots to the land. It's time for me to follow MY roots. I am off to find some Miracle Grow!!

Pay It Forward

2011-01-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

With a new year underway I find myself thinking about what I want to accomplish this year and what effect the past year has had upon me and my loved ones. It has been a bitter-sweet year in the life of this cowgirl and I can't help but think that the lows have helped contribute to the wonderful high points of the past year. Such is life; a perfect balance of positive and negative.

Some days it feels like the world is falling to pieces at my feet. Sometimes I question everything I do and worry about keeping a step ahead of the "wolves" that lurk. Most people that know me probably think that I have no worries in the world and that I am the most centered person they know. I can honestly say that being centered is my daily goal...but sometimes my scale spins out of control and the needle falls off.

I don't believe in "New Year Resolutions". If you have to start every year with a new promise to do something that you can't make in July then you probably need to evaluate the merit in a resolution. That is why I like to just think about my "New Year Resolution" as a business plan for my personal well being or what I am going to do differently to stay a centered human, over-all great mom, caring and helpful daughter, wonderful wife and great Cow Girl.

It's all pretty simple actually. I think that you have to surround yourself with good people. You see, I have been MOST influenced in my life by a certain person. I think that the influence of good people defines who we are...as does the influence of not-so-good people. I guess that helps the aruguement of leading by example! There is a song in the musical "Wicked" (Ironic?lol)that hit my heart. Here are a few of the lyrics:

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

These lyrics are so true about the influences that have shaped my life. I think that we all need to think about the people that fill and influence our lives. We are in charge of our own happiness and we have the ability to make the choices that influence our happiness and life-balance.

I want spend this year surrounding myself by those people and I want to be one of those people in return. I am who I am because of the great people in my life. I want them to feel the same about me. It's like an emotional "Pay-it-forward".

This post is not intended to be a regurgitation of melancholy emotions. Actually, tonight I was just wanting to put some thoughts down on paper...so to speak. I hope that six months from now I can look back at this post and laugh at what my Pay-It-Forward idea for making life balanced has done for my soul. And hey, maybe somebody who reads this post will benefit too! Like the song says, "Who can say if I've been changed for the better. But because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

Best wishes to all this new year!

2010-12-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

The Nelson family wishes everyone a very safe, merry and wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. I am so happy to spend the holiday with my children.

Food for thought

2010-10-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

I know this is way off topic in regards to "Club Calf Paradise" but I think it's timely and a topic that I find important and interesting. After all, it is my blog and that makes is pretty much my right to write about almost anything.

If you haven't noticed it seems to be Breast Cancer Awareness week...or month. It would be almost impossible to NOT notice that something is going on with breast cancer. There are little pink ribbons adorning just about everything you see...or eat for that matter. Everyone seems to have picked up the "cause" and is trying to raise money for something that has gotten out of control and that our insurance/health systems have failed to support as a whole. It is difficult to go into any venue and not find something relating to breast cancer. I even found a tool collection at the hardware store dedicated to breast cancer...ALL PINK! Every time I turn around I see someone walking down the street wearing breast cancer attire, shoes, socks, t-shirts, earings...you name it. Even bottled water has pink ribbons. Yesterday I popped a piece of pink gum in my mouth that had a pink ribbon painted on it. Yum-yum.

Don't misunderstand. I am a strong advocate of breast cancer awareness. I have had many friends that have suffered the pains of breast cancer and/or lost loved ones. I have even dealt with my own "lumps". I just wonder how all of the money that is being spent on items of support are being paid back to finding a cure? A fortune has to be paid by companies that desire to adorn their products with breast cancer awareness logos. How much of THAT money is being paid towards a cure? And then what about the millions of products that are sold in the name of breast cancer awareness...how much of that income is spent for breast cancer cures? I am just saying, we are so willing to buy anything with a pink ribbon on it without even knowing what portion of our money is actually going directly to find a cure.

I think that we don't spend enough time questioning things in our lives. We just take them for granted. That is probably why breast cancer has gotten so out of control. We just take it for granted...until WE get it or one of our loved ones is afflicted. For example, I question why all this breast cancer awareness stuff has to be in pink! You know, breast cancer isn't just about WOMEN. Men are part of the fun as well. I suppose pink, like orange at Nelson Cattle Company, is an attention-getter. I'll give them that.

So what about the ribbon? Really, a ribbon? I seems to me that if you want to get everyone's attention in regards to Breast Cancer that you would use something that would SERIOUSLY get some attention; perhaps something that was more related to the topic. Now I am not a marketing genious but I have noticed in the course of my lifetime that one...or two things...that seem to get everyone's attention are breasts. So don't you think it would be more noticeable and make more sense if all of those Breast Cancer awareness items had a breast on them rather than a cutesy pink ribbon? I know that would get MY husband's attention! Are we simply just afraid to walk down the street with a pink t-shirt with a giant breast on the front? That really wouldn't make sense if we are truly trying to make people more aware of breasts and the fight to save lives from breast cancer why are we afraid to be candid about it? I find that odd.

I do suppose it would not be as easy to pop a piece of gum into my mouth with the picture of a breast stamped on it. In turn that would probably cut into the revenue/sales of the candy industry and other retailers that are making a HUGE profit from selling/marketing Breast Cancer Awareness products in the name of a cure. Personally, I would like to send my donations directly to the scientists and labs that are actually doing the work to find a cure. Does anyone really know who that is? Hmmm...new marketing idea. A t-shirt with a lumpy breast embossed on the front the the name/number of the research institute to DIRECTLY send your donations for the cure.

For all of my "sistas" and "bros" out there that have been slapped in the face (pun intended) by this tragic disease I salute you and send you my hugs. There is no reason we shouldn't have a cure by now. So I guess in the meantime we all need to do whatever it takes to support finding a cure. Let's just not become sheep and always ask questions. It might make things go a little faster. In the meantime...I am going to keep eating my "boobie-gum"!

Point taken!

2010-09-28T15:43:00.001-07:00

This girl is Rocking the Win!! Love that t-shirt.

Not to be outdone!

2010-09-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

Avery's sister, Trista, was rockin' her own bling! Oooo, I LOVE competition! Go get his sista!!

Win Pictures

2010-09-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

You know what happens when you buy a calf at Club Calf Paradise? We get to post win pictures on our Blog! LOL!! I thought this lended an interesting twist to the win picture story. Avery Bates from Monatana is pictured here with his winning bling. I think the buckles weigh more than the boy but he will certainly have a nice time putting them on his trophy wall. Not bad for a years worth of work! Congrats Bates family!!!

And so it ends

2010-09-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

Another year in Paradise has drawn to a close and happily many families and cattle buyers have picked up their new purchases and are making plans for the coming year. It is always exciting to see where the calves go and follow what the new owners are doing with them. We had so many people visiting Paradise this year from all over the U.S. and Canada. We had buyers represented from coast to coast and several from two provinces in Canada. Texas, New Mexico and Montana were also represented as well as many states in between. I think that just goes to show that Club Calf Paradise has something to offer for everyone's needs.

In a nutshell I would have to say that this was one of the most relaxing years for our sale and I would have to attribute that to the wonderful support from all of our consignors and hired help. I will be posting some pictures because you have to see the incredible fire ring that the Bate's family hauled from Montana as a gift. It is the inside of a rock crusher and it is fascinating to say the least. What was really the icing on the gift was that they also hauled a load of giant rocks...BEAUTIFUL rocks...to stack around the ring and to also serve as seating. The entire gift was breathtaking and the gesture touched my heart. I will cherish it forever.

And what about the food?! I am officially starting a diet on Monday which will include a healthy exercise plan. I have NEVER eaten so well during a sale in my LIFE...with the exception of the Doug Steele sale feeding frenzies. It confounds me how Barry and Susie Maass manage to stay so tiny when they obviously enjoy feeding people so much. I am going to have to watch them for eating disorders! Susie's ham balls were a huge hit as well as her cranberry spread. OMG...they were KILLER!Karen Anderson showed up several times out of the blue to bring food for the "gang". And even if you hate blueberry muffins you would cross over for Karen's! They were incredible and the bag seemed to remain bottomless. Chris and Kareen...all I can say is that your "apple pie" warmed the cockles of my heart. Nothing like a belly full of apple pie to make one sleep like a baby! PLEASE please remember me when you make THAT again. Also love the Postal Express cookies. They don't call it Snail Mail for nothing!

