Importance of agriculture to the Thanksgiving holiday highlighted in this week’s guest column Page A2
President-Elect Donald Trump begins selecting new administrative leaders Page B1
Legislative leaders discuss the future of Wyoming at annual forum Page B3
Top Angus sires recognized by the American Angus Association Page B7
The Wyoming Livestock Roundup Office will be closed Nov. 27-29 in observance of the holiday. We wish all of our friends, families and dear readers a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, Holiday Calendar delved into data to uncover the most popular Thanksgiving pie by state. Winning the hearts of 15 states, pecan pie received the most votes across the nation, followed by apple pie winning in 14 states as the runner up. The top five favorite pies of residents in the Cowboy State, listed in order, include sweet potato, coconut cream, cherry, blueberry and pecan.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced a second round of nationwide Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) signup for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Wyoming NRCS is currently accepting applications for enrollment into ACEP-Agricultural Land Easements. Applications for the current IRA funding cycle must be submitted by Dec. 20. For more information, visit nrcs. usda.gov
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public comment on its supplemental analysis for an environmental assessment completed for the June 2022 oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming. The lease sale offered 122 parcels totaling 119,565 acres. The sale was challenged and remanded to BLM by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for further National Environmental Policy Act analysis. Comments may be submitted at eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2034198/510
The
The Wyoming Business Alliance (WBA) hosted the 2024 Governor’s Business Forum at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie on Nov. 12-14, where over 500 state leaders gathered
to network and share their devotion for Wyoming’s successful future.
The WBA serves as Wyoming’s premier business advocate, providing a unified voice and advocat-
ing for polices to help grow Wyoming.
This year’s theme, “Wyoming on the Move,” was kicked off with a policy and prosperity summit, where Wyoming Secretary
of State Chuck Gray facilitated a meaningful conversation between industry leaders and legislators on policies.
Emceeing the three-day
For many Americans, Thanksgiving is marked by a spread of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
However, today’s feast doesn’t necessarily reflect that of the original Thanksgiving in 1621, and the holiday menu continues evolving to include global dishes representing the diversity of today’s America.
“Regardless of what is on the menu, for many people,
Gov. Mark Gordon issued a press release on Nov. 1, stating following ongoing monitoring and a recent thorough inspection of the condition of LaPrele Dam, Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart issued an order to breach the 115-year-old dam to avoid catastrophic failure.
According to the governor’s press release, the recent discovery of a new large crack above the dam’s outlet works, the deterioration of previously identified structural deficiencies and the operational limitations of the existing dam led to the decision.
“I want to commend Gebhart and his staff for recognizing the significant risks of a potential dam failure and proactively addressing them before a disaster occurred,” Gordon says. “This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact this will have on those who rely on this water for irrigation.”
However, farmers who rely on the dam for irrigation and runoff control say this breach could leave them with no good options.
The dam serves roughly 100 irrigators, but it will be more than $118 million to replace and will be demolished before the spring runoff season, according to recent reports.
The LaPrele Dam
Currently, the LaPrele Dam is owned and operated by the LaPrele Irrigation District and is located on LaPrele Creek southwest of Douglas.
The 135-foot-high LaPrele Dam stretches over 325 feet and was constructed between 1906-09 by the Ambursen
the holiday is a testament to the power of food as a tool for unity and celebration,” states Kelsey Bartlett in a Nov. 17, 2023 Virginia Tech University publication.
Original Thanksgiving
In the same article, Virginia Tech Food Studies Program Director and Associate Professor of History Anna Zeide notes much of what Americans are taught about
Please see THANKSGIVING on page A10
Wild turkeys prove to be one of Wyoming’s greatest wildlife management success stories
Nothing symbolizes Thanksgiving quite as much as a turkey does, and Wyoming is home to one of the largest wild turkey populations in the West.
Wild turkeys are not native to the Cowboy State, but with current numbers reaching over 7,500 birds, they are now considered one of the state’s greatest wildlife management success stories.
History
Abundant in the mixed forest, woodland edges, riparian corridors and pine stands wild turkeys prefer to call home, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) brainstormed a plan to introduce wild turkeys to the Cowboy State almost a century ago.
In 1935, WGFD swapped sage grouse –which were abundant at the time – for 15 Merriam’s turkeys from New Mexico, including nine hens and six toms.
The birds were released at the George Waln Ranch on Cottonwood Creek in Platte
The Wyoming Association of Irrigation Districts held its second annual meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Casper on Nov. 11-12.
The meeting agenda featured a lineup of esteemed speakers, educational breakout sessions, several networking opportunities and the election of new officers.
On the second day of the program, Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems (WARWS) Executive Director Mark Pepper offered an update from the association and outlined several top-priority issues regarding rural surface and groundwater.
Surface water issues
Pepper started by highlighting three
surface water issues WARWS has recently been focused on.
“The biggest one we have in the municipal world is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – the forever chemicals,” he stated. “Unfortunately, we have been battling the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a number of years, and they have now issued a new maximum containment level (MCL) regulation for PFAS and various compounds.”
On April 10, EPA issued the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which set an MCL of four parts per trillion (ppt) for six PFAS compounds in drinking water.
Nov. 8 was a sad day for ranchers and farmers across Wyoming as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released their long-awaited updates on management of Greater sage grouse and its 65 million-acre habitat across the Western range.
We all knew it was coming, but we didn’t know the hammer would fall.
Those of us who ranch or farm in a sage grouse core area realize the Biden administration, U.S. Department of Interior and the BLM have it in for the West, especially Wyoming. Hopefully, this is their final push to do away with public lands grazing. This action will also affect private and state lands.
Wyoming was the first Western state to initiate core areas and a sage grouse management plan, which was used as a template by other Western states to create their own plans. Recently, Wyoming expanded the total acres of core area to hopefully temper the updates. It didn’t work.
