While driving the ag pickup, I do not have xm radio.  Which means I listen to fm.  This isn’t all bad.  Except I have developed a hankering for listening to the sports animal.  Ughhh!!   First off, they are VERY pro UO.  Yes, the University of Oklahoma.  Which a lot of you prefer to call “ou”.  I don’t care who you root for but my goodness, how do you get ou out of the University of Oklahoma?

      I do not care if the sooners are in the big 12 or the sec.  I do not lose sleep if OSU loses another bedlam football game.  Fine.  I have found that I can’t win most stock shows, speech contests or arguments with my wife.  Doesn’t change my passion.  The u of o will be fine in the SEC.  Their athletic teams will most likely succeed.  Good move.  And no, I don’t think that they needed to take OSU with them.  It is what it is.  OSU has a great school with great fans!   UO has a great school with some of the worst fans on the planet.  Which brings us to the worst fans.  

     Now, for those dumb asses in Austin, Tx…….good luck and good bye.  I don’t care how much money they got down there in Austin.  LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and now, little brother A&M is waiting on the come-up-ance.  Not to mention that the u of o will still be in their way.  They may get it together and win but they are going to take some beatings on the way.  

        I guess listening to the sports animal is kind of like reading this damn blog.  You ain’t none the smarter for it but at least it beats listening to the news or politics.  Well, then again, sports and stock shows both have some of that politic crap.  And you can get pissed listening to Traber or reading Kelln.  Either way.  None the smarter.  But, there is that bit of an enjoyment factor that makes it hard to not check in.  

       And speaking of sports stuff.  Last Friday night, the Dragon Lady & I attended a Cards game in KC.  Upon leaving the stadium, after the wicked fireworks show, we were walking out.  I pointed to a dude wearing a cool jersey in front of us.  “Hey, Dragon!  Do you know that jersey?”   She replied, “No, but I should and I bet that I’m getting ready to learn about it.”  

       I shook my head and said, “It’s not a MLB team but yet, you really like the player.”

       Immediately she replied, “OOOhhh, Oh!   Kevin Costner from Field of Dreams.”   

       My head now sideways, I said, “No.  But you are close.  #8 with last name of Davis.  MINOR league.”

       Her reply, “Oh yeah.  It’s that movie that YOU like with Kevin Costner. ”     She’s right but I like all of Costner’s baseball movies. 

      At this point, I hollered at the guy.  “Dude!  Great jersey!”  He stopped, turned around and shook my hand.  WTF?  He allowed how he & his wife are recently retired.  They are traveling to all of the big league stadiums.  He wears this Crash Davis jersey to see what kind of fans that it attracts.  And then, he wants a selfie with the people that recognize it.  So, yeah, this dude & I took a selfie as we traded quotes from Bull Durham.  GREAT MOVIE!!!

       Speaking of Bull Durham.  Back in the early 2000s, Kela and I put together a nice little cow herd.  Functional yet backed with clubby genetics.  My brother Jake & I ended up at a cattle sale in Illinois.  I bought a bull calf sired by Ice Pick back on a proven 17 year old Pistol Pete cow.  We partnered and then weaned him on the drive home from Illinois to Oklahoma.  We named that bull—Bull Durham.  He worked.  In his first calf crop, he sired a class winning steer at OKC as well as Houston, a breed champion steer at Enid District, a breed champion heifer at Woodward District and a class winning heifer at OYE–all were different calves.  Seriously, premium sale steers at OKC & Houston as well as winning heifers.  A lot of those promoted bulls in the catalogs never do that in their career.  Bull Durham did that in his first calf crop.  He also sired another good set the next year.  And then, he was crippled and done.  Yet, one of his daughters is the mother to a bull in a lot of catalogs.  Hereford marked.  No, we didn’t collect him.  I was and am still a dumb ass.  Hang around and I’ll prove it. 

       side note–that 2nd year (2006) , Bull Durham calves were sold by 3 different jocks.  Name brand.  All 3 had the same marketing plan.  The calves were advertised as Heat Wave x Ice Pick.  At that point in time, I had never used Heat Wave.  Oh well.  Not much different than the goat industry.  No matter the species, the current hot sire sells and the general public really doesn’t know much.  They just know what they want to know.  And the checks cashed, so I really didn’t care either.  

