There is a lot about this industry that I don’t like.  At some point, you just get numb to the fact that you will lose a goat or two, for no apparent reason.  But, it is never the right one.

Thank you to all of the buyers in the broke2show wether sale.  There were some very good buys in that sale.  I find it interesting that there 4 animals and they sold to 4 different states.  The power of the internet.

The buck pics are up and ready for viewing on oklahomashowgoats.com.  Give us a call or better yet, come look.

I sent the student teacher along with Daryle Greer in a couple of suburbans to NWOSU FFA contests in Alva.  I need to do that more often as the 3 teams that we sent came off with a 1st place Natural Resources team, 2nd place Entomology team and 3rd place Ag Communications team.  The kids came home fired up.

Tammy gives me crap about checking out the chive.  She doesn’t have a sense of humor so some of that stuff just doesn’t make sense to her.  But, I like it.  Especially when they post some random kind-of historical stuff.  The stuff that makes you look it up and continue reading about a topic.  Such is the case with Peter Freuchen.  Google that dude up and read about his exploits.  It’s hard to believe there isn’t a movie about him even though he actually played in an oscar winning movie.  There are several different websites that chronicle the tales of this badass.  Plus, his last name gives me a new word to use.

Last night, as I hauled off the carcass of a heavy bred doe that just decided to give up life for no known reason, all I could think was “Freuchen goats!’

If anybody needed proof that I have actually had a bad hoof, they needed to be here tonight.  I sat here writing bill checks.  Regardless of insurance, these deductibles and extra costs are adding up.  The fact that I am paying for this is proof enough that it is hurt.  Over a quarter of a decade of paying health insurance on myself and I never used it till now.  You would think that it would cheapen up after a decade or so.  I am now trying to decide if it would have been cheaper to treat me like a bull with a bad hoof.  Get rid of the toe and glue a block to it.  Dang, I better be careful or Dad will haul me off to Booker Packing.

Speaking of pain….as I was writing bill checks, I tried to tear the perforated line on a bill.  Except, the perforated line was NOT on the folded line of the tri-fold bill.  It was about a 1/4 inch difference–perforated versus fold line.  What kind of evil does this?  Somebody, somewhere needs throat punched for this transgression against man-kind.

Huge thank you to Tommy Milligan, Bryan Kennedy, Duke Kelln, Hayden Workman, Halie and Braden Schovanec and Tyke & Old Man Greer for helping wash, clip, photo and drive.  I am really proud of this set of bucks.  Pics and stuff will be up shortly.

In the best interest of medicine, I will try to post on a more regular basis. I do not want loyal readers to have to go to the doctor.  I  understand the value of a regular morning activity that keeps things moving.  I like apples and pears but sometimes a person just needs a regular, well-timed activity to keep things right.  Well played.  This is just proof that many of you readers are just as sick and twisted or even more so than I.

Thank you to anybody that actually takes the time to click here and read this crap.  This blog has caused me a problem or twelve but it has also helped me to connect with more people than I could have ever imagined.  My two favorite things with this blog are: 1–People that text, email, call or wait to ambush me with something tied to this blog.  I am almost always embarrassed about the fact that people read this.  However, I have developed customers, allies, enemies and most importantly, friends as a result of this dang thing.  2—“I don’t normally read your blog but….”  BS.  That is a dead give-away that somebody reads this crap.  Or read it while crapping.  Either way, #2.

I can give lots of proof of what I hate about the goat industry.  But I can also give proof of what I love about it.  The goats are just a vehicle to see the best and worst of people.  To interact with others.  To build work ethic, passion, hope and a social network.  Without a doubt, my kids could have a flat tire in almost any county in the US of A and they can quickly connect with somebody to get help.  That is not just a blog deal, social media deal or whatever.  They can literally find somebody that gets it and they will have talking points.  That is why we do this.  Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

Eat some yogurt to keep regular.

Yes, we are having a buck sale.  No it isn’t any later than last year.  We are going to clip and photo the next day or two.  Yes, I would have liked to have it done earlier but there were plenty of things on the schedule. No, I have not told them to put up a banner ad.  I will as soon as I know which date the sale is on.  Yes, there is a buck or three that I like a lot.   They all are good in the right situation.

It is a pain in the donkey for Duke and I to load 8-12 yearling bucks and head to Perry, Ok and be there by 10 am.  But, a central location allows for top end help to be there in a timely fashion.  For some reason, very few want to drive to paradise, so we will just drive to them.  By doing this, it allows for several experts to lay hands and eyes on the stock which helps make an online sale experience.  By the time that we are done, it will take at least the purchase price of one buck to pay commission, clipping and photo charges.  That doesn’t cover the feed bill since last April or so.  Yes, I am saying that this game ain’t cheap.  You gotta spend money to try to make money.  It does not always work out.

Yes, we have mid-February kids.  No, I haven’t seen them much.  The Dragon Lady has been taking care of most of the stock.  Duke has earned his keep.  And I am trying my best to get around better.  Between the OYE sinus crud and this bad hoof, this hasn’t been the best month of my life.  Tammy is fighting the crud as well.  We are both feeling old.  Yes, she still looks better than I do.

