Ever since I was just a little boy I have loved farming and
I knew that I wanted to return home someday and become a fourth generation
farmer/rancher at our family’s ranch just outside of Langford, South Dakota. My
western heritage is important to me and I would like to honor my family’s
traditions and culture in which I have been raised.
Horses
have always been a very important part of our ranching operation. Throughout my
life on the farm, I have always been around them and I have learned to
appreciate them and everything they are capable of doing. As of now, my grandpa
and my dad break and colts and train them to cut and complete tasks that are
necessary for working cattle, but someday I would like to do this myself and
carry on the family tradition. Along with using horses for cattle work out in
the pasture, my grandpa has been active in team pennings and my dad has been
active in team roping’s. Before I was even born my dad was traveling all over
for team roping’s, and as I have grown up I have gotten to go with him to
several of these events. Along with this, I have been able to learn how to rope
in our barn by throwing at our roping dummies. I am beginning to learn how to
rope off of a horse now in the arena and out in the pasture. This is a very critical
skill needed for treating cows and calves in the pasture or other rugged
terrain.
Another aspect of our family
farm is agriculture. Throughout the years we have raised many different crops
such as barley, oats, and sunflowers, but now days we focus on corn, beans,
alfalfa, and wheat. We use a lot of the alfalfa and corn to feed the cattle,
and a lot of the other crops are used for cash crops. By raising our own feed
for our cattle, we are able to perfectly fit their nutritional needs and we can
control their intake. Along we this, we are able to properly care for all of
our cattle from the day they are born all the way up to when they are in the
feedlots. We can ensure as best as possible that we are getting the highest
grade of cattle going through our feedlots as possible.
One of the greatest things I
have gotten to experience growing up on a farm in South Dakota is the
traditions and importance of family. It is incredible to see everyone working
together towards a similar goal, and it’s even better to see that goal get
accomplished. When we are doing larger projects around the farm everyone in the
family and sometimes other friends will join together to get the job done. I
enjoy getting to work along all of these people as we work and is it a great
feeling when you not only finish the job, but have fun while doing it and
making lots of memories for the future.
In
summary, the Western tradition in which I have been brought up in has branded
me in a way that will be with me forever. I would like to continue the
traditions of family and friends working together, of a hard day’s work and of
living off the land. I would like to pass these values onto my own children and
grandchildren and share with them the importance of life on family
farms/ranches in South Dakota.
No comments:
Post a Comment