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"Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little things well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves." -Dale Carnegie
-Mark Johnson
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Company: A&M Ranch
Location: Sandwich, IL
Years in the Field: 30
Education: BS Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Joliet Junior College
Website: www.AandMRanch.com
Contact: aandmranch@aol.com
Specialization: purebred Southdown sheep
Choice of Feed: HSC show lamb starter, HSC Grand Lamb Mixer, champion drive topdress
Hobbies: - Mark is the Agricultural Specialist for Kline Creek Farm, an 1890’s Living History Farm, located in Winfield, IL. There they farm with draft horses, and maintain a small quality flock of sheep as well a few Shorthorn and Angus cows, all of which are used in the educational programs.
- As consultants and custom fitters Mark and Amy have worked with most breeds of sheep including Columbias, Suffolks, Hampshires, Dorsets, Montadales, and Natural Coloreds, club lambs and North Country Cheviots. All of which have competed successfully on the local and national level.
Favorite Sports/Team: Loves all things OSU (Oklahoma State or Ohio State), loves the Red Sox, loves the Cubs and Bears.
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Clipping/Showmanship Demo @ Midwest Stud Ram Sale…Be There! |
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Now is when things start to get crazy! I have been trying to get cows bred at work, and would love to get hay made if we can ever get 4 to 5 days without rain. I know these scattered showers are a blessing, but if we don’t get some hay cut soon, it will be old enough to vote soon. Keep in mind, I am from Illinois. Our hay probably already voted… twice.
I hope to head to the Junior Experience Show Saturday in Eureka, IL. Emily is not showing this year at that show due to graduation parties. It is a fun show and a great show for newer exhibitors. It is very youth friendly and has useful awards program. Rhonda, Lenny and a host of others have done a great job running that show. Mike and Shirley McElvain have been the driving force for the Junior Experience Show from the beginning and they make sure everyone has good time.
From there it is off to the Honor Show Chow VIP. That is a terrific, fun and educational opportunity for everyone involved. HSC brings many of the show ambassadors together for that event. We are supposed to do the teaching, however often think that I learn more from the other ambassadors and the guests.
We finish at LongView on Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday I head down to Springfield to work on entries for the National Montadale Show and Sale. We have been helping Brad Temple and his family fitting and showing their Montadales, and I really enjoy working with them. Bryan is helping me with a lot of their fitting and may soon put me out of job there! Bryan, just remember, “I am still the Jedi Master.” Amy and I hope to catch the Ragweed Concert while in Springfield. We could sure use it.
We finish in Springfield on Saturday and I head for the Midwest Stud Ram Sale on Monday. We have a few head entered in the National Southdown Sale. We have saved a real nice ram lamb and pulled a couple ewe lambs out of the keeper pen for this sale. I have Sunday at home to get them shining. The Show is Tuesday morning and the sale is Thursday. Donnie Hopkins of Rhode Island is judging the National Southdown Sale. He usually picks good complete sheep with muscle – shouldn’t we all? I would leave the big uglies at home!
On Wednesday, June 24 at 6:00 p.m., Honor Show Chow will be hosting a Clipping and Showmanship Clinic at the Midwest Sale. It is free to participate and no preregistration is required. Jeff Repasky of Northern Starr Livestock and I will demonstrate slick shearing, fitting heads and legs, and we’ll have discussions on management, exercise, nutrition and showmanship. HSC nutritionist Dr. Kevin Burgoon will also be on hand to keep Jeff and I in line. The American Southdown Breeders Assoc. and Honor Show Chow will have giveaways and food. Everyone who is anyone will be there!
As we head into July, I am sure everyone is looking forward to 4th of July weekend. Many families will be heading to Ohio for the All American Jr. Show. Watch for the HSC feeders in the winner’s circle there. That is a great show. I judged it a few years ago and had great time. This year I will be judging a show in Illinois in Grundy County about that same time.
We are done with the Show Lamb Starter for this year and all of the lambs are on a homemade ration that uses the Grand Lamb Mixer. We really like the Grand Lamb Mixer. It is flexible, economical, and gets the job done. We have started using the Champion Drive on some of the kids’ projects lambs. It will be show time for them in no time.
Come find me at the Midwest Stud Ram Sale and the National Southdown Sale. Tell me you read my HSC blog and I will have one of the new Honor Show Chow hats for you. I will even trade you a brand new HSC hat for your old hat from another company, your Yankees hat or your OU hat. Then I could have fuel for the bonfire.
Gotta run, See Ya!
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Hi Mark,
Go Hawks, see you in Sedalia!
Southdowns were Supreme today at the Iowa Jr. Show fed on Honor!