Newsletter
This year has been a true roller coaster ride for our family. In January, our granddaughter Chelse was chosen to be the Ellensburg Rodeo Princess for 2010 and through that experience she has traveled to many new places, including most recently the National Finals in Las Vegas. In January she will help usher in the new 2011 Queen and Princess. What a fast year it’s been!
It seems so strange to have her away at college now. She is involved in Ag related classes at Washington State University and is pursuing an animal science degree. She is missed by us “chute side” just as much as she misses being there to help. She has had to come home most weekends this fall due to Rodeo Royal Court functions, and if we happen to be doing something with the cows…she is right there ready to help… wearing her great big smile! The generational love of cattle in our family sure didn’t miss striking this little gal.
All our grandchildren are growing up so fast! Mackenzie was once again very involved in the Cancer Association Relay for Life events. We donated a purebred Angus heifer for this worthy fundraiser at our March 2010 Royal Flush sale. Her grandpa Bill Bartolac had the winning bid. Many other generous breeders donated funds which were all sent to the Cancer Association. Thanks to all who participated.
We have another purebred Angus heifer donated for our 2011 Generations of Excellence Sale. Our sale in March was just the first of many events Mackenzie was involved in this year for the Cancer Association. She is extremely busy at school this year. She maintains a 4 point grade average while being a cheerleader and holding down a part time job. She began taking college classes this fall (just like Chelse did when she was a junior) in the Running Start program. Who knows…maybe she will try out to be a rodeo queen or princess too!
Mackenzie on horseback.
Colton is very active this fall in band and sports. Chance was the quarterback for the freshman team and often got to quarterback for the varsity team this year as well. Being a “southpaw” is a big advantage for him…that darn old ball just never came from where the opposing team thought it should!
This was Colton’s first year harrowbedding. He (just like older brother Chance when he started out) never lost a load setting them in the stack pad. We were so proud of him as he went around those hayfields!
Chance harrowbedded the whole season for us.
Chance with his 2010 Fitting and Show Champion
Colton and Chance both had steers at our Labor Day weekend Kittitas County Fair. Chance was the Junior Fitting and Showing Champion which allowed him to go into the Round Robin where kids show all the major breeds. Years ago, we started out in agriculture with our kids showing sheep from their own sheep herds. This photo of Chance showing someone’s sheep sure brings back memories!
Chance showing sheep
This year his steer placed third in the county steer of merit carcass show. A Trinity grown steer (which grandpa Bill Bartolac purchased from us and then sold to a junior) was first place. We felt honored to have 2 Trinity steers place so high out of 80 plus steers in that contest. The animals are judged on their carcasses when slaughtered. We retained ownership on our 2009 born steers, and they were sold to AB Foods through the spring of 2010. 12% graded prime, and 70% graded choice.
Pasture in this valley is still hard to find and we are beginning to think out of the box as far as where to go this next year. I have a feeling a lot of our gals will be in other counties. We had a great year for pasture due to all the spring and fall rains, and there are years we wonder if tearing out another hay field would be more beneficial for our cowherd. Then we look at how well our hayfields perform for the Japanese export hay market, and rethink that previous thought!
In September of 2009 Certified Angus Beef employees from Ohio came to the ranch and did a one day presentation with the QFC (Quality Food Center) grocery chain. It was such a huge hit that this year, they did a two day event. The first day, SYSCO Food Corp representatives from Seattle and Spokane were here with their customers. The second day, employees and owner, Chad Mackay from the El Gaucho restaurant group were here. Each day the group from Certified Angus Beef discussed how CAB Angus beef is a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select with 10 quality standards that set CAB meat apart. When Mackay Restaurant guests were here, we served several different cuts of steak. Each steak was cut in fourths so everyone could experience the difference in flavors between the different cuts. Each day, Rod Wessleman talked about EPDs and breeding decisions that breeders have to make to improve the genetics of their cattle. Mike and I gave the groups tours of the feedlot each day. The following are just a few of the things we discussed with each group. We explained how we plan our matings, breed all the heifers in one day, and the main cowherd in two days. We showed the groups our semen tank, showed how we freeze brand, showed them the chute room and how we weigh the animals. We showed them the way we vaccinate and the little cooling box that Robb invented. Bill Bartolac had some of his halter broken cattle tied up in the next pen so those who wanted to get up close and personal could.
Mike had a heart attack in April. That was quite a shock for our family! He now runs around with a little piece of wire mesh in his artery. He gets tired easily, but what a trooper! He so loves these cattle and could often be found out in the pastures this summer just walking through the pairs, and now in the pens of weaned calves. The other day I couldn’t find him and went over to the ranch to see what he was up to. We had a group of bulls clipped and ready for catalog photos that we were planning on taking as soon as the weather cooperated. I found Mike in the pen, scratching on those bulls with a show stick. None of our bulls are halter broken, but you would never know it the way they were standing around him waiting to be scratched! Another thing Mike has thoroughly enjoyed is feeding his fish in his trout pond, and watching the ducks, geese and pheasants that spend time around our house.
A quote that I found exemplifies how we feel about our lives right now.
“In the end it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”
— Abraham Lincoln
We’ve had very blessed, full years and we deeply enjoy whatever time we have left on this earth being around our family and cattle!
Early snow fall at our house, December 2010.
Two days ago we finally had enough sun to take photos! After no sun and mostly foggy dreary days for three weeks, the sun was a blessed sign. Robb and I took photos for the catalog until the clouds once again took over. Yesterday the predicted snowstorm came through the valley. It snowed most of the day, and this morning I was out shoveling 8 inches of heavy wet snow off our sidewalks! The prediction is that this winter will be the coldest, wettest, snowiest (gee…is that even a word?) winter since 1956! If that is so, then I’m really glad I bought 300 ton of straw this summer! I’m also glad that we won’t be calving until January! We pushed our calving date back when breeding two years ago. I was glad we did when we had bad weather in December last year. I do believe this December has been worse than last year. We've had a lot of snow and several days where the temperature has hovered in the single digits. That may be the norm for the Midwest…but for Central Washington it’s a bit rare for this time of year.
Be sure to check out our Redneck Solution page. We are actively involved in creating organic fertilizer for our fields. We did a test on one pasture last year. We put our treated manure on half of the field, and none on the other half. What a difference we saw between those two fields! Mike and Robb are thoroughly convinced in the merits of organic fertilizer. The micronutrients that are added back into the soil through spreading the manure we remove from our pens and mix with mulch is phenomenal.