I guess we could tell some stories of raising and showing pigs.  Not tonight.  I just got done eating some Herfy the Hereford Hog sliders.  So good.   

And so long.  

      Soooo, last Friday morning, I was delivering cucumbers & other veggies to the grade school cooks.  As I left, I got in the ag pickup and well, I’m still not sure how I did this, but….  Somehow, as I was closing the door, I slammed my left hand in the driver’s door.  The door was now completely shut with my hand caught in it.  With a lot of cussing, whistling and heavy breathing, I flailed for the door handle with my right hand.  I don’t know how I did it and I still don’t know how it really didn’t break a finger or three.  That was the start of Friday the 13th, in my world.  The next 5 minutes involved a low fuel level light and then some red & blue lights.  I kind of rolled through a stop sign on the way to a fuel pump.  Oh well, the hi-po let me go.  

       Doctored a goat with the runs at the ag farm.  A SMZ tablet and a few squirts of spectam.  Showed a new showman the proper way to put a halter on a goat.  And now, the halter breaking process will begin.  A 4H kid sent me a text of her new goats names.  I did not recognize the names.  I guess that I need to watch Captain America.  I am a firm believer that a good show animal, regardless of species, needs a good name.  

          Ate at a new (to me) BBQ place in KC.  We had to wait in line until the place opened up at 11 am.  I’ll probably have to go back there in October.  Tammy & I highly recommend watching the Cardinals play ball at Kaufman Stadium.  Excellent ball park.  Great atmosphere and perfect weather.  

        One day last week, I was in the grocery store in Shattuck.  I passed a fruit display that was holding fresh peaches.  The guy that takes care of the fruit & veggies saw me and told me that the peaches were exceptionally good.  He wasn’t wrong!  These peaches were so dang good, one probably needs to be naked to eat them.  

      And now, I am disappointed in my wife.  She went to the same store and was really proud of her purchase.  She bought some more “peaches”.  I took a look at them and explained that those, my love, are nectarines.  Not the same.  

        Speaking of naked.  I heard a story today about a father/son talk involving the first day of taking a shower during jr. high athletics.  Everybody in this gym class was 7th grade males.  This boy did just as his father instructed him.  Wore a towel to the shower, took it off, hung it up and then properly washed so as to not be the smelly kid the rest of the day.  

       After school today, the dad asked the boy how it went.  “I did just like you told me.  But, Dad, I was the only one that was naked!”  

       I bet the others will learn not to wear wet underwear to class.  

       That reminds me of 1983.  Except, the jr. high practiced with the high school.  Nobody prepared me for that.  And people, there are a lot of differences between a 12 year old and some 19 year old seniors.  Random thoughts, like “Wow, that’s a lot of hair….everywhere.”  And, “Does that dude have 3 legs?”  

Time to stop.  

Have a good one.  

        I originally wrote this last Tuesday evening.  Then, it got lost.  Now, I’ve had a week to think about it.  Maybe I shouldn’t do this?  No, no. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to enlighten others.  There are plenty that agree with me (most, if not all).  Let’s wrap these last couple of posts up in a nice little package that makes sense.  

        Nobody wants to have their time wasted.  Especially busy people.  Not that all ag teachers are busy, yet we all want our time to be used wisely.  

       Ag Ed Summer Conference 2021 was a colossal waste of time.  This is not just my opinion but the majority.  Send out some cute little survey and ask all OK ag teachers “Was this year’s summer conference worthwhile?”  It was nothing but a waste of time and missed opportunities. 

       “Whoa there cowboy!”    One might say, “Well hell Kelln.  You didn’t even attend the first session.”  And you, my friend,  would be correct.  I looked at the schedule, saw that the first session was for 1 hour on Monday morning and then NO more sessions until Tuesday.  Nice time management.  Plus, there was nothing on the agenda for that session except some years of service certificates.  And my name got called for 20 years.  Yet, I have taught 22 and this is the second time in the past five years that the state office has got it wrong.  No matter.  That 1 hour session only lasted 40 minutes.  Sure, I could have had somebody scan me in for attendance, yet that just ain’t my style.  Summer Conference 2021 was a waste of time and a collection of missed opportunities.  

