Don and Nancy Lidster traveled from their home in Saskatchewan to attend the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa.  Since they were “in the neighborhood” they decided to stop and visit with us.  It’s always a pleasure to discuss their progress with introducing “Low Stress Pig Handling” to the industry.  Check out their website at www.dnlfarmsltd.com/pighandling

Bud & I always laugh at each other when, after we finish a school, one of us always says “This is the best group of people yet.”  That’s the way that we feel right now.

We had people from 22 states and 3 Canadian provinces attend.  Their interests included  beef, dairy, buffalo, swine, goats, feedlot, heifer development – in other words, a typical Bud Williams Stockmanship School student body.  It seems like we are getting more and more Veterinarians attending our programs.  Do you think that the industry is finally starting to believe that the emotions of the animals are something that must be taken into account if we expect them to be healthy and productive?

We have lived in “Tornado Alley”  off and on for several years, but the only tornados I have seen were in Alberta Canada, and just last week in Cheyenne.  This picture was taken from our hotel.

Bud and I spent an enjoyable day with Christine Ferguson.  Chris won a Nuffield Farming Scholarship for 2010.   Every year a selection of farmers from around the world are chosen to study agriculture and their industry by being sent on a whirlwind tour of the globe.  She operates a Rangland Goat operation in New South Wales, Australia.  If you’d like to learn more, check out this website  http://goatcatcher.farmnet.com.au/about/ .
Chris is the third Nuffield Scholar who has visited us in the last few years.  They have all been very bright, ambitious and innovative people and a joy to visit with.  I believe that we have benefited as much from them as they have from us.

Bud and I made a trip to Nebraska last week.  Stopped at Dale and Mary Moore’s feedlot near Gage, Oklahoma on the way.  Not sure why I didn’t take any pictures there.  Bud showed them some things about working new cattle and also helped them design a new processing area.

We spent an interesting couple of days with Mike Wickersham at his ranch in NW Nebraska.  Bud and Mike worked some cattle but first, they had to pull porcupine quills out of a filly’s nose.

Bud and I were pleased to have a visit from Ian Mitchell-Ennes last Tuesday.  Ian is an HRM educator from South Africa.  He is in the United States putting on classes.  As you might expect, Bud and Ian hit it off right away.

I was complaining about the people who signed up for our September School and then didn’t show up or let me know they weren’t coming.  This time I allowed myself to be talked in to “just one more” and everyone came.  I guess that shows that I’m never satisfied. 

I’m not sure just who to blame for the fact that I forgot to take any pictures.    

Andrew and Erin Yaremko from Alberta, Canada stayed for a One-on-One after the school and I did get a picture of them.  They are a great young couple and we wish them all the best.

We had people from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas at this school.

The cattle industry was well represented. . . Cow-calf producers, Stocker operators, Feedlot owners and the Dairy industry were all there.

Friday, August 28, 2009  Ryan Brand and Wally Olson from Vinita, Oklahoma spent the day with Bud at a One-on-One in Bowie, Texas.

Saturday, August 29, 2009  Bud and I hosted a “Support Group.”  We invited people from Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Kansas, Illinois and Missouri. 

The main topic of discussion was “Building a network of like-minded producers in different parts of the country.”

Marlene Moore from Wallace, Nebraska stayed over for a One-on-One on Sunday.

Bud & I have encouraged people who have been to our schools to start a “Support Group” in their area.  It is very helpful to folks who are practicing Stockmanship and/or Marketing to be able to meet every month or so and talk to people who believe in the same things they do.

A couple of weeks ago we attended such a meeting near Independence, Kansas at Jack & Lori Martins ranch (see pictures posted July 19th).

July 27-28, 2009 Jeremy Colvard invited us to meet with such a group at Gage, Oklahoma.   In addition to visiting at the Gage Community Center, we went to Kent & Denise Miller’s ranch and worked some newly arrived heifers.

Bud and I really enjoyed having Megan and Will Banks visit us for a One-on-One here at Bowie.  We met their parents when we were in Australia in 2002.

We usually hold these meetings out in the class-room, but Bud wanted to keep an eye on his DTN machine this day.  Since there were just the two of them we set up in his office.