Age?

[Chevy]

So are ya'll talking about the same people?!

 

[Dave]

It seemed to me that I heard something about Mel so I looked him up on line. He had a big heart attack back in October of 2020. Survived and things said he was recovering. Nothing posted after that. No obituary so I assume he is still alive but it probably causing him to keep a low profile.

 

[herofan]

I'm 53. I have always been around cattle, but not always had them myself. My grandfather farmed and passed away in the 80s. The rest of us had other things going on, so we never had a big operation. My dad a d brother had 15 or so for a while, and then there were years when we did t have any. My brother and I have had around 20 for the past 11 years. A lot don't like the term hobby farmer, but that probably describes us.

 

[BlondeD]

74 a couple of months ago.......grew up on a small farm outside Memphis....(and Raleigh is close....now almost part of the expanding "hood).....my dad was 44 when I was born...(brother and sister came along later)....we raised everything on this little depression era farm....cotton, corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs, sheep, strawberries, etc.....in 4H and FFA.....off to college for degree in Ag....then that afternoon sworn into the Air Force as Vietnam was starting to wind down. Then took a big detour into dental school thru the GI Bill.....and then a small town country practice....rented the place from Dad to run a few cows. Knocked around with the cattle on the side for a long time......cross breeds....finally a stint with Beefmaster.......George Strait soundtracks as I tried to grow quality over quantity.....and doing all the labor..(except baling hay) during it all. Finally threw in the towel in '05..blame it on a young blonde .....before retiring from the day job in '19 and back with the beefs...sans the blonde.......hard to get cattle out of your blood after 40+ years. Now I'm definitely on my last "rodeo".....running about 30+ head...darn Blonde D'Aquitaines...(.must be something mental there) on these 80 acres, a little AI work and just staying afloat and working on pasture improvement.....trying to get to the Arkansas 300 day grazing program...but?? It's been a good ride all in all

 

[Lee VanRoss]

B> What do you think benefited you most, the Ag degree or the dentistry practice? Are the 30 head cows and
calves or stockers and grass calves? Sounds like you have the resources to back you up in the event the market
goes south. good luck LVR

 

[BlondeD]

One of my first Ag Econ classes mentioned how farmers purchased their inputs at retail....and sold their products at wholesale......and try to make up the difference on volume... So i suppose I took that nugget to heart. The practice definitely paid better in the long run. Currently a cow-calf operation.....maybe angle in to some freezer beef sales when my closest processor finishes his update project. And as I'm the "caretaker" for this little farm.....I have many great sunrises and sunsets......couldn't get that in the city.

 

[aaronstiff]

Do I win a prize for being the youngest? 20 currently.

Grew up in Ontario, usually was near the country, but definitely wasn't a farm kid. Dad has always worked in computers, but we always wanted a "homestead". Had to move to PEI to afford one.

Got Lowline Angus beginning of 2020. Loving the breed, and loving raising cattle. Absolutely tiny operation compared to most everybody else here, but everyone starts small I guess. Not my full time job, but would like it to be one day.

Have and will rely on this community for knowledge and experience I lack!

 

[KAstocker]

I'm 31. Dad used to run stockers, then switched to cow calf in the late 90s, so I was around that growing up.

Wife and I bought a place in 2018 and we've run stockers on it since then. I probably wouldn't get cows until I could have at least 50 or so mixed with some stockers so that may be a bit.

Cow related crazy stories - not many yet. Left the gate open a few times and we live on a state highway

 

[greybeard]

Remind me in a week or so. I'll have some free time on my hands hopefully.
I tell the one that includes

Beer
A whitetail doe on the attack
A broken headlight
A police escort
A madman on the loose
A borrowed shotgun
A burglary
A judge in his pajamas with a tiny pistol
A jail cell full of bicycles

In one night...

Sounds like a Robert Earl Keen song.

 

[littletom]

39 grew up on family farm my grandfather farmed was killed when I was four, and ran beef cattle. It was very important to my mom to hold it together. She was a school teacher and my dad a banker. Lot of late nights and weekend and summer farming. My grandmothers brother was also a fulltime farmer he never had any kids when he died in 95 his land went to my grandmother. I was big into horse showing growing up. After high school I had the big idea to pursue that. Went to school at Black Hawk In Il. Did that for a few years might my wife while working in Illinois. She was in vet school. After graduating we came back to the family farm. I was riding horses here and farming growing a little tobacco. Had a barn fire that was the end of my horse riding that day. The tobacco farming kept getting bigger. My grandmother died my parents and my wife and I bought my cousins out of several tracts of the farm. So it is all still in the family and we have bought some other small farms. Now there are 120 momma cows we grow 120 acres of tobacco and a little grain fool with few stockers and sell some hay. We have 2 young daughters and she has a vet business. My parents are retired for the most part.

