February 7-8, 2012—Baker, Montana, we will put on a two day stockmanship school. For more information, call Kodie Olsen at 406-778-2217 ext 3 or e-mail her at kodie.olsen@mt.nacdnet.net

This book by Walt Davis is the irreverent and sometimes humorous effort of a multi generation rancher to help people keep from making all of the mistakes that he made in fifty + years of ranching. It is drawn from real life though some names are changed or not given to protect the guilty.

Buy your copy at http://www.waltdavisranch.com/Booksavailable.html

We bought some more older, bred cows at the Springfield auction today. We stayed understocked through the summer not certain how the drought would develop. We have lots of feed now (even with the drought) and decided to buy some more cheaper, older, bred cows for spring calving. We wound up with a nice stock trailer full of med aged cows and one nice Brangus heifer we just couldn’t resist (and she was cheap!).

Using Bud Williams Marketing, we buy the underpriced and sell the overpriced. It’s about time to sell the calves we’ve had all summer and just keep these older girls through the winter. Keep your eyes open for some good buys, and keep your plans open for using different ages or classes of livestock to make your profit!

We, once again, enjoyed giving a short presentation on Stockmanship at the Powerflex Open House in Seymour, Missouri. This is the fourth year in a row we have presented there. It was nice visiting with people who saw the talk in years past who are using what they learned. One man told us his wife totally quit working stock with him 30 years ago because she wasn’t happy being yelled at. After attending the talk last year, he asked his wife if she would give another try to working with him. She did, and he said they are now able to happily and successfully work livestock together now! What a joy for them!

We also enjoyed visiting with Greg and Jan Judy of Green Pastures Farm and hearing their presentation. He’s not only doing great work explaining high density grazing to help other ranchers, but he’s producing excellent quality meat and improving his own and his rented land using the same techniques.

We just firmed up an agreement to speak on Stockmanship for the fourth year in a row at the Powerflex Customer Appreciation Conference to be held September 23-24, 2011. Richard will speak from 10:00 – Noon and then again from 1:30 – 2:30 on September 23.

The group on day one of the two day school. Click here for more photos.