Building your base

It’s easy to take for granted all the things you just know…because you grew up in agriculture, because you live in a certain part of the country where a particular farming practice is commonplace, because you add little bits of knowledge with each trip around the sun.

Where we live in central Nebraska, people winter cattle on stalks and much of the ground is either no-till or worked in the spring. Those fields are really all my 5-year-old son knows of a harvested corn field.

Take that Nebraska boy to where my roots run deep, as we did over Christmas break, and I saw Minnesota agriculture from a different perspective. After he asked that question, we talked about chisel plowing, soil temps and equipment.

Kids are naturally so curious. “Why?” visits the Reiman household frequently.

That same characteristic makes a good journalist, something I was often told during my years at South Dakota State. When I visit ranches and I see or hear something I haven’t before, I ask why or how.

When is the last time you’ve stopped to ask questions? Have you left the ranch recently to see how your tasks are done in a different part of the country?

Next month, thousands of cattlemen will gather at the Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Nashville. What a place to swap ideas and share stories. It seems like the perfect setting to see things from a different perspective.

If you’re going to be there, be sure to register for the Cattlemen’s College portion of the program. Each year we help support that event because we believe it’s important to get fresh ideas, to always keep learning.

The program brings together experts from various facets of beef production to share the latest with you. This year CAB meat scientist Phil Bass will be there talking about new beef cuts and preparation methods. You can learn about market dynamics, vaccination strategies and ecology after a drought. And the list goes on and on. Visit the website to see the full lineup and registration details.

Hope to see you there!

May your bottom line be filled with black ink,

Miranda

You may also like