Missed Opportunity #1–Learning. 

The entire 2021 AgEd summer conference could have been sent in one email that only took a minute or two to read.  It didn’t happen, learning that it is.  Why?  The learning part was never offered.  Don’t care who I offend but if any in charge would peruse the agenda that was offered and gave an honest response….well, they too would agree that it was very UN-educational.  I could name two teachers that were attending for their first time.  They VERY MUCH would have liked for me to be wrong when I told them that it was going to suck.  They too will admit that it was not an educational atmosphere.  Teach us something.  Let us come up with one nugget that makes us a better teacher, build a better program, organize and manage our time better, something, anything.   Yet, nothing.  It was a captive audience.  Be a cheerleader and pump us up about the upcoming year.  Nope.  Nothing.  Flat line——————-

Missed Opportunity #2–Here By The Owl

I wasn’t going to attend Tuesday morning but I thought that there was a chance of something.  I even sat towards the front.  Right next to Jack Staats and Dr. Mindi Clark.  I was paying attention until I got bored.  And then, thank GOD,  there was a dog playing in the park across the street and then geese.  ADD.   Anyways, they showed us a video, which we witnessed live at State FFA Convention this spring.  Nonetheless, it was a cool moment of the first ever Here By The Owl awards.  This was given to 6 very deserving ag teachers.  These six teachers had taught for a combined 245 years.  I know all six of them and they are very deserving.  Yet all six are very different.  Different people, different types of programs, different types of communities.  Yet, the same types of successes and longevity.  Stellar!  Several years ago, I wrote about talking to a couple of old timers at the State Fair of OK.  I loved their passion.  I still carry some of the conversation with me, which happened in front of the decorated pumpkins at the state fair.  These were 2 of the 6.

The video ended and we were given the info that 56% of all OK ag teachers have taught less than 10 years.  No shit!  One only needed to look around the room to realize that statistic.  And this is the point that opportunity was beating the hell out of the door, yet no one in charge answered.  We are, in the midst of 6 wise old OWLS sitting in the room with us.  Put them on stage, have a moderator and let them do what they have done for decades–TEACH!!!   Ask them….ask them how, ask them why, what made you stay, is there a secret?   ASK!!!   I know these guys.  They would have absolutely captivated the room.  It could have lasted for 30 minutes or an hour or 30 minutes.  Nobody would have complained.  Everybody in the room would have learned something, anything, everything to take back.  My goodness, Mr. Billy Scott is possibly the greatest ag teacher of all-time.  45 years at Amber-Pocasset.  And he probably has more state and national champions than he does years of service.  You won’t get him to brag but people, that resource was one of the 6 wise OWLS.  Every ag teacher wants to listen to somebody like him.  

      Jeez.   Coaches pay to listen to Nick Saban or Bill Belichick talk.  We could have listened to these SIX OF OUR OWN educators for free.  Serious!  Ask them.  Now, I’m thinking about organizing an event, charging admission and paying the 6.  You know what?  Ag teachers would pay, drive and learn.  We paid and drove to summer conference but we didn’t receive the opportunity to learn.  Instead, we lost hours of our lives that we will never get back.  

Missed Opportunity #3–Ag Teacher Hall Of Fame

This year’s recipient was Mr. John Kinney of Mooreland.  OUTSTANDING!!  Great man that ran a stellar program for decades.  As good of an ag teacher as he was, an even better person.  You can’t find anybody to say a negative thing about him.  I’ve known who he was since the late 80s.  Known him personally since the mid 90s.  Very deserving.  Great family.

A video was shown that had four of his former students talking about Mr. Kinney’s impact.  I know three of these ladies.  Their testament to the impact of Mr. Kinney on the students of Mooreland, I understand and enjoyed.  The other, I did not know. 

