The The Cross Diamond Cross Diamond Chronicle Chronicle
Enduring. Vital. Hardy. Persisting.
Longevity. Random House defines “longevity” as “long life.” Words synonymous with long life are: durable, lasting, enduring, abiding, continuing, stable, steadfast, hardy, vital and persisting.
Now think of those terms in relation to a cowherd. It probably depends on your base relationship with your cows how these words hit you. If you have a relationship of mutual respect, then an enduring, hardy, vital and persisting cow is a great thing. If your relationship with your cow herd is adversarial,
then it might not be as great to think of them as enduring, vital, hardy and persisting.
I’m sure we all have a few stories of a few cows who were aggressively enduring, vital, hardy and persisting in the protection of a newborn calf. Old #82 was a number that certainly falls into that category. She was mostly hospitable for 358 days of the year, but from the day she calved until the calf was about a week old, she was a bearcat. But back to the positive thoughts about enduring, vital, hardy and persisting
cows. These are the backbone of the cowherd. They are enduring in sound structure, vital in fertility, hardy in fleshing ability, persisting in docility and handling ability. This is the rule that we breed and select for, not the exception.
The cow pictured on this page is Crs Diamnd Terrace 4170. She’s a 10-yearold cow who has produced nine calves with a 362-day calving interval. She possesses the endurance and longevity that keeps the cowherd going.
Enduring. Vital. Hardy. Persisting. These are more than mere words to us. They encompass a breeding program that backs every purchase made at Cross Diamond, and we take that very seriously.
Finally, we want to focus on other relationships that are enduring, vital, hardy, and persisting. We value those relationships with those we are blessed to work with, do business with, and interact with here on earth. We were created for relationship... not only with each other here on earth, but with our heavenly Father for eternity. May we all know His love and grace which is, above all: enduring, vital, hardy, and persisting.
Annual Sale December 9, 2024 Annual Sale December 9, 2024
Look inside: *photo journal
*news and notes from our guest consignors
*Sunday Cattle Drive and featured speaker
Living life well
Life seems to be speeding by as we enjoy these years of watching our kids grow and mature. (Mostly. We are mostly enjoying, and they are mostly maturing.) Marie is a senior in high school this year, so time is especially precious with her as we near the empty nest stage. Marie just finished a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class. The class ran for five weeks from six o’clock to ten o’clock at night four days a week. Marie would go to school and get home at four o’clock to regroup, then go back out the door. It was an intense time, but she’s excited for the certification, and her ability to find work to serve others. We just appreciate that she may have a heart to take care of old people, particularly her aging parents.
Johanna is back to her Husker roots, and attending the University of Nebraska. She’s majoring in animal science, with a biochemistry minor. She loves knowing that her parents are only 2.5 hours away now and can easily drop in to see her. She hardly stops studying, as she waits by the phone hoping her parents will call and request her help back home. She has been persuaded to enjoy Husker game days in Lincoln, which she has apparently endured, even though it has meant that she is unable to toil by the side of her parents for those weekends. Apparently, she is content to leave the toil and care of her aging parents to her newly certified sister.
It seems time goes by more quickly each passing year. There was a recent realization that it may be that time isn’t speeding up, we’re slowing down. But we don’t really want to believe that, so we’ll just go with the speeding up theory. The truth we know is that time doesn’t stop, and we must make the most of our time here on earth as we prepare for eternity. There are many who found a wonderful model of that in Howard Nelson, our friend, and the patriarch of the Nelson family of Right On Cattle. A fond memory of Scott’s was Howard’s standard reply when asked how he was doing. Howard would say, “Just one day closer to glory!” Howard passed away to that glory this fall at the age of 94, and his light will be missed greatly. He lived a life that glorified our Lord and Savior, and he shone the light of Christ to those who were around him.
Howard had many accomplishments in life—building a beautiful farm, cowherd and family. It’s evi-
dent in gazing back at his life where his priorities lay. He honored his Lord and Savior, and lived his life in a way that made others take notice. You’ll see three generations in his family following in the footsteps of his Christ-honoring life. Now there’s a tribute to a life well-lived.
As you read the words of each family who contribute cattle to the sale—the Nelsons, the Cables, the Popes and the Martins—you see a common thread of family, team and community. You see joy in what they do, as they share it with people that they love. That’s what sets the agricultural community apart, as a whole. We find community and commonality in conversation, commiseration and information sharing as we go through the ups and downs of caring for God’s creation.
