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.

Our lambs at A&M Ranch are really starting to kick it in to high gear. The sheep at Kline Creek have really been chowing down on the HSC Show Lamb starter. It is working well because it is good feed that is available 24/7 to those lambs. We make sure those creep feeders have feed in them all of the time. We are still a little younger than I would like, but these sheep are gaining ground very quickly. It won’t be too long and we will be starting to wean a few lambs. Note to self, start cutting the ewes back on grain, and tell the feed store we starting to feed less HSC Ewe Feed. The ewes have milked and maintained weight very well on that. We will use it again next year. We will start shearing, and trimming feet on ewes and yearlings today. Worming is also on the list of things to do.

We have spent a lot of time the last week traveling and looking at sheep. We are always looking to find that next great one. We have spent a couple days at looking at Southdowns trying to find a new stud ram prospect. Saw some pretty awesome sheep at both Howards and Oldenburgs. We also were looking for wethers for Emily to show and saw some really nice black face lambs at Morris-Pierson Club Lambs, Larry Shell’s and Brunkers. We would especially like to thank Mary and Leon for being such awesome hosts and putting up with all our running arounds and late night trips to Sonic. The highlight of the trip was getting to ride in the fire truck. They let me wear the helmet!

If there was anyone in Ohio who missed the HSC Show Clinic in March, you missed a great opportunity. Mike and Tristan Harbour came right from the Houston livestock show to talk about showing goats. Kent Bennington’s kids and Bryan Vaughn’s kids have been as successful as anybody in the hog ring and those gentlemen did a fantastic program. I really enjoyed working with Shellhouse Family and Mapolyne Farms on the sheep program. The crews that put this program together did a fantastic job, lots of giveaways, good food, talented, good looking and funny presenters. Did I mention, this whole program was FREE!

We are headed south to look at more sheep this week and next. I am really looking forward to being in Winchester, KY on April 24 for an Honor Show Chow Sheep Clinic. I have not been to this area before to do a clinic so I am looking forward to meeting some new folks. Check out the photos from some of our other HSC events and you will see we generally try share some knowledge and we always have good time. Click on the events tab on HonorShowChow.com for more info.

Sandwich, IL: We have been busy lambing ewes at both A&M Ranch and Kline Creek Farm. We are lambing a little later than I would like. Things have been going pretty well after a bumpy start and the lambs are looking pretty cool. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to do everything “right” nature has a way of reminding us we don’t know as much as we think.

We have been feeding our brood ewes the Honor Show Chow Ewe Pellet since about mid –Dec. They are in good flesh prior to lambing and milking well on that feed. Prior to lambing we are adding Aureo 4G to the ewe feed to help prevent any abortion problems. Our oldest lambs are about three weeks old. We have the creep pens set up and each pen has heat lamp, good Alfalfa hay, and Honor Show Chow Showlamb Starter. We like to set up our creep pens in dry, draft free area of the barn. It seems like no matter what creep feed you use, it always takes the first lambs a little bit to get started it. There is no doubt that the younger lambs learn from the older lambs and pick it up much faster. That is a popular debate with feeders. Do they get started quickly enough? The results with Honor Show Chow starter speak for themselves. Come look at our lambs in 30 days and you can be the judge.

Congrats to all of the winners at the winter shows. Many of them have been on variety of HSC products including the HSC 18% Grower, Champion Drive, and Power Fuel. I am looking forward to seeing those pictures. Hey Mike, send me a picture!

Here in Sandwich, IL we have been enjoying slightly below average temps this winter and more snow than normal. We are ready for warmer dryer days. I have spent the last three weeks battling several kidney stone episodes. Not with the sheep, but with me! I am ready to start putting Ammonium Chloride on my breakfast cereal. Someone will have to explain to me why I can prevent this in my livestock but not people. My livestock probably eat better. Hey Kevin, start making a snack size Champion Drive that I can eat while driving. I need to firm up my top and prevent these damn kidney stones.

Had great trip to Ryan Watje’s pig sale in Jan. Ryan, Stacy, their family, and friends put on first class event with an outstanding set of pigs and lambs. It was great to see and meet so many enthusiastic sheep exhibitors. It was really cool to catch up with HSC hog guru Kent Bennington at the airport in Chicago. I still think Christopher Walken was the flight attendant on the flight. “I’ve got a fever and the only cure is more cowbell!” I have couple more HSC events scheduled in March and April. I am looking forward to those.

WOW! This year has been a great one! WOW! This year has been weird one! But most of all, this year has been a fun one! This fall has been one of the coolest and wettest in recent memory. It has made harvest late and a challenge. This year’s college football season has been a blast. We finished our show season with terrific showing at the North American International Livestock Exposition. To most of us we just call it Louisville, or do we say “Luhvill.” No matter how you say it, it is the show that all other sheep shows are measured by.

