Jimmy's new black baby

Jimmy called to say he has a new black baby! Here he is showing off his first registered black angus calf born this year. He had two first calf heifers due on February 24th, but neither of them gave birth on their due date. Jimmy said this young mother came into the barn on her own last night, and gave birth to a 65 pound healthy female. This morning when he came out to check on the cattle, she already had the calf cleaned off and up drinking. He said she is a great young mother.

Saturday night basketball game

In this crowd you can see some Elkton farmers enjoying a basketball game on a Saturday night at South Dakota State. You may note that these Elkton farmers keep pretty good company; sitting behind Lenny and Paul is the founder and late president of Daktronics.

Future Farmers of Elkton

Last Monday the Elkton FFA served free coffee and discussed farming issues with local farmers and town people in the Cottonwood Corner Cafe in Elkton. The young farmers did a great job and made the old timers proud to see who would be following in their foot steps.

Dick and Wes tying things up

Dick from Doland, South Dakota is helping Wes tie down his load so Wes can head back home. Dick farms in Doland with his daughter who sold the straw to Wes. Dick tolds us that at his high school graduation Hubert Humphrey, who was then Vice President, was the speaker.

Hauling wheat straw from Doland

It got down to 23 below zero this week and Wes was more then happy to be able to find some good dry wheat straw to bed down his feeder cattle even if he had to drive out to Doland, South Dakota to find it. Wes gave me a little history lesson at the same time. As you all know, Doland is the hometown of Hubert Humphrey.

Howard is feeling good

Sister Ben stopped in to visit with an old friend from Elkton this week. Howard was excited talking about old times and new times. He said he was feeling quite good and will be home in Elkton in few days. It sure would be nice to see him back.

Watertown winter farm show

Brooks is about to enter the sales show ring with one of his purebred Charolais bulls. He has kind of gotten attached to this 10-month-old Charolais bull, but this will be the last time they will spend anytime together. The Charolais bulls have been selling today for anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 a head.

Showing off his Charolais

This last week Brooks has been here in Watertown spending a lot of time with these two young bulls. He brought his Charolais to the Winter Show to get exposure for them, and meet new buyers for his purebred herd that he raises on his farm right north of Elkton.

Thompson farms

The sign behind Brent tells a good part of the story. Brent is showing and selling four of his purebred Red Angus calves here at the Watertown Winter Show. On February 29th, he'll be having a sale at his farm southwest of Elkton. Brent and his son Justin run about 200 registered Red Angus cows.

The farm family

Brent not only brought 4 of his registered Red Angus calves to the show, but also his family—his wife Carrie, and the the kids Liberty and Justin. This is a school day and the kids are on what you would call a school farm field day, which makes school not only educational, but interesting and fun.

The corn and bean farmers

Travis, Harold, and Jerry came here from Elkton to check out the new corn and bean bins. Harold is planning his fall harvest and is looking at extra storage bins, but I found the boys here in the livestock barn looking over the registered cattle.