However, sitting in the conference was a former student of Mr. Kinney’s that is an ag-ed teacher in Oklahoma.  A very successful product of the Mr. Kinney led Mooreland FFA chapter.  Maybe there is something there that I am not aware of, if so, alright.  To me, it was a missed opportunity to NOT include this fellow teacher/product of the honoree in the video.  

Missed Opportunity #4–District Meetings—I mean Area Meetings

Then we moved into our area meetings.  That was awe inspiring.  Other the conversation with other teachers, worthless.  Once again, another missed opportunity to provide something new, motivational or useful.  

This post may bother some.  Fine.  If you are reading this, you are already aware that I don’t care who I offend and will gladly say more in real life.  But my mom and mother-in-law read this crap, so I’ll keep it clean. 

Can I fix the problem?   EASILY.  I, nor any other ag teacher should have to.  I’m not the one that hates my job or my life or my co-worker(s) or really isn’t qualified.  It’s not my job to fix it but I, as well as others, can fix it.  The people in charge need to remember that they work for the ag-ed teachers and students of Oklahoma.  It is NOT the other way around.  

I enjoyed seeing other ag teachers.  I enjoyed the DJ’s shrimp boil.  I learned nothing from the AgEd sessions, yet learned from people that attended sessions in other divisions.  

My point is simple.  Hold a worthwhile event and gain the respect of ag teachers.  I WANT to learn as do the majority.  However, keep flushing turds at us like this past event and eventually the septic tank will back up.  Nobody likes that.  

I could gladly name names that agree with me or I could explicitly name names that are the problem.  Not going to.  I will simply own this and honestly say that the Ag Ed sessions of Summit (summer conference, whatever) were not worthwhile.  Sure, these are not the words that I would use in a normal Kelln conversation.  IFSBOAW!

Concerns, questions, comments, want to cuss at me…whatever.  I can be reached at 580-571-5029.  If I don’t answer, please leave a message or text as I am doing something worthwhile and educational.  I WILL get back with you.  

Should I mention the tax $s wasted for 400+ teachers to attend this waste of time?  

      I would consider myself a life-long learner.  I’m always on the lookout for something new.  Personally, I think that we all should be.  Some are, some not so much.  

      Believe you me, I screw up more than most.  But I immediately fix it and then try to always do better going forward.  I’m not perfect.  But I dang sure try to always improve my statistics.  

       I enjoyed things about high school. I enjoyed a lot about college.  Even though I learned more in my first year of teaching than what I learned in 4 years of college that was supposed to be teaching me about teaching.  

     I can distinctly remember some PI meetings where I learned a specific item.  There has even been a session or two at summer conference where I actually learned something.  I have been to summer in-service trainings where I learned a little and some where I learned a lot.  

      When comparing careers–selling John Deere vs. teaching–without a doubt, John Deere is WAY ahead of the educational world when it comes to educating.  Seriously, that company knows how to educate their people about their products.  New product intros were entertaining yet educational.  Specific training like hay equipment, Dare2Compare in Orlando or skid steer training in Phoenix…..I traveled to as many as I could.  I also took a lot of online classes in John Deere University.  

       Likewise, over the years, I’ve actually learned a thing or three during local school in-service sessions.  Some were repetitive crap from the year before and the year before that.  Yet, every now and then, we have a new one that is engaging.  

       And yes, over the past 28 years of attending careertech crap sessions or John Deere classes, I have skipped a session or four.  And not once, have the attendees told me that “Dude, you missed out.  It was totally worthwhile.”  Sometimes, you just know when it is going to suck and there is no need to attend. 

       I actually think that I can speak for all teachers when I say, “If we have to go, we want to learn something.”  Learn at least one thing that we can use and take back.  Whether it be a motivational tool or a teaching tool.  Maybe even a tool to sell something.  And people, if you think teaching doesn’t involve selling, you are gravely mistaken.  A teacher has to constantly sell ideas to students, to parents, to administration, to the community and to themselves.  Teaching is selling, it just doesn’t involve an exchange of $s.  Likewise, a lot of selling is teaching the consumer about a given product.  

       And sometimes, one realizes that opportunities were missed.  And that is what hurts because that means time was most likely wasted and learning did not occur.  

