Back to the grind - after reflection and celebration

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken oil formation!

As the end of July is creeping up on us, I wanted to take a moment to share with you the love I have for my life and the livelihood that sustains our family.  Self indulgent, I know, but bare with me... there is just something about the knowledge that we are on the back end of summer that stirs reflection in the soul.

Since we turned bulls out the last week of June we have been focused on keeping water lines going, cows and bulls bunched and where they are suppose to be, attempting to control pests in our fields, planning for the arrival of the custom harvesters and arranging delivery of the Canola and Flax, and of course WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HAY!

Two days last week required parts runs, one to Prairie Implement in Killdeer and one to Anderson Vermeer near Sidney MT.  Here, dad adjusting the 8840's sickle mount after changing out a broken sickle bar.

Kyle napping in the back of the Ford in the hay field while dad and I were fixing on the 8840.  Haying season is tough on everyone!

The 'in the field' repair shop - tools on the Dodge and work space on the Ford.  Unfortunately, there is no AC in this repair shop.

The weather has been very cooperative with the exception of the heat.  July 2012 has been a hot one which is hard on plants, humans, and livestock.  We, unlike many areas of the country have been blessed with timely moisture keeping the forages and crops looking fair to midland (which comparatively speaking, we are most grateful for).  I wish the equipment has been as cooperative as the weather.  Alas, it has not.

In between all that is going on at the ranch, we have had reasons to celebrate.  To celebrate a way of life that few are fortunate enough to experience.  What brings this celebration to the forefront of my thoughts?  The Farm and Ranch Guide's Country Woman of the Year Awards Luncheon.

In June I received a phone call from Kathy White at the Farm and Ranch Guide http://www.farmandranchguide.com/ , a publication that services over 38,000 farmers, ranches, and agri-businesses in North Dakota and the surrounding area.  She informed me that my mother had nominated me for their Country Woman of the Year annual award and that I had been selected as one of the six finalists.  This was exciting, but at the same time my self-talk was saying "I don't deserve this.  There are so many other women that do more for their farm or ranch, their family and their communities.  I simply do not deserve consideration for this award."

http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/regional/vawnita-best-uses-social-media-to-share-busy-ranch-life/article_968f2d12-c0a1-11e1-8697-0019bb2963f4.html

None the less, I was honored for the selection and honored to participate in the process, yet fairly naive as to what exactly that process included.

So last Thursday, we shut down the hay equipment, hooked up the trailer (killing several birds with one stone), loaded up a bobcat and a couple colts (all for delivery to places along the way) and headed to the two day interview and awards luncheon for the Farm and Ranch Guide's 2012 Country Woman of the Year.

It was a wonderful experience with the six finalists (alphabetically listed below):

1. Myself
2. Jill Brown of Berthold
3. Sandy Laub of Elgin
4. Karen Mitteness of Benson, MN
5. Rita Mosset of Linton
6. Misty Steeke of Rhame

As the Friday noon luncheon neared and people began rolling in, I started to realize that this award was a pretty big deal to the upper mid west and rural America.  There were approximately 300 people (from my rough table count) in attendance with numerous distinguished guests including 15 of the 18 past Country Women of the Year.  In addition, first lady Betty Dalrymple, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, Senator John Hoeven and candidate for US Senate, Heidi Heitkamp were all in attendance and shared their appreciation for the contributions of women in agriculture.

The thing that resonated with me in addition to the people in attendance was the support of businesses and individuals, through their generous contributions toward recognizing the commitment of women in agriculture to their rural lifestyles, their family businesses, their family members and their defined communities.

The winner of the 2012 Farm and Ranch Guide Country Woman of the Year Award was someone who couldn't be more deserving for all she does and the lives that she touches while being an incredible ambassador for agriculture.

CONGRATULATIONS Misty Steeke - http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/regional/ffa-advisor-ag-teacher-rancher-misty-steeke-a-true-country/article_1b5be2ec-c0a2-11e1-b6b9-0019bb2963f4.html

To the Farm and Ranch Guide, to all those who support the process, to all those who celebrate rural America and appreciate the contributions of farmers and ranchers, THANK YOU! 

Please know from this rancher, that it is an honor and privilege to be able to tend to the resources entrusted in our care and to provide the highest quality protein in the world for a growing population.

Until next time, here is to doing what you love and loving what you do.

