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The Largest Privately Owned Hereford Newspaper in North America
The one that’s read “from cover to cover.” • Visit us on the web at: www.herefordamerica.com Published by: Hereford America, Inc. • 13823 Beaver Creek Place • Reva, SD 57651 September 2019 Vol. 23, No. 1
Editorial Comments... Jill Bayers Hotchkiss It’s been a year of highs and lows and the summer was no exception. I’m sure most of you feel the same way between all of the bizarre weathJill Hotchkiss er, severe winter, tough calving weather, spring and summer flooding, late crops in some areas and bumper crops of hay in others, it’s just been a wild ride. Seems like a lot has happened since our last issue which was in April. Our AHA fieldman Levi Landers announced in July he was leaving the Hereford association for a similar job with the Angus Association. We sure hate to see Levi leave, however he had one of if not the largest areas of any breed rep in the nation covering the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and into Saskachewan for a few sales. He traveled thousands of miles especially in February and March and worked hundreds of sales. Thanks for the great job, Levi. We will miss you but wish you well in your new position. With the Angus Association he will be covering Colorado and Nebraska. Congratulations are also in order for Judy Finseth who was recently hired by the Canadian Hereford Digest as managing editor. She will also perform field services for Canadian breeders in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Judy is a talented writer who has a great deal of experience in the Hereford industry as well as association and event organizing and man(continued on page 8)
Ochsner Family Recipients of Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Honors
The Ochsner Ranch is situated about 20 miles north of Torrington, WY and was homesteaded in 1913. The operation runs both Hereford and Angus cattle. Photo by Terra Ochsner
Torrington, WY — Often times, when one utters the phrase “I had no idea what I was getting myself into” it carries a negative connotation. I have found myself uttering that phrase a lot over that past four years, but with a more positive intent. I was so fortunate to have married into the Ochsner-Roth family, and consequently the George Ochsner Ranch, where I quickly adapted to their immense passion for the cattle, and their deep respect for the land that supports them. Every day I stand in awe at the neverending perseverance and dedication that this family, and the rest of our community, has when it comes to their land and cattle. When we learned that we had been nominated for, and had received, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Environmental Stewardship Award, we were extremely honored and excited for the opportunity to share our passion for conservation and stewardship. With the help of the WSGA our family organized a ranch tour on June 20th. It turned out to be a beautiful day jam-packed with informational talks from local and state leaders, and featured a bussed tour of our ranch with a different topic of focus at each location.
It’s in our History The day began at our ranch headquarters approximately 20 miles north of Torrington, which also serves as the home to George and Ruby Ochsner. Dixie Roth kicked us off with a Powerpoint presentation that highlighted the history of our family’s operation. “What eventually became the ranch you see now was homesteaded in A beautiful Hereford pair on the Ochsner Ranch...“healthy land means healthy cattle.” 1913 by Eva and Jacob Ochsner,” Di Photo by Terra Ochsner xie said as she pulled up a well-preserved black-and-white photograph of the two. She explained that Eva and Jacob’s son, Godfrey, and his wife Esther settled four miles south of the ranch headquarters. Here, they raised their four children: Dee, Jack, George, and Marge. The children were all involved (continued on page 3)