     In the near future, we will discuss missed opportunities.  Don’t pass up on the opportunity to learn from that upcoming post.  

       I will tell the backstory in order to get to the next story.

      I grew up in Shattuck, America.  Shattuck had a local Ag Teaching legend–  W.E. Bradley. He taught there for a lot of years.  There were a lot of big name ag teachers that student taught at Shattuck, under Mr. Bradley.  Larry Brady, Fred Krasser and Jimmy Harrel, just to name a few.  He was already retired by the time that I was old enough to be in ag ed class.  However, I made several Tulsa premium sales with steers from Mr. Bradley and I did some work for him, from time to time, when he needed help.  Breaking calves, hauling hay, etc.  I saw from a young age, the value of a strong ag teacher.  

       When I headed off to OSU, ag-ed was my major and I never changed.  Sure, I could have chose other majors/career paths (I’m a really good test taker) but I new what I wanted to do.  

        In 1993, there weren’t many ag teaching jobs open in Oklahoma.  I turned down a few in SE Oklahoma.  I knew that I wasn’t a fit so why do it?  Eventually, I got the job in Billings, OK.  Little town with a crappy school but a lot of really good people.  I learned about proficiency awards and public speaking.  I served a 3 year sentence and then moved.  We moved because Kela was getting ready to start school and I wanted her to learn to read.  

        In 1996, I took the Waynoka job.  Strong FFA history in a really good small school with lots and lots of great people.  There, I learned how to win at all facets of the FFA game.  I also had to learn how to co-exist with other strong programs–home ec, tech ed, football, baseball, etc.  Great environment that I have a lot of fond memories.  I taught 9 years at Waynoka.  We moved from there because Kela wanted a more challenging academic environment.  So, in 2005, I took the job teaching at Fairview.  

       Fairview was/is a strong school with an intense FFA heritage and lots of really good people.  This was now a two teacher program.  James Roller and I taught for one year together.  We won a lot.  On the first day of school for year two, he took a banking job.  $h!t!!!   I made some phone calls and by week two, we had Mindi Clark hired.  Yes, now, Dr. Mindi Clark.  We taught for two years.  We won a lot!  Stock shows, speech contests, CDE events, proficiency awards, national chapter awards, etc.   This was a great move for Kela.  She loved it.  Me, not so much. 

       Why wasn’t it a good fit for me?  I about burnt myself into the ground.  I couldn’t ever step away from work.  I was on the OAETA board.  I was hooked up with work.  This goat deal was taking off and Fairview was showing a LOT of winning goats.  It didn’t end well.   Some flashing lights, a lot of discussion and I wisely chose to quit and walk away. (that is a whole other story for a blog to come at a much later time). Probably the best thing that has ever happened to me.  I took 8 weeks off and just took care of my family.  Way cheaper than a divorce and the best therapy that I could have gotten. 

       At the end of that 8 weeks, I went to work for Western Equipment pushing green paint.  Then, I took over the store at Woodward.  Really good job in the real world with lots of really good people.  Even while I was at Western, I was still actively involved in ag-ed.  Helping lots of kids with goats, judging shows, judging speech contests, helping with proficiency awards and attending lots of various fundraisers.  During this time, we moved to Fargo and Duke was going to school at Shattuck. 

      I then quit my really good job at Western to chase the dream of raising livestock for a living.  All of the stars were lined up but then GOD works in mysterious ways.  After two months of being self-employed, we made the decision to go back to teaching for ONE year.  This week marks the 8th year.  Shattuck started as a single teacher program, then added another teacher but it was still kind of a single teacher program.  So, on year three, we went back to a single teacher program.  But, then, Dr. Clark called and asked me to take on a student teacher.  It worked out well and we hired Annie Abbey.  So, this will be the 4th year of a 2 teacher program.  Through it all, the Dragon Lady has become one of the top ag teachers in the state, even though she has never taught.  

