We hadn’t been seeing much water in these parts.  We have seen and smelled rain but haven’t actually got any of it for a couple of months.  The lack of rain combined with the 105+ temps for the past week has made it kind of brutal around here.  Don’t know if any of the crops that I planted will make hay or not?

Last night, we finally got a bit of water.  Three tenths and a whole bunch of wind.  So, I spent this morning cleaning out all of the feeder pans that had soaked feed in them.  We needed more but we will take it.

Speaking of water, Tammy recently bought one of those blue, air up kind of backyard pools.  It has its own pump and system to circulate water.  It is probably 8′ in diameter and about 30″ deep.  I made fun of her when she first set it up.  But, now that it has gotten hot, you can find me soaking in that pool during the extreme heat.

We had a blast on the 4th of July.  We traveled to Waynoka to a lake that is not found on any maps.  I call it Lake Litzenberger.  The Litzenberger family has been digging this lake for years.  It started, and still is a shale pit.  This shale gets dug out and used for county roads, well locations, etc.  This lake is deep–30′.  It is big enough that there was a pontoon boat and 4 wave runners pulling skiers.  I don’t know how many acres it covers–20 some, nearing 30.  No matter, it will continue to grow.  And the water in this lake is dang neart perfect.  Clear, calm and refreshing.

They have built a pavilion for serving food and finding shade.  They built a 20′ tall sand pile, then put plastic on it in order to build a slide.  A trash pump provides the water so that you can haul ass down this slide.  They also parked a sky track next to the water.  This serves as the high dive.  Climb on the pallet, get lifted about 15 feet in the air and then jump off.

For the 4th, there was about 120 people at Lake Litzenberger.  Lots of adults, teenagers and little kids.  Everybody signed a waiver.  The entire crew was constantly watching out for the little kids.  Lots of life jackets.  KC Ferguson had his pontoon boat there and that thing ran all day and into the night.  That boat even pulled me on skis.  It had been over a decade since I had water skied.  I actually got up on the first try.  And yes, I was really sore for several days.

And then there was the fireworks show.  The first explosion was a Winnebago that had some tannerite and other ingredients in it.  One shot and then an explosion.  This was fitting.

Basically, this whole day was a redneck holiday.  As Poe pointed out, “not many democrats in this crowd.”

What does that stand for?  A lot of goat people probably don’t know what this acronym stands for.  It is Coronavirus Food Act Program that is administered through the Farm Service Agency.  Livestock producers can go to their FSA office, pick up a form and fill out the # of head of livestock.  The government then sends the producer some $s.  This program is good for cattle, sheep and hogs.  Wait!  What?  No goats.

No.  Goats are NOT included in this program.   GoatLivesMatterToo.  With all of the bitching & whining going on in the world, you would think that agriculture and government would be cognizant of their blatant racism and lack of inclusiveness for the goat sector.  I guess I should start a riot.  Maybe we need to go to San Angelo and tear down that sheep statue, even though that sheep doesn’t have anything to do with it.  Maybe we need to protest the United States Naval Academy for their use of Bill the Goat as their team mascot.  Let’s force the Hartford Yard Goats to change their name and logo.

I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.  I’m going to let common sense prevail.  I’ve got a job and things to do, so I’m going to work.  I don’t have time to protest.  I am just going to let the county FSA office know about it and I would recommend all of you goat producers do the same.  Just make a smart ass remark about goat lives matter.  Maybe word will get passed up the food chain and they will add goats to the program.  Maybe not.  Either way, we are free to produce goats or not.  Our choice.  There is no oppression holding us back.

I just pray that the rest of our nation will pull their heads out, listen to some common sense and find real solutions to problems.

Have a good one and a better tomorrow.  Be safe on this holiday but dang sure have some fun.  I will.

Spring & early summer are usually strong months for OSU athletics–golf, softball and baseball.  This year, no college world series for either sex and no golf tournaments.  However, the pokes have maintained a strong presence on the worldwide leader of sports–espn.  To start with, Gundy made some remarks early on during the covid deal. Then his t-shirt blew up the internet and this gave a bunch of the talking heads something to talk about.

