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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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Catching Up with Mark Johnson |
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The lambs at A&M Ranch are really starting to look like they are the real deal. We invested a lot of money in new outcross ram two years ago, New Generation. He was the 2008 NAILE Supreme Champion Ram as well as National Champion Southdown Ram. We bred a handful to him for 2009 lambs and bred everything to him for this year’s lamb crop. He did what we had hoped he would do for our program. He stretched us out, elevated our chest floors and blew apart the hip. When you are looking to add your next ram raise your expectations, and you might be surprised how close you can come.
We had been using home bred rams for the majority of the ewes the last few years. We had gotten pretty comfortable feeding and fitting those sheep and those genetics. It worked really well. The lambs out of these genetics feed a bit differently. Just when you think you have got it dialed in, things always change. Honor Show Chow has the tools to help us adapt to those changes. We are mixing our own ration using the HSC Grand Lamb Mixer. We have been using this product since it first was made available and really like the quality, flexibility and affordability that it provides. Right now we are making a 17% ration that is 3.5% fat. Our Southdown lambs are growing really well and keeping that youthful, expressive, and fresh look that judges, buyers and we like this time of year. Emily’s show lambs are on the same ration; however we use both Power Fuel and Champion Drive to compliment our ration to customize the diet of each of those lambs. The variety of breeds, weights and genetics make those invaluable tools.
The last two months have had us all over the place. I had great time in Texas assisting with putting together and HSC Sheep DVD. The Mike Harbour family and crew were terrific hosts. Look for that to be available soon. It is a good thing they had lots of video tape and Kevin and the folks at Yellow Dog know how to edit. I was very pleased at the clinic we did in Winchester, KY. Cindy Issacs invited Mike Witte and me down to help with that clinic. I wish we had videotaped that program, I was super pleased. I was able to visit the Forsee crew while in KY. Their sheep looked great. Then off to WI to judge the Badger Lamb Bonanza in Arlington, WI. She crew at UW did a first rate job putting that show together. Congrats to all the winners and participants. Amy and I were able to stop by MB Genetics, Jone’s, and Spilde’s on the way. It is real obvious why Southdown’s have become so popular in WI. They have some of the best sheep and people. Then the Geerts team and I were off the Ohio Sale. We were very pleased with the reception of our sheep as they averaged $1300. Thanks to all of the buyers, bidders and enthusiasts. I also helped with and HSC Clinic at Midland Crossing, in Newark, IL. It was fun to see Dave Guyer in action there as well. They said the store did record business that day, but they also said that all of the HSC Ambassadors always come in a day early and help build fence.
Like many of you we also had prom, concerts, award ceremonies, senior trip and GRADUATION. I don’t think I say near enough, how proud I am of my daughter Emily.
June will have us out and about some more. I am looking forward to again participating the HSC Show VIP, in MO. That will be immediately followed by the National Montadale Sale in Springfield, IL and then it is off the Midwest Stud ram Sale in Sedalia, MO. Jeff Repasky of Northern Starr Livestock and I will present a workshop on Wed, June 23 at the Midwest Sale. Last year’s event was a lot of fun and very successful. This year I hope to get Jeff to sing. He knowss the words to Roxanne, just ask him.
This short blog just got way to long. Gotta go, the Blackhawks are on.
 Dave Guyer: What the heck did you just say?
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