Ryan Gotto...my husband will completely support me when I say that I love you! Please make your vacation plans for next year the same as this year. You are now in my will and we are officially working on the adoption papers which include your lovely wife (yeah, we really thought you were kidding) and your son. Don't EVER use me as a reference. I will LIE LIE LIE so nobody else can have you! I would trust you with the care of my cows and my dog ANY TIME. That is saying something. You will always have a place at Paradise.

So I will stop rambling for the moment. I am taking a brief sobatical (sp) with my kids and will be back with pictures and stories very soon. Keep in touch! Luv ya'll!

There is always help in Paradise

2010-09-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how helpful everyone has been this year. Many of my consignors have turned out to lend a hand. I am blinded from time to time by the work and being focused so much on the job that I forget how much fun we really have during the sale. It shouldn't be hard to understand that everyone wants to be part of it. I caught my father at the end of our driveway today staking up our Club Calf Paradise sign which marks the entrance to the farm. I was happy to see that he liked chipping in as well.

The problem is that I am enjoying the company so much that I don't know what it's going to be like when the sale is over. I guess that is why I am always just a little melancholy when things come to a close at Paradise.In the meantime we will just soak up the fun and look forward with anticipation to seeing all of our old friends and meeting the new faces.

THANKS EVERYONE!!

Today in Paradise

2010-09-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

The front finally pushed through and the weather has taken a turn for the FABULOUS! Cam S. and Ryan G. are busy rinsing the calves and getting them in their fancy pants for the weekend. Knock on wood but everyone has been very happy and healthy in the calf pens.

Bidding is off to a great start. Most of the calves are started already which is really exciting. I guess when the quality runs as deep as this set of calves it is not a surprise to see that people are happy and willing to get the bids rolling. I hope that if anyone has any questions you will feel free to give me a call. I would love to talk about the calves with you. There is nothing like a chat to help get yourself centered on what you would like to bid on.

Some people have asked about registration papers on some of the calves. Most of them can be registered but we didn't list them as a breed unless we had the application or actual papers in our hands. We thought that would eliminate any issues.

Hope you are all making plans to join us this weekend. We are anxious to see everyone.

Darby showing his stuff

2010-08-27T09:14:00.001-07:00

I snapped this with my phone the other night while the Smith girls were having some fun with Darby. He was feeling a little left out being surrounded by all of these purple ribbon calves! I think this really made him feel better!

2010-08-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Lot #52 consigned by the Braun family. She is an HAA Sheriff daughter (Maine Tainer) and is the sweetest acting heifer on the place...and that is saying a LOT! This is a shot of her in front of the banner at the Iowa State Fair as a division winner. I can't believe how much she has come on even since this picture. The calves are truly enjoying the great weather and looking radical! Hope to see you all soon at Club Calf Paradise!!

All about the kids!

2010-08-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Oh, I know I sound like an old book but every year I am reminded that all of the hard work and effort is for the love of the kids. Maybe it's taken the passage of years and the wisdom or simply raising my own kids to finally get the "big picture" and to appreciate the picture as a piece of art. Whatever it is I just can't explain what a satisfying feeling I get seeing the families and the kids stop by to look for new calves. It is amazing to see the kids sort through the cattle and mark the ones they want to have for projects next year. Every kid is motivated by something different it seems.

I really felt all warm and fuzzy last night when the Smith family stopped by and the two smallest girls begged me to let them wash one of the calves. Seriously!? Two little squirts whining and begging me to rinse a calf! How do you say no to cute?

So parents, just a little thought to keep in your mind when you are at your first show next spring and stressed out of your minds because your kids are not listening to every word you say or sticking the calf quite the way you think it should be done...CHILL OUT!!!! Remember what this is all about...FAMILY, EDUCATION, and above all KIDS!!!

Oh...I couldn't stand it...here's a few more.

2010-08-21T13:09:00.001-07:00

Throwing out the bait

2010-08-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

I hold my breath every time the photographer comes because I worry so much that nothing will come out right. That never actually happens but nontheless I continue to worry. What I really never imagined was that things would run so smoothly and that pictures would turn out so well. The cattle were so cooperative and the crew was so helpful. I am thinking that we will have some "fun" pictures to offer pretty soon. I always think it is fun to have those behind the scenes shots. I particularly enjoyed the group of people that put their lawn chairs up and sat to watch as each calf was paraded out.

Make sure to check back tonight or tomorrow for all of the video and pictures! We'll have discount motel coupons as well as discount fuel coupons again this year. We look forward to seeing you all!

How to get Maximum Exposure!

2010-08-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Picture and video day is finally complete thanks to the GREAT help of friends and family. It is so wonderful to have people that truly enjoy this business enough to come help out with the most frustrating, exhausting and nerve wracking part of the club calf sale. Without them we could never pull this off. Several of our consignors were on hand including the Scotts (Jeff and Daryl), Kareen Vaught from Kansas, Nick Anderson and Cam Statelar from Nebraska. At one point we even had spectators sitting in lawn chairs sipping ice water and offering their thoughts! LOL. Thanks gang!!!

I actually thought that I was going to have to sit this one out when the "help" spooked up a 30 foot Anaconda and made it try to attack me in the pasture. O.K., so maybe I am exaggerating a tiny bit but you all know how I feel about snakes...even Garter snakes.

Mark Sneed with Maximum Exposure did a fabulous job as always. We certainly appreciate his patience with us. Eight hours in the sun tends to make us a little goofy and he was very supportive. The video looks great so far and we should have all of the pictures and video up and online by Sunday sometime.

We are anxious to see all of our old customers and meeting new families! Please stop by anytime. The calves are all available for viewing!

Floods, record heat wave and State Fair

2010-08-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

What a great combination for a fun-filled week. Many of the roads to Des Moines were closed yesterday due to large amounts of rain...5 inches three nights in a row. The heat index is almost 110 and there is not a break until tomorrow when it is supposed to rain on these poor people again. It amazes me how it has had little effect on the attendance at the fair. People just learn to adapt and overcome. Such is the nature of farm folk. Even in this heat I still love the fair; seeing all of the old faces...like the old guy on the white mule directing traffic. God I love them.

I was happy to see Alan and Cam Stateler pull in with a load of feeder calves for the show. The have two of the fancy heifers that they are consigning to our sale. I don't know how they do it with juggling kids and cattle in this weather. Kids are so resilient. Their little boy said the most amazing thing that really caught my heart. He asked his mother, "Mommy, why did God make the sky so cool if he's going to put it so far away that we can't touch it?" He was serious! You have to love kids!!!

Hope to see some of your faces at the fair. It sounds like after friday things will be much better! Let's hope so.

Let us not forget!

2010-08-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

As we plunge head-long into a much deserved Iowa heat wave I think we should remember that it was just a few short months ago that we were thinking the snow would never go away and that the movie Armageddon was possibly a work of non-fiction. I certainly prefer the heat...as long as I can take a long siesta during the middle of the day.

We have been working our tails off here at Club Calf Paradise trying to get everything ready for the sale before we head to the Iowa State Fair for a few days of "hospitality duty" during the Maine Anjou show. Brad and I are in charge of the booth and we certainly enjoy talking to all of our good friends and new aquaintances. As soon as we get home we will hit the ground running for the next three weeks, until the sale is over. It is exciting, exhausting, rewarding and ...in the end...a little sad. I can't wait to see everyone again though.

Enjoy the summer everyone. Before long the snow will be flying and we will be dreaming of sugarplums and new baby calves!

Team Work

2010-08-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy the excitement that comes with getting things set up for the sale. I worked most of the day setting up the catch pens and the wash area for this years sale. The Smith kids helped rinse calves for me today so that I could work on this project but they all joined in at the end of the day. Brad even got involved and we convinced him that he would be the very best candidate to climb the ladder and drill holes for the shade anchors. Nick Anderson, one of our new consignors, was driving by and stopped to lend a hand as well. We had a fun time and finished the evening with a couple of pizza's on the picnic table at the bunk house.

Now I go to bed...exhausted. I only hope that I don't have any nightmares about quantum physics!

When you just don't want dreams to come true!

2010-08-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

I had the great fun of helping Hayley pick up her books for college the other day. It was like traveling back in time as we walked around the shelves at the university book store looking for grossly over-priced books that would be used for a few short months and then sold back to the same store for pennies so they could smack a "used" sticker on it and sell it for almost the same new price. It really doesn't seem like that long ago that I was wandering aimlessly around those shelves looking for my own books.

I rounded a corner and had to control my laughter. It was at that moment that I was incredibly thankful that I wasn't in my daughter's shoes. I can say with a great degree of certainty that my recurring dream of going back to college and living the glam college life completly drained from my system permanantly. Standing before me...three rows high...was a pile of books like this. I'm just saying...