Our state government, the Wyoming Sage Grouse Implementation Team (SGIT), ag landowners and the state’s energy industry were all somewhat upbeat about the coming update, as they thought working with those in Washington, D.C. would have better results for Wyoming.
SGIT Chairman Bob Budd said, “We brought science to the table and told them, ‘Here is the way this ought to be handled.’ But it was ignored.”
Those of us in core areas have learned to manage our farming and livestock operations under core area restrictions, but it has not come without its sacrifices. However, I think we have done a good job.
But don’t forget, the state has spent a large amount of money on improving sage grouse habitat, for which us landowners appreciate.
Out of the Western states, Wyoming’s sage grouse population is rising, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. I’ve never thought it was an easy bird to manage, and I personally suspect it spends a lot of its time looking for a place to die.
The BLM announcement said, “Sage grouse populations have continued to decline, largely due to habitat loss exacerbated by climate impacts such as drought, increasingly intense wildfires and invasive species.”
Well, if the BLM is so concerned about loss of habitat, why have they designated millions of acres of federal lands in the West for wind and solar energy and most likely will not place any restrictions on lands grazed by bison?
Radical environmental groups are all in favor of this government action, as it fits their goal of no livestock grazing on public lands, and some don’t think the updates go far enough.
People don’t realize properly managed grazing of cattle and sheep helps to curb wildfires on all lands.
Although the BLM claims they used the best available science in developing these sage grouse updates, I don’t think this is true. Nowhere in the announcement did I read anything about controlling predators in Western states, which are the major contributor for loss of sage grouse numbers.
President-Elect Donald Trump has campaigned to bring the DOI and BLM back under commonsense management that will listen to experts in Western states. I can’t wait.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving serves as an annual reminder of gratitude and harvest. Its significance is multifaceted, encompassing cultural, historical and agricultural aspects which highlight the profound relationship between humans and the land.
While it’s a day of feasting, celebration and family, at its core Thanksgiving is a tribute to the agricultural foundations of society. The holiday reminds us agriculture is not only the source of the food we consume but also a key element in human survival and prosperity.
The first Thanksgiving History has it the origins of Thanksgiving date back to 1621 when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans celebrated a successful harvest together in what is now Massachusetts.
After a brutal winter in which many Pilgrims perished from hunger and disease, the arrival of spring
By Victor Martino
brought new hope. The Wampanoag people, who had long been stewards of the land, taught the Pilgrims how to grow essential crops like corn, beans and squash.
This intercultural exchange of agricultural knowledge was vital for the Pilgrims’ survival.
The first Thanksgiving was more than just a feast. It was a celebration of agriculture’s crucial role in sustaining human life. The abundance of crops represented the resilience and partnership between the settlers and indigenous people, cementing agriculture as a central theme of the holiday.
Over time, Thanksgiving evolved into a national holiday, with President Abraham Lincoln formalizing it in 1863 during the Civil War. Though the circumstances were different, the central message remained – a time to give thanks for the year’s harvest and the sustenance it provided.
An affordable holiday Today, Thanksgiving remains a food and mealcentered family holiday with a focus on gratitude, but the emphasis on the importance of agriculture to life, society and to the Thanksgiving holiday itself, is mostly absent.
Farmers and agriculture are seldom mentioned and thanked at most – particularly urban and suburban – family dinner tables during this most food-centric of American holidays.
I don’t think this is because most Americans aren’t grateful for farmers, but rather because American agriculture has become so successful the majority of Americans take it and the bounty our farmers produce for granted.
Out of sight, out of mind also plays a role. Many urban and suburban residents have never visited a farm, for example.
The rapid rise in the cost of groceries at the grocery
store over the last few years due to inflation and other factors is a challenge for many Americans. For others, it’s less of a challenge but is still a major source of complaint because the approximate 25 percent overall increase in grocery costs since 2019 means less money for other household uses.
Despite this surge in grocery prices though, the typical Thanksgiving holiday meal remains relatively low and affordable for most Americans, thanks to the bounty produced by our farmers and the allied agricultural industry.
For example, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the average cost – items purchased at the grocery store and prepared at home – of Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people in 2023 was $61.17, which comes out to a little over six dollars per person.
Please see AG on page A5
On Nov. 14, Gov. Mark Gordon released a supplemental budget proposal to limit ongoing spending, reflecting the true biennial budget he signed in March.
The governor’s budget proposal includes only $6.5 million in ongoing expenditures, much of it the result of inflation.
In the wake of an historically devastating wildfire season, the governor has prioritized replenishing the state’s depleted firefighting accounts, as well as ensuring funds are available to help restore watersheds, habitat and replace lost agricultural infrastructure.
Out of $220 million in one-time spending in the supplemental budget, $140 million is specifically dedicated to firefighting and restoration efforts.
In addition to addressing the impacts of 2024 wildfire season, the governor has proposed allocating funding to several areas, including the Attorney General’s Office to support ongoing work fighting illegal regulatory efforts which restrict Wyoming’s ability to access and manage its natural resources; support for access to obstetrics and mental health care providers through an increase in the Medicaid rates paid to those providers and a final request for Phase Three funding for the Wyoming Innovation Partnership, which the legislature directed be made in the supplemental budget.
Other investments included in the governor’s supplemental budget are intended to protect Wyoming’s water resources, fight terrestrial invasive species and ensure the Department of Revenue has the resources necessary to adequately fund the legislatively-expanded property tax refund program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is accepting applications for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program to assist at-risk communities, including Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations, with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks.
Now in its third year, this competitive program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America Agenda.
Of the up to $200 million available, individual grants of up to $250,000 can be used to develop and update community wildfire protection plans, while individual grants of up to $10 million can be used for wildfire resilience projects to implement community wildfire protection plans.
Projects must be completed within five years of the award. The number of projects selected will be determined by available funding, which is up to $200 million.
Notices of funding opportunities are available at grants.gov. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 28, 2025.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop proposals in consultation with state or regional cooperative fire contacts listed in the notices of funding opportunity.
