The voice in my head tends to chatter relentlessly. One early morning last week, it recited the old adage: “For want of the horse, the rider was lost; For want of the rider, the battle was lost; For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost; And all from the want of a horseshoe nail.” Then my inner voice composed a revision: “For want of an outlet, the electricity was lost. For want of electricity, the pickup engine warmer was lost. For want of an engine warmer, the truck didn’t start. For want of a started truck, the load of...

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February 18, 2025, Lake County Board of Commissioners, with support from the Lake County Sheriff, declared a wolf threat to public safety and livestock. Wolf OR158 has traveled from Baker County, Oregon, to Modoc County, California, hunting and killing cattle. With five confirmed calf kills, and three probable kills in Lake County in less than ten days, it recently centered its activity in the Valley Falls area. Wolf OR158 is not part of a pack, and has been traveling alone. It is collared, and sends out intermittent signals that are tracked by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Efforts by...

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As I’ve mentioned before here, one of my favorite things about playing music is the passing down of skills and tradition. Moving forward is really important, but I believe strongly in honoring the people who came before you and learning from them. In Texas that is especially true, and one of the coolest things we have experienced is having other artists who are older and/or more established than us lend us their support by connecting us with venues, playing shows with us, and having us get up to sit in with them during their own shows. One of our biggest...

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As another President’s Day/week has come and gone, it is a great time to reflect on the leaders of our great nation, the good and the bad. Over our nation’s 249-year history, we have been blessed with some monumental and incredibly consequential Presidents such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan. We have also had some duds, such as Jimmy Carter and Woodrow Wilson, and the recently departed Joe Biden. Presidents that, in more ways than one, set our nation back with economic upheaval, gross fiscal mismanagement, and absurd foreign policy decisions such as the half-baked and...

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It is time for hunters to start planning their 2025 Colorado adventure. Hunters hoping to draw a big-game license in 2025 are urged to review the changes in licenses, seasons and fees in the 2025 Colorado Big Game brochure prior to the March 1 opening of the primary draw application period (March 1 - April 1 at 8 p.m. MT). CPW encourages hunters to submit their applications early to avoid complications or delays. Get prepared ahead of time so that if problems arise, CPW staff members have ample time to assist you. View CPW’s hunting statistics for information from previous...

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Since November 2023, the Wyoming Department of Education’s Farm to School program has expanded from 10 percent school participation to now 90 percent school participation, and much of that can be attributed to the work and guidance of program manager, Bobby Lane. Farm to School connects locally grown products – everything from beef to lettuce – to schools where they are used in school lunch programs. “Farm to School is all about getting locally grown products that grow within the state or within the region into school kitchens,” Lane explained. Lane travels to each of the 48 school districts in...

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Cowboy boots descended on downtown San Antonio, Texas, in early February for NCBA’s Cattle Convention. Before the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention center filled up with trade show exhibitors, industry professionals and producers from across the country, various side events were held to kick off the week. Corteva Agriscience, John Deere, Zinpro, and Zoetis joined forces to share expert advice on maximizing efficiency at their “Let’s Talk Grazing and Raising” event. Matt Perrier, a rancher and host of the “Practically Ranching” podcast moderated the panel, which included Dr. Sam Ingram, Field Scientist with Corteva Agriscience; Kaylene Ballesteros, Marketing Manager at John...

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Junior breed associations play an integral role in the development of the next generation of agriculturalists. Encouraging and fostering passion in the youth of agriculture is important now more than ever, as the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture showed a 7 percent decrease in family farms with the average age of the farming/ranching population increasing to 58-years-old. Through its various leadership programs and youth-focused activities, the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) and the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) are not only looking to preserve the legacy of the Hereford breed, but on a larger scale, the organizations are looking...

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Sales around Reporter Country so far this spring have been nothing short of amazing! With that said, the weather (especially in my traveling area) is another story. Mother Nature is certainly making up for lost time as we had a very warm, dry fall and early winter. We just received another big blast of snow this past weekend. I believe we are now a little over 40 inches of snow since the beginning of this year. I can only imagine the mess we are going to have if it reaches the mid-50’s by this weekend! Optimism is flying high around...

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For Tom Flynn, a 35-year-old second generation rancher, horseman, and father, emotions and tears do not typically flow freely. But since January 30, when a lone, male gray wolf, OR158, who has a history of depredating livestock, moved into the area near their ranch in southeastern Oregon, the lives and well-being of Tom’s cattle, his two children, his wife, Elise, DVM, and the patients at her on-site veterinary clinic have been in jeopardy. In that time, the Flynns have lost three calves confirmed as wolf kills, all of which have been a stone’s throw away from their home and Elise’s...

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