You Got a Little Something on Your Lip There

Our protocol is to bring the bigger beef that are getting close to finishing weight, close to home so we can monitor them more closely. This batch of steers and heifers has been a joy and has performed great, even through the summer heat. I was in the pasture a couple of days ago, and she was looking at me with this grass hanging from her lips. It struck me as both humorous and as a good snapshot of what we are trying to do. We believe in having our animals on grass at all times, allowing them to exhibit all the natural functions and tendencies they were designed to perform. There is something else we need to talk about... probably more next week when I have more time, but here is a primer. I can't ride by that pasture without thinking about the value of these cattle. The beef industry is having a moment right now. Cattle inventory is historically low, and with high demand, that has driven prices to levels that I never thought I would see. The animals in this picture were born and raised on our farm. They will never be sold at an auction, so you would think the commercial price doesn't affect us. However, in many ways it does. That's what we'll talk more about next week. I'll dig up some numbers and try to explain the historic significance of the current market, and talk about exactly how it will impact us.