There is a common tie among all of us working in agriculture, whether we’re related by blood, or not. Cross Diamond is blessed with a group of people to work with on a daily basis who have a common commitment to land, livestock and people. Is living in community with others always easy? Definitely not! We are all broken people in need of grace. May that knowledge draw us nearer to Christ. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Commitment to serve.
Our Mission: Developing exceptional cattle, crops and relationships through studied stewardship and faith in Christ.
It is our mission to be faithful followers of Christ and stewards of the land and livestock entrusted to our care. In addition, we are here to serve others through the relationships that come our way through business, community and church. Our Cross Diamond team is all-in to get to know each of you, and the needs of your ranch, livestock and family, so that we may be an encouagement-- both professionally and personally.
Our lives have been blessed by the relationships grown and nourished over the years in the livestock industry, and we look forward to the continued encouragement and benefit that each bond brings.
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Right ON Cattle Company
We often hear about pivotal moments in people’s lives, events that happen which cause ongoing reflection. I think it happens in businesses too, but most often looks corporate with spreadsheets, forecasted sales, and tactical plans. In agriculture, personal life and business are often mixed, creating a unique dynamic for many. Mixing family and business can create an atmosphere where you can feel like “you never get away from work”, where disagreements with coworkers don’t stay at work; they carry to the kitchen table until solved. Family Businesses can create hardships and challenges that seem exhausting. However, they also create many unexplainable feelings and joys. In a society that seems to encourage individuality, there’s a sense of peace in working next to kin for a greater goal. For our family, we had Dad, Grandpa, and Pops also known as Howard Palmer Nelson. The patriarch of our family, he was a guiding light in a world that can be dark and full of selfishness. It wasn’t until I got older, that I realized he wasn’t a light at all, he was a mirror, reflecting the Love, Patience, and Work Ethic of Jesus.
Howard was 94 years old but had a memory like he was 20. He enjoyed the local history of our county and served as a historian for many. Howard enjoyed people, he cherished his family, but he loved Jesus above all.
Howard was the record keeper for the cattle operation, he was meticulous, disciplined, and never seemed to miss a note. He thoroughly enjoyed agriculture and was key in hauling water to the cows every winter.
Triangle Y Cattle Company
Teamwork makes the dream work.
Our goal as a family will continue to be raising the best red angus bulls that we can for our customers. We are committed to delivering genetics that create a superior product and experience in the beef industry. We will continue to do that to the best of our ability while serving people and loving Jesus above all.
We will continue to honor the Legacy and example Howard set for us.
Without a good team most things in life become exponentially more difficult. Even in the ag industry we all need to be part of a team. Just look around, most things we interact with on a daily basis are in relation with one another just the way God intended….for the most part. From the spring rain soaking into soil and sending up that first tiller of green grass to the cattle that will convert that into high powered protein that eventually provides families a nutritious meal. It takes each thing doing its individual part to create such a wonderful outcome. Being on a good team requires a common goal, leadership and skilled people that can communicate and work to produce synergistic relationships.
I am fortunate to be on a couple of great teams with the end goal of being the best stewards we can to the things God has put in our life. Through that lens we can see how the little things we do correctly each day will culminate into big things later on.
Leadership to me means anyone who influences others to work towards a common goal. Whether we work alone or with a thousand people, we must take ownership for our part in the end result. With the common goal in mind, we are enabled to make the decisions necessary to be successful. Synergy, as explained to me, means creative cooperation. We see it in nature, business and especially marriage. Meredith is great at getting creative on how to solve problems large or small as long as I remember to cooperate! I am very fortunate to have such a great teammate to tackle life with.
We are so blessed to have you as part of the team! We will continue to do the little things correctly on our end so that big things can happen on yours!
~
Corey, Meredith, Blake and Sterling Cable
The Right ON family: Back row- Carter, Karli, baby Lila, Mark, Shelby, Tanner, Jake, Joslyn, Merik; Front row- Jodi, Malia, Hakon, Howard, Brodi, Rorik
Above: Marie running the mixer for the wet distillers pile
Below: Tour of the Sustainable Beef plant in North Platte to open in early 2025
Above: This has been a gorgeous fall
Right: Scott and Huck gathering cows
Below: Disposition is important, especially for senior pictures
Left: Corey Cable moving bulls
Sterling Cable, Corey Cable and Garrett Ragonese recap the day.
Blake Cable, Coltin Nation and Allie Nation worked hard on their bucket calves and market steers at the Gosper County Fair, and had great success.