4-H Families - proud reflections of rural America

I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking,
my HEART to greater loyalty,
my HANDS to larger service, and
my HEALTH to better living......
for my club, my community, my country and my WORLD. - the 4-H pledge

The five McKenzie County 4-H showmen competing for the 'Round Robin' award.  For each species (goats, horses, beef, hogs, and sheep), each year the champion showman competes in a round robin competition.  Gracie Dahl (goats), Taylor Dwyer (horses and beef), Breann Obritsch (reserve champion beef), Seth Obritsch (hogs), and Nate Egeberg (sheep) are pictured here awaiting the results after showing all five species, with the highest point earner winning the 2012 McKenzie County Round Robin Showmanship award.  Seth was the 2012 winner and Breann reserve.  Both received trophy buckles  from the Zaye Lindvig (a McKenzie County 4-H member who died in 1996 at the age of 19 from a childhood disease and who's family still exibits the 4-H's in the above pledge) livestock showmanship memorial.

Last week was the McKenzie County Fair.  County fairs are the highlight of most 4-H families year and a social staple of rural America.

The ranch had the honor of sponsoring a couple of the awards given there and Rita, Kim and I had a great time judging static exhibits, interviewing the 4-Hers and learning more about the experiences behind their projects.  I attended the livestock sale and was able to purchase the Grand Champion market hog that was locally raised and cared for by a 4-Her who's family embodies all that is good with rural America and the lifestyle (as well as life lessons) it has to offer.  This is a win : win situation for both our family and visitors to the ranch (there will be a little pork to break up the beef based meals periodically) as well as the 4-Her.

One of five steer classes at the 2012 McKenzie County Fair.

McKenzie County is cattle country, specifically cow/calf.  The county has a large amount of 'badlands' terrain which without ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats have a stomach with 4 compartments allowing them to make use of forages that monogasterics (humans, poultry, hogs...) cannot) has little to no food production value.  Most of this country is not farmable due to ruggedness and soil that is less productive due to its type.  My point, when there are 65,000 cows and 15,000 people (before the oil boom, that number was closer to 5,000) in a county, the 4-H livestock projects, specifically steers, are a BIG part of the county fair.

The McKenzie County 4-H livestock community 'chillin' in the beef barn after the show.

There were 44 steers this year and a handful of hogs, sheep, goats, poultry and other small animals.  Unlike many county fairs where premiums are sold, when you buy an animal at the McKenzie County 4-H livestock sale, you own the animal.  There is a huge amount of support from local and regional businesses that understand two things - 4-H and the lessons learned through it's participation strengthens the H's (again, see the pledge above) and instills a deeper understanding of them in participating youth.  Also, they have the opportunity to purchase locally raised, fed, harvested and processed meat to fill their and their employees freezers for the upcoming year.

This year there was an interesting twist to the 4-H livestock sale.

A little girl (2 years old) in the community, from the Keene area was diagnosed with leukemia the middle of June.  Her father grew up in McKenzie County and was a 4-H kid back in the late 80's and 90's.  They are a ranching family and all the kids were members of the 'Keene Lucky Leaf' 4-H club growing up.

Before the 4-H livestock sale this year,  each 4-H youth selling a market animal in the sale was given the opportunity to donate a portion of the sale of their animal to this family to defray medical expenses and expenses incurred during their two month stay down at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN.

Before the sale started, the county agenty held up a 3 inch stack of donation cards which were voluntarily contributed to the family from 4-H members wanting to help one of their community members in need.  When I asked the dollar amount this morning, it was yet to be tallied, but it was predicted to be significant.  This group of 4-Hers were AMAZING and expressed their 4-H's (again, see the above pledge) in a way that brought a tear to my eye and reminded me yet again of how important 'community' is and how at their young ages, these 4-Her already know this.

During the Round Robin competition.  Each showman has 2 minutes with each of the five species.  The judges score the showman's handling of each animal as well as asking them production questions to evaluate their knowledge of each of the livestock species.

Around Elkhorn Creek Ranch, we bleed NDSU BISON green and gold, we howl with the WCHS Wolves, and we are KEENE LUCKY LEAVES at heart!

My parents enrolled me and my sister in 4-H the first year that we were eligible and we were active members from ages 8 to 18. 

Just a few of the life lessons I learned in 4-H:

• Winning isn't everything, but still do your best at what ever you commit to doing.  Anything less will let down your team and yourself.
• Be a gracious winner, but an even more gracious loses.  Losing graciously makes you a winner in the end and you will probably learn more from the loss than you would have from the win.
• Your 'competition' is also your community members (genetic (yes, a genetic community is a family), 4-H or otherwise) - play fair, play hard, RAISE those around you UP as sometimes you might be the one raising and sometimes you might be the one needing the 'up' - either way, it promotes the greater good and supports 'team'. 
• Take care of your animals - how they are cared for and how they act are a direct reflection of you.
• Understanding the circle of life and what makes the world go around.  Keep it real.  Respect the resources, others and yourself.
• Cry for 'SPUD' (my first 4-H steer and class II winner of the 1984 McKenzie County Fair) and then move forward always remembering it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
• At ANY AGE, keep your head clear, your heart loyal, your hands serving (others, that it... if you have come to serve yourself, go home and do that on your own time) and your health a priority (so you have more years of service to others in you)!