WHY I LOVE MY JOB By Juli Nelson

2010-08-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

Last year I sold a very nice little Hereford X Heat Wave steer to a young boy that was just starting his show career. He and his family were searching for nice quiet calf for their son to show at the county fair; something that would be a good learning experience and competitive. Nic fell in love with "Eeyore" at first sight during our Labor Day pasture sale. It was a perfect match. We stayed in close contact, helped get them set up on a feed program and gave them some grooming and clipping lessons. It was a great feeling to see Nic lead Eeyore into the ring a the Crawford County Fair and walk out with a Reserve Champion County Raised Steer award. A lot of buttons were bursting that day. Not nearly as much as when I opened this card that the mailman delivered from Nic. (insert sniff)

Nap time at the O.K. Corral

2010-07-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

I experience an excited/dread feeling every year when it's time for ultra-sounding cows and freeze branding heifers. I can't wait to see if my girls are bred to that exciting bull that I have put painful thought into choosing for each one of them. If you have ever had a year when you completely strike out during breeding season you can understand what that anticipation feels like. We used several bulls that had very high priced semen and that always makes me nervous. Combine that with the fact that I thought our heats were pretty quiet and that I never saw one come back around and you can imagine how worried I was that we were just missing heats and nothing was going to be A.I. bred.

With the exception of two cows that calved very late and are very short bred or open yet, ALL of the cows and heifers are A.I. bred. I was ecstatic as each cow shuffled through the chute and was pronounced bred to her A.I. date. Next spring we will have a nice selection of Monopoly, Heat Wave, Rocky Balboa, Who(the original), Grizzly, Uno Mas and Gigolo Joe babies running around the pasture. How exciting!

Freeze branding went terrific as well. All of the heifers are now wearing a puzzle piece on their front left shoulder. Any heifers that are going to stay in the herd are also wearing their herd number and "X" on thier left hip. Brad and I laughed when I ran one of the two smokey heifers into the chute. I honestly have no idea what will happen there but I am hoping that the hair will be whiter than the rest...if not then they have invisible brands. LOL.

It is now late afternoon and I have taken my second shower for the day...probably not my last...and I am going to finish up on the computer and go join Darby and my blanky for a nap before I crawl out to do chores. I feel like a huge stress has been lifted and I plan to spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying my family.

Where's my camera when I need it?

2010-07-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

I was driving north west out of Denison yesterday afternoon to look at some calves and glanced in my rearview mirror to see a funnel dipping out of the clouds directly behind me. We had received almost two inches of rain in the morning but the bad weather had long passed. There were plenty of clouds but I was still wearing my sunglasses because the sun was shining through intermitently. It really didn't look like tornado weather...or what I thought seemed like tornado weather. I called my daughter to have her look at the radar but she didn't see anything. The funnel kept lowering and lifting and was really interesting to watch...in my rearview mirror! I told several people that I talked to after that about seeing a funnel and they all laughed at me. This morning I logged onto my weather site and found this storm report:

Local Storm Report

07/30/2010 0420 PM

2 miles W of Denison, Crawford County.

Funnel cloud, reported by Emergency Mngr.

Emergency manager and public reports of funnel cloud
dropping out of cumulus cloud.

I'm just saying....

I love the fair!!

2010-07-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

The Crawford County Fair is going on this week. No matter how old I get I still enjoy going to the fair. The smell of funnel cakes, cotton candy, exhaust from the tractor pull and the pungent smell of the animals mixed with various other aromas of hair products used on the animals. Why is it that a brat from the Lutheran Church stand smothered in kraut and ketchup, eaten while walking around the varied industries building when it's 100 degrees out tastes so delicious? And what about those homemade pies the church ladies make? It almost makes me want to change religions!

Despite the heat and despite the rain I think that the fair went very well. I know that Nelson Cattle Company had a great year. The Welch family that just got started this year in 4-H purchased a very nice Heat Wave X Hereford steer from our Labor Day sale last year. "Eeyore" weighed 1322 at the fair. He place fourth overall in rate of gain and was the Reserve Champion County Raised Steer. Nic Welch did a very wonderful job of showing his first year and it was nice to see his parents and grandparents be so supportive and helpful. Nic has a lot to live up to next year! (I did tell him that I have a full brother to Eeyore on our sale this year! :)

The Staley family exhibited the Reserve Champion Cow/Calf Pair. They purchased the cow from us on our dispersal sale two years ago. Since then the cow has raised two fabulous Heat Wave calves and has most likely more than paid for herself. The steer calf this year was also the Grand Champion Feeder Steer at the fair. Congrats to the Staleys!!!

The Smith family (Makayla) exhibited the Grand Champion Cow/Calf pair. The bull calf is a Gigolo Joe son. The pair also went on to win Supreme Champion Breeding Female of the entire show! How exciting. Makayla also showed a Nelson 26T2 heifer she purchased from Nelson Cattle Company that also won her division and stood third overall. Congrats Makayla!! Dalton, her younger brother, exhibited a Heat Wave heifer that he bought on our Labor Day Sale. She was a division winner as well. Congrats Dalton!! What a great year. Best of luck at the Iowa State Fair.

I just had to add a picture of Makia Smith. (There are so many Smiths that I can hardly keep them straight)She was having such a great time with her lamb. She is also the main care-giver to "Baby Joe", Black Betty's calf. The kids do such a wonderful job and have a great work ethic. Their parents should be very proud of their hard work and determination.

When it's time to let go

2010-07-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

I saw this apple picker in the back of someone's pickup the other day and it reminded me of that Swiffer commercial where they put the old mop out in the trash but it keeps trying to find its way back into the house. There is one thing I know for sure. I would hire the owner of this picker to work for me ANY DAY!!! Obviously that person was committed to his work; enough so that he became attached to this particular picker up until the point where you couldn't even use it to speer a watermelon! Even at the point where he realized that it no longer served its purpose he was not able to throw it on the burn pile to let nature take its course. I think we could all take a lesson in being conservative and less wastefull. I am a guilty as anyone for just running to the store when something breaks instead of trying to fix it. However, I think that there comes a time when you just have to let go and succomb to the fact that it's time to let go. There is obviously a point when efficiency is more important than being conservative.

Just dealing with the heat.

2010-07-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

My sister, Kris and brother-in-law, Dan are visiting from Oregon this week. Dan always asks if there is anything that he can help me with so I promptly pulled an ace out of my hat and asked him if he would like to help me put up my 20x40 shade canopy for the calves. Of course he jumped at the offer not knowing at all what I was even talking about. Our spouses agreed to be our support crew and were supposed to meet up with us at the barn after we gathered our tools (ladder, climbing shoes and band-aids) It was a warm evening with little or no wind; perfect for putting up a giant tarp that could double as a wind sail. Dan and I looked like a couple of handicapped monkeys trying to bungie cord the tarp in place. We took turns cursing as the small elastic holders would sometimes snap us in the knuckles. Amazingly our support crew arrived just as we were finishing the task.

I tried to repay Dan with an evening at the bunkhouse sipping cool beverages, eating Iowa Strips on the grill and making liquid nitrogen ice cream. I think he forgives me. If he asks me again for something to do I think I will duct tape him to the mower!!

******
I don't think the calves knew what to do this morning when we turned them into thier new pen with fans and misters. They ran around like puppies even though it was already very hot. I think it felt twenty degrees cooler under the canopy. It is a wonderful place and much cooler and healthier than the barn.

And They're Off!!

2010-07-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Well, the heat has hit but that isn't slowing down the thrill of the cattle show. Today is the annual Darrell Nissen Memorial Steer show held at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Denison, Iowa. Despite the VERY hot weather the turnout was fabulous. It is exciting to see some of the calves that are going to be consigned to our sale standing in the winners circle! Congratulations to the Smith Family and Nick Anderson/Anderson Show Cattle. They are bringing a fabulous offering that are already putting together some championships.

Pennies in the Doorway

2010-07-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

Now I'm not much for "voodoo" but every now and then I scratch my head and wonder if some of that hocus pocus stuff really works. I always joke with my ET people that I wave dead chickens over my donors when I am giving shots and that is why we are always so successful with our flushes. I honestly think one of them believes me! Fact is, if I really thought it would help I would probably do it.

I heard a good one the other day though that beats waving a dead chicken all to heaven. Somebody told me to put six new pennies in a ziploc bag with a little water and hang one in the doorway of my barn...or anywhere in my barn. The story goes that the flies see the pannies in the bag and freak out because they think they are a predator. They fly away, never to return. You can't imagine how hard I laughed at that one. This guy hadn't even been drinking either!

