OCV Proposal

The other day I blogged about the OCV Proposal here in Montana to help with our Brucellosis problem. Many public meeting have been held throughout the state to answer questions and take producers comments on the proposal.

Over at Northern Ag you can listen to MT Stockgrowers Assocation President Tom Hougen answer a few questions on the proposal. Also on there is an interview with a Montana rancher and his thoughts on the proposal. And then watch an interview with MT State Vet Dr. Marty Zaluski.

It's all good information, with great questions being asked and answered. Here's the link: Northern Ag.

And don't forget to take a minute and submit your concerns and opinion to the state.

Rerecording Montana Brand

Did you know there were 55,000 active brands in the state of Montana! Wow.

2011 marks the year when livestock producers need to rerecord their brand with the MT Department of Livestock.

The department of livestock is asking producers to update their mailing address with them, to help the rerecording process go smoother.

Here is a link with the information on how to update your mailing address: MT Dept of Livestock

Yellow Tail changes Gears

A couple weeks back I blogged here and here about about Yellow Tail wine and its donation to the HSUS. I even showed you a video made by Troy Hadrick and his thoughts on Yellow Tail. Well, today I found an article in the Drovers Journal, that states that Yellow Tail wine will support farmers and ranchers around the world and that any future donations for animal welfare will go to organizations specifically devoted to hands-on care, such as rescue, sterilization, feeding, or disaster assistance.

You can read the article and letter from Yellow Tail here or here.

So if you are one of those that voiced your opinion by an email, or blog or facebook or letter, Job Well Done!

Here is another little article I found at Drovers Journal:

Backlash forces Yellow Tail to change donation strategy By Drovers news source Friday, February 19, 2010

A major Australian wine exporter facing a backlash in the United States for donating to a key animal rights group says it will take its support elsewhere in the future.

The $100,000 donation by Yellow Tail Wines to the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) animal rescue program has prompted a flurry of angry online postings in the US calling for people to boycott the wine.

In a statement to ABC News, the managing director of Casella Wines, John Casella, says the company will look to non-political groups in the future.

"Yellow Tail is committed to the plight of animals in need and as a result, we can confirm that through any future activity, we will be looking to other non-profit organisations without lobbying interests that best deliver on our intended outcome of saving animals," the statement said.

Mr Casella says he never anticipated any negative criticism of the donation and the intention of the partnership with the HSUS was to celebrate and save animals.

"Being farmers ourselves, we acknowledge those who care for their land and their environment, just as we do," he said.

"We are proud of our rural heritage and value a solid relationship with agricultural communities around the world

Meet Pedro & Coffee

Pedro & Coffee. Coffee & Pedro. They go together like....well like all the good things in life.

Pedro & Coffee

Pedro

Pedro was bought as a colt in hopes she would grow up to match one of grandpa's red road percheon cross mares that we had been driving. She grew up, but not enough. She was broke to ride and then sent to our house. We rode her for awhile, and she just got ornerier and crankier. I was ready to give up on her, so we sent her to the Amish to get broke to drive. And she is great!


Coffee

Coffee is out of one of grandpa's mares and is such a sweetheart. Big D and I spent one winter taming her, halter breaking her, picking her feet up and saddling her. She was then sent to the Amish to break to drive. She also is great!



The wagon awaits, at Andi & Jason's Wedding

After many years Dad finally has a team again. He is proud of them, enjoys driving them, and brags about them to anyone who will listen. They outwalk any team, gentle as all get out and are scared of anything.



After Bucking Horse Sale Parade 2009

We have had them in Bucking Horse Sale parade. 125th Montana Stockgrowers Association Parade. Several wagon trains. Andi & Jason's Wedding. Wagon rides during the winter. Wagon rides for the heck of it. They are kid broke. The are beer broke. Heck, Dad's even let Grandpa drive, whom has only really good working arm.

Dad driving his team


Madion is becoming quite the teamster

Dad & flower girls waiting for the wedding party.

Brucellosis

Brucellosis has wreaked havic on Montana's cattle industry the last few years. Everything from marketing, breeding stock, and exporting beef from and around Montana has been affected. It's been the topic of many discussions all over the state and surrounding states.

Right now the Montana Department of Livestock is holding meetings across the state and taking public comment on their proposal of a statewide Official Statewide Vaccination (OCV) for brucellosis. This proposal calls for statewide requirement of OCV for all sexually intact female cattel and bison that will not be slaughtered, but used for breeding.

Currently the state only requires OCV four Montana counties, Beaverhead, Gallatin, Madison and Park. These counties are all part of the brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area. Part of the push for OCV is that it will show Montana is doing all they can to help prevent spreading of brucellosis.

Here is the link to read the full proposal and the address where producers can send in there comments about this proposal.

Oh, Snap!

I have been blessed with a daughter whos language, speech and understanding is beyond her 3 years. Some people are quite amazed at her speech, and can't imagine where she gets it from. I know where and how she gets it. Her gift of gab comes from all parts of her family tree. Her dad. Her mom. Her grandma. Her papa. Her great-grandpa. Her aunties. The list goes on. Second of all, we never 'baby talked' to her. Third, she has been around adults since she was born, and we have great friends that talk to her, make her mind and play with her. And I don't think there is a shy bone in her body.

She remembers peoples names better than I do. She wants to know everyones name and she has never met a stranger. Instead of asking me who people are she now walks up to them and says "What's your name? " and after you tell her your name she sticks her hand(sometimes the left hand, sometimes the right hand) and says "Mine name's Tally. Nice ta meet ya"

So this brings me to the other night. I was in the kitchen making supper and she came walking up to me and said: "Mama, I just said 'damn it' and that's naughty. What other word can I say thats not naughty so I don't get in trouble." I agreed with her that that word is naughty while making a mental note to watch my language. She thought for a moment and said "I have a great idea, how 'bout I say 'oh, snap' and not 'damn it' and that won't be naughty and I won't get a spanking, k?" I told her that was a great idea. She then spent the next four minutes repeating 'oh, snap. oh, snap' many times!

One would think it would be safe to say, that when she is sleeping, she finally quits talking.

But now she has taken to talking in her sleep. Just like her mom. Her grandma. Her daddy.

What's a Gal to Do?

Big D left for the weekend. He is attending some fire board training (or so he says) on the other end of the state. I am so excited I wanna get up and do a happy dance!



Don't go a'hating on me. I am just looking forward to a girls weekend. T & I have plans of baking cookies, a few heated games of Hungry Hungry Hippo. Don't feel sorry for her. She is very serious hippo player and takes no prisoners.



We're gonna hang in our comfy clothes. Get some cleaning done. Play in the snow.



Watch what we want. Eat what we want.



Have a picnic in our living room.



We're gonna take a trip to the quilt store with Auntie J. Well, T says we are taking a trip to get ice cream and a balloon. A girl can dream, right?



NO. BOYS. ALLOWED.