A common question is “How long will the goat market stay like this?”  I can answer it honestly.  Who knows?  I don’t. The market is moving north, east and west.  Cattle & horse people are getting into the goat business, looking at the price tags and going “Well hell, if that’s all it costs, let’s do it!”  Some breeders will grow, almost overnight, others won’t make it.  Why?  There is a lot of different answers.  And I do not have all of the answers.

      Every breeder needs to look at supply vs demand.  I will tell you right now that supply of goats is good.  However, the supply of GOOD ones is not.  Therefore, the supply of GOOD goats (bucks, wethers, doe kids, breds, etc.) is LOW and as a result, are in demand.  That part is simple.  

     What a breeder needs to be able to do, is look at their goats and go “Boy howdy, I needed more of those because they sold quick.”  Or, “Nobody wanted to buy these.  They must not be worth 2 squirts of duck crap.  I need to make a change.”  Once, you do that, then it is time to get serious.  Sometimes, it is better to spend some cash to buy backing from a breeder and/or advertisment.  

     I can look at this operation and easily answer what do I have?

1–Feeders–I’ve got people that want to feed properly.  I have some that have a clue how to do stuff right without a babysitter.  I have a pile of feeders that take instructions very well.  You CANNOT put a price tag on a good feeder.  

2–Showman–I’ve got the BEST showman.  I’m not going to name names but I’ve got the best, the best for their age(s), the most improved and ones that nobody else even knows that they exist.  It is like a small-market baseball team.  We GROW showmen.  We don’t do the free agent deal and steal showmen.  We teach them and then watch them go to the backdrop.  

3–Knowledge-Some have it, some don’t, some want it.  I’m looking for more of it. I don’t have enough.  Can’t ever have enough.  

4–Help–Everybody needs some help.  Help from being Barn Blind.  Help doing stuff right.  Help showing.  Help feeding.  Help, finding the next breeding piece.  Sometimes, somebody just needs a driver home.  

5–I’ve got proven does, proven bucks and below average management.  This isn’t my job, so I either need to hire somebody to take care of goats or, just be happy with what we are doing.  It drives me nuts, but on the other hand, have a cool job or take this goat deal serious and do it for money?  Chicken or the egg.  

6–What do I have?  Dang good feeders, the best showmen, some knowledge, plenty of help, pickups that will drive fast, checks that clear.  Rank those.  All are #1.

Why do I have all of these?  There are stories for each #, but most importantly, results, teaching, results, big times, results, memorable moments,  and basically, our crew gets stuff done-right, while having a large time and looking for the next great story.  Basically, we have fun.  It isn’t about the money.  It is about the kdis and looking at good livestock.  There ain’t nobody in our group wondering if they should buy supper.  Why?  Bill or I will already have it covered.  Unless, your kid hit a big lick, then it is your turn.  And everbody wants to buy when their kid just hit a homer.  

       Now, what do I need?

1–More good feeders.  I know that some don’t call me because I am an “abrasive” personality type.  “They” would be right.  Some would say a type “A” personality.  Tammy says that stands for “A-hole”. 

2–You can’t have too many good showmen.  There are only a couple of great ones, a limited supply of effective showmen and a bunch that aren’t doing stuff right.  

3–More knowledge.  Always more.  Feed me.  

4–Help.  I’ve got the best.  I know it and I constantly remind them of their intelligence or the lack thereof.  In several cases, it is a good thing that some of the team can bake cookies, make motel reservations, get cosmo horn jobs (that isn’t dirty) or just know of a good eating place.  

5–It shouldn’t be about money.  I just need more top shelf breeders that want to sell goats at a more than profitable price that want more good feeders, showmen, etc.  I already deal with the best, but we’re not against more like minded breeders that like banners. 

If you are raising good animals, and you need good showmen, then you need to ask yourself “Why are they not feeding our animals?”  There is a reason.  Ask them!  Call them.  My # is on several websites.  

Anytime, sombeody thinks that they can buy better help, they need to hire them.   Then, think was that last dude actually “hired” or working for free?  

How about this weather?  Awesome.  72 degrees at 9 pm in NW Oklahoma on July 1.  

     What do I NOT like?  Dirty pool, politics, shitty judges and If you want one of our showmen to show your goats, then there are two options–talk to the parents of that showmen or raise better goats.  The WORST thing in the showring is a game of dirty pool with a shitty judge and breeders playing mind games.  I’m out.  I don’t make any money on this addiction, so I refuse to play this game.  Instead, we’ll just show un-advertised goats that will win.  I’ll talk….to anybody….anywhere….anytime…..