Louisville was a great week for us. It is an event that our whole family works together on. Emily and Amy both like to stay with me for the duration but school and work usually prevent that. It sure is nice having them to ride down with me to get everything in and set up. Some folks say I am little persnickety about how things are set up, YA THINK! We worked on our sheep and also helped Julie Barr, Budd Phelps, Derek & Bill Chapin, Geerts Southdowns, and Manda Geerts-Davis. “The road goes on forever, but the party never ends.” The worst part about setting up at Louisville is the long drag from the unloading area to the pens. I told Budd that if he thought college tuition was expensive, try sending sheep with me to Louisville that weren’t halter broke. He did great. His college fund is safe. In fact everyone had good week, and a good time was had by all. Thanks for your trust, confidence and help.

We had a good week winning two of the three ewe lamb classes and having our Jan. American Express daughter being named Res. Jr. Ch. I was real pleased with how our sheep performed. Amy had them looking great and Emily and I had tried some new things to help get them show ring ready and it really paid off. Thanks “Amily” - you guys are the best crew a guy could have.

What has really changed the whole environment in the sheep barn at the North American is having assigned pens for everyone. The show officials started that several years ago and it has paid huge dividends for everyone. Thanks to Dave Trotter and Dave Merry for tackling this difficult task. We all need to give them a big thanks, more money or at least baked goods.

We are getting the sheep ready to start lambing. We should begin lambing about the third week in Jan. We bred every ewe on the place to New Generation, the 2008 Nat’l Ch. and NAILE Supreme Ch Ram. In the next week or so we will worm the brood ewes, give them their yearly booster shots, and trim feet. We sheared the ewes back in early Oct. A lot of the corn in our area has been coming out real wet. I am concerned about of the white mold, and possible mycotoxin problems that this could create. Poor quality feed during the pregnancy can cause problems ranging from abortion, to ewes not dilating properly, to weak lambs.

Last year we tried some of the Honor Show Chow Ewe feed on the later lambing ewes, and we were very satisfied that it worked. This year we are going to use it 100% of the way along. We had always mixed our ewe feed. It had been cheaper and I like doing it. Now with concerns created by the wet corn it just isn’t worth the risk. They also have the HSC Ewe Feed priced competitively enough at our feed store that isn’t worth my time to haul and mix my own feed. Better feed, priced the same, and less headaches. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Is it worth saving $20 a ton and risk having to haul that $1000 ewe’s lamb to the dead pile? You can buy a lot of feed with one good LIVE lamb.

Working at Kline Creek Farm in the fall kept me super busy, but it was great. We gave several thousand kids the chance to visit an 1890’s farm and help with harvest. They learned a bunch and have a much better appreciation for farmers and the weather. Kline Creek also spent a good bit of time halter breaking calves in Oct. I did not realize how much I have learned from being around Kirk, Dave, Bob, Dave and Steve. Those guys must be really good. They have managed to teach me about cattle and I didn’t even know I was learning something. That is a skill (or Jedi mind tricks.) The calves sold well and did great at the sale. Kline Creek also sold the Champion Southdown Ewe at the Illini Fall Sale in Champaign, IL. Congrats to Derek Chapin who sold the Champion and top selling Hampshire ewe at that same sale.

2010 is right around the corner and I will be in CA in Jan for W-D Swine Farm’s pig and lamb sale. Watch the HSC events page for other dates where the other Ambassadors and I will be “Coming to a town near you in 2010.” Go Poke! Go Bucks! Don’t bother me on Jan 1 or 2. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See YA!

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.

You will be glad to know that we finally got first cutting hay done. I am sure you have been waiting with baited breath to see when that would happen. We got it baled on July 5 & 6. We have had a lot less rain in July, hence the delay in my blog updates. However, it is raining right now, so a typing I will be.

The Fitting and Showing Clinic at the Midwest Stud Ram sale that was sponsored by Honor Show Chow and the American Southdown Breeder’s Assoc. was by any measure a rousing success. This was the third year for HSC to host this event and the first time that Southdowns were featured. The crowd was the largest and most active yet. There were folks from all over in attendance. We met people from Georgia, Florida, Tenn., South Dakota, Canada (ya hey dare), Texas, Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania, New York and all of the Midwestern states. Jeff Repasky of Northern Starr Livestock kept everyone entertained while I toiled in the Sedalia heat. Thanks to Kevin Burgoon of HSC and Gary Jennings of the ASBA for coordinating this terrific event. As one reviewed the 3000 some head of sheep that were entered, it was clear that Honor Show Chow was a common thread among many of the winners.