I am always fighting flies at the bunkhouse. Even though I have a screened doorway they still find their way in or cover the screens like butter when the evening rolls around. I hate them and most of all I hate spraying toxic chemicals to detract the little boogers. OK, I know it's crazy, but it was such a tall tale that I just HAD to try it out. So I set about hanging penny laten water bags in the doorway and inside the bunkhouse. I am tough, I can take the ribbing and laughter from everyone that has stopped by. Funny enough though...I defy them to find a bothersome fly in the bunkhouse. Guess it beats a dead chicken!

Some things just say it all.

2010-07-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

This was an item that was offered on the silent auction at the Junior National Maine Anjou show in Spencer, Iowa last week. I didn't have my glasses...:( so I couldn't read the authors names for whom I would love to give GREAT credit. I sometimes wonder how many people in the business really "get it"? That love of cattle is what really makes this business rock. I hope you will enjoy...and share it with your parents...or the parents of any kids you know that share your love for cattle.

Lots of happenings to catch up on

2010-07-05T16:25:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot going on here over the past month so I haven't been very good about keeping up with my blog. The most exciting thing that has happened is that my daughter, Hayley, has finally returned from her year-long Rotary exchange in Bolivia. It was a wonderful experience for her and we owe it all to Rotary International. She kept an incredible journal and photo-journal of her experiences that she hopes to make into a book for her family.

Since Brad is currently serving on the board of the Iowa Maine Anjou Association we have both been busy with the Junior National show which was held in Spencer, Iowa just a week ago. Russ and Sue Salton deserve a round of applause for the immense work they put into planning the show. We spent a little over a week in Spencer setting up and helping with the show. I think it was an amazing success. Hayley actually spent the entire time volunteering to help during the show. She really isn't much "into" the cattle part of our operation but she loves the kids and the people. It was a great experience for her as well.

The week just before we left for Spencer was a little stressful as we discovered that we had a SERIOUS infestation of Army Worms in our front pasture where we hold our pasture sale. In less than 24 hours the worms had completely devoured every blade of grass and they were working their way across the road to the neighbors and also into my parents carefully groomed and watered yard. Our local Co-op was called to action and they were stunned at the amount of worms they found. They said that they had never seen anything like it. Our paved driveway was actually slimy with the stinking little boogers. The ground actually appeared to be moving. All I could do was spray a barrier around the perimeter and let them live out thier short life-cycle. I spent the week of Jr. Nationals wondering if our pasture would survive and get re-growth before our sale. The rain-gods obviously smiled on us and when we returned much of the brown mowed off pasture was once again finding its green and starting to grow.

The calves are doing great. I am especially excited about the calves out of our Gigolo Joe daughters. The Heat Wave steers are pouring on the power and seem to change every day. I find the Captain Morgan calves(two smokes and a black) out of a Maine cow to be very interesting. They are freaky fronted, sound, correct and super hairy. I had a small group on recips in another location and they were weaned VERY early. They are a little more green than most of my calves but are really coming along. I think there could be a real sleeper in that group. I have two Grizzley steers that are very interesting as well. They have a very soft look and are incredibly correct with lots of hair and eye appeal. I think they are the later maturing type but I love how they are looking now. If you are looking for some great Maine heifers you won't want to miss the offering we are going to have this year!

It's been raining raining and raining here and things are looking soggy but green. If any of your are bored please feel free to stop by and test drive our John Deere 850zero turn mower. It runs like greased lightening. I'll let you spend as much time on it as you like! LOL!

Here's a Whale Tale!

2010-06-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

This Heat Wave bull/steer is out of a Saugahatchee X Maine cow that we kept to possible flush. She has raised some incredible Maine calves for us and this is her first club calf attempt. After this she is going to go into our donor pen! She is a WHALE and so is this calf. She laid down and shot him out without a thought and he hasn't stopped since. He can barely fit through the barn door AND he is sound!!!

Smooth Sailing on the Catwalk!

2010-06-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

This sweet little dolly is out of Smooth Sailing and a Gigolo Joe X Sonny daughter. She actually goes back to a cow family that we referred to as "Big Cow" #86 in our herd. That Momma cow raised some great calves and the grand-daughters are proving to be every bit as maternal.

Labor Day Sale Calves

2010-06-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

This is a Grizzly steer out of a Gigolo Joe X Irish Whiskey second calf female. This calf has the look AND the personality to make anyone a great show calf prospect. He will be selling on our Labor Day sale. You will just love his blaze face!

Turning things around

2010-06-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is one of our newest Donors at Nelson Cattle Company. We are honored to be partners with Bruhn Farms: Al Bruhn and Family. Her farm name is "360". We named her this because she is the kind of female that will turn a program around...360 degrees!

We purchased her as a yearling heifer from the Doug Steele family. She is a daughter of Plainview Lutton E102 and Steele Miss Kymra Katy K006. In the year that we have owned her she has produced 12 calves and 28 grade one embryos! We will usually NEVER flush a virgin female but we opted to give it a shot and flushed her last spring to MEYER 734. That mating produced 12 grade one embryos which we put in fresh. Eleven of them stuck and we now have a small herd of Meyer X 360 blazed faces running around the pasture! We then let her cycle once and bred her back using SEXED Maximus semen. She settled the first time and produced a beautiful heifer calf.

We were so impressed with the quality of the calfcrop that we decided to flush her this spring to Heat Wave. That mating produced 28 grade one embryos with 8 unfertilized. We put a few in fresh and the others are being put in over a couple of different intervals. Needless to say we are incredibly excited about this flush and look forward to next spring. As of yet we haven't decided what to breed her to. We had better be making up our minds soon!!!

WHEN CELL PHONE RINGTONES ARE BAD: LESSON 1

2010-06-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

When you are out in the heat, working on your hight voltage, stun-an-elephant electric fence it is NOT appropriate to carry your cell phone in your pants pocket on VIBRATE!!! I am just saying....

Things to remember today

2010-05-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

As we all head out the door today to relax and enjoy the beautiful day let's pause for a moment and remember all that we hold dear and all of those people that we have been touched by in our lives and have given thier lives for us.

Let's also remember that life is to be enjoyed and that we need to take time to stop what we are doing and bask in the beauty of what we work so hard for. Do something special for yourself today but also do something special for somebody else. Step outside of your comfort zone and so something to help somebody. There are a lot of kids that are serving in the military overseas that are a little outside of their comfort zone doing something to help us. Let's do something kind to return the favor.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day with warm thoughts from the Bunk House!

Tackle the big things first.

2010-05-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's only taken about forty-some years to figure out but sometimes you CAN teach an old dog some new tricks. NOT that I'm old...I just feel that way some days. This week's stress curve has been interesting and taxing but the good news is that I DID learn something that I intend to use more often. I guess it's kind of like the old cliche about getting your "plate" too full. Now, I'm not one to waste a good plate- full of food. In fact, I don't usually put something on my plate unless I fully intend to eat it. So, when I get stressed out because my "plate is too full" I don't scrape anything off into the garbage. I simply eat the biggest thing on the plate first. It seems to clear space in a tremendous hurry.

So this week I decided to get my biggest stresses tackled. Stress #1: FAMILY-on MANY levels...mostly my children, their health and safety. Stress #2: Getting some of the sale calves broke to tie and clipped. Stress #3: Getting ad pictures of my favorite calves and an awesome picture of my favorite new Donor while she is still in milk production for the year. Stress #4: Mowers and anything with a motor...power-washer, weed-eater, fans--the current bane of my existence...may they burn in hell! (Just kidding) :) It was amazing how everything else became less stressful as I tackled each challenge. I can say that by weeks end I had plenty of room on my plate for a little dessert and I had no problem dishing it up today. After putting in cidrs, giving shots and painting cows, Brad and I went to the garden store and picked out tomatoes and hostas for a planting festival and afterwards we topped it off by setting up the hammock under the walnut tree at the bunk house. Well, actually the best part was the twenty-minute power nap we took while swinging in the breeze and listening to the birds argue about what we were doing. As weeks and "full plates" go this one was a feast.

Is it friday yet?

2010-05-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

I love my life. All of it; the ups, the downs and the challenges of the entire experience. Keeping it all balanced is an art that can be painful. Today, however, I have had to move the fulcrom extremely far in one direction to keeps things in balance. My daughter, Hayley, is a million miles away in Bolivia and for the first time in almost a year I am feeling the distance in my gut. My "mother" instincts are in overdrive and this is one of those situations that I have absolutely no control of. It's only sixteen days until her plane delivers her back into my nest and it seems like an eternity. She has been very sick for almost two months with a respiratory illness and now her entire body is rebelling. She wants her mother, her REAL mother, and I can't do a thing. UGH!