Recently, they aired “Eddie”.  A documentary about Coach Eddie Sutton.  It was a well made program that showed both sides of the story.  I knew Coach Sutton was successful at Arkansas.  I did not realize that he was afro perm in a hot tub doing a coach’s show big time.  Wicked!  It is apparent that this guy could coach the game as well as any, yet faced a demon or two.

Tonight, they aired the program “Finding Big Country”.  I haven’t seen it yet.  I will later tonight when it shows up on espn+.

Big Country and I were at OSU at the same time.  I didn’t know him.  I saw him on campus and he was easy to pick out.  I watched a lot of basketball during that time.  I didn’t know any of the Sutton family.  But I liked the way they played the game.  That family was a fit for Okie State.

However, I do have a story about my freshman year at OSU.  There is a family from Shattuck that has a lot of ties to the Oklahoma State University.  Several family members have played numerous sports while attending the great cow college in Stillwater, OK.

In the fall of 1989, I got a phone call from this family.  They asked if I wanted to make a few dollars a month doing some tasks.  Sure.  I was given the address of the house.  The homeowners wouldn’t be around much.  I had to rake leaves.  Pick up limbs after wind storms.  Sweep the garage.  Just menial tasks, but hey, $20 is $20 when you are in college.  I didn’t know who lived there.  Didn’t care.  It was a nice place but not anything retarded fancy.

In the spring of 1990.  I don’t remember the date– end of March, first of April.   I got a call from this family.  We need you to go to that residence and do some quick clean up work.  The owners are coming back to town and things need to look right.  Sure thing.

So, I headed to the place.  Made sure the yard was clean, all trash barrels were empty, garage was tidy and ready to go.  As I was finishing up, a car pulled into the drive.  I looked as the people got out of the car.  I immediately recognized the man as he got out.  Oh crap!  I’ve seen him on tv and in lots of pictures.  He walked up to me, shook my hand, asked my name, introduced himself and thanked me for keeping things in order.  We talked about how I knew the family in Shattuck.  I told him that I grew up with their kids.  He asked if I was a basketball fan.  I said, “I wish we were better.”  He then said, “Young man, tomorrow we are announcing a new basketball coach.  We are bringing home one of our own and it’s going to be a good thing.”  He gave me a $10 bill for a tip and thanked me again.  I left and went back to class.

I told some buddies that I met Coach Iba.  Of course, they told me that I was full of $h!t.  I didn’t have a picture or a check from him.  I just had a story.  But, the very next day, Coach Sutton was announced as the new basketball coach.  So, there was a bit of credence to my story.  And from then on, Coach Iba was at more and more games and was back around Stillwater more often.  30 years ago was a different time.  I might have gotten a selfie but I guarantee that there would have been no mention of why he was back in town.

This story has no meaning and no tie to the goat industry.  It’s just one of those memories as I was watching “Eddie”.

Some students and I took some welding projects to the powder coaters.  Ironically, these projects are being built for that same Shattuck family.  We turned in Tulsa nominations. (We are acting like they are actually going to have a Tulsa show?!?!) We used the wee-bander on a potential show goat.  Checked some sheep & cattle projects and then called it a day as it was getting HOT!!!

Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

In NW OK, the sandbur is the most hated piece of vegetation.  However, in the year 2020, another plant is making a run for the most hated.   Tribulus terrestris.  It is commonly called “puncture vine”  but it is also known as “goat head”.  If you’ve ever dealt with the seed of this plant, then you know why it is called a goat head.  The two horns and long narrow face resemble a goat.  Specifically, a satanic looking/acting kind of Spanish recip kind of DOE.

Normally, bermudagrass or buffalo grass keeps these things choked out.   But, for some reason, not this year.  I had to pull a sweep plow across 50 acres to get rid of the goat heads.  No other vegetation was trying to survive, but for some reason, these things were making a massive move.

I hate sandburs worse.  However, if you ever step on a goat head without shoes, you will probably use bad language.