To the 2012 McKenzie Country 4-Hers and their families, congratulations on an excellent fair and for being a PROUD reflection of all that is good in rural America.  And to Seth, thanks for the pork!  We are looking forward to it!

As always, greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken oil formation.

4th of July Festivities

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken oil formation!

I understand that the United States' Independence Day is a big deal from sea to shining sea.  It is safe to say that in rural America it is cherished not only for being America's birthday, but also as an opportunity to honor our veterans.

The small community of Arnegard, 7 miles west of Watford City on US Highway 85 has an amazing celebration of America's Birthday, an honored homestead family (this year was the Schultz family) and recognizing our veterans and their families for their sacrifices and contributions to our country's freedom.

On a ranch level, it is a way that we celebrate Independence Day, but also celebrate Mother Nature's blessings of a wet spring (if it has been, we have fireworks and campfire..... if it has not, we don't). 

So it was two days of CELEBRATION, on the evening of the 3rd with family and neighbors at the ranch and on the 4th with our local veterans and the community of Arnegard.  After two days of celebration, it was back to ranch activities with gathering the two pastures of cows to ensure the bulls had optimal coverage for our 21 day check back after AIing.

This is my dad, Kurt Hovet, a veteran of the Vietnam war carrying one of the four honored flags in the Arnegard 4th of July parade.

Veterans of all wars and branches of service being honored at the Arnegard celebration.

The parade is a celebration of veterans and heritage.  This 'horse power' display is owned by the Madison Ranch and driven by Milt Madison.

The color guard at the Arnegard parade.  All veterans and all keepers of western heritage - Dennis Johnson, Glenn Skoglund, LeRoy Defoe, and Kurt Hovet (my dad).

The Schultz family - the honored homesteader family.

Neighbors and Family at the ranch.

The 'after fireworks' nearly full moon at the ranch.

A backup visual in the event the video doesn't work - Lee Murphy (my sister's husband) is the selector and executor of the ranch's fireworks show.  It was another great show this year enjoyed by approximately 20 neighbors and family members!

Thursday morning, the 5th, headed to the barn to gather cows.

L to R - Brad on Maggie, Pete on Dos, and Nancy Broderson (my friend and high school classmate from the Twin Cities on Hoss) and Oop's ears.... Oops has been my project this summer and the reason that you haven't had alot of 'a top a horse' shots the month of June.... he is a bit of a handful.  Oops and I are usually 50 feet ahead of everyone else.  We have already stopped for a drink and climbed the other side of the Cherry creek bank and are impatiently waiting for the rest of the crew.

Sweeping the pasture and pushing all the cows and bulls to 'new grass'.  Nancy on Hoss - they were a good team that day!

The Rough Creek pasture cows almost to 'their new grass and the water tank'.

We like to 'trade riders' as part of our 'young horse' training.  Pete rode Oops home and I am atop Dos.  In the fore-ground, you can see our house.... HOME SWEET HOME after a long day.

It really was a wonderful 4th of July week both in the rural western North Dakota community of Arnegard and also at our little piece of heaven at the end of the road!

HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY AMERICA and thank you VETERANS!

Show time!

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken oil formation.

June 23rd was our big day!  Embryo Transfer (ET) day.

Embryo transfer is a technology that is used both in the production of high quality seedstock (livestock as well as recreation and companion species) in the animal world and also in human society.  Although the reasons are different, it is safe to say the technology is nearly the same between all species (including humans).

First, the WHY:
We raise bulls and heifers for commercial cattlemen.  We want to be using as much 'elite' genetics as possible that is highly predictable and will provide the most amount of financial success for our commercial customers.  Examples - calf easy, are good mothers (take good care of their calves so preditors don't get them and give them enough nutrient dense milk so they grow fast and are healthy and wean heavy in the fall), are efficient (use less feed and resources to generate more pounds of beef), have longevity (so they stay in the our customers' herds for more years and raise a good calf each year).... 