Individuals are invited to High Plains Journal (HPJ) Live, happening Aug. 6-8, 2025 at the Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center in Wichita, Kan.
HPJ hosts this dynamic event, bringing together farmers, ranchers and agricultural experts for a three-day, inperson experience which blends learning, networking and hands-on interaction with top industry vendors.
HPJ Live is an extension of HPJ’s commitment to the agricultural community – a trusted source for ag news for over 75 years. Readers who follow HPJ’s weekly print and digital content will find HPJ Live an excellent opportunity to connect face-to-face, hear from industry leaders and stay informed on the latest agriculture trends.
The event will feature a tradeshow showcasing top products and services for the agriculture sector. This new event combines HPJ’s year-round “U-events” into a multiday event for 2025.
Education will be similar to programming from the past, including Alfalfa U, Cattle U, Cotton U, Soil Health U, Sorghum U and Wheat U events.
Registration opens in the spring of 2025.
For more information or to register, visit hpjlive.com
On Nov. 15, Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Congressional Western Caucus Chair Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its final Greater Sage Grouse Rangewide Planning Resource Management Plan.
“This Greater sage grouse plan will have wide-reaching impacts on farmers, ranchers and landowners across the West whose livelihoods depend on responsible management of federal lands,” said Lummis. “Instead of trusting states like Wyoming which have proven expertise in sage grouse management, the Biden-Harris administration is making a last-ditch effort to exert more control over the West. I am confident the Trump administration will begin work on day one to correct the wrongdoings of this administration and properly restore the role of states in managing their own wildlife populations.”
This plan will impact sage grouse habitats in Wyoming, California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The University of Wyoming (UW) Sheep Program, in partnership with the Wyoming Wool Initiative, Wyoming Business Council and the UW Global Engagement Office, has recently created a program entitled “Sheep Innovators Exchange: Wyoming to New Zealand.”
This international program gives Wyoming sheep producers and industry entrepreneurs a chance to gain fresh insights by engaging with global peers who face similar challenges.
Participants in the Sheep Innovators Exchange will travel to New Zealand to explore the country’s renowned sheep industry.
Over five days, participants will tour essential industry sites in Christchurch and South Island, such as genetic improvement facilities and value-added lamb and wool marketing operations. Leadership summits are included to drive innovation and strengthen Wyoming’s sheep industry.
The Sheep Innovators Exchange will take place July 12-18, 2025. Participants must arrive in New Zealand by July 12. Programmed events begin on July 14.
The program primarily targets young sheep ranchers ages 25 to 40, but is also open to other sheep and wool industry professionals. If selected, applicants must purchase airfare and provide travel confirmation to secure a spot in the program.
Applications are open until Jan. 2, 2025. Interested individuals can apply at bit.ly/4gF2Lm2
For more information, contact the UW Sheep Program team at woolinitiative@uwyo.edu.
County and reportedly lured some of the ranch’s own domestic turkeys with them into the Laramie Mountains west of Wheatland, where they thrived, according to WGFD.
In fact, only 12 years later, the population was estimated to number over 1,000.
“Those Laramie Peak birds served as seedstock for several futile reintroduction attempts across the state, until the birds were sowed into the fertile habitat of the Black Hills in 195152,” writes WGFD Communications Director Rebekah Fitzgerald in a Nov. 22, 2021 article published by the department.
“Thirty-three Platte County turkeys, along with 15 more New Mexico transplants, found new roosts near Redwater Creek in the northwest Black Hills,” Fitzgerald continues. “They probably combined forces with some transplants that strayed over from South Dakota, and the introduction served as the foundation for Wyoming’s most recognized turkey hunt area.”
Hunting
Hunters were able to begin harvesting wild turkeys in Wyoming in 1955, and today the state offers both fall and spring hunting seasons, as well as access to three subspecies – Merriam’s, Rio Grande and hybrid turkeys.
Wyoming is recognized as one of the top five states in the nation to hunt Merriam’s turkeys, and the Black Hills of northeast Wyoming are one of the most popular areas to hunt the subspecies, as it is perhaps one of the only regions in the nation where Merriam’s turkeys can be hunted in three states of close proximity – Montana to the north and South Dakota to the east.
According to WGFD, about 7,500 licenses are sold annually in the state of Wyoming, with a nonresident hunter success rate of about 70 percent and 50 percent for residents.
Turkey season is currently open in most hunt areas, with some set to close on Nov. 30 and others on Dec. 31. Most areas open to wild turkey hunting require general licenses, which can be purchased over the counter and on the WGFD website.
WGFD Biologist Joe Sandrini suggests hunters work from mid to lower elevations as the season moves from fall to early winter.
“When flocks are startled and busted up, the birds can often be called back as they seek to reunite,” Sandrini says. “Doing this from a concealed location is a fun and effective fall hunting technique used in many parts of the country.”
As spring approaches, the birds tend to move up to higher elevations, and adult males – commonly referred to as gobblers –begin to disband. In March,
gobblers start establishing their strutting grounds along woodland edges and riparian areas, where they will gather a harem of hens using a mating display of loud gobbling and flamboyant strutting.
Fitzgerald explains, “Hens nest in the strutting ground vicinity close to reliable water. The females lay about two eggs every three days until a clutch of 10 to 13 is produced. After about 28 days of incubation, with no help from the gobblers, the chicks meet the world. Within a week, the chicks start flying and roost in trees thereafter. Hens and their brood, often joined by like combos, stay together until the next breeding season.”
Harvesting
Despite a leaner and more “gamey” flavor, nearly 1,791 hunters put 1,193 wild turkeys on Thanksgiving tables across the state of Wyoming in 2019, according to WGFD data.
