letter from the president
W
e will have a big turnout for the 2022 National Columbia Show and Sale. I would like to thank the National Show and Sale Committee and all the hard-working volunteers that make it run behind the scenes. Every year, the NSS Committee attempts to check off more boxes while keeping our traditions. The 2022 schedule is expanded so the Juniors can include more activities. The pop-up time was highly successful in Sidney. More pop-up time is scheduled with Whit Stewart from the University of Wyoming leading the program. The Fleece Sale was another success in Sidney. The Facebook silent auction put our wool on the market for more than 20,000 wool artists. Facebook Live will be in use this year so the world can watch what the CSBA is doing in Cheyenne. Best of all, Facebook Live allows a live audience to ask questions and interact from miles and miles away. If you were in Sidney, you saw me with my red notebook. I visited with as many of you as I could. Last year’s questions focused on record keeping. Overwhelmingly, I learned everyone collects data to fit your situation and to fit your market. You all track your sheep differently. I, also, learned many of you are using technology from your phone. Mothering ability, milking ability, and live lambs at weaning are extremely important to you. If you have a ram market, with repeat buyers, I learned it is all about the relationship you have with your buyers. I will have my red notebook with me in Cheyenne. This year I want to hear more about how you market lamb and wool other than at a show and sale. Do you sell to the community, farm to table, farmer’s market, or private sales? The ASI weekly email newsletter from, April 1, reported “The Northeast is the highest selling lamb region in the United States. The South-Central US saw an explosion of dollar sales. The Plains saw the largest percent increase in volume sales of any region.” I agree. This year, I sold lamb off the farm for at least twice the market price because I found a unique market. I want to know if you are using Facebook, Online Sales, or Instagram? I notice how Facebook users post sheep from birth and throughout its life to educate their audience. I want to know more about coating sheep and selling fleeces on Etsy, through online groups or if/ how you are using traditional markets to your advantage. An excellent webinar was done this spring by Travis Hoffman, ND/MN Extension Sheep Specialist. He hosted an online panel about marketing decisions for sales-barn oriented markets and for an ethnic market. You can find the webinar tape online. I learned that you are building a buyer base online. You told me social media sells rams, wool, and lamb. Another thing I have investigated is real-time meetings. I have talked to several breed associations that use online, live meetings. It is the trend, and it works. Your CSBA Board of Directors uses both, for its quarterly meetings. We vote using a Zoom polling feature. If you have kids or grandkids you know how important live feeds were during COVID. I am the project manager for a large construction firm. I work in the Boston area. I communicate 4
Speaking of Columbias