        All in all, I have taught ag ed for 22 years in 4 different schools.  I have been in single teacher programs and in multiple teacher programs.  I have worked with male (1) and female (3) co teachers.  I have been in the real world where the almighty $ rules.  I have been successful as a classroom teacher, with all species of livestock, public speaking, ag mechanics, proficiency awards, national chapter awards, various CDE’s as well as serving in all phases of OAETA leadership.  Well, except for that role of president.  That president-elect title was vacated when I hung it up in 2008.  (that is a whole other story that involves another goat guru).  I have always had a passion for FFA, Ag-Ed and most importantly for helping kids to find a way to succeed.  And my definition of “succeed” doe not always involve a banner or a trophy.  But, if you are giving out banners and trophies, well, then we might as well try to gather those as a result of the learning process.  

        I have a lot of experiences–good and bad.  I’ve made mistakes.  I’m not always liked by other ag teachers.  Some find me scary.  Some, that don’t know me well, think that I am a big RICHARD.  Others, that do know me, know that I can be a donkey.  I’ve never worried about what others thought, just that I was doing right by my students.  And no one can argue my track record in that regard.  I have a diverse set of perspectives when dealing with Oklahoma agricultural education.  The passion is still very strong within me.  I don’t know how much longer that I can do this but I will never half-ass it.  This is the backstory that brings us to the next story.  Through it all, I realize when opportunities have been missed.

Here’s to a day of Shattuck school in-service.  Have a good one.  

     No need to text and ask when the next one is coming.  I lost the longest post that I have ever typed.  And since the, Tammy and I have been dealing with several family deals and a bad injury to a friend/former student.  I’ve had to cancel judging a sheep & goat show this weekend and have a funeral to attend.  Once the real world gets done kicking the crap out of us.  I will sit down and re-write my lost words.  

Until then, have a good one and a better tomorrow.

         As I was proof-reading a blog, (which I don’t like to do, but I was trying to contain my emotions and keep it clean)  therein lies the problem.  It’s gone.  Son of a …….. pick a word that starts with the letter F.   

This is going to be hard to replicate.  I’m not careful with words, actions or thoughts.  I guess that I was too careful. Hold on.   

       Tammy & I have yet to take a vacation this year.  Sure, a day of catching big fish.  But no vacation.  So, when Tom Kester called and said, “Whatcha got going the last weekend of July?”…..I was intrigued.    Ron Simonson had contacted Tom about AIing a set of does.  Tom agreed and then called my dumbass.  Sounds fun.  Let’s go!

       This past Friday, I met Keester at Schovanec’s place.  Yeah, the place where they stack those reserve grand OYE poppers like cord wood.  Right next to a grand OYE trailer.  And the barns are lined with banners.  I forgot to tell TravASS that we were meeting at his place.  Oh well.  TravASS was there, getting ready to go make hay.  

      Before we left, I looked at a map.  Yes, I actually still have an atlas.  And I prefer having a map in hand versus the electronic crap.  Once I have the visual, I’m good.  Unless, I’m telling a story while driving through Wichita and then we get to take a detour.  It’s all good.  Anyways, the map revealed that it wasn’t very far from Uncle Ron’s to Columbus, Nebraska.  So, I texted Judd Went and asked if we could come take a look around.  He allowed that we needed to come on.  Somebody would be there.  

     Good stop!  Now, I am the proud owner of a 100 head of bad-ass yearling does and three yearling buck prospects ready to mark some asses.   

HAAAAAA!!!!!  You clowns have been waiting for something like that.  But this is not that day.  Seriously.  It was a really good stop.  Judd had to go to a wedding, so his father-in-law gave us the tour.  Kent was great.  Good livestock people are the best.  We talked goats, sheep, cattle, a few hogs, weather, barns, etc……it was fun.  

      Did I buy anything?   Yes.  I still buy goats for students.  Just in case, I did throw the popper into the back of the pickup.  On the way up, Judd called and asked if I could haul a few goats back to Oklahoma.  Sure.  All of us in this industry need to be neighborly and help.  I now know that a few is FIVE.  And I bought 10 wethers and doe kids.  FIFTEEN makes for a really crowded popper.  But good stock is hard to pass up when the price fits the need.  

       We took the full tour.  The mature buck line up is WAY impressive.  The ones they own as well as the ones they have there on lease.  I saw one of the best mature bucks that I have ever seen and I saw one of the scariest.  Glad I got to see him and real glad that I don’t have to kid does bred to him.  