2020 is making a case for the most effed up year to date.  It is a history lesson all in one year.    AND we are only 1/2 way through this POS.  We are getting to live through a dust bowl, plague, effed up politics, depression, stock market crash, social herding, etc.  Saharan dust plume…..WTF????    The wind has been miserable the past couple of days.  I guess it is the new norm here in paradise.

Speaking of screwed up like a pile of coat hangers.  In the month of June, I have traveled to 4 different states.  And I have yet to see any body bags being used for all the covid victims.  For that matter, I now know of one who has the antibodies from having the covid in Jan/Feb,  one that had it and has finished quarantine and one that is currently in quarantine.  Nothing life threatening.  We don’t live very far from Dodge City, KS and Guymon, OK.  These are the two HOTTEST spots in Kansas and Oklahoma.  Packing houses and those workers that live in close confines of each other make for a spreading ground for the Rone.  It should be catastrophic.  Nope.  Just a bunch of positive tests for the media and politicians to pump up some statistics.

I have been reluctant to nominate critters for the Tulsa State Fair.  I feel like they setup themselves up fairly early to pull the plug.  I truly thought that when the State Fair of Oklahoma pulled the plug on Friday morning that Tulsa would follow suit.  A lot of business decisions are executed on Friday PM in order to lesson the blow. I was wrong.  I pulled hair on critters tonight and will send it in.  But, I have NO faith that they will have that show.

Surely, there is a way that WE, the voting public, can pass a law that removes ALL incumbents.  Clean slate.  Wipe that chalkboard clean & set term limits while we are at it.  Oh, and reduce benefits for politicians.  Make them walk barefooted across a bed of goat heads.

These politics…..oh my.  Screwed up like an upside down tackle box.

There is a new song that has been occupying parts of my skull for the past week.  I am not a big fan of the band Five Finger Death Punch.  However, their newest release seems to fit my life today and for that matter, this tune could very well be the theme song for 2020.  A little bit off.

I started this day in fine fashion.  Did chores, cleaned up and headed to Woodward.  I hadn’t been to the Polly Anna Cafe since the Rona hit.  I went and ate a stellar breakfast.  Then went and priced some stuff for the school. I had about 30 minutes to kill so I rolled over to Tractor Supply.  As I was walking the aisles, I thought to myself, these underwear fit a little bit off today.  Not bad, a little snug, just not right.

After 10 minutes of walking and perusing the offering in Tractor Supply, it hit me.  The Polly Anna breakfast was hitting bottom.  So, for the first time ever, I found the bathroom in a Tractor Supply.  As I was sitting there thinking, I realized that I had my Duluth Trading underwear on…backwards.  No wonder they fit a bit off.  This led to a whole new conundrum.  First, how in the hell did I screw up putting on underwear?  Second, do I just roll with it?  OR, do I kick off my shoes, then jeans, then underwear, swap them around and re-dress, all while hoping that nobody comes into the restroom at Tractor Supply?  Yep, I swapped them around and got things right.  Oh, and the bathroom was very clean.  5 stars.

Now, other than the stellar bacon, eggs, hash browns & toast, THIS was the highlight of my day.  Went to pick up feed stuffs and they were out of 3 items that I wanted.  Well hell!

Then, I made it back to Fargo to deal with THE 4 letter word!   No, not that one.  But almost as bad–FARM.  Hydraulic leaks, a dumb ass move on my part, plugged seed tubes–spider webs, flat tires, ruined rim…….I could have gone off, but I managed to not throw anything or blame anybody.  Maybe I’m growing up.  It’s about time.

Here is proof that today was a little bit off.  At daybreak, I caught a doe and trimmed hooves.  I then moved all the does into a different pasture.  By myself.  No throwing stuff, cussing or meltdowns.  No problems from doe goats.  Maybe I need to wear my underwear backwards more often?!?

I think not.  I’d rather be pissed at doe goats than deal with the crap that I had today.

This day does remind me of some ancient joke about wearing used underwear–The yellow stain goes in the front.

And there is a radio friendly version of this song and then one that seems more appropriate to my day.

Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

Our politics, society, economics, well hell, just about everything in the U S of A is screwed up right now.  I mean it’s as screwed up as Lt. Frank Drebin umpiring a baseball game.