Second, the HOW:
The first thing is to determine the elite genetics.  Due to the fact that we register almost all of our eligible calves (where both the sire (father) and dam (mother) are reistered (parentage traced)) and we report the annual production of all of our calves to the American Angus Association (AAA) every year, we have many statistical tools / data to help us determine our strongest cows (the ones that will raise calves that will make our customers profitable) in the herd.  These cows are our 'highest honors honor roll students' or our 'Mother of the Year' cows.  These cows are known as our 'donor' cows.

Through technology, we are able to allow these donor cows to have multiple calves in each calf crop.  They go through the same process a human would that either can not conceive naturally or wants multiples... like Octa-Mom.  Only, unlike Octa-mom's doctor, Dr. Michael removes ALL the embryos from each donor cow and transfers them into recipient cows.  We select five donor cows each year, which have earned this elite status.

It is very technical and very scheduled and timed out, and on the day that these embryos are ready to be moved from the donor cows into a recipient mothers (typically our commercial / nonregistered cows), the doctors, technicians and lab equipment show up and set up.

Dr. Michael (Doctor of Reproductive Physiology) and Dr. Bruce (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) bringing expertise and technology to the ranch to continue to improve our cow herd.  This has both a trickle down effect on our customers' success and profitablity and also an impact on the US Beef industry, which is known as the world's source of the safest, most efficiently produced and highest quality Zinc, Iron and Protein available. 

Dr. Bruce using his electronic tablet to capture images of the embryos under the microscope from one of the five donor cows which will be transferred shortly to the recipient mothers after being graded and aged.

The 10 little embryos from one of the five donor cows which Dr. Michael transferred into our commercial recipient cows.  Using eight years (the number of years that we have used ET on our ranch) of statical data, we can expect to have seven of these little eight celled embryos become calves. 

The record keeping system to track each embryo which is transfered until they are born next spring at which time they are tagged for individual identification.

Through ET, we are able to focus on our best cows and provide multiple full brothers each year out of them in our private treaty bull offering to our commercial customers.  This allows them to breed all of their cows to full brothers adding uniformity to their calf crops.  Uniformity typically adds value to the feed lots that purchase their calves which continues to affect each part of the beef industry until we get to the end customer - MOM (the household's domestic manager).  When she goes to the grocery store to select tenderloins for grilling for her family and the neighbor's family on a Friday evening gathering, this uniformity in genetic selection promotes the likelihood that each steak will be more uniform in size and similar in eating quality (tenderness, juiciness and flavor).

http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/producers/nd-best/index.php

http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/

So there you have it!  That is why we (and so many other US ranchers) work so hard the month of June with our AI and ET programs - the tools we use to stay on the cutting edge of 'beef genetics'.

www.bestangusandquarterhorses.com

The thing about summer....

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken oil formation!

Today is Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere.  This day brings mixed emotions... it means many things, some of which are (in no particular order):

1. AI season is officially over and the success of our next calf crop is now in the hands of the bulls.
2. On the calendar, the year is more than 1/2 over.
3. Today is the longest day of the year and they just get shorter from here on (boooo).
4. We are trying to start haying and considering June is typically (and hopefully) a wet month in North Dakota, we are ready to rock and roll, but Mother Nature doesn't think we should be yet.

And so this is the theme for this month and the spring of 2012 which came to a close yesterday..... WET! 

Brad commented how last year when there were scheduled things that HAD to be done on a specific day, it would rain the night before, but then the day of, the weather would hold and things went relatively smooth.  This year has been an entirely different scenario.  We have been rained on and blown over at every opportunity this spring.  It has been WONDERFUL!

Pete AI ing cows in the rain

Brad and Lee hoping Pete will hurry up AI ing cows in the rain

The saddle horses grazing in the rain

Me out checking water lines and making sure bulls are where they are suppose to be in the rain

Me, happy to be working in the rain

So, June 2012 has been a wet month and we are so very thankful for that.  We look forward to July bringing successful haying weather.  Time will tell and I keep reminding myself that it is in Mother Nature's hands.

Happy Summer All and TGIR.... Thank God its Raining! 

www.bestangusandquarterhorses.com

Time flies when you are having fun!

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken Oil Formation!

So, it truly has been a busy couple weeks.  This is the first time I have been in the office in a week.  As I was returning phone calls today from people who left messages dating back to May 31st it reaffirmed the fact that time flies when you are having fun.

It is true that I have a 'love / hate' relationship with the month of June.  On the ranching calendar the seasons (instead of winter, spring, summer and fall) go something like this:  feeding hay season, calving season, farming season, branding season, fencing season, breeding season, making hay season, harvesting season, weaning and shipping season, crop and hay hauling season, and gettin' ready for winter season.  Many of these seasons (which I suspect I have missed a few) are happening simultaneously and it can be a lot of balls to juggle sometimes..... Oh, and then there is the never ending business end of things - the office work which I'm sure everyone can relate to.

