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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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Lambs Win on HSC! |
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In our part of the world we have continued with the above average moisture and below average temperatures. We have wrapped up the bulk of our show season and it has been a real good one.
Honor Show Chow fed sheep have been cutting a wide swath through the Midwest in both the breeding sheep and market lamb shows. Emily showed the Champion Southdown Ram in the State Fair Junior Show, as well as the Res. Ch. Montadale Wether. Bryan Temple exhibited the Champion Montadale Ewe at the Il State Fair Jr Show. The Sterrett Family of Michigan exhibited the Supreme Champion Ewe in both the Open and Junior Shows at the Michigan State Fair on their Southdown Ewe. The Long Family of MO has a good summer with both their Southdowns and Shropshires, including the Champion Shrop Ewe at the MO State Fair. Davis Livestock of MN exhibited the Res. Champion Ewe at both the Nebraska and Minnesota State Fairs. Check out of the latest winners in the club lamb circles with Honor Show Chow fed lambs. Northern Star Livestock and several other folks have been dominating the show ring all over and all with Honor Show Chow fed sheep!
Emily capped of a great Illinois State Fair winning the Sheep division of the Master Showman, as well as winning Southdown Senior Showmanship and Grand Champion Senior Showman.
Our last show of the fall is the Sandwich Fair. It was the week of Labor Day, and always a good time. The sheep numbers and quality were up again this year. There are about 450 head of breeding sheep in the open show and about 260 head of market lambs and breeding sheep in the Junior Show. Many of the sheep that are shown at Sandwich have done a lot of winning and will be very competitive at Louisville. We had Supreme Ewe in the Open Show under Chris Spilde on a cool Feb. Ewe Lamb. We also had Supreme Ewe in the Junior Show under Dave Smith with a yearling ewe out of Bedlam.
We always manage to get in some golf during Sandwich. The course is right across the street. My friends and I, Kirk, Rhonda, Jeremy and Lonestar (yes, Lonestar) all had good time on the links.
We are working hard getting sheep ready for Louisville. We enjoy that show a bunch, but it is not the place to come ill-prepared. There are too many good sheep and good feeders. We are still feeding 18% and are happy how the lambs are looking. We started adding the Champion Drive about Oct. 1 and we are starting to see the tops and definition that we expect. It also makes me feel good to know that with bad weather and stress that our lambs have everything they need.
Thanks to everyone who had me help with fitting and showing this summer. Good sheep and good people make for a lot of fun. Also thanks for the opportunity to judge some places I haven’t been in a while. It is fun to meet new people and see sheep outside of our area.
We did manage a family trip to Stillwater to see friends and their new baby. Eskimo Joes, Mexico Joes, OKC State Fair, Cattleman’s and a Cowboy victory. It doesn’t get any better than that. GO Pokes! I also was able to take my Dad to Columbus to watch the Buckeyes. No trip to the Shoe would be complete without a visit to Hiney Gate, Hall of Fame Café, and the Skull Session. Go Bucks!
I love fall! Stock shows and college football!
Management Tip for the Month – The best way to prevent April lambs is to pull the ram out October 31 and don’t put him back in till next fall. It really works.
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