New Years resolutions and failures

Yeah those are my boots,no it is not cowshit (LOL, spell check suggested "cows hit"), well, maybe a little cowshit but mostly mud. Besides in today's world cowshit has a new name. It can be referred to as "bovine digested plant matter" so we all feel better. and more politically correct. Now if you are already disgusted or upset by this blog at this point you better leave, because it will just get worse for you from this point forward.

Like many people I made a few New Years resolutions. Three of them to be exact and other than starting this blog on New Years day I have kept the other two so far. I did start one of the others 3 weeks prior to the New Years though so I am going to give myself a pass. Technically the resolution was to start a daily blog and post something everyday for a year which I can still do.

I do not know exactly what I will post here each day but I am committed to posting something. For years I kept a daily journal in written form in a daily planner. Nothing fancy usually just weather, generally what the work day entailed and any other records that I thought I needed to record that were not written on the back of a receipt for Copenhagen snuff and a large coffee from the local mini mart.

My tentative plan is to share my daily life of being a cattlemen (google mentally unstable) with the general public. The worse that can happen is some enviroterrorist or vegetarian will track me down, kidnap me and make me eat organic Brussels sprouts while wearing a suit and tie and watching Maury Povich show reruns ( nothing personal against Maury he just came to mind as I typed, I will offend many people before the year is over). The best that can happen has many more possibilities. Maybe I will talk less to my dog, my cows, my therapist and myself. Maybe I will save money on therapy sessions or on fixing things I break when angry. Maybe I'll meet some billionaire who really appreciates t bone steaks and decides to send me a monthly tithe. Maybe I will post something really profound, derogatory ,insightful or controversial and "go viral" ( I really don't know what the hell I am saying) and some corporate giant or special interest group will become a financial but pleasantly silent partner in the ranch.

Really what I am hoping to do is threefold. First, I really want to have an open forum where the general population, whether they be close to agriculture or not can see a side of food production maybe they cant find anywhere else. Secondly, maybe educate and dispel some myths about us who work in concert with mother nature to bring you safe and wholesome food. While at the same time being honest and open about how your t-bone, burger or roast got from a loving bovine mating on my ranch to your plate. Lastly, and most important lets have a place where we focus on the good parts of life and have some fun.

It took me three quarters of 2008 and a large part of 2009 to embrace life again after the passing of my father in March 2008. (More to come on that later) Although life will never be quite the same in so many ways, the daily appreciation to be doing what I do, living in the country I live in, having the family, friends and associates I do makes me feel that I am probably the luckiest (insert favorite expletive here) in the world.

So, here we go, at least 365 days of something from a guy who usually shaves weekly, drives a pickup probably worth less than the value of some peoples suits and is sometimes a bit too honest for his own good. I may get diagnosed with OCD because this blog will jump all over the place. Don't let that discourage any of you in cyberland or be afraid to ask questions, give advice ,comment positive or negative, or whatever suits your fancy. I have a big mouth with a slow "speech stopper" but I also have big shoulders and generally don't give a damn what others think so it will all balance out! Actually if all you have is something really negative just move along, life is too damn short.

One last thing, I am going to name a common name and species of a creature or plant daily that can be found on my ranch. I am very proud to be a real environmentalist.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)



Tomorrow, a typical day in January and a bit about me.