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Church, bbq and horses – The Natural Horseman

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By Steve Stevens

A Cowboy’s accidental church service in a barbeque restaurant on Mockingbird Lane in Dallas.

I found myself killing some time before I was to pick up my mother-in-law at Dallas Love Field Airport on this chilly, rainy afternoon. I had been craving some good barbeque and drove by Smokey John’s BBQ, Home Cooking & Catering.

Outside photo of Smokey John's BBQ. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

Outside photo of Smokey John’s BBQ. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

It looked authentic (as I have always been a fine connoisseur of great barbeque and always on the hunt for it).

I find the ambiance to be just as important as the barbeque for any self- respecting bbq joint.

As I walked through what looked like to be an old shopping center from the early eighties, I entered through the glass door and found myself taken back in time. It was a combination of all kinds of people from all walks of life, eating, smiling and celebrating. This reminded me of my time I spent in southern Louisiana.

The energy in the room was electric and the smell of barbeque worked its way through every corner of the brick interior.

As I walked in, I was a little taken aback by the moment and that there was a man in front of the room giving a testimonial.
I ordered a beef tip stew with cole slaw and mac and cheese sides and a slice of cornbread. I found a seat in the back of the room to take everything in and put my cafeteria tray down on the red vinyl table cloth.

Smokey John's barbecue. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

Smokey John’s barbecue. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

I was riveted. The older African American pastor was giving a sermon on how we as men sometimes are too proud and too stubborn to listen to God’s signs and how he will keep giving them to you. But if you don’t listen, they become more difficult.

The beef stew was melting in my mouth and the cole slaw mixed well with its creaminess and tang.

I listened to one person after another talk about their struggles of not listening to the signs and with humor, spoke of how their wives were the first to warn them and that they would not pay attention. Some struggles were about near-death experiences with their wives, (which I could deeply connect to, after all my strong beautiful wife has been through.) And one talked about driving the wrong direction for an hour without wanting to ask for directions just to prove he was right, once again not listening to his wife.

It was really about having faith that God is leading you in the right direction if you just listen to him.

I can’t help but always compare everything to horses and I was thinking about how many times we are given the signs by the horse that we are not going the right direction, but how we stubbornly push through, knowing that our way is the right way no matter the consequences instead of stepping back and listening to what the horse is telling us. And like above where God will give us signs and they will become more difficult if we don’t listen, I can promise you—so will the horse—that sign can become down-right dangerous if we have ignored the warnings given to you by the horse.

If we step out of our own way, we can have faith that we are given these signs for the right reason and if we listen to our horse we can build a better relationship quicker and truer, and be the horseman and horsewoman we dream of being.
More importantly, if we listen, we can just be better in life.
Today’s message touched me.
God Bless

P.S.
I was going to go for the peach cobbler but just didn’t have the room.

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Farm and Ranch Injuries

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By Barry Whitworth, DVM

In January, I attended the Oklahoma Veterinary Conference. While waiting for one of the sessions to start, a classmate of mine commented how many of the attendees walk with a limp, used a cane, and/or have damaged hands. We all agreed that working with animals is hard on the body. In general, anything associated with farming and ranching is dangerous.

Most farmers and ranchers know that agriculture is a dangerous occupation. According to United States Bureau of Statistics, workers involved in agriculture, forestry, and fishing had the highest occupational fatality rate in 2022. The fatality rate of 23.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers for this group is much higher when compared to the overall occupation fatality rate of 3.7 per 100,000 FTE. Most of the agriculture-related fatalities are associated with transportation, such as tractor overturns, and vehicle crashes, but a fair number involve livestock.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Jesses Jewelz

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By Jesse Kader

Comfy and keep it western. That’s the name of the game this month. It’s hot and who wants clingy clothing? This jumpsuit is perfectly comfortable and relaxed without forfeiting the fashion. Dress it up or keep it casual. See this and more at www.jessesjewelz.com.

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Noble Research Institute Expands New Program Offering Farmers and Ranchers the Essentials of Regenerative Ranch Management 

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The educational program has been expanded to three new locations, empowering ranchers and farmers to monitor and improve the health of their land, livestock and livelihood through regenerative principles.

ARDMORE, OK–September 12, 2023 – Noble Research Institute announced the expansion of Essentials of Regenerative Ranching, a new educational program designed to help ranchers enhance and restore the land, making it more resilient and reaching livestock grazing goals through regenerative management. Essentials of Regenerative Ranching provides producers with practical tools, hands-on experience and guidance to make data-driven decisions to decrease costs and improve profit.

The Essentials of Regenerative Ranching course has been expanded to three new locations in Texas and Oklahoma. Registration is open now at www.noble.org/essentials. Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended.

Texas A&M

College Station, Texas

October 17 – 18

O.D. Butler, Jr. Animal Science Complex

Noble Research Institute

Ardmore, Oklahoma

October 31 – November 1

Pavilion Center

Texas A&M

Kingsville, Texas

November 7-8

Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center

“Program participants gain working knowledge and experience of monitoring and improving the health of their soil, grazing livestock more strategically and making informed financial decisions,” said Hugh Aljoe, Noble Research Institute’s director of ranches, outreach and partnerships. “We use a mix of classroom and field work to send producers home with the tools they need to begin making changes on their ranch.”

Farmers and ranchers navigate uncertainty from weather, fluctuating market prices and escalating costs of inputs. Many producers are seeking new tools that offer greater control and reduce their operational uncertainty. Through this course, ranchers and farmers will calculate their financial situations, determine initial stocking rates, carrying capacity and grazing goals.

“The course is well-suited for ranchers of all experience levels and all types and sizes of operations,” Aljoe added. “No matter your situation, this program will transform the way you think about your ranch.”

The Essentials of Regenerative Ranching program allows producers to overcome obstacles, become more informed problem-solvers and increase the productivity of their grazing lands.  By participating in this program, ranchers join a community of like-minded producers who are shaping the future of ranching and leaving a lasting impact on their land and families. “If I had known what I learned in this course when I started my regenerative journey, I could have avoided some key mistakes,” said Tana McCarter, a rancher, and Essentials attendee. “I left with the tools I needed to monitor my soil health and financial progress. I’ll now have the right data to make informed decisions on how to meet my regenerative goals.”

Noble Research Institute is an independent nonprofit agricultural research organization dedicated to guiding farmers and ranchers in applying regenerative principles that yield healthier soil, more productive grazing land, and business success.

At Noble, researchers, facilitators and ranch staff work together to share with farmers and ranchers the skills and tools to regenerate the land in a profitable manner. Noble is focused on the regenerative management of the nation’s grazing acres, which directly impacts pasture and range environments, wildlife, pecan production, and livestock production. Regenerative management recognizes that each decision made on the ranch impacts the interactions of the soil, plants, water, animals, economics and people. Noble’s 14,000 acres of working ranch lands provide a living laboratory on which to demonstrate and practice regenerative principles and ideas to deliver value to farmers and ranchers across the U.S.

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