Today is Spencer's 22nd birthday. I can't bake him a cake, I can't take him out to dinner. He has a wonderful girlfriend, lives a LONG way from home and has a life of his own including bills, debt and a weekly paycheck. He's officially "a man".

Darby has been at the animal hospital since 8:00 this morning. Something happened during the night and now he can only walk on three legs. He is obviously miserable and his pleading doggy eyes just begged me to stay there with him and keep him company. I worked all morning building fence in the pasture so that I can get the cows turned out...or so that I was forced to focus my mind on something else in my life.

It's now 3:00 and I have finished almost a mile of fence. I am hot, sun burned and tired. Still no word on Darby. I don't dare call again...I didn't realize how much I rely on him to fill that void of my "missing" children. I think I will dig out some comfort food, mashed potatoes, from the fridge and watch the latest recording of Cougar Town. Maybe that will kill a little time. You know that Chili's restaurant commercial about their baby back ribs? "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back......NOW!!!

So tonight I plan to keep the decision making simple. My brain has been taxed too much for a hot Monday and I think I should mother it a bit. I see Dairy QUeen on the horizon...and perhaps a special treat for Darby. Tomorrow is another day and with Darby back home I should be able to tackle the week. Sixteen days and counting..."I want my baby back, baby back...NOW!!!!"

ONLINE SEMEN SALE APRIL 6-7:BREEDERS WORLD

2010-04-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to look at our offering and our consignors offering please take a moment and do so. There are some great offers and breeding season is upon us. We are offering 50 units of Monopoly and 30 units of Heat Wave 1 in small lots on Breeder's World. We also have some incredible consignments from several breeders.

Monopoly has been in huge demand due to the quality and consistancy of his calves and the fact that he is not producing semen at this time. Word is out that he most likely will not be producing semen in the future either. There is not much semen available because there simply is not much semen period. I am willing to part with some of my inventory so I am offering it to the public in this auction. This semen, as well as the Heat Wave 1 semen, has been carefully handled and is being stored at Nichols Cryogenetics in Ankeny, Iowa. It will be available for pickup or shipping, at the buyers expense, following the sale. We have had a problem in the past with semen that was never picked up. We do ask that you arrange for shipping in a timely manner.

If anyone has any questions about the semen please don't hesitate to call. This is the ONLY Monopoly and Heat Wave1 semen that I will be offering for sale. Please buy with confidence.

Calving in Paradise

2010-03-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is to be calving less than 20 cows at NCC. After our dispersal sale my heart was torn at the thought of only having a small number of females left. We have purchased a couple of donor quality females to add to our remaining herd and I am also calving a few first-calvers that we raised and kept back. I can tell you right now that calving these elite young females is proving to be wonderful. First of all, almost every one is broke to tie or completely halter broke. Second of all they are all eye-candy and calving out beautiful cows is FAR more rewarding.

It seems like every year we have "barn" names for the calves when they were very young and there always seems to be a "Doink" in the bunch. That's the calf that everyone hides behind the barn whenever somebody comes to visit because he's got some goofy look that would embarrass even his own mother. Amazingly enough he's the one that never gets sick and usually thrives all the way to weaning when you load him up in the dark of night and slip him into the salebarn under an alias! THis year however, there is no Doink. I am hard pressed to pick my least favorite calf thus far. Calf for calf they are very interesting.

This is NOT a sales plug for Gigolo Joe but I have to say that I think I have found his calling. I kept back a few young heifers out of our best cows that were crossed with Heat Wave and Sun Seeker. I bred them to Gigolo Joe to see what kind of look they would have. I have to say that I am amazed at the style, bone, thickness and hair on these calves as well as the calving ease. Everyone of those calves is going to make it to our sale I believe. They have a fabulous look about them.

I am also excited about the calves out of the recips. All of my recips are calving at another location...thank GOD! We have around 30 recips that are carrying some interesting calves. There will be several full sibs to Hugh Herfner. A couple have already hit the ground and they are massively thick and easily better than Hugh. We also have several calves coming out of a daughter of Mona Lisa and sired by Captain Morgan. I think I am most excited about the Meyer 734 calves out of our PB Angus heifer, 360, a full sister to the Lut heifer that Steeles showed so successfully last summer. So far the calves are tremendous and almost all have blaze faces. The Maximus heifer calf that is her natural calf is a barn-burner.

Needless to say I am excited about the calves and I am looking forward to getting pictures up for everyone to enjoy. There is going to be lots of color in our pastures this spring, smokes, herefords, paints, blacks, WOW! I hope you will stop by if you are in the area. We have a lot going on this spring at the bunkhouse including semen sales. We are selling a full lineup of Lautner bull semen as well as our 26T2 and Gigolo Joe bulls. Sit around, chew the fat, have a cold one and enjoy the sunshine while I fill your tank with semen and/or nitrogen.

Rainy mornings and Cocoa Puffs

2010-03-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Some days are just a battle, more so than others. I guess the same holds true for some years as well. We all hope and assume that when we comment about how bad this year has been that next year will magically be better. How could it be as bad?

I had one of those years two years ago and ironically it was followed by another that was quite possibly worse. My daddy didn't raise a quitter but there were several times that I was close to throwing in the towel. I recall sitting on the step inside the barn one day with my head buried in my hands and sobbing uncontrollably. I was as close to beat as anyone could be. I couldn't take another second of dying calves, bad weather and exhaustion stacked up against all of the other things going on in my life. Something changed in me that day; something that changed me and made me a better person/a stronger person. I guess it was one of those life experiences that defines us a human beings. I look back on that time and that feeling very often. I will NEVER forget how I felt and what it did to me.

What that experience didn't do was break me. I made it into something positive and I think I am a better person for it. Today as I sit here at my desk on a gloomy cold rainy morning eating a bowl of Cocoa Puffs I am reminded of those times and what I took away from that experience. I have a good friend that is fighting the same battle that I fought a couple of years ago. My heart aches for her because I understand so well what she is going through, anguish, pain, frutstration, disappointment, anger, fear... and I hope that she will be able to get beyond this and find her soul. Times like these make me understand how precarious our lives are as far as what direction we go and how things in life truly do affect us. I know what kind of cloth she was cut from though. My money is on the girl. She reminds me of me.

Leap Year: Another year older; another year wiser

2010-02-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

I love birthdays. I think I owe that all to my parents. Not the fact that I actually HAVE a birthday, that goes without saying. I owe them for making my birthdays something to look forward to. For them it has always been a celebration. It is never just another day in your life. Even now that I am married, my children are grown and I no longer am a child my mom makes me feel like a princess on my birthday. I don't know if they will ever understand how much I appreciate that they have done that for me.

It's a great feeling but it also reminds me that we ALL need to take time in our lives to have our special day. We need to take an entire day once in a while and fill every minute with things that we enjoy doing or be with those people that we enjoy being around. It's just good for the soul I suppose but it also helps me to keep things in perspective. If making my day so special makes me feel so wonderful then I need to take the time throughout my year to make somebody elses day special as well. It's not the big things, it's the funny note you can leave written in the snow on their car window, it's starting the neighbors car for them in the morning to let it warm up before they leave for work, it's telling a friend how nice they look in their jeans since they lost a few pounds, it's hugging your husband when he ruins the birthday cake frosting because he grabbed the powdered sugar container rather than the flour...it's as simple as warming somebody's heart.

I hope that I never have a birthday that I regret getting another year older. I understand that having a birthday every four years should ease that pain somewhat but I also want to be that person that greets every year with eager anticipation of what it will bring in my travels through life. I also hope that I have a LOT more birthdays which include my parents singing happy birthday to me; making me birthday goodies and wanting to spend the day with me. I regret that I haven't made their birthdays as special. It has taken 46 years for me to really figure out how much it really means to me. Maybe I can spend the next 46 making birthdays more special for others.

Never too cold for a photo op

2010-02-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

It's a balmy ten degrees farenheit at the moment. I just finished my evening chores, cleaned two stalls in the barn and re-bedded them with fresh straw. Ginger the Jersey is in her stall with her calf and her newest adoption eating her nightly ration of grain and fresh hay with soft coffee house music playing in the background. The newest calf is outside with her momma and the rest of the calves. Even though she was in the barn all night last night the tip of one ear got a little frost bitten so now she is sporting a hood with only eye and a nose hole. Her ears are laying against her neck and then wrapped with duct tape (yellow) to keep everything in place. Of course most of the mommas think she is the subject of conversation but her own momma is keeping her well protected.