There are plenty of breeders that can meet me at the intersection of roads F & U.    If you don’t know the way, call me, I have directions.  

Drink–Orange Juice (I have orange juice EVERYDAY)  

Music–both kinds—good and loud

Song–Amazing Grace 

Baseball player–Kirby Puckett

Football player–Barry Sanders

Basketball player–RUSM!  I’m 5’9″ and white, like a give a rat’s ass about that sport.  Although, I watched a LOT of girl’s 6 on 6 basketball back in the late eighties.  It paid off.  Yep, I married the hot one with….attitude that was/is meaner than a cat w/ turpentine on it’s ass.  

Day–Tomorrow

Good movie–Shawshank Redemption or several w/ John Wayne or Clint Eastwood

Great movie(s)–Grumpy (Grumpier) Old Men

Trilogy–Lord of the Rings

TrilogyX2–Star Wars

Mini-series–Lonesome Dove

Dumbass Movie–it’s close–Blazing Saddles, Joe Dirt, Animal House, Tommy Boy  & occasionaly, The Jerk.

Vacation spot–Costa Rica

Restaurant–If you have read this before now, then you know dang good & well it is Cooper’s in Llano.

Color–Orange

Team–Oklahoma State University

Pizza–Papa John’s

Animal–not a goat

Best goat that I ever saw–Chance Greenroyd’s grand wether at Tulsa in 2009–Chance won all 3 divisions on the 2nd day of Tulsa & it wasn’t close which one was the best one.  That was a bad ass animal.   

Pastime–cold ones, good people, telling stories, good animals, and bad decisions that lead to more good stories.

Friends–There are the friends that will bail you out of jail and then there are those that are sitting next to you in jail going, “Damn, that was fun.”

Album–Def Leppard–Hysteria

car–’69 camaro SS or a 2009 GMC 4wd pickup that runs like a striped ass ape.  

Instrument–bagpipes

Clothing–camo cargo shorts, shirt optional

Form of Gambling–stock show animals  (although I really like going to a track to watch the ponies run)

Thing I can’t have–No, it is NOT Beyonce or piles of cash, but more simple than that–MILK!  I love a glass of ice cold Milk, Ice Cream, milk shakes and a big pan of cocoa puffs soaked in, you guessed it……MILK!!   But nNOOOOo!  Somewhere, along the way, I became lactose intolerant.  But every now & then, I have to be like a nike ad and just do it.  Drink a half gallon of the good stuff.  Then, 30 minutes later, intense gut pains and then crawl to the bathroom to violate some piece of porcelain.  Then the pain subsides and I think that I won’t do that again for a while.  But, like a crack addict, you know that I’m going to hit it again.  

about my last day or two.  I should have gone and bought lottery tickets as lucky as I have been.  First of all, I left work on Friday to come home, load the popper and head to Waynoka to pickup a Poe goat.  Before, I left work, I told Caleb, “I’m leaving to do this so that I can be here at the store in the morning.  Caleb said, “I want to work tomorrow.”  Jackpot.  The boss was not going to argue with the employee on this subject.  It is reasons like this that I hire good people.  My weekend just got real good.  

     I got home and Dad was effing stuff up.  I watched some of this, kind of like an exhibit at the zoo.  I mean, you can look, watch and wonder, “Is an animal supposed to be able to do that?”   When, the proverbial beach ball went flat, I then went about doing chores.  Poe called and said “I’m headed to Woodward in an hour or so, do you want me to bring this goat to you?”  Hell yes, saved me a couple of hours driving.  I did that meet up and headed back.  Unloaded, chores done, nobody at home,….what to eat?  

     Tyke bought a Traeger grill and was giving it the maiden voyage.  So I headed west to eat some high quality free food.  It was way good, although, some might have been a bit salty.

     I didn’t hold any babies (goats or twin humans).  But I did hang out with the hot chicks while the rest of them hung outside wasting oxygen.  I even killed a tarantula with my new cap.  

