Make sure to put safety first
It is that time of year when we are moving a lot of equipment from one field to the next. And it never hurts to be reminded of practices that might save our life or the lives of others.
I watched a video of a farmer moving his tractor and baler from a county road onto a highway. The tractor pulling the baler got completely on the highway and fully had the right of way. But a vehicle traveling fast hit him from behind—exploding the tractor and baler. Even though he had the right a way it didn’t keep him from dying. It’s hard to tell if a vehicle or equipment is going slow until it is too late.
And let’s face it, most everyone is on their cellphone. I told my son who was moving a tractor on the highway the other day that he needs to spend more time looking backward than he does forward. And for him to drive in the ditch when first getting started or any time in doubt.
One customer last week had bull calves off the cow weighing 360 pounds to 750 pounds that the average price per head was $1,470. There were two big black steers weighing 850 pounds that were bought as pairs eight months ago were represented off cows had some age that brought $2,000 per head. Them and their mothers—6-year-old cows cost $1,100 for the pair and they still have the cow.
Any way you look at it, that is making good money. If you remember it was very dry eight months ago.
Lots of hay is being baled in this part of the country, which is very good. All the farmers and ranchers needed it as they were completely out of hay. And this will also make less competition for the hay for those who need to buy hay as some prices got very wild last year, for even the first part of this year.
I asked my grandpa what is the secret? You still call grandma darling, beautiful, and honey. That is great, tell me the secret. He said, “To be honest I can’t remember her name.”
I was walking down the hall, at the sale barn just being silly and singing. So I sarcastically said, “I should have been a professional singer, I would have been rich by now.” One buyer friend said, “Yes, I would like to hear you sing that song ‘Over the hill and far away’ and the chorus starts out the further the better.”
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.
