Harsh Realities

10600 U.S. Highway 42 Marysville, Ohio 43040 Phone 614-873-6736 • Fax 614-873-6835 www.ohiocattle.org cattle@ohiocattle.org

Editor Elizabeth Harsh

Managing Editor Hanna Fosbrink

Sales Representative Alex Ryan

Ohio Cattleman magazine (USPA: 020-968, ISSN: 1543-0588) is published six times per year: Winter issue, mailed in January; Expo preview issue, mailed in February; Spring issue, mailed in April; Summer issue, mailed in July; Early Fall issue, mailed in September; and Late Fall issue, mailed in October; for $15 a year to OCA members only. It is dedicated to reporting facts about Ohio’s cattle including marketing, production and legislative news. All editorial and advertising material is screened to meet rigid standards, but publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy or validity of claims. All rights reserved. Circulation for the Late Fall 2020 issue is 2,882.

Published at Minster, Ohio 45865 by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040. Periodical postage paid at Marysville, Ohio and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ohio Cattleman, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040. CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS: Please send old as well as new address to Ohio Cattleman, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040.

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By Elizabeth Harsh, Ohio Cattleman Editor

THIS WAY OF LIFE

While listening to a Yellowstone playlist I recently stumbled upon a song by an up and coming songwriter and singer Garrett Bradford called This Way of Life. I’m probably just late to the party to hear the song and identify with it. Most of you probably caught it when it first debuted on the popular cable series Yellowstone. The songwriter’s bio says the song is about the difficulties of farmers and ranchers and fits great with a show about a modern ranching family struggling to maintain their way of life against the winds of change. The lyrics go like this.

The rain Never seems to fall on us The price of hay is up And the future’s goin down Them old men At the feed store spittin’ snuff Say it’s never been this tough If they were me they’d move to town They say there ain’t no use in tryin’ They think our way of life is dyin’

Go ahead and carve the headstone, boys And write your eulogy And plan yourselves a funeral, but don’t be expecting me ‘Cause as long as I’m still breathing and my blood is flowing red Our way of life ain’t dead

Most of us can relate to a time when each of these thoughts have crossed our minds in one form or another. The COVID related events of 2020 have likely even contributed to the “never been this tough” thought at least once or twice.

The song continues, but I especially identify with this passage: A hundred years of roots run deep Times will change but so will we

A recent visit with an OCA member drove this home when he discussed the changes they had made in their cattle operation over the years and how they make the most of their unique situation to innovate and continue growing while always on the lookout for opportunities to enhance their profitability. We discussed the self-motivation it takes to raise cows and the ability to problem solve because there is not a how-to-raise-cows playbook that fits each situation.

While this song focuses on the challenges that are always a part of our way of life, I identify with the hopefulness and optimism it also conveys. The toughness of cattle men and women and their commitment to their roots and their way of life goes without question.