      I did the un-thinkable this morning.  I didn’t leave the house until 8 am.  Why?  One, I didn’t have to be anywhere.  Two, they changed the Law & Order schedule up and played some other damn useless program from 8-9 am.  Anyways, I got piles of stuff done for the next couple of hours.  Then,  royalty showed up to the house.   THE Mr. & Mrs. Big I showed up at the Kelln Kompound to complete a goat delivery.  I didn’t know that Big I could leave Noble county.  He brought me a goat that had been missing his bottom lip due to sore mouth.  This goat was skinny as a crack addict, but otherwise looked good.  They then headed east in a hurry, like two teenagers trying to sneak off.  Then more people showed up.  Then more, then more.  Goats started leaving to good homes.  I love it.  

      Sasha, the corgie, decided to anhilate a baby rabbit den.  I didn’t know that she could be so vicious.  It was her natural instincts taking over, but none of us wanted to witness this deal.  All I could think about was Elmer Fudd in a vking helmet, singing in an operatic tone,  “To kill the wabbitt, to kill the wabbitt…”

     Then, little brother, Big D showed up to drink beer and to look at people looking at goats.  We got done with the goats and I met him, his wife and daughter at Charlie’s for a steak dinner.  Way good.  Let me tell you… this has been a killer good weekend and tomorrow will only be better.  

On another note:  on thursday morning, while looking at the chive, I watched a video of a bagpipe player, in a kilt, while sporting a mohawk and wearing high heel boots play ac/dc thunderstruck with flames coming out of the bagpipe.  I WANT his job.  Check it out on youtube.  The Badpiper.  

     How do you raise better animals?  You have to be critical of your own stock.  It is a requirement that you be able to look at your stuff, go “I raised how many premium sale goats last year?”, then pop a top and go “That wasn’t enough.”  Then answer the question, “What do we have to do to keep moving forward?”  Some would use the term progressive.  The Dragon Lady would just call me a dumb ass and nobody would argue with her.

     If you own a herd, you shouldn’t rely on an adviser to make your decisions.  They should just “advise”.  Not make the decisions.  If you are paying somebody for advice, you need to feel like you are getting you’re money’s worth.  If not, make a change.  You have to be critical.  I do, however, believe in a “marketer”.  They are different and should be treated differently.  Pay the advisor what they are worth.  There is a damn short list of people in the goat world that should be paid to be an advisor.  Pay the “marketer” a  commission.  You won’t have to question a good advisor and you pay a good marketer what they earned.  

      If you have a herd and most of your wins are coming from other areas than your home area, then something is wrong.  That means nobody within that 150 mile radius wants to mess with your stuff.  Why?  That is the question you need to ask.  And you need to ask it of the people that do the most buying/winning in your area.  Likewise, if all of your wins are within a small radius, then there are issues.  I look at my little deal around here.  To be critical, I have a very strong, somewhat local following.  No cult.  But, I don’t sell a pile outside of that circle.  This means that I provide real good advice to those near me and do a piss-poor job of marketing my stuff outside of that small circle.  I can be critical of myself and my stock.  

      I am very good at being critical of people, livestock and most of all, myself.  If you want to know what I am good at, just ask me, I will probably tell you.  If you want to know what I am not good at, then watch me, ask me or listen to those around me.  I’m working to fix it.  (Well, some of it is just plain old unrepairable, and I have learned how to live with it, the rest, I will take care of.)  And if you are really brave, ask me what I think about stuff.  Then, stuff goes sideways.  

      It is hard for most to be self-critical.  Why?  I don’t know.  I feel that everybody should be able to crtiticize themselves.  Know your strengths, know your weaknesses.  Then deal with it.  Show animals are the same.  Know what a judge wants, then feed/select towards that tendency.  If a judge will NOT use an animal that doesn’t walk wide, don’t start with a narrow based critter.  If they like pretty, bring ’em a runway model, smoking hot son-of-a-gun.  Do NOT sit at your pens pumping yourself up about one that isn’t good enough.  Don’t get barn blind.  So what if you paid a pile.  The highest-priced goat that I bought in 2012 placed 11th at OYE.  So what?  Did I go back to that breeder?  Hell, yes.  I saw the faults when the goat was little, but I got blinded because I had my head up my ass.  I see it now.  Lesson learned.  Be self-critical and decide if you have the right stuff.  (That was a good movie–the Right Stuff)

       This critical part is something that I wrestle with.  I price animals how I see them, not what I think they are worth on the open market.  I don’t want to hang it in somebody just to make a dollar.  I should, but I don’t.  On the other hand, I am damn sure in the minority.  I may not be well liked, but I have the BEST group of feeders and showmen, plus my checks always cash.  And because some of us will spend some money, most breeders want to JACKPOT when we are there.  I can name a short, very eff-ing short, list of breeders that have dealt me WAY fair when buying goats—Sonny Wagner ( if you don’t know him then you should), Kenneth Helms and Jared Schneberger.  There are others, but these three have done it right in my mind.  The rest have just wanted a check, the biggest check possible.  And I have written BIG checks to all of three of these clowns, but they are in it for the kids, more than the dollar.  Therefore, they will get more of my dollars.  Why?  Because I am not critical of whether they are in love with the $ or good kids, showing good goats.  They get it.  

