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Whiskey in the cold .

Only in MO, brandy up north

Oh yeah, this is an easy time of year but it gets dark so damn early!



There is one and a half 30 packs of Coors Light in the fridge and 3 bottles of whiskey in the cupboard. Well actually 3 half full bottles.



I do not drink and operate machinery at the same time though. Booze after work. Unless it is 'working after work', then it is okay.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you Sam. Will be eating a ribeye on you folks tomorrow. Anyone that has never had the pleasure of raising meat will wonder how easy it is

Hey man, back atcha!

I heard tell of a guy who needed to talk to an old boy who was working ground. He walked up to the tractor and the farmer opens the door to the cab and smoke rolls out like a Cheech and Chong epic. Turns out he's not only smoking it up, but he's usin' a damned water bong the size of a Dillon 650. Gives a new meaning to the term "impaired".

I've heard of old farmers using stimulants during planting/seeding but never any weed!

Black coffee for me.

When I was the feeder at the dairy I started at 4:15 am and was lucky to be done by 8:30 am.. But that was for only 500+ cows.. They're milking around 1200+ now, and the guy feeding now usually does not get done until between 1-3 pm. That doesn't count the young stock or calves; those are fed by two others and I really don't know how long that takes..

dairy is just another way of saying you do nothing but work, every day, all day

This time of year my momma cows are out on stalks and have a creek that will stay open nearly all the time. Only have to worry about feeding them after they've picked the field clean or we get at least 6"-8" of snow cover that stays.

Last spring's crop of calves, who are pushing 800lbs, are in my little feed lot and they take minimal time to deal with. They are each eating about 24lbs of a blended feed along with whatever hay they want off of a big round bale. Automatic waterer takes care of them, I turn the heater on full-time in November and off for good usually in late March.

So not much time on a day to day basis. No complaints.

My main income is from row crops. The cows stay around because I like 'em. They pay their way and provide the best beef out there. And there is not much of anything more enjoyable to me than watching a bunch of month old black calves racing around a green pasture about sundown, tails up and....., well you know what I mean.


Sam, I've seen pictures of your cows and your facilities, always impressive pictures you post.

Tough country you live in, it breeds tough men. It's not an easy way to make a living, but it's a good way to do it.

Just received a snap from son, they are butchering on the compound[his inlaws] today.
As of 9 am they had 5 steer quartered with 5 more to go.
I participated last year[because I owned one] but is was a balmy 20 degrees at the first shot.
Not so lucky this year....for them.
You farmers have my undying respect!

Thing to do is have about 400-500 acres of Sorghum Sudan grass planted in July. Then graze it all winter. Maybe supplement them a bit.

All in costs per acre are about 10 bucks.


100 acres per month, well for 350 cows anyway.

Takes a lot of the labor and cost out of ranching.

1000 bucks a month to winter them on SS grass. Where as I figure some days of feeding for me are 1000-1500 bucks....per day!


Good thing I dont figure in labor costs for me!


Anyway, thats what we work on. Try to be more productive with less labor and less labor cost.

As to the title, for those of us who remember Eddie Cochran, I think that was going to be the title of his follow-up song.

Bwahahahaha....

What are these "labor costs"? Never heard of such.

You've never come across someone who does word working as a "hobby".

Probably a dumb question but I'm still going to ask.

When I bird hunt out in eastern Montana I can't help but wonder how do the range cattle stay warm in the winter when it's -20 with no protection from the wind.

Do they naturally huddle up and figure it out or do you have to bring them in to a stock yard or something. They don't seem like they'd handle cold as well as a deer or coyote but maybe they do.

Sorry for my ignorance but I'm from Wisconsin where cattle spend the day side by side in a barn.

They build campfires when nobody's looking.

Someone who is capable should post the Far Side cartoon with the cattle standing around on their hind legs visiting and one of them yells, "Car!" and they all drop and start to graze.