It has been calm all day. No new calves and although a few of the cows are due and/or overdue, I don't think anything is impending. For tonight I don't think I will lock anyone else up in the barn and will do my regular checks at 10 and 2:30. That seems to be working very well except that I really feel like a walking zombie at two in the morning with a head cold and trudging out in my pajamas under my coveralls to spotlight a bunch of sleeping bovines. It never fails that a deer will startle me as well. I am always careful to take my cell phone along in case I fall on the ice after getting freaked out by a wild critter or if one of the cows is in a dire position. I am not sure what good that would do since Brad sleeps like a bear and would probably not wake even if I did call. I suppose I could call 911 but I am not sure I could deal with the embarassment of having them find a middle-aged woman with bad bed hair wearing pajamas and pink coveralls lying on the ground with a 2-million candle power spotlight in her hands. That would classify as front page Denison newspaper photo op.

Just another day...in the life of snow.

2010-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I have touched base on my blog. I guess the world is still spinning at its usual pace. It seems like almost everyone is exhausted in one way or another. Some are already calving and so goes the battle. Most however are just exhausted with the weather. It is relentless and even the old farts are admitting that this winter beat them all. Not too encouraging I guess.

Nelson Cattle Company is busy as usual. Mostly that means that I have been busy moving snow and keeping the few cows that we have here at the farm comfortable, fat and happy. I sold quite a few cows and then sent all of my replacements and recips to another facility in the fall. I only kept my donors and a handful of replacements here. I thought it was going to be a cake-walk until I realized that I had over-sold my stalk bales thanks to the weather. I think it is all worked out now but somewhere along the line about 60 head of deer decided to move in and are thinking that sharing our hay/stalk reserves are part of the deal. Darby takes greta pleasure in taking chase to any brave deer that ventures too close to the barns but when you wake up in the morning to a deer peering into your window I think it's easy to see that I am no longer in control. I guess that is how mother nature works.

I plan on keeping this more up to date from now on. Please stay in touch! There are LOTS of new things happening at NCC!!!

Testing testing

2010-01-02T09:59:00.001-08:00

2010: Freezing

Granny's Goodies

2009-09-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is one of the first years that my parents have been around during our annual sale. They actually live here on the same farm in the house that I was born and raised in. They have a lot of fun sitting out on their porch watching the folks drive in to look at calves. My mom, however, has taken some delight in keeping all of us filled up with goodies. She has been shameless and Betty Crocker would be jealous! It's killing me and I am pretty sure that NONE of my jeans fit anymore. Jade cleaned out a pan of pumpkin bars the other day and said, " Tell Granny to set us up on some sweets!". I guess she took it to heart because we are on our third set of goodies...or is that fourth? Oh ugh, I am miserable! I truly love having them here and I am sure that they are enjoying the entertainment as well. THANKS MOM!!!

What's he worth?

2009-09-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

I think that one of the most often asked questions during this sale is "What is he worth?", or "How high do you think that one's going to go?" These question apply to the one's starting at $800 as well as the ones that have climbed to $3000. We have families come in looking for a calf that will be competitive on a national level as well as families looking for something that will be competitive on a county level. Sometimes it is tough to answer.

My first response is normally, "What is your goal and what are you willing to spend on achieving that goal?". The answer is different for everyone and in a lot of cases you have to keep in mind that if you fall in love with a calf that you see in the pasture, you have to know what it is worth to you.

For example, have you been watching Lot #90? Obviously there is something about that "puppy" that has caught the heart of several bidders. When you find the one you really want you have to stick with it if it is within your means. I have never walked away happy from an auc tion when I was in second place. I think that is buyers remorse in reverse.

One thing about this auction is that you should be able to find the calf for your needs as well as your means. We have all kinds for every type of show. Another thing is that when you have bidders from over 24 states looking at them and bidding on them, you will have a good idea of what they are actually worth in the real world. So when people ask me what I think they are worth I usually tell them that we will ALL know after Labor Day.

After Labor Day I will be able to point out to my husband that our Lot #90 is OBVIOUSLY worth a LOT more than what he keeps saying he's worth. Sometimes it is best to let the people speak. They know a good one when they see him!

ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

BID HIGH AND BID OFTEN!

HAPPY BIDDING!

Oreo cookies and milk

2009-08-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a great day in paradise yesterday. The morning was crisp and cool and I think even the calves were moving a little slow. Once they heard the Kubota fire up for breakfast they were all standing at the fence begging for chow. Ryan and Jade got started early on calves. The cool weather is making hair grow like crazy and they have been working their tails off trying to get through the calves and reclip. They don't have too many left so the rinsing and blowing process should go a little faster from now on.

The traffic started out slow but picked up to a steady stream right after lunch. Brad tossed some burgers on the grill and it seems like everyone must have smelled them because that's when they started rolling in.

The bidding is active and several of the calves have really taken off. It's always fun to see the different bidding styles. Some people will wait until the very last minute on Labor Day to place a bid. Others will see what they like and bid immediately. With our on-line bidding option everyone can keep in touch with where the calves are in the bidding. I have to appreciate the people that find that calf that they want and bid right away. If they have another bidder on that calf they have many "bidding wars" pop up. It's a good strategy I think because if you know what you are willing to spend on a calf you can find out early in the game if you are going to have a shot at her. If the opposing bidder drops out early then you may have a better idea that you are going to be able to stay on the calf with whom you initially fell in love. Some bidders will look at every calf in the state, pick their favorites and then bid on them accordingly at the last minute. I guess it's kind of like eating an oreo cookie. Some of us nibble off the top cookie and eat the filling, others like to dip them in milk or sprinkle them on ice cream...and most of us like to just stuff them in and devour them. I don't think there is a wrong way or a right way as long as you get the cookie. To each his own.

Never miss an opportunity

2009-08-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

I know some of you who know me realize that I have a bit of a strange...perhaps twisted...sense of humor. If you are reading my blog you have probably looked at the on-line auction. Well, with those two things in mind I guess you know that I am having some fun with lot #90. If you don't know what I am talking about you probably haven't looked at ALL of the lots online. BAD BLOGGER, NO COOKIE FOR YOU!!!

If you don't know me yet or understand my sense of humor you may think that I have lost my mind or that one of my consignors has some SERIOUSLY ugly cattle! At any rate I thought you would enjoy the fun. Actually, I was hoping that I could get my citified extended family involved in what goes on out in West Central Iowa during Labor Day. They are going to learn what being an online bidder is all about.

When the work gets overwhelming you have to find something to make you remember the fun of having a sense of humor. NOW LET'S GET BIDDING!!

Waitin' on the "stuff"

2009-08-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

No matter how well we plan our lives nothing ever seems to go the way you would like. In a perfect world...well, as of 4:10 P.M. today I just couldn't find that world. I am finding that being responsible for the care and marketing of the livelihood of over a dozen consignors can be a huge weight to carry at times. I have run everything as if it were my own; doing everything above and beyond the job. So far things have gone very well and I am very happy with how things are progressing and how great the calves are looking. The bunkhouse is open and ready for business. We are equipped with computer/web connections so we can use the online bidding and website. We have current bids listed on boards for all of our visitors to see, cattle are all feeling good and are getting rinsed and re-clipped in the "cowboy spa" , traffic and bidding is rolling, calves are sorted and ready to go, pictures and video have been taken and are up on the internet...well almost. O.K., so NOT perfect, but they will be VERY VERY SOON!! The editor had a little tornado issue. Sorry Texas folks...we'd send you some of this weather if we could...not a perfect world!

I hadn't heard from one of my consignors for a while and I was getting really restless about it. I like to keep in touch with my consignors but I don't like to be a pest so I hadn't flipped open the phone lately. I guess I should have. I was very heartbroken to hear this morning that Jeff and Toni Scott had a new baby boy and that het is in intensive care. I am so happy to hear about their new arrival and I am going to be sending my best for his speedy recovery! Welcome to Club Calf Paradise Jacob Jeff Scott!!! New babies...sometimes the world is a little closer to perfect.

Sortin' and blowin'...it's all good

2009-08-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well the rains have ceased and the sun is shining. The calves look like mud balls but the guys are busy rinsing and blowing. We are hoping to get the heifers and steers sorted tonight and have everything up to shape by friday. We are still waiting on the last of the pictures and video but I am sure they will be finished by the weekend.