June truly is one of the busiest months as we are fencing and trying to get water lines going to our summer pastures, trying to get hay equipment lined out and running, sorting cows (organizing them) for breeding and summer pasture assignments...... AND breeding our cows.  Some days I wish it was as simple as turning the bulls out, but the rewards of the technical breeding program that we attempt to manage each year is just too high to let the bulls have all the glory.

My office the month of June!  On the desk, records and equipment for loading AI guns.  On the floor, three liquid nitrogen tanks which keep the 'A list' bull specimens alive until thawing them and breeding the cow with them.

We have the opportunity with current breeding technology (Artificial Insemination or AI) to use any bull that we want without having to purchase him either private treaty or at public auction, which is a good thing.  Many of the bulls we AI to sold at public auction for five or six digit dollar figures.  We are able to purchase genetics on the 'A listers' to use on our cows for $20.00 to $50.00 per breeding.  Typically, between 70% and 90% of the cows we AI settle to those 'A list' bulls making the extra work that we do financially rewarding to our ranch.

Brad AI ing a commercial heifer with Pete holding her tail out of the way and probably harassing Brad at the same time.

That being said, it does not come without sacrifice and commitment.  Every weekend in June is truly a family work group outing.  It is a time to pull together, work really hard and begin looking forward to the next spring when we get to start delivering the next calf crop that we work so hard for in June. 

Two heifers waiting quietly in the double alley this AM waiting to be AI'ed as they were in 'standing estrus' the PM before.

The weekend 'breeding' crew eating lunch after the AM breeding.

SOOOOO,  although I love working the entire month of June with the 'breeding' crew, I hate how fast the month goes EVERY year..... TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN!

Our Day, Our Way

Greetings from Elkhorn Creek Ranch near the epicenter of the Bakken Oil Formation!

June 1, 1996 was a cool, overcast, dreary day with showers in the Watford City area.  I remember this clearly because we were surrounded by friends and family and on that day I committed the rest of my life to Peter George (IV) Best.  It was the first day of the rest our lives together.... and it has been 16 years of blissful wed!

Sooooo, when I called my mom on the morning of June 1, 2012 and she agreed to take Kyle in to day care and pick him up, I thought "Perfect.  A wonderful day of togetherness on our 16th Anniversary."

My knight in a heather grey "Soar with the Comets" (in 1997) T-shirt on the Honda 300!

When I informed Pete that we didn't have to make drop off and pick up, his response was "Great, we can try to get the south RS pasture fenced."  Just so you know, this pasture is 'the one' that NOBODY wants to fence.  I would rather fence the other 57 miles of fence we are responsible for if someone else would do those 3.  It is incredibly rough and for years, we ran horses in it because the fence was so bad.  This year, because we have more heifers than usual, we are upgrading the fence to hold heifers in by replacing most of the corner braces. 

This was not exactly what I had hoped for ON OUR 16TH wedding anniversary (but at least we would be together)!

Game Plan - load up the corner posts and mending supplies on the Ford and also bring the 4-wheeler.  Pete informed me that our wonderful neighbor to the west, Perry Ecker told him about a trail that would get us to most of the corners of the west side of this pasture with a pickup.  I thought this was odd as I was completely unaware of this 'trail'.  And in the most respectful way possible, you must be informed that Perry 'will go anywhere and try anything' in a fencing truck or on a horse.  I was a little skeptical of the safe return of the Ford from this trip.

'The trail'.... Pete scouted ahead on the 4-wheeler for holes and washes.  When you can't see the ground you are driving on, it is a true test of 'trust'.  It doesn't have the same effect as being blind folded and guided to the drive way to 'the new car', but I suspect it is close.

Using the high ground vantage and binoculars to save time and energy scoping places that would have to be 'packed' into if repairs were needed.

Tyra and Gunner had a great day and considering it was the warmest day of the year, they drank over 1/2 the water we packed for the day.

This is the west end of the ranch and where we spent our 16th wedding anniversary.  It is a beautiful place and it was a beautiful day.

We spent the day exercising our 16 years of skills that we have built together and even if there would have been more romantic or relaxing ways to spend an anniversary, none would have been as productive (and productive is blissful)!!! AND, we got the Ford home safely and in one piece.  THANKS FOR THE TIP PERRY!  It made the task much EASIER.

AND to the most wonderful husband in the world, happy 16th and THANK YOU (for getting the gates on the way home ;)  )!

www.bestangusandquarterhorses.com