Planning for fall

Fall 2011 is upon us!

Yes I know it's only August, I shouldn't be rushing fall. Especially since summer is my all time favorite season, for those that know me know that I HATE being cold. So why do I live in Wisconsin you may ask?!?! I don't know!!
In college fall semester was the most exciting time to be in college A) Classes just begun, refreshed brain cells are strong B) College Football is exciting and I loved hanging out with friends C) Nothing beats getting the sale cattle at the Purebred Beef Center ready for the Angus Connection Sale & Hereford Fall Fest Sale.
This past weekend Dad and I did a little planning for fall. As if we haven't been busy enough with summer cattle shows, making round & square bales, and my mom's new greenhouse business. As farmers we really never have a "slow time" or any down time for that matter. It's a good live we love what we do, it's more then just a job it's a way of life. Anyways, this weekend we continued to get ready for a cattle show in late September, World Beef Expo, where we will exhibit a cow/calf pair. You remember Miley, my favoritest cow that we did so well with at the Junior National Hereford Expo? Well she's the one that's we'll be taking to this next show. We take extra care of her by putting her on a healthy diet, giving her baths, and putting her under fans so she's plenty cool. We also take extra care of her calf in the same manner.
We also brought in all of our heifer calves from the pasture that are still nursing from their mothers. After looking, talking, analyzing we determined which heifers we were going to sell in the MSU Fall Fest Sale in November. Lots of planning & hard work goes into a production sale. The first step (which is what we did) is to select what you are going to sell then submit each sale lot's information along with footnotes  for the sale catalog (a magazine that potentional buyer read to learn about the animals being auctioned off). And footnotes are listed in the catalog with the animals pedigree information and picture. These few sentences tell the buyer about the history of the animal, why it would make a good show heifer, and/or how it would be a nice addition to a herd. Since my family is a consignor to the sale we submit our sale information to MSU and they are gracious enough to not only host the sale but also compile everyone's sale lots and take the sale catalog into production.
As you can see a lot goes into the fall season, some may think summer is busy but really it's a toss up! From now till November I will be either working with our cow/calf pair for World Beef Expo or breaking calves for the Fall Fest Sale. However I wouldn't have it any other way!

N.Starr