Up close & Personal with Angelika
at home on Highview Angus Ranch
July 6, 2021
I was responsible for everything from in bringing the herd safely across the road, leading cows down the alley, marking cows with breeding dates, releasing cows from the chute, to getting him a bottle of water to make his life not only a little easier but safer.
My departure from being able to be there for Jeff 24/7 comes with mixed emotions. Although I will enjoy wearing pretty dresses again at my part-time job at the Sports Corral in Joseph working with friends and the public, I will miss the hard work that, according to Jeff, added immensely to reduce his daily stress.
Indeed, I quietly shed some tears when I hollered out tag numbers to Jeff for the last time this morning during sorting. Like never before has the intricacy and difficulty of Jeff’s daily work not only allowed me to continue my cattle learning experience, but it also got Jeff and me closer on a profoundly personal level.
In the end it is not me, but Jeff
who should be given recognition for getting up at dawn, eating dust in blistering temperatures, while getting little sleep!
Not only does he handle his cattle with perfection, but he also farms to grow the feed for his Angus herd. Endless and brutal hours in tractors night and day, irrigating fields and pastures, rake, bail, and hauling one-ton hay bales take without a doubt a physical and mental toll.
His relentless passion and dedication to improving his Angus herd are untamable. His love and commitment to maintaining a mentally and physically healthy herd are unbreakable.
His type of cattle business is not one of the “good old romanced western style” like John Wayne overlooking his herd from afar in Chisum. It is an extraordinarily up-close and personal experience that requires unparalleled skills and knowledge to stay safe [and] alive.
Hence, when the “boss” gets loud and straightforward with me or anyone else, it is never a personal affair; it is a matter of safety for all and the protection of his herd. This precise approach derives from his unchangeable objective: The less you talk, the slower you walk, the safer the job! Therefore, I will always appreciate Jeff’s important and sometimes intense prerogatives to reduce unnecessary stress on his cows and calves to maintain their physical and mental health at peak.
While the sun rises early and sets late during the hot summer season, I am closing with this: Yes, I would do it again in 2022! I would do it not only because of my love for cattle but especially for the love of my Highview Angus Ranch FAMILY & JEFF!!!
I am more than proud to be a part of a family that has dedicated their lives to producing exceptional quality beef for our Nation and beyond while adhering to five-star cattle management 24/7 and 365 days a year!