       We got loaded and headed to Uncle Ron’s.  He told us to hurry.  “The ribs are ready.”   We pulled into his place, off loaded for the night and headed inside to eat some ribs.  And I now realize that Nebraskans have a tendency to under-sell their comments.  Judd said a few and it was five.  Ron said ribs and Oh snap!!!   When Uncle Ron says “ribs”, he means the Flintstone’s brontosaurus type, flip your car on it’s side kind of ribs.  Holy Schnikes!!   These beef ribs were HUGE!!!   Caveman huge!!    And here’s the kicker.  I normally could care less about beef ribs but these were oh so good.  No need for knives or forks.  The only tools needed were two hands to grab a rib and go at it and then a towel to wipe up the juices.  No tearing & tugging, just eating.  I will say that this was either the 1st or 2nd best beef ribs that I have ever eaten.  There is a sentimental reason that I just don’t say the best.  My Grandma Schneider used to make beef ribs cooked on a bed of sauerkraut.  I haven’t had them cooked like that anywhere else.  I remember them fondly.  I actually think that they were short ribs.  These ribs on Friday evening were NOT short.  

        This next part may surprise those of you that know Ron & I.  We did have a Moscow Mule or two.  However, not more than three.  At least, I did not have more than three.  

         It rained Saturday morning.  But, it let up in time for the AI to begin.  As expected, Ron had a great group of helpers.  On the way up to Nebraska, Keester asked,  “Any idea what bucks we will be using?”   My reply, “Nope.  But knowing Ron, it will all be name-brand stuff.”  I was right.  Real right!!  Even some bucks that have yet to be advertised from big time deals.  

      And we did look at a bad-ass prospect at Ron’s out of FBGM.  He calls him Fabian.  And I asked, “What The F does Fabian mean?” 

      I’ll be honest.  I take pride in my knowledge of music.  I didn’t know crap about Fabian.  Now, as a result of looking at a goat and asking the question, “Whatcha calling this one?”  I have learned more.  

        Here’s what I know now, most of which I already knew.  Although we were really well behaved, it is a good thing that Tom Kester and I live on opposite sides of the state.  I will never look at an onion the same way.  Likewise, it is a good thing Ron Simonson and I live two states away from each other.  Otherwise, we would have a couple hundred head of does and NEITHER of us want to have does at our place.  Ron is WAY smarter than I am.  He has figgered out how to help people with their programs without having many does at his place.  Great hospitality in the Cornhusker state.  

         No, I did not buy the grand at OYE in 2022.  But, I enjoyed getting the chance to sort some stock and buy some deals that a worn-out old has been like myself feels like a kid can have a chance if they feed, care for and show properly.  

Vacation—no.   Working vacation that was fun—HELL YEAH!!!  Nebraska ain’t Maui but it was good.  

       And while I was gone, my brother-in-law stopped in to check on Tammy.  He texted me “The good thing about being married to my sister is you don’t have to come up with an excuse to drink.  She’s excuse enough.  Condolences on the bathroom project.”   

       My status with the ever-lasting bathroom remodel remains unchanged.  Do what is asked, stay out of the way and pay the bills.  I do my part.  

      People, have a good one.  I am. 

      When you think of the G.O.A.T. duet, you don’t think of rock duets.  Seriously!!  When I think of duets, there are only a couple of names that come to mind—-Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie & Michael Jackson.  Those people had huge hits that were duets.  

       My favorite duets of all time-regardless of genre?   

Ebony & Ivory–Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney–also the Eddie Murphy & Joe Piscopo SNL version (I think that I have written this before.)

You’re the one that I want–Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta–that song is probably the reason that Grease is still a popular movie.  

Islands in the Stream–Kenny & Dolly

Country music has a huge list of great duets.   Dan Seals & Marie Osmond, Nellie & Tim McGraw, Reba & Linda Davis, Tammy & George, Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett.  

But…rock duets?   Ain’t no Skynyrd on this list.

Aerosmith & Run DMC sticks out.  But that is rock and rap.  

