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Cattle On A Thousand Hills
Dr. Curtis Absher and I were visiting at the KCA Annual Convention and were talking about Kentucky’s position in the beef industry. We both agreed that this state’s natural resources are a tremendous advantage for grazing cattle. Dr. Absher said “there is nothing more natural than grazing cattle”. Indeed, this does conjure up pastoral images and reminds me of Psalm 50:10 which refers to “cattle on a thousand hills”. Cattle on our hillsides can convert forages into meat and milk in an environmentally friendly way. This pastoral image benefits our beef industry.
Jesse Stuart’s writings made the ordinary life of rural Kentucky seem very special. I believe that it is. We should continue to market this “picture” through programs like “Kentucky Proud” which is sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. We have to be concerned about our public image because it can affect demand for our product.
We don’t always appreciate the country that surrounds us. I was driving in a brief snow storm this past week and I was reminded of a poem by Robert Frost that I had to memorize in high school. It is, I think, an American classic.
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Most people would identify with the last two lines of the poem which deal with how much they have to get done before the day is over. But I think it is important to remember that no matter how busy or how pressured he was, the driver stopped to enjoy the natural beauty of the moment. Perhaps, he also took a little time to “re-focus” or plan for the next day.
We get so caught up in our everyday routines that we sometime forget to stop and “smell the roses” or to make plans for the future. We can find ourselves performing “minimum wage” jobs while letting important management decisions slide. Tax preparation time is a good opportunity to evaluate your financial business and even your personal affairs. Review them every year at this time. We need to stay focused on our individual goals and business affairs to be truly successful.
The cattle business can be very demanding at times, but don’t forget to enjoy the pastoral beauty associated with it. Calving season is starting and pretty soon our pastures will be full of baby calves.
Cattle will again be grazing on the green hills and meadows of Kentucky. That’s a picture worth painting.
Forty thousand beef producers can’t be wrong.
Source: Dr. Roy Burris, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky
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