WGFD notes, compared to domestic turkeys, wild turkeys tend to be a little drier, with longer legs and a proportionally smaller, more angular breast. Therefore, wild turkeys may need to be prepared a little differently than a domestic bird. WGFD suggests using a cooking bag to help wild turkey retain its natural moisture or place strips of bacon across the breast, cover with foil and remove the foil before serving.
“Another technique is brining and then smoking the bird, which will help retain moisture and complement the wild flavor,” Fitzgerald says. “When cooking, understand wild turkeys won’t stay on their backs like domestic birds and may need to be propped up.”
“Thanksgiving guests will likely detect longer legs and a proportionally smaller, more angular breast and fuller flavor most people enjoy hands down over the commercial variety,” Fitzgerald adds. “The taste is primarily the result of the birds forest buffet. Traditional “mast” or hardwood nut eaters, Wyoming turkeys seek Hawthorne and scrub oak nuts, plus chokecherry, plums, currants and buffalo berries. Seasonally, the birds will also pluck tender grass shoots and buds.”
In a 2020 interview with Wyoming Public Radio, WGFD Public Information Officer Sara DiRienzo comments, “Wild turkeys are a lot different than domestic birds in flavor and also the memories they bring to the Thanksgiving table. So, if people are lucky enough to enjoy a wild turkey on Thanksgiving, it adds a little something special to the holiday.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
This is 25 percent higher than the cost of the identical Thanksgiving dinner in 2019, but it’s 4.5 percent lower than in 2022 at $64.04, according to AFBF.
AFBF’s typical Thanksgiving dinner includes a 16-pound turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, carrots and celery, green peas, cube stuffing, dinner rolls, pie shells, pumpkin pie mix, whole milk and whipping cream.
The cost this year isn’t expected to rise considerably over 2023 – and might even be lower.
Additionally, many grocery chains are offering discounts on these and other Thanksgiving dinner items.
The Aldi grocery chain, for example, is offering a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people for $49, which is a substantial savings over AFBF’s 2023 calculation.
Walmart, which is the largest food retailer in America, is also offering deep discounts on standard Thanksgiving holiday dinner items.
Price competition for
Thanksgiving is back in the grocery retail business.
My point is, although a roughly 20 percent increase in the cost of Thanksgiving dinner over five years is significant, the holiday feast still remains reasonable for most Americans.
One can thank our farmers, producers and the allied ag industry for this, along with the fact the U.S. remains one of the few nations in the world largely self-sufficient in terms of producing a number of crops and livestock, including turkey and the other items featured in the AFBF’s Thanksgiving dinner basket.
Food security and self sufficiency
This is important because the more self-sufficient a nation is agriculturally, the more food secure it is.
Continued food security isn’t something we should take for granted though. In fact, there are a number of disturbing signs America is losing some of its self-sufficiency and, therefore, its
Joe Dwayne Hunter
Dec. 26, 1947 – Nov. 14, 2024
Joe Dwayne Hunter, age 76, passed away peacefully on Nov. 14 at Hospice of Laramie after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Joe was born Dec. 26, 1947 in Torrington, the son of Wayne S. and Betty J. (Bollens) Hunter. He grew up on the family ranch west of Hawk Springs and cherished this time working side-by-side with his dad. His time on the ranch instilled a strong work ethic and love of cattle and horses that continued throughout his life.
He attended school in Hawk Springs and Huntley, graduating in 1965. He then attended Goshen County Community College.
In 1968, Joe was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam.
He was united in mar-
food security.
These developments include the continued reduction in farmland nationally in favor of residential and commercial uses – farmers continue to grow more crops on less land due to technological advancements, but that isn’t sustainable over time – and the buying up of farmland by investment firms – which is key to America’s agriculture success historically – threatens to turn farming into just another profit and loss statement type of business.
Foreign countries too, such as China and Saudi Arabia, are buying up American farmland.
This, in my opinion, isn’t a good idea because it decreases the nation’s agricultural self-sufficiency, food security and sovereignty.
We also – particularly in California and elsewhere in the West – need to make more water available to farmers. Farmers are growing more crops with less water but have hit a point
in which greater water allocation over the long-term is needed.
This isn’t a favor to farmers, by the way, but rather it’s a key element of the U.S. remaining mostly food self-sufficient.
California is the largest food producer in the nation and the fifth-largest agricultural region in the world. Imagine what a significant reduction in farm output in the state due to lack of water would do to the domestic and global food supply. It would be catastrophic.
We also need to think about food security in another way this Thanksgiving. While the holiday is often associated with abundance, not everyone has access to sufficient food. Food insecurity is a domestic and global issue, with millions of people lacking reliable access to nutritious meals.
On Thanksgiving, as many families gather to enjoy a feast, it is important to recognize the ongo-
ing struggle of those who face hunger daily. Agriculture plays a critical role in addressing food security.
Importance of agriculture
Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude and to celebrate community, family and the bounty of the Earth. At the heart of the holiday is agriculture, the foundation of human survival and prosperity.
From the historical lessons of the first Thanksgiving to modern-day farming practices, agriculture has played an essential role in shaping societies and feeding populations.
As we enjoy the fruits of the harvest, it is also a time to reflect on the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, the challenges of modern farming and the need to support our farmers and ensure food security nationally, as well as individually, for all Americans.
In an age of environmental challenges and increasing global demand for food, the importance of agriculture
cannot be overstated. Thanksgiving, with its emphasis on gratitude for the harvest, serves as a reminder to cherish and protect the land that sustains us and to support the farmers and agricultural innovations which will feed future generations. By embracing both tradition and innovation, we can ensure the spirit of Thanksgiving – one of abundance, gratitude and community – endures for years to come. It’s time to return to our roots and include agriculture as a central part of our Thanksgiving gratitude celebrations.
Victor Martino is a columnist and contributing editor for the My Job Depends on Ag Magazine. He is also an agrifood industry consultant, entrepreneur and writer. He can be contacted at victormartino415@gmail. com. This article was originally published in the My Job Depends on Ag Magazine on Nov. 6.
riage to Judith “Judy” Hill on June 2, 1968 in Torrington and later welcomed two children – Janelle Lynn and Ross Wayne Hunter.
