Cliff and Helen Alewine moved from Texas 23 years ago and purchased 160 acres near Westville, Okla. Because nearby family was involved in poultry, they decided to raise broilers for Tyson and cattle because the pairing is efficient.
The Alewines raised chickens for 20 years, but decided mandatory retrofitting of their chicken houses was not cost-efficient at that time in their lives.
The couple has always worked together.
“I was raised with three sisters and a brother by a single mother who taught us that tasks are not gender defined,” Helen said. “You simply do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.”
What that means in terms of the Alewines is that while Cliff performs maintenance and equipment repair and Helen carries out more of the daily routine, they work together.
“I break it; he fixes it,” Helen said with a laugh. “Then I use it until it breaks again.”
This story, however, is really about Helen, her passion for animals and how diverse women’s activities in agriculture can be. Helen raises and trains competitive combined disciplinary event horses whose competitions include sorting, roping, jumping and Western horsemanship skills. Her horses are fed grain and allowed restricted time grazing to maintain prime competitive condition. Helen also raises and trains competitive Border Collies that serve as her cowboys as she frequently works by herself since her husband is still employed and away from the farm for extended periods of time. Her Border Collie training begins with a 36-head sheep flock and then progresses to cattle. Helen success is demonstrated by being sixth in the 2014 EXCA World Finals, a combined disciplinary event, and winning the Tulsa State Championship for working cattle dog completion. Helen’s goal is to compete with her horses and dogs in a three- to four-month competition on a circuit that includes Wyoming, Colorado and Montana.
The heart of the Alewine operation is 100 commercial Angus/Herford cross cow/calf pairs, bred by three full-blooded Herford and two full-blooded Angus bulls during two breeding seasons.
The Alewines raise their own replacement heifers and typically save five per year, though that number varies according to the number of cows culled for age, insufficient milk, poor udder condition or not breeding back. Another significant factor in culling is checking that teeth are not too short for proper nutrition when the cattle are worked.
A registered nurse specializing in open heart surgery in Texas, Helen switched to home health when she arrived in Oklahoma. She later became a state nurse, retiring one year ago.
“To be good with animals, you need to be half veterinarian,” Helen said. “My nurses’ training also comes into play with my deep conviction to preserve all living things.”
One example occurred during a blistery winter with a half frozen, hypothermic and barely alive newborn calf. The only chance for survival was warming his core body temperature. Many hours of rubbing and stimulating circulation in the house bathtub filled with hot water resulted in a live calf. Another time, a heifer was having difficulty giving birth and after examination, Helen knew the calf could be successfully pulled and tried, but she soon realized she lacked sufficient strength because of the heifer’s awkward position. Helen hooked up the calf puller to a four-wheeler for more strength and gunned the engine. The vehicle rose in the air and then crashed down as the calf popped out. Helen resuscitated the calf by placing her mouth to the calf’s nose because he was not breathing.
“There really is no such thing as a daily routine, though there is a general plan that is instantly responsive to whatever unexpected issues arise,” Helen said. “People not involved in agriculture have no idea of the importance of agriculture much less the nuts and bolts or the hard work and joy that come from providing food for people.”
Helen’s work day begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. or later, depending upon the season and available light. One of the most important parts of her routine is checking her herd which calves twice a year. She watches cows close to calving and calves on the ground while also checking for health issues, such as pinkeye or foot rot, in addition to downed trees and damaged fence lines. Chores include weed control, haying and myriads of activities necessary to maintain an efficient farm. Later Helen trains her horses for three hours per day and her dogs for two. Helen said, “On a farm, everything has to be in balance including chores, training, facilities and resources such as land and water.”
To Helen, a farm is like a living thing. All parts have to function together in proper balance to ensure health and survival. She believes farmers are better custodians of the land than the people who make policy because survival is at stake.
A critical part of the Alewine success is meticulous record keeping of each animal including issues such as raising a runt, health problems and production statistics. These provide a solid basis for choosing which heifers to keep, or which bull to breed to which cow.
Helen’s experiences cause her to believe women are the rock and foundation of a home. Women need to be totally rounded and as self-sufficient as possible because today’s women need to provide income using widely divergent skill sets while still maintaining a home and nurturing family. Helen said, “There is no way I could go through a day without Jesus. All our blessings are from him and I never forget that or take anything for granted.”