This deal in Atlanta is way messed up.  How about this A O C chick in New York?  Shouldn’t a sitting congressional leader have something better to do than trolling teens on tik tok?

I came through Tulsa on Saturday afternoon.  I do not know how many hi pos, sheriff or Tulsa pd cars that I saw in the greater Tulsa area but it was a bunch.  Luckily nothing happened.

How about this OAN news network?  They got a pile of free press from Gundy’s ordeal.  Then they trot out this “White House Correspondent” at the Tulsa rally while wearing an OSU t shirt.  I bet I wasn’t the only one to google her name!  Chanel Rion.  Read up on her.  Fun to look at but reading her bio seems a bit out there.

I wanted to go fishing but NO!!!!  It had to be wicked windy….again.    Screwed up!  So, lets do something and rank the top fishing movies of all time.

#5–Classic book and a common movie–The Old Man and the Sea.  Everybody should read the book but not everyone needs to sit through the movie.

#4–A River Runs Through It–excellent story that always centers on fly fishing in Montana.  The ladies will like it because Brad Pitt is a main character.

#3–I love this movie but I had to put it #3–Grumpy Old Men.  Couple of old farts that like to ice fish, drink beer, cuss and feud.  Great movie with all time great actors/actresses.

#2–Grumpier Old Men–Who thought that they could improve but this is one of the best sequels of all time.  I love so many lines from this movie.  The bacon speech is epic.  The out-takes of Burgess Meredith using his pick up lines is off the hook.

And #1–it’s one of the best movies of all time.  JAWS.   It has to be #1.

I had to find my banders this weekend.  I also realized that I needed to order some new loops for wee bander.

Over the years, I have been asked numerous times, how come the doe shows aren’t supported like the wether shows at Tulsa & OYE.  It is a very simple answer.  The doe showers don’t do crap to help support the shows.  They have no skin in the game.  Wait?  What?

For starters, over the past 15 years, Tammy and I have worked and/or helped with numerous fund raisers for a variety of shows across Oklahoma.  We have been sponsors and/or buyers at OYE, Tulsa, SW district, NW District, Woodward District, Okie Coalition and the Champion’s Choice Jackpot.  We are not alone.  There are a couple of others that have done the same.  Without a doubt, it is harder to get doe showers to ante up.  Selling $20 buttons during the doe show is like selling bacon cheeseburgers at a vegan convention.

However, at the wether show, people are like “Here’s $20, leave me alone.”  When we used to have the Okie Coalition online sales, it would be John Stottlemyre, Jared Schneberger, Tommy Milligan and myself buying the products AND we also donated items to the sale.

Why don’t they have skin in the game?  A lot of the top end does (not all, but a lot) are loaners.  The people showing them didn’t have to put skin into the game.  I’ve had kids that have won district shows, state fairs, Tulsa, won 2 of 4 divisions at OYE, etc.  Most of those does were either raised by me, owned by me or borrowed from other breeders by me.  On the other hand, a wether showing family is already nuts-deep ($2,500 to $25,000) and what is another $20 for a chance to help the cause.

I am in no way saying that a doe showing kid works less.  Not at all.  I’m just saying that doe showers don’t support the shows.  Breeders included–They already are letting a doe be shown and didn’t cash a check, so why write a check.  (this isn’t true for all breeders but….if the shoe fits)

There is a reason that things like the Okie Coalition, Champion’s Choice and even the Lone Star Elite aren’t as strong or even in existence any more.  The few get sick of supporting the majority.

And this isn’t much different from today’s society.  I’m all for students showing doe kids.  But do NOT come whining to me when I don’t write any more checks to sponsor a doe show.  I’ve gave at home, at the office, online and at the shows.  Have you?  Some of you have as well.  If you haven’t, don’t gripe, don’t riot and do not complain.  Go out and actually buy a doe kid.  Put some skin into the game.

Part of me feels that I should read back over this post.  The other part is like,  eff that, I could say worse.

We caught a 1/4″ of rain.  Kind of like prom night, it wasn’t as much as was wanted but it was better than nothing.  Hopefully, there is more to come.

“Excuse me while I whip this out!”