      I don’t go running to get in pictures of all the winners that we have.  Why?  Probably, because I need a better marketer.  That, and I only run when being chased.  My wife should just stand at the backdrop and get in the pictures.  Every picture that she is in, looks better.  And to be critical, me, holding a banner just doesn’t look right.  A can…yeah.  

      There are several breeders that have agreed to a sale price on a goat, then when I get the goat and have time to properly evaluate said animal, I have paid more than what I agreed to.  Go dig through the archives to find how many others will do that?  Likewise, it has been pretty rare when a breeder has said, ” Yeah, he looks shit sorry now.  You don’t owe me for that one.” Rare, yes.  But, it has happened.  

      As a buyer of fine goats, if you get a chance to sell to a good feeder.  Don’t look at the $ signs.  I am being critical, now:  Pull your head out of your donkey and price it fair.  If it is dang sure a good one, they will come back.  If not, be critical and buy better breeding stock so that they will buy next time.  Ask why they didn’t buy and don’t be hurt when they tell you the truth.  Use the term critical as a learning tool.  

      As a breeder, if a good feeder comes by do NOT price it higher.  Figure the least amount you will take and get it in the right hands.  Step back, be critical and then make a decision.  If you know they are going to F it up.  Then jack the price up.  Like Sonny Wagner, if you know they will get it done, then deal with it like this,  “HELL, Kela, you can just have that damn goat as long as your dad doesn’t get credit for buying it.”   I love it.  I can deal with that kind all week long.  

     Likewise, if you have had success, then be critical of who helped with your success.  If you have had help from somebody and had success, asky yourself why?  If you have not had to write that person a check, but yet, you are willing to spend/bid a pile of cash from another breeder, do not expect help from your original helper.  Some would call it burning bridges, some would call it being a dumb ass.  It gets more expensive in the long run.  Why?  Be critical of yourself and the answers lie within.  

      Boy howdy, there sure is a pile of online sales this week.  And they seem to be going pretty well.  We’re selling a nice set of does in the Girls of Summer sale.  Whoever gets these 5 girls will love them when they go to raising babies out of them.  They are stacked with maternal genetics.  I am a firm believer that you have to have good mommas to raise babies.  It is miserable if they don’t do their job.  These girls will do fine in the show ring as well. They are ready to go to pounding feed.  They aren’t going to melt in a week.  They are ready to go.  It is a really nice lineup of does being offered from all of the breeders and I am pleased to be selling with Milligan, Miller and Able Acres.  

     I tell you, I’ve been doing these online goat sales as long as anybody.  And I can promise you that selling one without a picture was a good way to go, but the next best thing is just loading the doe kids up and hauling them to Milligan and letting his crew of experts clip, setup and photo these girls.  Sure, I have to pay for these services, but it is money well spent.  Will they bring more as a result? Maybe not.  But I am in a good mood and I have time to deal with other crap around the Kompound.  And that is worth something. I used to be tight and didn’t like to spend money on something that I can myself, but it is hard to put a price on peace of mind and time management.  

     Sometimes, in this industry, you feel like you might have screwed up.  I sold a doe kid here at the house tonight that should have been in this sale.  But I forgot that I had her.  She would have clipped up WAY GOOD.  But sometimes a screw up turns out.  She went to a good home and I expect big things from her next spring.  

     I am ready for this weekend because there is a pile of wethers taking up a lot of pen space and eating a lot of feed here at my house that need to go to their new homes, soon.  There is a nomination due for Tulsa on July 1.  So most of these will be gone.  Plus, I can get paid for them.  

We live in a throwaway society.  Dang neart everything we use is designed to be chunked, possibly recycled, and more importantly, replaced with the newest version.  