Rain drops

2009-08-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I got up early and I have rinsed ALL of the calves. I am Wonder Woman! Actually, it's been raining like a monsoon here all day. I can't believe this is August! The funniest part is that I am sitting here inside the bunk house watching somebody actually walk through the calves!

It smells great in here today. I lit a few candles and, mixed with the rain, it is very refreshing. Actually the bunk house even has a hint of homemade brownies...burnt! I baked a pan of brownies after lunch and and ran down here to get something...that was a mistake. One thing led to another and I didn't get back to the house in time. I could tell something was not good even before I opened my front door. I think the smell of burnt brownies sticks to everything. Oh well, I guess I will give it another try. It will be something to keep me from pacing around the porch on a day like today.

I sent Ryan home for a day off and Jade has been cleaning the shop, working on the show cattle and guarding the sale cattle. I think they were both ready for a little down time. We'll be going full throttle tomorrow!

Juli is back!

2009-08-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry to anyone... if there is anyone...who has been following my blog. I have been terrible about keeping up to date. Between Hayley leaving, going to the Iowa State Fair and getting ready for the sale it's been a little crazy around here.

Well, state fair was great. We brought home several banners and awards. Nelson 26T2 was the Grand Champion bull and the Grand Champion Iowa Bred bull. "Stella", a.k.a. Cowpower 418u, was the Champion Junior Yearling Heifer. The Iowa State Fair also presented me with the award for herdsmanship for all of the work that we do with the Iowa Maine display as well as the design and look of our Nelson Cattle Company display. It was a great fair!

Life at Club Calf Paradise is going well. The calves have all arrived and we spent the weekend finishing up the video on the last of the calves. That should all be up along with pictures by thursday or friday of this week. The calves look great and I am confident the we have something for everyone. We even have several Iowa State Fair winners including the Maine-Tainer Champion Junior Heifer, the Champion Maine-Anjou Junior Heifer, the Champion Feeder Calf heifer which was champion over all of the feeder calves...including the steers. We have NUMEROUS winners from area jackpots as well.

We kicked off our sale sunday night with a consignor appreciation BBQ at the bunkhouse. A very good friend of ours put together the entire dinner with smoked pork loin and smoked bacon wrapped eye of round, prosciutto wrapped shrimp, rosemary potatoes, home-grown tomatoes topped with mozzerella and drizzled with seasonings, balsalmic vinegar and garnished with fresh mint leaves, cooked carrots and chilled beverages! YUM YUM!!! We had a great time, the weather could not have been better and now we are ready to get the sale rolling.

It's a bit warm and humid today and it is supposed to rain most of the afternoon. Imagine that! The calves are resting comfortably and with the exception of doing some re-clipping, we will just stay busy rinsing and blowing from now on.

Jayde Hunt has joined our ranks to help with the sale cattle. He and Ryan Kunze are a great team and I am very happy to have such great help. Mostly I like that they appreciate my cooking but I am guessing that they are just buttering me up!

Darby had a near death experience yesterday when he somehow got a pretty nasty gash on his side. It actually looked like a shot from a pellet gun or something so he and I went to the vet. An x-ray didn't reveal any lead poisoning so we gave him lots of jerky treats, some antibiotics and he is resting comfortably on the sofa in the bunkhouse today. I did manage to slip him a piece of left-over smoked pork. He loves me.

Well, stay tuned. I will PROMISE to keep up better on my blog. I know how much you all enjoy my stories that reveal my own "blondeness" ...just kidding. I suppose that if I am boring you to death that you wouldn't be reading this right now. So keeping checking back! We hope to see all of you during the sale!!

The Slap!

2009-08-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

I wish I could explain how good it feels to hear some of the stories our customers share with us. Sometimes it is hard not to get teary eyed. I would really like to share a story about a young man named Avery Bates that bought a steer on our sale last year. He and his family drove all the way from Montana to our farm and picked out several calves. Avery had his eye on a steer we all referred to as "Tank" and when the trailer left our place...Tank was on it. This young man was determined and he obviously put a lot of hard work into his calf. Here is a letter I recently received from his mother.
Good morning Juli --Well the end of the run is here...much to our dismay. I don't know why it's so stinking hard to see the good ones go, but it sure is tough. Many tears have been shed the last week seeing that the end was here. County Fair was quite eventful. We had a couple different families that we didn't even know travel down to the fair just to see "Tank". He got a little bit famous there in the last few weeks of Jackpost season. (Because he was winning all of them!)..... .. Avery and Tank were Grand again for ther final hoorah!! So lo and behold Tank had to come back home because of an injury and had a withdrawel period which was a nice treat until yesterday...Dan loaded him up and it was off to the processor!!! Oh what a tough day...but many good memories. Oh, I must brag a little more...Trista had Grand heifer and Avery had Reserve...we definately can't complain! The kids have one more show the 2nd week of August where they will shoe three of the other steers we got from you. Trista's little steer will hopefully do well there....but we have to wait and see.....
----Amber Bates

Yeah, that's what it's all about!

Smokin' at the bunkhouse.

2009-08-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. It's been a mad rush here trying to get things ready. We have all worked our tails off trying to get the calves that are already here down to the front pasture. My brother, Erik, was back for a few days and he helped out a lot at the bunk house. Well, mostly he helped us fire up the smoker (by the truck) and smoke a ribeye loin. It was incredible but I suppose most of the credit goes to my beloved.

We spent the weekend installing two new shade canopies for two of the paddocks that were lacking shaded areas. Thanks to my ENTIRE family we were able to get them all put together and nobody was injured...but it was close! As you can see Brad was truly into the spirit of the task! It was especially nice to have my father overseeing the job.

Now that the shades are in place all of the calves that are here thus far have been moved, are clipped and are being rinsed every day for the sale. They are looking fabulous but I don't think that they are liking the warmer weather we are getting right now. It's still the coolest summer in history!

The big move

2009-07-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Nick was so excited today that we were finally able to get some of the calves down to the front pasture. The cool weather has been a HUGE asset in getting these calves ready and in good condition. I have to say that this is one of the quietest sets of calves that we have every had and that helps matters a lot. I think that we may have broke 90 degrees for the first time this month but Nick has been working his tail off all day down in the new "wash house" rinsing calves and doing a little clipping. The calves look great thanks to Nick's hard work and I would guess thanks to our consignors who brought us such a powerful set of calves.

I don't think that I have told you all about Nick yet. Nick Andreson is heading into his third year at ISU this fall and is planning on being a vet. I hurt my back this spring so I posted a job opening at ISU just before finals week. We had several great applicants and we are thrilled to have Nick with us. He is incredibly talented with the cattle and has a great way with them. It takes a special person to do this work...or maybe just to work for me. I am a little particular about how my cattle are handled and Nick has greatly lived up to my standards. He thinks outside of the box and recognizes a problem...he just has some mechanical issues. We try not to tease him too much about that as I am not sure that he has my sense of humor. He is very athletic however and has been able to put his fire pit jumping skills to work. I would have to say that his pole vaulting skills need a bit more tuning. I don't think the pole is supposed to go through your foot! Ohhhh, the stories I could tell! LOL

We will miss him when he goes back to college but we are really looking forward to having him along with us during the Iowa State Fair. Nick is planning on coming back on weekends until our sale if over so I hope all of you get a chance to meet him.

Interesting weekend

2009-07-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had that feeling that somebody is watching you? You know, the one where you look around and think that someone is hiding behind a tree waiting to jump out and scare you? I had that feeling yesterday. Darby went behind the bunkhouse and I saw him looking at something. When I investigated I saw a skunk crouched on the ground and I shrieked at Darby to try and get him away. Luckily SOME of our training sessions paid off because as soon as I called to "leave it" he backed away and jumped in the Kubota. I promptly stuck him in the house and headed for my son's gun.

I couldn't find the pin-striped little bugger and was kind of happy since I didn't really want to be part of his demise if he was just out wandering around. I really didn't think much more about it until the hair stood up on the back of my neck after I had been fixing fence for a while. When I turned around he was staggering towards me. He stopped for a minute, smelled the air and then continued to try rip me to shreds...or so I imagined. At that point I did what any normal woman would do...I RAN AWAY!!!! I called Brad and encouraged him to get his tush down the hill with the gun and save me from certain death!!!

The skunk decided to take another break in the shade of Brad's new smoker. BIG MISTAKE!!! Apparently it's ok to mess with me but DO NOT MESS WITH BRAD'S SMOKER!!!!! Needless to say the place looked like a crime scene. I don't know much about guns...or ammo...but apparently deer slugs will pretty much take care of a sick skunk. That's all I have to say about that.