     Let’s go with a song that may be more pop, but may be recognized as more rap because of a remake by Vanilla Ice using the tune….however, Queen & David Bowie–Under Pressure.   NOPE!!  Too poppy.   Sonny & Cher?  Too poppy.  

#3  How about Ozzy & Lita–Close My Eyes Forever?  There we go.  That one rocks.  

#2  Any duet with Meat Loaf.  YES!!!   Several to choose from.  His duets could take up spots 2, 4 &5.  

#1   And it has a goat connection.  Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty with Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.  This song is now 40 years old and still sounds the part.  

        And the goat connection, you ask?   Well hell, the grand wether at OYE this year was sired by Tom Petty.  At least a goat named Tom Petty. 

Which brings up the question….what happened to the buck named Cobain?  

       It is the 9th most played tv commercial in the regular rotation–2 insurance commercials, 2 chip commercials, 1 pop commercial, an online vehicle shopping commercial, a diet commercial, a HO pill commercial (is it HO or ED?) and THEN there it is…..the have you been exposed to Round Up commercial.   I don’t know if I should sign up for this lawsuit?

Yes, I have used round up.  Yes, I have been exposed to it.  Yes, I have used it on behalf of my employer.  And I have also used a crap-ton of 2,4-D.  As an unpaid employee of Kelln Livestock, can I sign up?  

      I’ve used more of both of these products this year than on any given year.  I’ve used them in the greenhouse, in the lawn around the ag building, parking lot, ag farm, county fairgrounds, around the house, the barns, the pens and in the garden.  This evening, I took a hand-held pump up sprayer and headed into some fields.  One 50 acre field just had a corner of weeds coming in.  Not, now.  I nuked ’em.  But there are two fields that are growing a cover-crop mix.   I would like to small square bale these fields.  10 acres total.  But one of these fields has a weed problem.  Weird.  Both plowed the same day and then seed was drilled later that same day with the same drills.  One feed plot is salvageable.  The other?   Eenh?!?  We will see.  I nuked part of it with 2,4-D.  I doubt the cowpeas fare well.  The other field, well in the words of SNL’s ButtWheat, it will be “OOTAY!”   

       As I walked these fields, I was wearing shorts and listening to the Dropkick Murphy’s.  I’m real sure that I got chemicals all over me.  It was hot and humid out.  So once done with chores, I piled my fat ass into that little blue swimming pool to cool off AND clean off.  I’m pretty sure that I entered the pool with all of the grace of a walrus.  The good thing about me cooling off in that pool, is that if there was any vegetation growing in it, is now dead.    Tammy might need to drain the pool.  From the chemicals on my legs, not from me peeing in it.

      If I had more doe goats around here, I wouldn’t have as many weeds.  

      I did play delivery boy for vegetables today.  Lots of people in the greater Ellis County area now have an ample supply of cucumbers in which to make pickles.  Crock pickles, bread & butter pickles, spicy pickles, sweet pickles, hamburger slices, dill pickles and whatever kind of pickles you would like to make out of perfect pickle cucumbers.  I got rid of lots of squash, taters, okra and some corn.  8 Dozen brown eggs.  Nobody wanted the zucchini.  I can’t blame ’em.  I’ve got calves on feed for August butcher dates.  Just doing my part to help feed those that like fresh, bad ass food.  I need a couple of pigs.  I could feed the zucchini to them.  

        And here is how today’s completely “worthwhile” post will tie most, not all,  current events into the goat industry.  R U READY?  

        I was in a group text that involved some discussion of the current covid BS.  Just effing retarded.  One of the group members texted a clip of the cali governor’s new mandates.  (Please keep those dumb donkey rules out west)   Another Cali member of this group text responded, “He’s another one (the gov.) that needs to be drowned in a bucket of goat piss.”    

       And here’s my question…..which would be worse…..drowning in a bucket of goat piss   OR    having to collect said bucket of goat piss? 

I think that I will just stick with dealing with some round up and 2, 4-D.   

For some reason, I feel that I should proof-read this post.  Naahhh!! It is what it is.  

I’m going to go practice my accordion and get ready for my big album release.  Have a good one and a better tomorrow.