Cell phones–Who has a cell phone older than 5 years?  Nobody has one that gets as good of a signal as a bag phone.  Of course, these smart-ass phones do more, but don’t do the ORIGINAL job of being a phone as good as the bag phones.  Okay, go buy the new one.  And buy the new chargers, otter box, etc.  That’s the game.  I’ve had people here recently, who went “Wow!  I have 4G.”  Well, who gives a hairy monkey’s bald ass if you have 4G if you can’t make a call.

Computers–They are out-of-date when you take them out of the box.  But dang, we have to have them in order to write/read blogs, check email, facebook, online sales, and whatever else you want to look at.  HHMM?!   Nice rack.  On the goat, you perverts.  Of course, you can look at it (the rack–goat or otherwise) from your phone, if you have a signal or wifi.  Unless, well, you get the point.  Computers and cell phones both need thrown away as often as a diaper after a kid ate a jar of pickled okra.  Get rid of it.

Hotels–Have a thriving metropolis?  Need rooms?  Pass a hotel tax and look out.  All of the chains will move in, build brand new hotels, keep the rooms full for 5-8 years and then sell to a family that is in the business of running run-down motels.  These chains are like locusts/grasshoppers.  Move in, leave and head to greener pastures.  In 10 or 12 years, these once name-brand hotels will be being rented by the hour.  

Vehicles–Go try to buy a 20 year old vehicle.  There aren’t any sitting at any dealer lots.  You might find one at Honest Mike’s used car lot, but not at an actual dealership.  Cash for clunkers took in some good vehicles and depleted the dirt roading, fixer up special.  There are still plenty of them on the road, just not for sale.  Why?  Some can’t trade up, some know that they have a good ride and it isn’t depreciating and most people trade every 3-6 years.  Get the new one paid off and then trade.  That trade in is sold and the next trade in is sent to wholesale.  GM, Ford, whomever, wants them gone and a lot full of new ones with cheap interest.  FInance. Depreciate as soon as you drive off of the lot.  

Tractors–In this part of the world, there is a pile of 40, 30, and 20 series John Deere tractors.  These things are 3, 4 and 5 DECADES old.  Why are they still around?  One, NW Oklahoma is where tractors go to die.  Two, they were built good and easy to work on.  Newer tractors, well, not so easy to work on and we’ll find out if they last as long.  One thing is for sure.  If the tractor is green, it will hold its value, unlike those new cars/pickups.  They hold their value, but trust me, Deere likes to see stuff being traded in a regular cycle.  The other brands are dang sure throwaway crap.  Buy an orange/blue/red tractor…take it home…use it…get pissed and then trade it in on a green one.  We’ll take it and sell it south of the border where it belonged in the first place.   

Extension cords–Buy it, use it, as soon as it turns to a POS then get rid of it and get a new one.  They are cheap.  They used to have a lot of copper in them and lasted for decades.  Now?  They recylce some copper colored crap and wrap it in plastic.  That will work for a while.  Then go buy a new one.  Everything electrical is throw-away. 

Food–It is scary to think about how much food is thrown away.  Whether it is at a fast food joint, your fridge, that all-you-can-eat buffet, that hotbox that they have at every Allsups and other quick stops, or that high end restaurant that you just couldn’t eat everything so you got a to-go box and it started growing penicillin in the back of the fridge; most of us throw away enough food to feed the world.  I’m guilty.  My mom isn’t.  

Politicians–“That one has to be better than the last one.  Heck, how much damage can he do in the next 4 years?”  Chunk them and replace with new ones.  

TV programs–Gunsmoke ran for 20 years.  MASH ran for how many years?  Cheers ran for 11 years.  Andy Griffith had two different runs of 8 & 9 years with the Andy Griffith show and Matlock.  Friends ran for a decade and Seinfeld for 8 years and it has been a decade since either was on tv.  The exception–Law & Order.  It ran for 20 years on its own and still has spin offs that are running.   Other than that…..?   TV shows have a shelf life shorter than a kardashian marriage.  Chunk them and go find a new one to put on the air.  

Movies–These may be the exception.  Don’t throw it out.  Heck, we may need to recylce it because we don’t have any original thoughts anymore.  That, or we will just make a sequel.  Hopefully, the third one will draw a crowd because we know that the sequel will suck mud like an evinrude boat engine at Ft. Supply lake.  

Talent–How much talent is lost to drugs, alcohol, caught in a bad mental rut, injuries, etc.  and most importantly, lack of use.  We all know people that could excel, but just need that little push that the right person can provide.  Teacher, coach, boss, etc. There is talent out there if we can just utilize it.  