Prior to heading to Sedalia, I also participated in the Show VIP in Gray Summit, MO. It was great to meet so many new people that are so skilled and passionate about livestock and the show biz. Thanks to everyone who shared their experience to make the show clinic such a success. If anyone has any pictures of Mr. John Zeloski helping shear that Hampshire ewe, please send them to me. There is an HSC hat in it for you. A big shout out to the folks that put on that VIP, John, Tracy and a host of others make the Ambassadors’ job fun and easy that week. Working with all of the Ambassadors that week is like hanging out with a bunch of rock stars.

We also fitted a bunch of sheep for the Springfield sales, and those sales were strong. While there, Amy and I did get attend a Cross Canadian Ragweed Concert. It was a ball! It rained and it was muddy, and it was awesome! We saw a lot of friends there we did not know we would see. Emily didn’t get to go. She was fishing in MN with friends. She caught some big fish, she has pictures! That reminds me. Next year at the VIP, the Ambassadors are having fishing outing at Longview. I bet they feed their fish. I bet they grow big fish. “We are going to need a bigger boat.” Kirk, make it happen.

The last three weeks we have been running from show to show judging and working with Emily showing. Emily has had Grand or Res Grand lamb each of the three shows she has been to, and Supreme or Res Supreme Ewe on Southdown at each of those same shows. Melissa and Robert are friends from Emily’s 4-H Club and they have also been doing their share of winning as well. HSC to the winners circle! I have been preaching about how the kids should be happy for each other when they do well. It is more fun to share in your friends’ success and allow them to share in yours. Winning is not much fun if you don’t have folks to share it with.

We are getting geared up for Illinois State Fair. The sheep are coming together nicely. We did lose a real good Southdown wether a few weeks ago. We don’t know what happened; fine one day, dead the next. For all of our effort and “wisdom,” there are times we are reminded that some things are just out of our hands. It is still disappointing; Emily had high hopes for that one. Emily won the Master Showmanship Contest at her 4-H fair this weekend and is looking forward to participating in that contest at State Fair. Be sure to stop by the pens at State Fair. I also will be judging the MN State Fair this month and the Walworth Co Fair early next month.

This is the last thing, I promise. While I was driving home from the Midwest Sale in Sedalia, MO, I had a little excitement. I was driving east on I-70 and had just crossed the MO river bridge. Suddenly, the trailer broke loose of the truck. I was going 80 mph! I was doing my best Carrie Underwood impression, “Jesus take the wheel…” I got it shut down and pulled off to the side. No one and nothing got hurt. Even the truck and trailer got off without as much as scratch. However, I was sure glad to see Lanny Bowman and Steve Hammerlink when they pulled over to make sure everything was ok. They helped put things back together and got me back on the road. THANKS GUYS! See you at state fair, this one is on me.

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!

I had great visit to the Walworth, WI to visit the Main Street Country Store. Debbie and Rick Schoenbeck have great facility and team. There was a good turnout for that meeting. We covered a lot of the basics, which included making sure you stack the deck in your favor for a successful show season. If you’re ever near Walworth, WI, be sure to visit Main Street Country Store. They have the show thing covered, but more importantly the cookie dough ice cream and brownies are worth the trip! The best part is, it is all right there under one roof. If I could watch OSU football there, I might never leave!

We are currently headed to the Ohio Showcase Southdown Sale. We have been busy getting pictures of those entries and getting them ready. We have also been selling a bunch off the farm, and we have several to deliver on the way to Ohio. Check our website at www.aandmranch.com for updated photos and info on our sale entries.

Thanks to everyone who has visited the Farm this spring. We consider it quite a compliment when folks come to visit and look at sheep. Especially today, it seems time is our most limited resource.

Prom 2009 has come and gone, and mom and dad survived yet another one. Prom walk was a lot of fun for everyone. That is a big deal in Sandwich. Many of the kids took the train to Chicago the next day to see a Cubs game. They got to see Big Z pitch and D-Lee hit a grand slam. Emily doesn’t know I sent this picture, so don’t tell her.

Don’t forget, Sunday is Mother’s Day. Don’t get caught nappin’!

Since my last entry we have been scouring the Midwest to help our daughter and other local 4-H kids get their project lambs put together. We visited several farms and saw some terrific lambs. We also attended the Premier Ten and Midwest Elite Sale in Richmond, IN. That was a great weekend. Not every good lamb was being fed HSC Lamb Starter, but it is was amazing how many of them were.