Joe served as a Wyoming brand inspector for 42 years, with many years spent as the district supervisor. He retired in 2015.
When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed working with horses, team roping and spending time with his grandchildren.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents Wayne and Betty Hunter and brother-in-laws James Hill and John David Hill.
He is survived by his wife Judy Hunter; daughter Janelle (Kem) Krueger of Laramie; son Ross Hunter of Torrington; grandchildren Collin Krueger, Carson Krueger, Ava Krueger, Logan Hunter and Leanna Hunter; brothers Casey (Sally) Hunter of Yoder; Kent (Lynette) Hunter of Hawk Springs and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life was held on Nov. 22 at the First Wyoming United Presbyterian Church with Julie Newman officiating. Memorials can be made to Hospice of Laramie or any volunteer fire department in Goshen County.
Pepper noted four ppt is a far cry from the prior 70 ppt set by the Public Health Advisories, meaning any-
one who previously tested negative will likely now be over MCL.
The Wyoming Department of Environmen-
tal Quality is in the process of testing wells around the state, although Pepper pointed out testing is extremely expensive, at a cost of roughly $1,500 per water source, not to mention the cost of special equipment, collection methods and transportation needed for testing.
Pepper stated, “PFAS is in surface water. You are all pulling surface water out to irrigate crops, which are then sold and consumed. It’s entirely possible they are going to extend this to irrigation at some point.”
The second surface water issue WARWS has its eye on is microplastics, which Pepper predicts to become a huge issue in coming years.
He shared the story of an eighth grader who analyzed microplastic content in samples from Fontenelle Reservoir for his middle school science project.
“He found significant microplastics at 20 feet below the surface, so it’s entirely possible all of those microplastics are also in your irrigation water and now on your fields. This could become a big issue down the road,” Pepper reiterated.
Third, Pepper noted the ongoing issue of surface water rights will likely continue into the future.
“Municipalities need more water, so they are
looking to secure additional water rights, which is going to be an ongoing issue,” he said.
Groundwater issues
When it comes to groundwater wells, Pepper said one of the biggest issues that may arise is national policy regarding lead lines.
“Getting the lead out of municipal water sources is necessary,” he stated, further noting the Biden administration recently issued a grant of $1.5 trillion to identify and replace lead pipes in water systems across the U.S. Wyoming received $28 million.
“But I think we are going to need more than that,” he said. “For example, I believe Cheyenne ended up with about 600 pipes they have to replace, but at $20,000 a pop, it adds up. If you extrapolate this, it becomes a huge problem, especially in our smaller communities, so we are working heavily on that.”
Additionally, Pepper noted WARWS conducts a lot of water rate analyses to measure the difference between the water a municipality produces and the water they sell – water loss.
“In a well-run, wellmaintained, efficient water system, this number should be under 10 percent,” Pepper explained. “However, for a lot of places in Wyoming, it is at 75 percent, and they are still drilling more wells. We would rather they fix leaks first, and then they probably wouldn’t have to
drill more wells.”
He added, “Another thing we have found is, in some cases, the municipalities are pumping more water than their permits allow. Part of this is because of metering and part of it is due to a lack of oversight.”
Like surface water, another of Pepper’s concerns for groundwater is water rights, especially with ongoing drought conditions and a decline in water resources.
He shared, in January, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a ruling on the Sullivan vs. Lincoln County Water District case, which gives the state engineer authority to conjunctively manage surface and groundwater sources. This means water rights of ag producers in the area no longer matter, and the state engineer may show up at any time to take control of their water rights, Pepper noted.
He added, “I can see this happening with both municipal well permits and irrigation well permits. This could become a huge issue for Wyoming if we continue down the road with ongoing drought conditions, causing us to fall farther behind in our water resources.”
Pepper noted PFAS is also a continuous issue for groundwater as well.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Hydraulic Construction Company of Boston to provide irrigation water under the Carey Act of 1894.
The Ambursen-style dam consists of a series of concrete walls, or fins, to support an angled, flat slab on the reservoir side and is anchored into a fractured Madison limestone formation on both sides.
Built to have a 50-year lifespan, the dam began to show damage in the 1970s due to leaks and the problematic nature of its design.
According to documentation, the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company struck a deal at the time to repair the structure in return for a share of the water.
The company paid to grout cracks and add new layers of concrete, but the patching only restored confidence in the dam for a short time.
After a boulder fell from the west wall on the dam’s downstream side in 2016, an investigation revealed several migrating cracks in the dam, initiating further engineering investigations.
Since 2019, the state ordered the reservoir be maintained at lower levels to avoid stress on the structure.
Given the age and condition of the structure, LaPrele Dam was already scheduled for replacement in coming years.
In October, engineers found a new large crack above the dam’s outlet works and discovered the older cracks were worsening.
Next steps
Planning for the replacement is underway, and these plans include demolition of the dam which was set to occur as part of the replacement project.
“The breach order now requires the demolition to be completed prior to the upcoming spring runoff season,” notes the press release.
“The deteriorating conditions of the dam have been identified and monitored by the State Engineer’s Office, the district and the Wyoming Water Development Office,” the press release further notes. “Currently there is little to no water behind the dam, and the dam’s outlet works are completely open
and passing all inflows into LaPrele Creek.”
Gebhart states, “This dam has significant structural deficiencies and has exceeded its useful life. Due to preemptive actions already taken, there is currently no risk or danger to the public downstream because there is little to no water stored, and the outlets are able to pass inflows to prevent new storage.”
“However, continued use of the dam to store water could cause catastrophic failure, which poses a threat to life and property,” he continues. “These threats need
to be mitigated before the spring runoff, when flows are expected to exceed the dam’s ability to pass inflows.”