Yes, I do enjoy the phone calls from customers that leased bucks.  Several have the issue of trying to decide how to price their goats.  I can be accused of a lot of things, but I do enjoy helping people with their programs.

Cows and calves, does and kids, bucks and photos, throw in a prom this weekend and dang.   Well, here’s to getting stuff done.  Have a good one.  And we are another day closer to going fishing.  Duke is way ahead of me.

My attitude has not been perfect since OYE completed it’s almost two week run.  I’m not done with OYE as I still have a trailer full of cattle equipment and like a lot of others, I have some kind of sinus issue that just won’t leave.  Throw that on top of this bad hoof and I’m not worth 2 squirts of owl crap.  But, I did manage to see every goat on the place on this fine evening.

The OYE goat shows did not go quite as planned.  It was a very good doe show for us.  Katherine Cockreham won a class with a Law & Order doe kid.  Carli Word won two doe classes.  The heavy class winner was a Rumour Has It x Matter Of Facts product.  Bob & Jodi Seelke produced this doe out of a set of 3 high$ pfeiffer does that we partnered on a couple of years ago.  One dead doe, one doe that won’t breed and two hatched embryos out of the third one and then the GOOD one got crippled before weaning.  At least we got a good one out of the investment.

The wether show was a violent ass beating for our crew.  I’ve got nothing.  Just battered and bruised.  For twelve years, there was a Kelln kid in the OYE goat sale, every year.  Duke made the OYE premium sale his first 8 years of showing.  Not a small feat.  We had a family goal to make it every year, but that goal will not be reached.  It happens.  Life will go on and the sun has already come up.  I’m actually not in a bad mood about it.  I’m just left wondering.

Duke and several other successful show kids did not fare well at OYE.  I did not want to see how these kids would act when they got thumped, but I have liked the results.  Basically, I get to deal with really good kids.

No, Duke did not take his heifer to OYE.  Too many irons in the fire and he put his emphasis on the goats.  In retrospect, he should have taken the heifer.

There are quite a few smart asses in the barns at OYE.  Somebody took my scooter and wrapped it in pink vet wrap.  Another added a bicycle bell on the side.  Somebody else added a set of truck nuts to the back axle.  I found it appropriate that they were blue.  I don’t know who did what but I am sure that a Kester and a Schoovy were involved.  Mike Parrish stole my scooter, had somebody video the theft and then texted me the video of the larceny.  I have lots of friends.

The toe is healing nicely.  The rest of the hoof is starting to heel.  I wiggled my big toe on Sunday night.  It hurt, but it moved.  Today, I can move it a bit more.  Progress.  No crutches but I still have this walking shoe deal on my left hoof.  I do not remember the exact first time that I heard of an overpaid athlete not being able to play because of turf toe.  But I do remember thinking unkind thoughts.  Something about a cat.  DUDE!  Not no more.  A bad toe, foot, ankle, hoof, whatever, it is a problem to get healed.

I did hear something of a rumor that some well known goat breeders sold out to some other brand name goat breeder.  I don’t know.  Maybe not.

Here’s to hopefully getting some rain, healthy people and animals and just chilling.  Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

There was a different feeling in the air this morning.  Moisture.  A squall line moved through here last night.  Lot of wind and a bit of rain.  Only about a quarter of an inch but that is the most that we have seen since August.  We will take it.

We are home from OYE.  We got our asses kicked.  I did have some positive experiences at this OYE but I am glad that it is over.  This bad hoof of mine caused me lots of problems.  I’m sick of a crutch and a knee scooter.  I am glad to be home.

Now, I have to prepare for March 17.  St. Patrick’s Day is kind of a Kelln national holiday anyways, but this year it falls on a saturday which just so happens to be the first day after stock shows are done.  Now, I am thinking of blarney stones and icing this bad hoof.

With this hoof injury, I have been accumulating tools to help me motivate around this piece of paradise.  First, and foremost, the gator is of utmost importance.  I have also found that feeding does while on a crutch is not all bad.  I haven’t had to use it as a weapon of self defense, but they already know to respect the crutch.

Tammy has found me three different knee scooters.  The first one looked lightweight and crappy and it doesn’t steer but I have found some advantages to this one.  It is easy to throw in the back of the pickup and take to OYE.  I scooted down the middle street and into the cattle barn with ease.  I just have to learn to pop wheelies over hoses and extension cords.  The second one has lots of adjustments and looks like a technological marvel but when compared to the first one, it simply does not have as wide of a wheel base.  This is important when motivating from the carport to the kidding barn.  There are terrain & elevation changes, rocks and undulations in the grass.  #2 doesn’t work for me.