 

[Silver]

.....running about 30+ head...darn Blonde D'Aquitaines...(.must be something mental there)

I'd still have them if the market would allow it. As fine a cattle as there is, IMO

 

[Baustin]

Just turned 58. I'm long time 'Murican on both sides of my family. Dad's family was first permanent white settlers (pioneers?) in TX. My cousins still own some of the original land. Farming has been a part of my family for generations, though I grew up with my mom in the city away from it all. Could never shake the feeling I belonged out in rural America.
Finally, after my husband retired few years ago, we bought a house out on a big piece of land in Western CO and proceeded to add some chickens, goats, cows, and livestock guardian dogs, though not in that order.
We've owned a couple handfuls of Akaushi and Black Wagyu for two years now. My avatar is the first calf born on our farm. We only had to pull him a little. Around midnight. In the rain. On a Saturday night. With no idea what we were doing. Everything we had learned to that point was from the TV show "Dr Pol" - about a Michigan farm vet, in case you haven't seen it. Now that right there is both funny and sad. But it's the truth. We've learned a lot more since then.
I say "we" but I probably mean "me". My husband likes the tractor and working the pastures, but he leaves most of the hands-on with the animals to me. I'm okay with that. Last time I had the vet out while I was working cattle, she and her assistant (also a female) and I were running them through the chute, and we were doing just fine. Figured we're redefining what girls' day out looks like . Anyway, I'm just grateful everyday to have our own animals on our own piece of land and the health and energy to do something with it.
I don't chime in too much, but I sure appreciate reading about the experiences of those who do post. Thank you, all!

 

[sstterry]

Do I win a prize for being the youngest? 20 currently.

Grew up in Ontario, usually was near the country, but definitely wasn't a farm kid. Dad has always worked in computers, but we always wanted a "homestead". Had to move to PEI to afford one.

Got Lowline Angus beginning of 2020. Loving the breed, and loving raising cattle. Absolutely tiny operation compared to most everybody else here, but everyone starts small I guess. Not my full time job, but would like it to be one day.

Have and will rely on this community for knowledge and experience I lack!

Speaking of being young, has anyone heard from @OwnedByTheCow?

 

[BlondeD]

I'd still have them if the market would allow it. As fine a cattle as there is, IMO

I've got 4 young...(10 months)...bulls to start to market in this heavily Angus area....I guess I'm still a contarious person.......will probably cross them later with something black. ?? But they are the most gentle and adaptive cows I've owned over the 40+ years.

 

[Silver]

I've got 4 young...(10 months)...bulls to start to market in this heavily Angus area....I guess I'm still a contarious person.......will probably cross them later with something black. ?? But they are the most gentle and adaptive cows I've owned over the 40+ years.

I'd like to see some pictures!

 

[Bestoutwest]

I'm turning 40 this year, on year 8 of owning cows. Grew up in the Northeast, in the city. Moved out west and I've learned everything as I go. Was wanting to switch over to full cows and buying hay for myself, but I'm not sure that's going to work. Hay has gone from $170~/ton to over $300, so I'm not sure how good of an option that is. On the other hand my hay guy is getting to the point where he's either going to retire or die (he's 78). So, we'll see what happens. Last year I got rid of a lot of the herd b/c they were steers or cows that never had a calf for me (after 2 tries b/c I'm that guy). I'll see where things lead, but with the influx of people into the Boise area, I'm not sure what the future holds.

 

[daneg]

1960 model, my grand fathers had livestock when I was a kid, spent a couple years in the navy after high school then went back to home town and worked in a copper mine for a few years. Went west and worked oil rigs half dozen years until kids started coming and bought few cows and 1/4 with a yard after a few years felt the need to expand. Alberta land prices were too high so we ended up in Manitoba in 2001, been here 20+ years run 100+- cows.

 

[Silver]

1960 model, my grand fathers had livestock when I was a kid, spent a couple years in the navy after high school then went back to home town and worked in a copper mine for a few years. Went west and worked oil rigs half dozen years until kids started coming and bought few cows and 1/4 with a yard after a few years felt the need to expand. Alberta land prices were too high so we ended up in Manitoba in 2001, been here 20+ years run 100+- cows.

Brings this song to mind, but you went even further.

 

[bbirder]

Faster Horses, i've got you beat by a few months. Turned 77 in December. Sold the last of my cows in the fall. My health is not allowing me to properly care for them and the farm. I had cattle for many years even though I always worked away from the farm. Mostly Angus. Got my start hauling cattle with my grandfather. That was the days before bumper pull trailers. He had about a 1-1/2 ton truck with a large wooden pen constructed on the back. All the locals had pens with chutes that had ramps to get them in. I can still recall trying to get some rank Brahma bulls in that truck. Usually had to have a horse pulling rope through the truck to drag them in. The one thing I remember about that old Dodge truck was that the air conditioning consisted of a crank in the middle of the dash that raised the whole bottom of the winshield to get a breeze. Miss my cattle and miss the old times.

 

[daneg]

Just about ended up in the peace country, we checked out all corners up there before deciding on Manitoba

Can't edit the original post, just like to add I started out in Quebec. Be kind!