I came into the house to eat.  Turned on the tube and one of the Hobbit movies were airing….again.  I love those movies.  The books were bad ass as well.  My question as I watched the battle parts…again….If the Dwarves & Elves are so wicked in battle, how come they are always outnumbered?

We hauled several hundred bales of very clean, bright wheat straw this weekend.  This evening, we picked up a load of small square alfalfa bales.  2nd cutting on a first year stand of alfalfa.  Big leaves and thin stems.  We loaded more than I planned nor had proper room.  It will work out.  Anytime you can get good hay, get it.  That reminds me of something else.

It is scary as to how many forms of communication a person can use.  I don’t use snap chat or instagram.  I only half ass use book face.  I sometimes check messenger.  Occasionally, I use a blog.  I check emails on a quasi regular basis.  Texts….eenhh?!  I’m either really good at replying or it is a time-delay kind of deal.

No matter.  I have friends that correspond on a real regular basis.  Texts–Jeff Spake is the king.  Group texts–Ronnie Swigart and Jake Kelln are more prolific than an orgy of in-heat rabbits.  Messenger–Troy Gosney is king.  He sends a lot.  And I look at all of it.  I just don’t reply to much of it. Today, he sent a news article that concerns today’s headlines.  Google it.  “Cancel twitter tweaking with sports stars” by Jason Whitlock.  This is an excellent read. The dude is spot on.

Goz also sent a video link of a medical doctor talking on a news channel.  This Dr. is espousing how good the cortico-steroid which is called Dexamethasone is at treating the Rona.  This drug has been around since 1957.  Every stock show person needs to watch this.  He is right.  He is so right that all of us are like, “No shit!”   Yeah, Dex helps with cleaning out lungs and improving blood flow.  It also induces labor, strengthens lungs on newborns, pops tops, tightens hides, removes swelling from hocks and increases appetite.  If Dex is this good, how bout hitting these Rona patients with some Depomedral?  Not the compounded stuff, just the regular Pfizer over-the counter stuff.  Well, okay, maybe use the off-label stuff and get this over with quicker.

The Goz responded with this quote.   “Stock show folks all over the nation are going “Hold my beer!  We’re going show’n!”

People, the dude is right on the money.  Not because stock showers are looking for ways to cheat.  Stock showers look for every thing that keeps an animal healthy and on point.  I use it on does, cows, sows, ewes, lambs, piglets, calves, kids and I very rarely use Dex or Depo on wethers.  However, if needed, I know where to look up the dosages.  Neither drug provides performance enhancing boosts.   But, on the right animal, every little bit helps.  Dex gets used on people.  Catch some poison oak.  They will give you a shot of dex in order to reduce swelling.  Just one example.

Outside of dealing with cancer, heart and brain diseases, I can argue that stock show and horse people understand livestock medicine as well as most, maybe more than others.  It isn’t cheating if you are keeping a being at optimal health, stay within withdrawal times and show rules.

And for goats, there are very few drugs/wormers/ parasiticides that are even labeled for usage on goats.  Most of what I use on a regular basis is “Off-label” when it comes to goats.  But, I’ve had to learn what works and what doesn’t.  There were NO vets in this part of the world that had any goat knowledge when we started down this path.  Now, there aren’t many that have dealt with many goats.  I had to learn.  And yes, at times, there has been a “Cure ’em or kill ’em” mentality.  And more often than not, we cured ’em.  My success rate at taking a goat to the vet—we don’t want to publish that.  My success rate is WAY better.  It’s not that I am smarter or better.  But I see these beasts on a daily basis and have spent time researching and talking to others that have dealt with similar issues.  And my research has shown that goat breeders know MORE than vets.

I know of numerous vets that call Jodi Seelke for goat health and reproductive advice.  Tammy & I use Jodi as a resource.  She researches everything that comes her way.  And she is always on point.

I’ve had texts from three different states regarding the Blazing Saddles “retarded” post.  Despite all current advertised polling, we are all in agreeance.  (is that last word an actual term)  There are only two types of people-good and bad.  There is only one race–the human race.  Yes, Slim Pickens was great!

And his best line–“Somebody go back and get a shitload of dimes!”