As for the picture of my shop foreman...well, let me just say that Brad is NOT just a desk jockey. He has multiple talents and I am especially happy that running a welder and plasma cutter are part of them. Of course, you "might be a redneck if..." your honey-do list includes adding three feet to the length of your working chute. I do love that man...really!!!

Money is an issue!

2009-07-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well, with another beautiful weekend I took advantage and worked my tail off setting things up at the pasture for the sale. The wash building is officially finished and we are currently working on finishing the upgrades on the chute and getting it moved in. We are supposed to get more storms today so we are waiting to move calves until tomorrow.

I wanted to take a moment to comment on something that I heard the other day that has me a bit concerned. The comment was that many people aren't coming over to Western Iowa for the sales this fall because they feel that they just can't afford a high dollar steer to use at their county fairs. That really upsets be because I think that there are calves here that will appeal to all; there will probably be some high dollar fancy steers that will certainly be competitive on a national level but I like to think that I have calves that will also appeal to the county-level projects as well.

Every one of our consignors has to place a floor bid on their calf. That bid is not allowed to change and they have to agree to sell that calf at that price if there is only one bid on that calf. Many of the steers will be floored in the $900 to $1100 range. Granted, that price is above the salebarn market price but it is not unreasonable. You have to understand that these are AI sired, they have been worked with and are ready to go into your kids hands. You know what you are paying for and a lot of the risk has been eliminated. When it comes to your kids that little bit extra is worth it in my book. We will sell a lot of calves in that price range. We are not just here for the big time showmen and we want to work with all of you. Everyone gets equal treatment at Club Calf Paradise no matter how much you spend!

I really hope that some of you that are hesitant to head this direction take time to read this. I would really be disappointed if you missed out on a nice steer that you could afford. At the very least take a day and come see us. Looking is half the experience!

Breaking out the sweaters

2009-07-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with my nose sticking out from under my goose down quilt. I thought I was dreaming. It's the middle of July in Iowa! I am afraid that the calves that Mickey Peck sent up from the furnace of Oklahoma are going to go into shock. Even the yearling bred heifers in the oak grove look fuzzy this morning. I can't believe this weather but I will certainly enjoy every minute of it. It's almost noon and it's only 63 degrees. WOW!!!

Today kicks off the annual Darrell Nissen Memorial Calf show in Denison. This weather should really help bring out more market animals. I am looking forward to seeing everyone today and hope to spend some time this evening at the bunk house having some bbq and beverages. I am sure the front porch will be full but there is always room for more.

The Wash House

2009-07-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

Every year we try to make some new additions to the front pasture. Last year we had a somewhat temporary set up for rinsing and working on calves while they were in the front pasture. This project had a July 4 deadline and is still not quite finished thanks mostly to the wonderful rains we have been having.

Last year we just had a chute and a temporary awning with some portable holding pens but it was still a far cry from the steel posts and portable gate panel that we had in the past. We even used to just tie the calves up to the side of the four wheeler and rinse them. Needless to say I am quite excited about getting this finished. We are getting excited about moving most of the calves down to the hillside paddocks as soon as possible.

They are supposed to be pouring concrete tomorrow and Darby is looking forward to putting his paw prints on the new cement. The workers always love that!

Tech Support

2009-07-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Club Calf Paradise doesn't just happen. Everything is choreographed from day one and includes help from a lot of people. Somewhere over that past year I lost my Wonder Woman uniform so I have had to resign myself to the fact that I needed to hire some assitants. So far I have been very happy with the people that have made a commitment to being part of the Nelson Cattle Company and Club Calf Paradise sale crew.

Pictured is Allison Vary. She is a recent high school graduate and is headed for College at Butler Community College this fall where she will be taking Ag. Communications with a Minor in Animal Science. She will also be an active member of their livestock judging team.

Currently Allison is working on her PhD from N.C.C. (Nelson Cattle Company) in Turf Mantenance. She is quite skilled at operating a JD 950 with belly mower and keeping the sale paddocks in immaculate condition. Occasionally you might find a stray golfer trying to chip balls from paddock to paddock. Recently the water hazards have posed a bit of a challenge but Allison has used stealth navigation to avoid them.

Stayed tuned for information about other employees...Nick Andreson is currently working on SEVERAL degrees at NCC. The last month has undoubtedly been a challenge for him as he is apparently working towards a triple major!

Password Society

2009-07-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed lately how everything we do requires a "password"? Our phones, our computers, our bank accounts...pretty soon we will need a password to access vending machines and gas pumps. Heck, essentially I even have to remember a password to get into my car! I hate passwords. For some reason, on Monday mornings when I am exhausted from the weekend and I have not had my daily requirement of caffeine my brain randomly shuts down it's "password" memory and I have to spend a few minutes of stressed out confusion trying to access any and all of my accounts.

I have tried to keep track of my passwords by writing them in a "secret book" but I never seem to have that book handy when I am having a password brain-fart. Or along with forgetting my password, I forgot the safe place I left the book. Then when I am completely at a loss I will change the password. That is simply a bad idea because no matter what I can never remember the clever NEW password the next time I need it because I didn't have my stupid clever book to write it in which, if I would have had it in the first place I wouldn't have had to change my password!

There is no password that is unforgettable. I have even tried using the word "PASSWORD" as my password. Clever huh? Yeah, well 24 hours later or after I have inadvertantly washed my clever little book with my jeans...GONE!!! I dunno...maybe it's my age. Maybe it's my hair color. Maybe it's that I can actually remember what life was like before Internet, cell phones and PASSWORDS!!! At any rate, now that I have rambled and vented about this subject I have completely forgotton what I was going to "blog" about! So for today I am going to suggest that somebody outthere name a bull PASSWORD. I think it has some genius marketing potential. Can you imagine the response when you ask anyone if they have seen PASSWORD? They will think that they are privy to some deep secret that should never be shared with others! They will all want to know what it is and get access to it. You could even refer to his semen code as his PIN number!

Can you hear the music?

2009-07-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

What is it about Sunday's and rain that make every song you hear tweak some deep sentiment? Maybe it's just that I am too mushy. Maybe it's the phone call that I got from a dear friend in Texas while standing outside in the middle of thunder and impending rain at 8:00 AM this morning telling me that after generations they are throwing in the towel due to the drought. I don't know. Life is so amazing to me sometimes; the delicate balance that we are constantly battling to maintain with mother nature. So here I am sitting in the house blogging while it pours...almost two inches now...listening to the soundtrack from Evita! Eva's final broadcast...it's a killer!!!

The north creek fence/hotwire is gone from the last storm. I had a massive floodgate firmly secured on twelve foot banks with massive augered anchors. That was demolished last fall after ten years of faithful service. Since then I have resigned myself to "breakaway" flood fencing. After any bad gully washers I simply have to replace a single wire and about three cheap insulated posts. I sometimes feel a little smug about this arrangement. Kind of like thumbing my nose at that Mother, Nature. She can't beat me!!! But this morning, armed with my cheap posts, light wire and fencing pliers I stood braced for the next rain battle with my cell phone in my hand and listening to the tears of a friend who was giving up his life dream. As the torrential downpour gave me yet another slap I hung up my phone and left the scene. Today you win Mother Nature. I'll be back! Evita, sing me a happy song.

Another day in Paradise

2009-07-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

It's pretty quiet here today in Paradise. I am worried about the weather as it hasn't rained in almost 24 hours. I hope this isn't a trend! If this keeps up I may have to put my hip waders away and get out my Justins. The temperature is perfect and I think the calves are even laying out in the sun to try and stay a bit warmer. I love days like this.

Brad and I spent a good share of the day in an orientation meeting for Rotary exchange families. It was really interesting to meet with the other families and kids that are going to be going abroad. I am pretty excited but I think that it was a bit of a reality check. Our nest is seriously going to be empty and there aren't going to be any weekend visits or "home for the holidays" for the next year. I think that the emotions are going to run pretty deep over the next few weeks.

Nick is back from his trip and is working hard on the calves. I am not going to brag on him much because I am afraid that somebody will hire him away. He has been fabulous though and I don't know what I am going to do when he goes back to school. It is so hard to find somebody that respects the animals and is willing to work with them and treat them the same way that I do. He gets a little keyed up now and then but if he ever learns how to handle the "mule" I think that he will really be an asset to our program! BTW, if you can't tell...this is sarcasm.

So, gotta run. Going to Bonner's for a "Mario Kart Smackdown" and eat homemade bars before going to the movie. I have no idea what some of this is but I vowed to be random today and enjoy one of the last few days with my daughter.

Until tomorrow,
Juli