We have made it to 2026 and I am not sure where 2025 went. I feel like it just flew by, and I am not really sure what was accomplished in those twelve months. I managed to make it a full calendar year with OFN and we made a few changes that I feel were beneficial to not only the paper, but me as well. I have met some great people because of this job and I really enjoy that aspect because I like talking Ag to lots of people.
I don’t do new year resolutions because I feel like things we are trying to accomplish are more like long term goals and not something that has a set timeline. I feel like resolutions put a lot of pressure on a person to be successful, and I also think it sets someone up for disappointment if you are not able to accomplish that goal.
I am always trying to lose weight, eat right, stress less, slow down, spend less money on silly things, but I fail miserably at all of these things. I do have small successes when I walk away from something I thought I needed to buy, saying no to something that added one more thing to my already busy schedule, ate just a small plate of something when I really wanted to eat the entire thing. To me, the small things make me feel like I am doing something right instead of just overall making one big resolution and not even coming close to accomplishing it.
On the farm we really crushed some big goals this year and my husband and I are excited about the things we were able to do. My husband is the one that really thinks things thru and figures out how things can be maneuvered to make it all work out. I on the other hand don’t really like to think things thru and I just go at it full bore and hope it works out! We were able to do some new things with our cattle herd genetically and we are excited to see the changes come next fall.
The show schedule in 2025 was pretty intense and we hit a few new shows and the kids had a great time. We always try to add in someplace new and we closed 2025 with a trip to Paris, the one in Texas. The kids were able to see the Eiffel Tower and get a photo with their heifers in front of it. I enjoy giving the kids those fun memories because even though we are very serious about doing well at the shows, it is also important to remember the fun side to it all. I am sure the people in the parking lot of the Eiffel Tower will have a great memory too of the day they saw some girls and their cows getting a photo.
We are starting out 2026 with a new show for us in Oklahoma City. We have shown at this location before but not at this particular show. When we were there in early 2025 they were tearing down the old arena and we will get to see the new one that was built in its place. We will also get to see several of our show friends that we only get to visit with when we attend certain shows. Even though our time is always limited, we are always able to pick back up like we just saw each other last weekend.
In 2026 I hope we are all able to enjoy the things that make us happy and to look for things that can improve ourselves or the situation we are in. Big or small changes, it does not matter, but just to try and improve on what we are all doing. Spend time with family and make some great memories. I had a great trip with my daughter this fall to the East coast and even though I may never make it that way again, I definitely enjoyed the memories that we made. I also became a grandma this fall and I am looking forward to making some great memories once he is old enough to know that his grandma is the crazy cow lady!
Debbie Elder is a native of Ottawa County, Okla. and lives on her farm in Webster County, Mo. To contact Debbie, call 1-866-532-1960 or by email at [email protected].