Allie and Andy Nation wrestle a calf.
Sterling Cable and Johanna Ford— good friends.
Clean up branding: Far left: Alijah Gates Middle: Riyah Gates
Left: Meredith Cable and Erika Gates
Megan Nation dragging a calf at branding, Andy Nation, below branding.
Ronny & Kelsey Pope Rough Diamond Ranch
Hello there!
Many of you know us as part of the Solid Rock Red Angus family cooperating with Cross Diamond Cattle Company since 2012. We are very grateful to Scott and Kim for working with our family and allowing us to market our bulls to you as future buyers. Raising our boys in the beef industry brings us great joy and excitement knowing that we can continue to pass that joy to the next generation. Ronny spends most of his time checking out new pedigrees that will match up with the ranch’s location for short grass and still offer the power and performance needed to finish on the rail. Some of the bulls we are bringing to the sale will have some Simmental percentage, knowing that some customers are looking for the outcross and power. However, most of our genetics will be Red Angus bulls that still offer that maternal soundness needed in the industry for making great cows to stay in the herd.
The family ranch has been AI’ing for over 30 years and takes great pride in breeding fertility into our cow herd. All the cows get one chance at AI and then cleaned up with Solid Rock Red Angus bulls for 45 days. We know that in
order to have great bulls, you need great cows. We also have been flushing our top cows since 2008 with that goal in mind to make great females. Kelsey continues to multitask while being fortunate to work from home and raising our boys, Chisum (11) and Conagher (3). It has been fun to watch Chisum flourish in his 4-H experience, showing beef cattle, market lambs and market hogs. We have been able to see his maturity and respect towards his animals grow, knowing that he is a caretaker of God’s creatures. Conagher is doing his part of taking over the play room and constantly bossing his big brother around on where the toy hay bales need to go and to what group of cows. The Good Lord has blessed and continues to bless our family.
That is a sneak peek into our life in Limon, Colorado. We’d love to connect with you before the sale, if you have any questions on bulls, please feel free to reach out.
What a year! We here at Rough Diamond Ranch began to forget what pastures and lawns full of green grass looked like. The past couple years have functioned to remind us how fortunate it is to have rain and to not take it for granted. Taking things for granted is something that is too easy to do as we age and there is nothing like a fresh pair of eyes on the ranch to make everything seem new and exciting again. Maclin turned 20 months old this month and what a wonder it is to see everything through his eyes! Chores that seemed monotonous have a little extra sparkle. We have always enjoyed raising our Red Angus, but it has a little additional glow this year!
Speaking of sparkle, the Martin crew is very excited to bring you what we think is a really great set of bulls this year. There are some pairings that are tried and true and several that are new and exciting. As always, we try to
bring you the best of both functionality and flair. These bulls are designed to bring you growth and carcass, make great replacement heifers, and develop herd longevity.
We look forward to seeing all of you in December!
Ben, Brittany, and Maclin Martin
Best to you, Ronny, Kelsey, Chisum and Conagher
Pope 402.641.7428 rpope_48@yahoo.com
Sunday cattle drive to feature Dr. Tom Field
Mark your calendars for the Sunday Cattle Drive the day before the sale, Sunday, Dec. 8. This is a great time to drive at your leisure through the bull and heifer groups, then enjoy a smoked New York Strip supper back at the sale barn. This is a great time to enjoy the fellowship of other cattlemen and women from across the country. We are excited to announce that Dr. Tom Field will be our speaker for the evening. We know you will be inspired, as Dr. Field brings fresh ways to look at what you do on a daily basis.
Tom Field, PhD serves the people of Nebraska as the Director of
the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and holder of the Engler Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. An enthusiastic advocate for free enterprise, the potential of young people and opportunities in both agriculture and rural communities, Tom is an internationally recognized educator and innovator who has the ability to connect the dots between people, industries, and ideas.
A fifth generation cattleman who is in partnership in a family cowcalf business in western Colorado, he also authors the column “Out of the Box’, consults and advises a
number of enterprises and organizations, and is a sought after speaker who challenges and inspires audiences to lead their organizations to excellence by asking the right questions, seeking solutions beyond conventional wisdom, and unleashing the power of focused creativity. He and his wife Laura and their family live near Raymond, Neb. Tom is a native Coloradoan and earned his bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees at Colorado State University.
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SSS Big Shot 703G
Crs Diamnd Rebourne 9100
Crs Diamnd Jubilee 816
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POKE Colt45 6164