Breaching the dam could leave downstream landowners wide open to catastrophic spring runoff.
“There are areas downstream of LaPrele Dam that could be impacted by uncontrolled spring flows, including Ayres Natural Bridge,” Gebhart adds.
State officials note runoff is also a potential concern this winter, noting there’s always a possibility for unseasonable flows which may exceed the dam’s ability to allow water to freely pass through the outlet, which has a maximum output of up to
300 cubic feet per second.
According to government officials, consulting with engineering firms began several years ago to initiate planning on how to eventually replace the LaPrele Dam.
Cost estimates reach above $118 million, in addition to a $30 million appropriation from the legislature.
The state has secured $32 million via the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and hopes to secure the rest of the necessary funds from the same federal program.
Potential challenges
Recently, at the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Water Committee meeting
held on Nov. 13-14 at Casper College, landowners downstream of the dam gathered to express their concern for the spring runoff.
LaPrele Irrigation District Secretary Anna McClure states, “The farms and ranches will see significant production losses until the new dam is constructed and streambank integrity and infrastructure on the LaPrele Creek will be affected by the uncontrolled flow of water.”
Local residents impacted by the breach of the dam spoke during the public testimony section of the committee meeting stating their concerns and provided heartfelt statements.
Shane Cross, a member of the Boot Ranch west of Douglas and a shareholder of the LaPrele Irrigation District, delivered comments on how the breach would impact the local economy and community.
State officials are assessing the flood risk, but so far there’s no particular mitigation plan.
To hear remarks made regarding the LaPrele Dam during the committee meeting, visit youtube.com/live/ HOYUpwRJGNs
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
THURSDAY,
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5TH / 2024 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
event was WBA and Wyoming Heritage Foundation (WHF) President Renny MacKay and WBA WHF Chairwoman Lauren Benford. The keynote speaker for the forum was Olympic Gold Medalist Bryan Clay.
Moving forward
To begin the second day of the forum, Exxon Mobil XTO Energy Public and Government Affairs Manager Greg Pulliam moderated a panel of experts for the first session of the day which focused on projects transforming the state.
Joining Pulliam was UW School of Energy Resources Executive Director Dr. Holly Kruka, Black Hills Energy Wyoming Operations General Manager Dustin McKen, Earth Work Solutions Owner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tyler Miller and Wyoming Business Council Broadband Manager Chad Bolling.
The panel of industry experts highlighted emerging and unique projects and trends which will have a significant impact on Wyoming and its businesses and community.
“There are so many exciting energy and mineral production projects happening in Wyoming,” Kruka stated. “I could not list them all, but the top projects include Exxon’s expansion
project and the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. Also, we are seeing an increased demand for carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery projects.”
She continued, “We have rare element resources as well, with new projects located near Upton and Wheatland, but my personal favorite is the memorandum of understanding between Rocky Mountain Power and Eight Rivers who are looking at constructing a new coal-fired power plant in Wyoming.”
Up next
This year, the WBA featured a Wyoming success story – Western Welding Academy in Gillette.
Founder and Owner Tyler Sasse explained how the academy began and has flourished over the years.
Up next was The Only Co. Founder and CEO Josh Law who mediated a panel of experts as they discussed economic forecasts and trends impacting Wyoming’s growth.
The panel of industry experts included UW College of Business Assistant Dean Anne Alexander and Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell. UW has developed a statewide economic forecast which Alexander delivered while Dorrell looked at
how this forecast will impact demographic trends and how Wyoming can solve future problems in the years ahead to gain prosperity.
“Wyoming’s economic outlook is mixed for 2025, with a continuing decline in the coal industry, shortages in housing and child care and an aging population clouding the state’s midand long-term growth prospects,” Alexander stated.
She continued, “Positive signs for Wyoming’s economy include employment in natural resources and mining is expected to rise slightly in 2025, along with increases in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, transportation and utilities, education and health services, hospitality and professional services.”
Dorrell added, “We have issues but it’s important to keep young people in Wyoming to help solve some of our economic problems. Young people are the ones most affected by the state’s economic challenges, and it’s important to create opportunities for them to grow and thrive here.”
Topics impacting Wyoming
Former Wyoming Public Media News Director Bob Beck led the conversation around Wyoming’s shifting media landscape with panel experts Press Forward Director Dale Anglin, former NBC News Justice Correspondent Pete Williams and Aberdare
Ventures Founder and Managing Partner Paul Klingenstein.
The panel discussed how the media marketplace in Wyoming has changed significantly, while examining the erosion of local news and information across the country and how this change impacts local communities.
Dale spoke about the Press Forward Initiative and its role of business and stakeholders in journalism.
Press Forward is a national coalition investing more than $500 million to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy which expands access to local news and to scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive.
“The steady and significant decline in the availability of reliable, fact-based local news across the country is connected to growing threats to democracy, increasing polarization and the spread of disinformation,” she stated.
Following the panels discussion, Williams sat down with Cowboy State Daily Executive Editor and Co-Founder Jimmy Orr to discuss the publication’s mission on providing highquality local and statewide reporting.
Focusing on Wyoming
During the afternoon breakout sessions, attendees had the option to listen to various expert panels discuss state issues.
Industry experts discussed topics which included working with federal partners to advance Wyoming, how taxation moves state businesses, factors driving Wyoming’s workforce and its housing shortage.
Wyoming businesses are creating hundreds of new
jobs each year, yet a significant number of positions remain vacant.
This workforce shortage is impeding how fast companies can grow and impacts their bottom line.
This diverse panel highlighted ways Wyoming employers are addressing workforce challenges and developing ideas for how other businesses can too.
Cheyenne Regional Health System President and CEO Tim Thornell mediated the panel and discussed the shortage of employees in healthcare and the impact it takes on the hospitals’ bottom line.
“A program here in Wyoming which supports the lack of healthcare providers is the UW School of Medicine’s regional campuses in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI),” Thornell stated.
Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Director Liz Gagen reported on the department’s 2024 annual report released in June.
“Wyoming’s average monthly employment increased by more than 6,300 jobs from 2022-23, and the state returned to pre-
pandemic employment levels for the first time,” she mentioned. “Wyoming’s unemployment rate fell to 2.9 percent, and the labor force increased by approximately 2,500 people.
Climb Wyoming CEO Katie Hogarty provided attendees with an overview of the program, stating, “The women Climb Wyoming serves are often living below the federal poverty level and face tough decisions about how to pay for food, safe housing, childcare, reliable transportation and other basic needs.”
Climb Wyoming helps single moms across the state with professional training for better-paying, indemand jobs employers are hiring for in local communities and, on average, Climb Wyoming graduates more than double their income two years after completion of the program.
Keep an eye on future editions of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup for more from the 2024 Governor’s Business Forum.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
We’re excited to announce that applications are now open for both hosts and interns. New this year: an early consideration deadline on December 6, 2024. Applications submitted by this date will be reviewed first. The final deadline for spring and summer internships is February 7, 2025. Don’t miss your chance to participate in this empowering program!
production year for comparison and enter the coverage percentages in the desired intervals (50 percent May‑Jun; 50 percent Jul‑Aug).
The program provides $5,000 stipends for a 10-week work experience. Eligible applicants are 18 years or older who identify as ready to begin farming/ranching or who have been involved in managing their own agricultural enterprise fewer than 10 years.
Clicking the Calculate button at the bottom of the table generates the estimated overall coverage, premium costs and estimated indemnities based on the production year selected. The ability to compare coverages and potential indemnities can be useful to examine what indemnity payments would have been in past drought years, as well as evaluate how helpful RI‑PRF insurance might be in getting through those years.
production year for comparison and enter the coverage percentages in the desired intervals (50 percent May‑Jun; 50 percent Jul‑Aug).
Selected interns spend 10 weeks on a host farm or ranch assisting with daily activities and learning from the manager and others. Accepted candidates work with the site host to establish start and end dates once an award has been made. Interns also take part in at least one agricultural educational event, such as a UW Extension field day or producer workshop, within the timeframe of their internship.
Clicking the Calculate button at the bottom of the table generates the estimated overall coverage, premium costs and estimated indemnities based on the production year selected. The ability to compare coverages and potential indemnities can be useful to examine what indemnity payments would have been in past drought years, as well as evaluate how helpful RI‑PRF insurance might be in getting through those years.
“Being on-site provides invaluable, real-world insights into farm and ranch management. The mentorship and hands-on learning make a big impact,” noted Ben Rashford one of the project codirectors (See GrowinG-WY.org/post/Intern_Tales ). GrowinG interns who are also degree-seeking students are encouraged to seek academic credit for participating in the GrowinG Internship Program. Academic credit must be arranged in advance between the student and an academic advisor with the granting educational institution.
• 28 awarded internships
• 7 states are home to GrowinG interns
• 6 interns participated with veteran status
• 5 returning hosts awarded internships in 2024
• 9 hosts participated across multiple years
The Historical Index can be used to research precipitation trends.
There are several important factors to consider when analyzing potential RI‑PRF coverage. First, remember that the rainfall received on a specific site may not be indicative of the final rainfall index calculated; it is possible to receive an indemnity with rainfall or vice versa. Second, coverage must be purchased for periods where rainfall is most critical to forage production by selecting the appropriate index intervals. Third, total RI‑PRF coverage results from a combination of the levels selected for maximum coverage, productivity level and insured acres. The level of coverage provided should be balanced against the value you estimate the harvested forage is worth.
There are several important factors to consider when analyzing potential RI‑PRF coverage. First, remember that the rainfall received on a specific site may not be indicative of the final rainfall index calculated; it is possible to receive an indemnity with rainfall or vice versa. Second, coverage must be purchased for periods where rainfall is most critical to forage production by selecting the appropriate index intervals. Third, total RI‑PRF coverage results from a combination of the levels selected for maximum coverage, productivity level and insured acres. The level of coverage provided should be balanced against the value you estimate the harvested forage is worth.
Selected hosts agree to provide room and board during the internship. Hosts work with the intern to provide safe, meaningful learning experiences, keeping in mind their educational objectives where possible.“The GrowinG Internship Program welcomes applications from interns and hosts,” said John Hewlett, project co-director. “Applying early maximizes the chances of being matched with the best opportunities. Our state committee will begin the selection process the second week of February 2025.”
• UW Giving Day support received over $39,000+
Online application forms for 2025 internships are available at GrowinG-WY.org . The site also offers background information on the overall project, as well as links to collections of helpful resources and materials for beginning farmers and ranchers.
Contact the GrowinG Internship Program at information@GrowinG-WY.org or GrowinG-WY.org .
When evaluating coverage, it is also important to remember that the goal is not to maximize potential indemnities. We frequently see producers fall into this trap. RI‑PRF is insurance, not a guaranteed payout. Instead, the goal should be to purchase coverage that will provide some level of guaranteed revenue if drought conditions occur. Finally, reduced premium rates are available to individuals who qualify as beginning or veteran farmers and ranchers. More information and details, including a premium cost estimator, are available at rma.usda.gov.
When evaluating coverage, it is also important to remember that the goal is not to maximize potential indemnities. We frequently see producers fall into this trap. RI‑PRF is insurance, not a guaranteed payout. Instead, the goal should be to purchase coverage that will provide some level of guaranteed revenue if drought conditions occur. Finally, reduced premium rates are available to individuals who qualify as beginning or veteran farmers and ranchers. More information and details, including a premium cost estimator, are available at rma.usda.gov.