Which brings us to #3.  It has the best knee pad for kneeling.  It has sufficiency base width and adjustments for comfort.  AND it steers!   Yes, here we go.  And here is where you missed it at 5 am on this non-windy morning.  I scooted down the driveway, headed east.  I noticed a little play in the steering as I crossed the first crack in the concrete.  But “where the sidewalk ends” and the rock road begins did not jive with the steering of this scooter.  Like an old crappy vehicle with rack & pinion steering, the wheels went one way and the rest of the scooter and myself went another.  I got up, left the wreckage in the road, limped to the gator and did chores.   Have a good one.

My mind is rolling with numerous different political crap.  I’m very much for the right to bear arms.  You cannot give me one reason that we should not be allowed to own guns.  I am obviously very much in favor of free speech.  However, I do believe that our current media has just about ruined this right.  And I dang sure don’t think that EVERY award show is a place for actors or athletes to espouse their beliefs.  My daughter may like living and working in hollywood, but I can dang neart do without it.

Dang it was windy today.  WICKED!   But it was still a good day.  I took a trailer load of tack and equipment to OYE.  I took two boys with me to help.  Neither are showing at OYE.  But, dang it was a good trip.  Two young men that have a great work ethic and a desire to not be at school and will work like sled dogs for a meal.  People, there is nothing wrong with that.  One of the boys transferred to school at Shattuck last year.  His last name is Islam.  He doesn’t talk much, doesn’t get in a hurry and is liked by all.  He wears shorts and boots–year round.  He loves working on cars and works at a dairy to pay for his automotive habits.  Of course, I call him the Radical Islam.  The other young man just recently transferred to Shattuck but he is of native German stock, which means that he isn’t afraid of work, uses the term “Yes Sir” and knows the joys of cherry kuchen and bierox.

I can recall every champion animal that I have dealt with in my career.  OKC, Tulsa, KC, Phoenix, Denver, whatever.  Premium sales–I remember them all.  Winning speakers, judging teams, proficiency awards, whatever–I remember them all.  The point is NOT that I can remember all of the highlights, but I also remember the hardships that went with them.  Maybe that animal should have been higher, but a judge….or that speaker could have done better but……..

As I get older, those wins, plaques, trophies, scholarships, whatever….sure, they are important.  But not really.    They aren’t any more important than the trip from Shattuck to OKC and back on a windy day.  A bit of work, a dang good burger, some conversation about good tunes, Lonesome Dove, the future and the Radical Islam’s dating prospects make for a good trip, a good day and a good career.  Ag teachers, parents, coaches, whoever…we can all lose sight of the important stuff while we are chasing something that may or may not be that important.

Happy Birthday to that old fart that teaches at Ponca City.  He’s taught for almost 4 decades.  How many positive impacts has he made?  A lot.  He might run the most unique FFA program in all of Oklahoma.  What happens when he actually retires?  Which he won’t.  They will just bury his carcass at the ag farm.  Oh, and his daughter just had a reserve div. champion wether at Enid District.  Which means that BK and myself will get to have a chat with Miss Katie and what she needs to do in order to win a division, show, whatever.  And the key words will be Spicy Crackers.

Dolly Parton.  9 to 5.  I will always love you.  Islands in the Stream.  I know, random, but okay.  Good tunes.

The wind machine has been cranked up here in paradise.  It is bad enough that it hasn’t rained since last August but this wind!    It was right at a year ago when the wind was howling here and then there was fire. I pray that does not repeat this year.

I need to be thinking about planting the garden.  We got hailed out last year.  I’m not real fired about ordering any seed for fields, at least until it rains.  One can dump enough money into this farming crap knowing that there is no money to be made.  Throw in no rain in the forecast makes it hard to pull the trigger.

We are counting down the days until OYE.  After that, I’ve got to get yearling bucks clipped and photoed. Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

It is a fact that I am not much of a sleeper.  But every now and then, I have to shut down.  Duke and I processed babies, moved does and kids out of the kidding barn, put out hay for goats and cows and picked up a load of feed.  Productive morning.

I limped inside and ate some little smokies.  Turned the tube on and hey “The Replacements” is on.  I’ve only seen it 87 times, one more won’t hurt.  I took off this walking shoe, unwrapped this bad hoof and kicked back on the couch with the foot elevated.  Two hours later, I woke up.  Drool coming out of the corner of my mouth.  It took me a minute or so to realize what day it was and my location.   I then realized that the weird sound that I was hearing was Tammy kicked back in the recliner.  Not quite snoring, but kind of sounding like Smaug asleep on a pile of gold and treasures.  She was out!  I didn’t do anything to disturb her slumber.

I made my way down the hallway, looked into Duke’s room.  Out!  Face down on the floor.  Not on his bed, but fully clothed, face down and out.  I had stuff for he and I to do.  But I just went a different direction.  I headed into the bathroom and brushed my teeth.  That way, my mouth no longer tasted like a cat crapped in my mouth while I was asleep.

Sometimes, you just have to shut down, recharge and get ready for the next plunge of activities.  I do not remember the last time that all three of us took naps, at the same time.  We didn’t get everything done today that needed done.  But maybe tomorrow will be extremely productive.