Show animals–I’m guilty.  If I paid a pile for it, I will keep it around to see if it turns into a prince.  But once I lose faith….taco here we come.  That’s the problems with feeding a steer.  You are married to that dude for a year before you know if he is a great one or a really expensive steak.  A hog…short shelf life…if it isn’t doing it, crank him, then kick him to straight ground corn for a month to clean him out.  Then, Gage Locker here we come.  Wether goat…cheap to feed, but takes up time.  Once their time is up, pick a cooking method…. smoker, cabrito burrito, a dish with curry, etc.,  here we come.  Sheep, whew, hope Easter is nearby on the calendar.  Otherwise, cut the tags out and give them to a petting zoo.  

Most of us are all guilty of being a part of this throwaway society.  It’s the American way.  Me, I decided to quit using aluminum cans for the night and switched to a heavy glass tumbler w/ ice cubes and a little bit of purple sack.  The spare tires all safe.  

Speaking of throwing stuff away, I think I will check out the online auctions and see who threw how-much money away tonight.  And I might check out the chive to see who threw away their dignity while still being clothed. 

     Duke is on a bus headed to Dallas tonight.  He and 20-some other kids from Shattuck will then fly to Orlando, FL for the national TSA contest. Tammy, Kela and Tammy’s mother are already in Orlando waiting on this crew and the Arnett TSA kids to get there.  Tammy has two nieces from Arnett that qualified.  All of this means that I am stuck at home…alone.  They will be home next month.

     I have never operated this stove, washer, drier or dishwasher.  These were all bought new when we moved and fortunately, I haven’t had to use them.  There is salami in the fridge, ravioli in the pantry and Charlie’s will be open.  I don’t think that I will starve.

     It amazes me how many kids qualified for the national contest.  I’m not going to down play the tech ed program.  It doesn’t matter where a kid finds success, as long as they find it.  It doesn’t matter if it is showing, judging, 4-H/FFA,  sports, music, home ec, or tech ed, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to find success.  It just takes a teacher/coach to motivate the kids and show them the opportunities.  Sometimes, the kids just need an adult to say “Here is when the contest is and This is when we are leaving to go” and the kids and their families will do the rest. As an ex-ag teacher, I would rather Duke be at a livestock judging camp/contests this summer, but a kid has to do what is available to them.  I can’t take off work to haul him to camps and contests and the ag program at Shattuck is basically inactive, so he needs to be involved in something.   If he finds success and can build goals from this tech ed program, than I am a fan.  I’m proud of him and hope he does well.  I know that he will have a large time.  

     Meanwhile, I’ll hold down the fort.  Sasha is just hoping that I remember to feed her.  

     Made it to Norman on Friday night to do what I like to do.  Look at good stock, have a beverage or 12, eat a good steak and hang out with the cool kids.  Throw in a bunch of tornasty refugee dogs at the fairgrounds, and well, if only we would have had a dog whistle during the sale.  That might have been fun.  Anyways, we had fun.  Saturday brought a good sale.  Ralph, Steve and Helms brought a nice set of goats.  There will be premium sale wethers that sold in this sale.  The doe kids seemed cheap to me.  I should have been a buyer, but, I don’t need any more does around this place.  

     Saturday evening brought an exciting new sale at Newcastle.  The Hardin family decided to bring a big dog for public offering.  Where this goat was good, he was WAY good.  He brought a nifty $27K.  I’m glad he is going to texas.  Congrats to the Hardin family.  Good people, raising good goats and having a good time.  Oh, did I mention that their crew was grilling up some killer good fajitas?  

     Spent Sunday sorting goats at the Kelln Kompound.  It was a productive day.  Right up until I lost a $100 bet to Tyke.  I paid up, but I canNOT believe I lost a bet to Tyke.  

Stay flexible, but not limp.

     I’ve got a lot to say, but I do not have the time to do it. This is a result of too many irons in the fire.  As I reflect upon my teaching career, I did my best work when irons were melting.  You then have to prioritize and get stuff done.  Well, here I am again.  All I have tonight is a shout-out to my buddy Schoovy, who is cutting good wheat in a bad year with pretty decent prices.  Hats off to you stud!  F & FF!!