And to complete the retardation, there is this random thought that is not completely my original thought nor anothers.  Just stupid, yet thought provoking.  Mel Brooks covered about every racial, sexual, religious and every other socio-economic slur that was present at the time of the making of that movie.  But, he couldn’t see into the future.  If so, Mongo would have said, “Mongo not gay, transgender, questioning, identifying as woman, or bisexual.  Mongo don’t know.  Mongo only pawn in game of life.”

Then, that would have made that movie the most insensitive movie of all-time.  And even though they made fun of Catholics, whites, Germans and they didn’t want the Irish…at no time was I offended.

Get out and work.  Do something.  Help somebody.  Be a neighbor.  Teach something.  Thank someone.  Eat something new.  Go outside.  Work in your yard/garden.  Do good by others.  Don’t always worry about what it costs.  Just go do something GOOD!

Would somebody please just unplug all of the news channels?!  My goodness, we are retarded.  Socially and mentally.  Gundy wears a tshirt fishing.  One of his players tweets a comment.  Now, it’s all over tv, social media, etc.

Here’s how much I knew about it.  Gundy goes fishing and then wears a tshirt with OAN on it.  I thought to myself, “Cool.  I didn’t know that the Oklahoma Ag Network had tshirts. What’s wrong with that?”   Later, I found out that OAN is One America News.   Who knew?  I’d never heard of them.  I doubt that you had either.

And after this deal dies down, the only winner will be One America News because you can’t buy publicity like this.

Whoever is working behind the scenes to divide this nation is doing a dang good job.

We all need to take time and watch a movie.  Blazing Saddles seems to fit.  Just as in today’s times, there was racial tension.  “We don’t want the Irish!”  But then all the races came together and worked together to build a replica of Rock Ridge.

Oh prairie shit!!   I’m part Irish and I wasn’t offended.  We all just need to use some common sense, quit getting butt hurt about EVERYTHING and work together.  I don’t care what color, religion, nationality or even if someone is an ou fan, I’m only racist towards laziness.  Can’t stand it.

And Im not racist towards color of goats.  We clipped up some weaned wethers last night.  There is a paint and a 99% red goat.  There are some black headed doe kids.  A few blondes and some traditionals.  And they all live in perfect harmony.

I’ve pounded the keyboard before about good neighbors.  Everybody needs and should have good neighbors.  I have the BEST neighbors.  Johnny File and John Rakestraw are two of the……Haaahhh!! Pick your terms. They check all of the boxes.  The File family are wicked good neighbors.

The other night, I was taking a gator ride and watching the Torrance crew cut wheat on some File land close to the house.  Stripper header on some really good wheat.   Crack one more open, call the neighbor and then call the hay baler dude that had equipment setting on the next mile line.

Now,  a couple of days later, and I’ve loaded a couple hundred small squares of straw bales.   Here’s the whole story.  Bad ass neighbors that let me put up several hundred small square bales of straw.  Duke, Tammy and I worked together to haul these bales.  NO FIGHTS!!!   She drove and Duke and I stacked.  No fights!  Hunh?

Speaking of neighbors, Tammy and I have watched the Cowboy Channel the past two nights.  The Woodward Elks Rodeo has been on that channel.  We have even seen neighbors like Jay Bogdahn on the tv.  I’m proud that that the Woodward Elks Rodeo is happening.  So many other events are cancelled, yet Woodward America is right on time and right on attitude.  Awesome!!

We live south of Fargo.  I grew up and graduated from Shattuck.  Tammy graduated from Arnett.  I have worked in Woodward. Tammy works in Woodward at HPTC.  Basically, we have a big damn neighborhood, and I am happy to say that my neighbors are better than yours.  Our crew covers several counties.  Not bragging.  Yeah, I actually am bragging.   And without a doubt, John Rakestraw and Johnny File are wicked good neighbors.

And if they read this stuff, I give them permission to install the flag pole.  However, I absolve myself of all incidents and problems that may arise. I love my neighbors but I can’t speak for the neighbors.  If the Dragon Lady is on your ass, well, it wasn’t my fault.

just goats