Editorial / Opinions

I am sure by now you’ve heard that the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the 2013 Farm Bill with a final vote announced as 195 to 234. The rejected farm bill comes after members were divided over food subsidies and food stamps.

The wonder of an email came to the front last Sunday when a lady from Colorado sent me a message asking about my reference to riding polo ponies at Oak Brook as a boy. She too had ridden polo ponies there. I had to go way back to living in the Chicago suburbs when I was 12 years old. Back then I had a terrible thirst and desire to be a cowboy growing up.

What a difference a year makes!

Just this past week I read an online article posted on a local news channel’s website about an alpaca farmer in Rogersville, Mo., who shot a bear on his property. The article stated that the man’s herd dogs had the bear cornered. When the man heard the commotion he went outside, shotgun in hand, and saw that the bear was angry and pawing at his dogs. That’s when the farmer took matters into his own hands and shot the bear.

What a difference a year makes!

Just this past week I read an online article posted on a local news channel’s website about an alpaca farmer in Rogersville, Mo., who shot a bear on his property. The article stated that the man’s herd dogs had the bear cornered. When the man heard the commotion he went outside, shotgun in hand, and saw that the bear was angry and pawing at his dogs. That’s when the farmer took matters into his own hands and shot the bear.

Have you ever wondered which country the beef you see in the meat counter comes from? It never used to say the country of origin, did it? You couldn’t tell if it was ground or packaged in Mexico or South America. Worry no more; it will soon be on that package you pickup in the meat market. American cattlemen have wanted this for years, but store chains that handle cheap meat from other countries in order to compete with U.S. beef fought such labeling.

With cattle thefts on the rise around the country, more and more cattlemen are returning to the ways of yesteryear by branding their livestock. Branding with either a hot iron or a freeze brand is a permanent way of identifying the animals and serving as proof of ownership in the event the cattle are ever stolen.

I went home over the weekend, something I admit I don’t do often enough, to see my mom for Mother’s Day and to do a little fishing with dad.

I should be finished with spring calving, but I have one farm where there are still about a half-dozen cows that didn’t get the memo. Because there are still expectant mothers at that place, I try to make a quick drive-through each morning before I start with the regular farm work that has to be done this time of year.