     Last week, I had the joy of reading diary entries from one of my mother’s uncles.  I normally don’t get into sentimental kind of stuff and I really didn’t want to read it at the time, but like a good book, once I started, I had to finish it.  This deal turned out to be way cool.  First, this diary started in the twenties, as in the 1920s.  It started pre-depression, went through the dust bowl and ended after World War II.  Historically, it was really neat to read.  Next, knowing the main characters involved, and the land/towns involved made for a really good read.  Historically, sociallogically and psychologically, it was a good thing to read.  Better yet, I kept reading it, looking for, waiting for when he met his wife (whom he was married to for 60 plus years) & she was from Quebec and he brought her to Fargo.  And they made it.  But he didn’t put those thoughts to paper.

     It was late at night when I finished reading this diary that my mom had sent me via email.  My mind was racing.  About all of the different levels that was covered by this written historical piece of nothing to most, but cool as hell to some.  I thought, I haven’t left a written log like this. Then I realized that I have a blog.  The whole world can read the crap that spews from my mind like a ruptured sewer line.

     Terms–between this blog & the word of the day, there has been a lot of terms entered into the language of the daily readers.  Tire kickers, low rent, rock flippers, POS,  etc.  All of these terms come about as a result of real life, day-to-day stuff.  My favorite part of these blogs, is the replies after.  “Are you referring to me?”  If the shoe fits….

     I heard a killer good “tire kicker” story yesterday.  It isn’t my story to tell, but trust me, it was a good one.  I just wish I could have been there to witness it.  I deal with the “low rent” aspect at work everyday.  Then, I come home to the goat world and get another dose.  Sometimes, it is just better to spend money on good equipment/goats and get the backing of a high quality dealership/breeder.  Some people want to SQUEEZE the last dollar out of a deal and then wonder why they don’t get help on the other end. For example, I’ve had customers wear me down to less than a $100 profit on a piece of equipment.  I sell it to them, to move it on down the road and to quit listening to the whining, complaining, etc.  Then they want a service tech to come hook it up for them, show them how to operate it and fix the first couple of operator-error-screw-ups–FOR FREE.  Figure in shop rates and mileage, and I am NOT going to send a tech to help them out.  Likewise, when somebody pays close to market price, they get service with it.  

      The livestock world is no different.  Sometimes, a high dollar buck is cheap when there is advertising, word-of-mouth, and a breeder backing it. You can’t factor those kind of dollars into the deal.  And when buying show goats, I mean, heck, I’ll sell you a $300 wether, but don’t come asking me to tell you how to feed it, exercise it, show it, clip it and what weight to turn it in.  You’ll probably get a no reply, a grunt or some cuss words.  Unless, there is a story to be told, the kid is working hard and the animal has a chance.  Then, you will probably get some free service.  

     Me, I like selling a wether to a guy like Poe Cat.  Why?  I know it has a chance when it leaves my place.  I don’t have to baby-sit.  If there is a problem he will call and there is always a chance I will get beat by that goat.  Fine by me.  He pays cash and if I need help, he will return the favor.  So why charge him more?  I won’t.  I will take less to sell to those kind.  I don’t care if he can take them and sell them for more money.  Heck, I hope he can make it well worth his time.  That way he will be motivated to come back.  And in turn, when a family like Schoovy’s, Taylor’s, etc,( read proven workers) are looking…yep, I get in a selling mood.  And they are my animals, I can sell them as I please.  I have had the joyful experience of several breeders that have enjoyed the fact that my crew wanted to feed their goats.  As a result, I am a repeat customer that buys in volumes.  

     However, my experience as a livestock person, ex ag-teacher and knower of some things but not all…once that person is helped and they have success, they IMMEDIATELY become an expert and won’t need your help again….until the senior year.  Then, after several years of getting their donkey’s kicked, they admit that they weren’t as smart as they thought.  THEN and only THEN, are they willing to do whatever is needed.  Normally, it is just hard work and attention to detail that is needed.   

     No matter what wethers sold for at recent texas auctions, that breeder will do everything in his power to make that animal look right at show time.  There is nothing wrong with service after the sale.  But people need to understand what service costs.  And in some instances, the service is worth more than the animal.  I have a lot of respect for a breeder that can “back it up”.    

     And as a provider of services, I can tell you without a doubt, that no matter how good of service is provided, that sometimes, people are just going to EFF stuff up.  As Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid!”  

     The saying, “You get what you pay for” applies to a lot of different situations.  I fully understand the value of doing it in an economical fashion.  I’ve done it.  But I also understand, when you see it and you want it, go get it.  I have the Dragon Lady as proof.  And she’s still paying for it.