We hit some of the same farms looking for lambs each year and it is fun to see change, growth and progress. Folks are all talking about the economy and remarking how sales have still been surprisingly strong. A few folks I spoke with changed from Honor Show Chow in hopes of saving a little money. They may have saved a little money, but it showed. Their lambs didn’t have the bloom and pop that they had in the past. It worked, I saved money. I went elsewhere to buy lambs this year.

Many ownership deadlines are fast approaching. The fastest way to get beat at any show is to get kicked out for not playing by the rules. Make sure you know the ownership deadlines and any dates for weighing and tagging for your area. This is the easy part.

I will be in Walworth, WI this week for a workshop. We have been getting things set for another big clinic at the 2009 Midwest Stud Ram Sale. Look for more information on those two Sheep Workshops.

Our own lambs have been well received this spring. We have sold sheep into eight states so far. They really got into the creep well this year in spite of all of the bitter cold. We have weaned and transitioned them on to a grower we mix using the Grand Lamb Mixer. It is important to get the lambs weaned and make sure they are current on their overeating and tetanus vaccinations. The traffic we have received at the farm this year has been very gratifying. We sold out of yearling rams in early April and are almost out of ewe lambs now. We did save a couple for the Ohio Showcase Sale in May and hope to have some in the Midwest Sale in June.

The family seems to be running in many different directions lately. We all thought it would slow down after basketball season got over, no dice. I didn’t realize prom season started so early. Emily has been dress shopping, dress fitting, tanning and making hair and nail appointments since February. I am soo glad I am not a teenage girl! Amy has been keeping very busy at Midland Crossing Mercantile. She has worked there for about two years. They have been really busy, and sales have been strong. I keep hearing how bad the economy is, however livestock sales have been real strong, and feed sales are up.

Here’s a quote I’d like to leave you with: “If you build it, they will come.” When things get tight, folks have to identify priorities and keep their focus. It is clear from what we are seeing that raising livestock and doing it well is a priority for many families. Raising livestock is something that brings generations together. It teaches responsibility and accountability in time when it is most needed.

The Ohio Showring Success Seminar was tremendous success. It was pleasure to have such a terrific turnout for that event. I got to listen to a little bit of Bryan Vaughn’s and Jim Missildine’s programs, and they were awesome. I will look forward to working with those folks again. Dr Kevin Burgoon is the guy who makes it all possible and his feed is why we all are there.

The boys from Ohio who put this program together did an awesome job and didn’t leave any stone unturned. It made it easy for me to do what I love to do - talk sheep with other folks who like to do the same. Mapolyne Farms (Scott Shellhouse & Family) Sycamore, OH provided a real nice set of Southdown ewes for us to work with. Any time I get to work with great breeders and the most awesome breed of sheep, I am a happy guy. Dave Shellhouse and Emily Shellhouse pitched in to help round out a fun and educational program. They have all been very successful both in Ohio and on the national level, and it was great opportunity for them to share their stories and for us to pick the brains of some of the nation’s best. Thanks to all of the Shellhouses for the contributions.

This just in, Texas Roadhouse still wants to know who owns the red pig that is running around in the parking lot. D- Faub has all of the tools to be a great sheep showman when he retires from the feed business. He just has to put his heart into it.

There were a lot of new faces to meet in Ohio and few familiar ones as well. Hi Tyler! For those few didn’t make it to Springfield, OH…YOU MESSED UP! Life is all about being able to take advantage of those great opportunities when they present themselves. Don’t make the same mistake twice. Look for pictures on the HSC website.

Now is the time on the home farm when we start to think about weaning some of our older lambs. Weaning time management is crucial for the success of both the lambs and the ewes. It is less stressful to leave the lambs in the same pen and move the ewes. They know where to find the feed and water, things go smoothly, and they go off feed less. Worm, vaccinate, shear, or whatever either just before weaning or shortly after i.e. less stress on the lambs means more growth and more performance. Watch the ewes carefully; it is easy to mess up a good udder with poor weaning management. Limit feed and water until you’re sure they are completely dried up. It isn’t any fun to find out next year when those ewes lamb again, that you ruined their udder by not drying them up properly.

We will start to switch our lambs over to an 18% grower made with HSC Grand Lamb Mixer after they are weaned. We are in the severe mud zone. Dr. Tom says that this is the wettest start to the year ever in northern Illinois. We had more snow than normal, and seven inches of rain March so far.

We are starting to make contacts to help our daughter Emily and other local 4-H kids find their project lambs. It seems as though we are having to start that earlier and earlier each year. The club lamb sales are in full swing. So get out there and rattle the trees and see what shakes out. Our daughter and all of the kids that we help have a budget that each can spend on lambs. We can’t always afford some of the lambs that we like. Sometimes we have to kick a lot a stones to find the best lambs each kid can afford.

See you at the sales!