I was locked away in a tractor cab for most of the week. We are attempting to get pens cleaned out before the yard is filled up with backgrounders again. This gave me an unnerving amount of time to my thoughts along with a hearty supply of podcasts. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t admit to bingeing Charley Crockett’s new album on repeat for two days straight (no regrets).
You can check out Charley’s new album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2CegSVMbZ18cUUUBAhpesV?si=EqTBjL3XRZ2E7Agef7dQYA&nd=1
It is quickly becoming evident to me that podcasts are a daily crutch. When I was younger, mom listened to talk radio whenever she was in the car, and I thought she was nuts…still do (love you mom). Nevertheless, I have picked up that trait slowly over the past few years but more notably in the last five months that I’ve been working on a ranch in Minnesota. Whether it be stringing up poly wire for the daily move on our yearling herd or doctoring calves in the cow/calf herd. I constantly have an earbud in listening to something. It doesn’t just provide entertainment, it provides an opportunity to constantly be learning something new.
Often, I fall behind on podcast episodes because I have amassed so many different podcasts I enjoy listening to. One of these was the Cowboy Crossroads “Episode 84: Andy Nelson” from September 12th.
You can listen to the episode here: https://andyhedges.com/cowboy-crossroads/blog/7058945/episode-84-andy-nelson
The episode gives you a good idea of what the podcast is all about. If you have the slightest interest in cowboy poetry this is certainly a podcast for you. Unsurprisingly, if cowboy poetry isn’t for you, I wouldn’t write this episode off just yet. Andy Nelson goes over stories of his childhood and growing up following his farrier father around from ranch to ranch. Telling stories and lessons that he picked up along the way. One of these being “First you have to be a horseman and second you can be a farrier”. I think there are a lot of comparisons we can make with that lesson and our roles in the livestock industry. The importance is knowing the why before you need to think about the how.
There’s one more podcast I’d like to share before I wrap this post up. “Episode 261 – The Sea Salt Revolution” on the Working Cows Podcast. Which can be found here: https://workingcows.net/ep-261-robert-cain-and-michael-sileck-the-sea-salt-revolution/
The episode covers a very interesting product that claims to universally remineralize your land, livestock, and even you. I found it extremely interesting and informative. It even successfully convinced me to buy a bag of their sea salt.
To close out this blog post, I would like to challenge everyone to continue to pursue new knowledge and challenge old paradigms. It is all too easy to get stuck in a routine and continue doing things because “it worked for grandpa”. The market is a different place than it was 40, 20, or even 5 years ago. Constantly learning is the most important thing you can do to give yourself a fighting chance to stay relevant in the ever-changing agriculture industry. Second to that is to never get comfortable; comfort in your paradigms indicates that you have stopped challenging yourself and learning new things. Nobody accomplished great things by staying in their comfort zone.
The Millar Markup 