Welcome to my Agriculture Page.

My farming/ranching operation consists of just over 2,000 acres owned and rented. I run 150 stock cows in my cow/calf enterprise. I grow wheat, milo, soybeans, alfalfa, sunflowers, and oats in my farming operation. I also operate my parent's farm trust. I came to the farm in 1974 after graduating from Fort Hays State University with a degree in agriculture. I will post what I’m doing on the farm and how the weather affects my operation when I get time.

January 10, brutal cold on the farm.

The cold and stormy winter continues. Luckily, we missed the deep snows that southern Kansas got, but the north door is open. Pond ice is 10" thick---takes a lot of chopping to get water for the cattle. Feeding extra hay to the cattle to comphensate for the cold weather. Again, thankful that we have no deep snow/drifts to fight. Due to the cold weather we are burning a tremendous amount of fire wood---the chain saws are really busy. Whenever the weather warms up we will work our fall calving cattle. I think 32 degrees will be shirt sleave weather.

Picture of the coldest morning in SEVERAL years!

January 15, warming up some.

The icy winter grip has moderated some. We worked our fall calving cattle as well as grandma's when the temps were tolerable. At the end of the month, I got 3 early spring calves courtesy of the neighbor's bull---all were fine as the temps were "normal". Below are some pictures.

Jeremy is bringing up calves to get their vaccinations.

Liz finishing up ear-notching calf in shute.

The first calf born in 2010.

I have this thing about taking pictures of sunsets.

February, moving cattle home.

Around the first week of the month we move our spring calving cows closer to home before they start to calf. It takes about an hour to walk the cattle 3.5 miles to the birthing pastures. When we brought my cattle home, a cow started to have her calf and jumped the fence into "grandmas" pasture. 3 hours later when I went back to check her (and fix the fence she broke) she had had twins! The weather in late January was cold and FOGGY! With all the melting snow just to the south of us, we have had many mornings with patchy dense fog---humm, a January fog freezes a February dog as one saying goes---we'll see. We are happy about getting periotic January/February thaws, the pond ice has thinned to about one inch, allowing the cattle to drink with out us chopping 10" ice every day.

Moving cows home.

Leading the cattle home with the old feed truck.

March 2, taxes due and a breath of spring coming.

We in agriculture have to pay our Federal/State income taxes by the end of February. Always a rush to get all the paperwork in to the accountant on time. I also hate to pay lots of taxes. I mean the way the system is set up, if you go into debt to buy machinery/land for the farm, its deductible and little taxes are paid. If you don't borrow and pay off debt instead, you get taxed more. Short version--one is penalized for trying to reduce debt. No wonder so many people in this country and the government are broke. We're beginning spring calving now and the weather forecast for the week ahead is WARMER! Wichita weather station broke a record of not reaching 60 degree for more than 3 months now! The ground has thawed out enough that I was able to drill some corner post holes to repair some fence. Still to wet to do any spring tillage although I can't because my primary tillage tractor is in the shop to redo its engine.