This may very well be the final Kelln Livestock blog.  This is just an analogy but it seems to fit current times.

Let me begin by giving a brief description of my farming operation.  Most of Ellis County, OK should have never been broke out and farmed.  A lot of it was put into CRP back in the 80’s.  Some of it is productive when it has moisture.  There is some irrigated ground (norm mine), but there just isn’t enough water to bring the yields.  Just enough to keep a crop going and not dying.  Profit is a once in a 5 year deal.  Break even 2 others and hope the other 2 aren’t complete losses.  It would be better to go to Vegas once a year.

Last night, we got 4 tenths of an inch.  That is the second biggest rain that we have seen since May 15.  That isn’t enough.  However, there was no wind and it wasn’t hot today.  The plants were actually able to get some usage from this rain.  At this point, I’m just trying to make a hay crop.  We need some decent protein, high TDN hay for cows and does.  That’s it.  A 1″ soaker would make a crop.  This rain will keep it alive another week.  We have a chance.

Big operator?  NO!  I am dealing with 500 acres of pasture and/or cultivated ground.  I deal with 10 cultivated fields.  They range from 130 acres to 1.5 acres.  The 130 and a 40 acre field are share cropped (I don’t have to farm them–yeah!).  The others are used for grazing or hay.  Wheat or triticale in the winter, cover crop mix or hygear (hegari) in the summer.  Right now, I have 50 acres of hygrear that is going to make a crop (maybe a bale an acre).  There are 30 acres of cover mix that NEED a good rain.  25 acres are grazed smooth.  The rest is done.  No grazing, no hay AND no weeds.

What, no weeds?  Really?  Really.

We have a lot of lawn around the house and barns.  The Dragon Lady waters, mows and weed eats.  She normally mows once a week.  It looks good.  I normally have to spray the lawn with 2-4D once at the first of April and maybe, just maybe, one other time.  Not this year.  With the lack of rain, she has been mowing twice a month.  Yet the weeds keep coming.  I have sprayed the whole yard twice and spot sprayed two other times.  And, it needs it again.  WTH??

I don’t have a weed problem in the places with no water or care.  I haven’t farmed them because nothing is growing.  Yet, the weeds are anywhere that a sprinkler has been used.  Yep, the sprinkler has been used to keep the grass alive–not thrive, just stay alive.  Yet, the weeds (pigweed, mare’s tail, goat heads, etc. ) have taken hold and are making a run for it.  The native buffalo grass is just hangin’ on.  The non-native bermuda grass is good where it has water and not good where there is no water.  But, the weeds.

Here we go!!!

Look at the maps of voters.  These riots, marches, protests are only in certain areas.  They match up exactly with the 2016 presidential election voting map.  Hunh!!   Areas of high population that are used to having what they need but yet not providing for the rest of the country.  Weeds.  Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland, New York, parts of Cali, you already know the list.  The weeds of 2020 are thriving where everything is provided for them.  But these protests are not happening where they are relying on a rain to exist (for example–an hour south of Springfield, IL or anywhere near Tulare, CA)

We are decades past being racist.  We really don’t give a rat’s ass about religion as long as you don’t tell us what to believe.  What you do sexually…I don’t have to like or agree with as long as I don’t have to witness it or be told about it.

I am now a believer that the worst perversion is politics.  It isn’t race, religion, economics or sex.  This democrat or republican line is shaping up to be the worst in history.  This isn’t healthy.

I’ve sprayed democrat weeds…yet, they are still growing.  Why?  They aren’t all completely democrat.  I planted republican seeds but they aren’t all growing.  Why?  They still needed a stimulus check in order to sprout.

We are witnessing why the founders set up a government of checks and balances.  Yet, checks can be written to change the balance.  We are witnessing why the electoral college was developed.  A small, well populated area should not dictate the greater good.  We are witnessing why we have a national anthem and why you MUST stand for it!   I’m sorry that some cops did bad things.  But that does not replace how many gave all to give you the right to….RUSM??? kneel.  White, black, brown—-it does NOT make sense!

Two words—COMMON SENSE!

This isn’t racism.  This isn’t a religious doctrine.  This isn’t an economic struggle.  This is nothing more than an attack on common sense and the fact that we have become a lazy society that is willing to believe what we see on Socially Transmitted Diseases such as book face or twitter or the forevermore worthless tv news.

Antifa & blm are direct results of a lack of common sense.  The weeds found an opportunity and started growing. Trump got elected and will probably get elected again.  Why?  The majority was sick of the lack of common sense from the other side.  We no longer vote for a favorite. We now vote for the lesser of the evils.

The two party system is broken and useless. Both sides are liars.  Crooks.  Cheats.

Every AMERICAN citizen needs to sit back and ask themselves this question—What do I provide on a daily basis to make America great?

That’s it.  One simple question.  If the answer is nothing, well…..then don’t blame the ones that can answer in the positive.

As for me and my house—I can answer this question.  Tammy and I (along with help from our kids) provide some bad ass beef, wicked goats that taste like beef, along with vegetables and eggs combined with a true passion to help others do the same.  And for our main jobs–we teach.  We teach about food, health care and my favorite topics—COMMON SENSE and WORK ETHIC.  Throw in some lessons about self respect and respect for others.  I don’t have to believe as you, but let me believe as I choose.  We will also answer questions about the power of GOD and that we really don’t care if you believe or not.  But don’t tell us what to believe. Nor will we tell you how to believe.

I do not trust a politician at the state or national level.  Too many $s.  But, I do trust some more than others.  The system is broken.  There are NO arguments from either side that the system needs work.  So, let’s fix it.  The constitution provides the framework.  Let’s vote and fix it.  It’s that simple.

This summer, I have sprayed weeds.  Tammy has mowed grass.  I have farmed to rid the ground of weeds.  I  have let livestock graze grounds–they ate what they could but not the weeds.  I have sprayed weeds again.  I have used selective herbicides so as not to kill the grass.

No matter what I do, the weeds will not provide grazing for the livestock.  The weeds will not provide income from their harvest.   We can teach the grass and crops how to grow, but if the rain nor sprinklers provide enough moisture, the weeds take over.  Or, nothing at all grows.  Either way, no economic or sociological benefit for any.  Yet, when we water the crops/grass, the weeds show up.  They weren’t desired or nurtured. But, yet, here they are.  And now that they are here, they provide no benefit to a community, state, nation or society. But they sprout in a rather loud fashion.

If you are the owner or manager of a piece of ground, at some point, you do a burn down and get rid of whatever is costing you money or time.  I have yet to use roundup on the yard.  Why?  Because it kills every plant.  Common sense.  It would have been cheaper and easier.  But, I haven’t used it.  Why?  I don’t want a dead yard or dead fields.

If you proclaim to be a democrat, I deplore you.  If you are a republican, change your thinking.  We do NOT want to spray roundup on everything.  Personally, I identify as a republican conservative that understands why some don’t agree with me.  I will GLADLY tell you that I am a Catholic, Christian, German, Irish, Okie, friend of Texans and Cajuns, regardless of religion, race or whatever else stuff we need to label.  I have also been called a work-a-holic and an A-hole. THIS makes me an AMERICAN!  I don’t have to agree BUT you damn sure better respect my thoughts as I will yours.

Bring your fight to me.  I’m game.   I’m not perfect.  You ain’t either.  I understand & know how to help others as well as how to feed them.    Can you say the same?

I would bet that most of the readers can answer yes.  If not, ask yourself the question—Why not?