Pasture, Rangeland, Forage - Rainfall Index insurance (RI-PRF) is the most subscribed federal crop insurance available in Wyoming. Covering forage losses due to drought, it can be an important part of managing risk on a farm or ranch. For more information on RI-PRF coverage, visit a local crop insurance agent or rma.usda.gov. Further risk management resources related to drought and other topics can be found
Pasture, Rangeland, Forage - Rainfall Index insurance (RI-PRF) is the most subscribed federal crop insurance available in Wyoming. Covering forage losses due to drought, it can be an important part of managing risk on a farm or ranch. For more information on RI-PRF coverage, visit a local crop insurance agent or rma.usda.gov. Further risk management resources related to drought and other topics can be found at RightRisk.org
is the GrowinG Internship
in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics,
and
and
the
or
RI-PRF sign-up for 2023 coverage deadline is Planting deadline for fall-planted crops is approaching (check with a crop insurance agent for exact dates in your area).
James Sedman is a consultant to the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, and John Hewlett is a farm and ranch management specialist in the department. Hewlett may be reached at (307) 766‑2166 or hewlett@uwyo.edu
may be reached at (307) 766‑2166 or hewlett@uwyo.edu
Thanksgiving isn’t quite accurate.
“There were complex relationships among the British colonists and the Wampanoag Indigenous people they encountered –and later fought against – in what is now southeast Massachusetts,” she explains.
“Additionally, the idea of a
huge breast-forward turkey and apple pie on those original tables is also a myth.”
Instead, historical records suggest the original feast likely consisted of wild turkey and other fowl, venison, fish and shellfish and local fruits and vegetables. Since the original Thanksgiving marked the
Pilgrim’s first autumn harvest, “History Channel” notes the feast probably included fruits and vegetables from the bounty they had reaped with the help of the Wampanoag people.
This likely included onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots and peas.
“Corn, which records show was plentiful at the first harvest, might also have been served, but not in the way most people enjoy it now. In those days, the corn would have been removed from the cob and turned into cornmeal, which was then boiled and pounded into a thick corn mush or porridge and occasionally sweetened with molasses,” “History Channel” explains.
Fruits indigenous to the region included blueberries, plums, grapes, gooseberries, raspberries and cranberries.
However, cranberries in 1621 were not used to make sauces, relishes or deserts because the sugar Pilgrims brought across the Atlantic on the Mayflower were depleted at the time.
“History Channel” notes cranberries weren’t boiled with sugar and used as an accompaniment for meat until nearly 50 years later.
Additionally, while pumpkins and squash might have been served at the first Thanksgiving feast, Pilgrims lacked the butter and flour necessary for making pie crust and instead, likely hollowed out the gourds, filled the shells with milk, honey and spices and roasted them whole in hot ashes.
“Culinary historians believe much of the Thanksgiving meal consisted of seafood, which is often absent from today’s menus,” notes “History Channel.” “Mussels in particular were abundant in New England and could be easily harvested because they clung to rocks along the shoreline. The colonists occasionally served mussels with curds, a dairy product with a similar consistency to cottage cheese. Lobster, bass, clams and oysters might also have been part of the feast.”
Current holiday feast
While dishes gracing the table at Thanksgiving feasts today have no doubt been inspired by those enjoyed by the Pilgrims back in 1621, the menu has certainly evolved thanks to advancements in food production and technology.
Zeide notes the American holiday has also evolved to be far more diverse.
“From Hmong refugees in Wisconsin who use egg roll filling to stuff their turkeys and Cuban immigrants who use the calabaza squash to make pumpkin flan to the Venezuelan pan de jamón – ham bread – and Indian dudhi kofta – squash dumpling curry – these are all tastes of an American Thanksgiving,” Zeide says.
Likewise, Americans in the South enjoy macaroni and cheese, collard greens and a slice of sweet potato pie for their holiday meal, while New Englanders prefer creamed onions and Indian pudding and those in the West enjoy mashed yams and Jell-O salad.
Regardless, meat often takes center stage, although Americans’ holiday protein preference has also evolved through the years.
On Nov. 7, CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange released a report noting, “Changing consumer preferences suggest whole turkeys may be losing their grip as the dominant centerof-plate choice for Thanksgiving dinner.”
would cost around $58.08 or $5.80 per person. This is a five percent decrease from 2023 and 4.5 percent lower than the record-high in 2022 at $64.06.
“Despite the encouraging momentum, a Thanksgiving meal is still 19 percent higher than it was in 2019, which highlights the impact inflation has had on food prices – and farmers’ costs – since the pandemic,” the report reads.
Although the American turkey flock is the smallest it has been since 1985 due to recent highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases, falling demand has resulted in lower turkey prices at the grocery store.
According to AFBF, the average price for a 16-pound turkey is $25.67 or $1.60 per pound, down six percent from the year prior.
Those who choose ham – Americans’ secondmost popular holiday protein choice after turkey –should expect to pay more, however.
According to Texas A&M University Professor and AgriLife Extension Economist Dr. David Anderson, wholesale 23to 27-pound trimmed hams have risen to 95 cents per pound – the highest they have been in several months.
Anderson also believes ingredient prices for side dishes will be higher this year as well.
“While ample turkey supplies and favorable prices leading into the holiday season indicate turkey will retain its position as the traditional protein of choice this Thanksgiving, consumer trends are making the future less certain,” the report continues, further noting growing demand for convenience, a downward trend in turkey supplies, changing traditions and increasing competition from other protein sources could cause longterm declines in holiday turkey sales.
Results from a 2023 survey conducted by the University of Illinois and Purdue University reiterate CoBank’s sentiment, with findings pointing to 90 percent of the almost 1,000 respondents planning to have turkey at their Thanksgiving meal, 30 percent indicating they planned to serve ham and 18.8 percent noting they planned to serve beef. Additionally, 11.1 percent said they would serve seafood, 5.6 percent would serve lamb and 6.3 percent would serve non-turkey birds.
Holiday price projections
Regardless of what is on the menu, Americans will likely see some relief at the grocery store this Thanksgiving, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
AFBF’s 39th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey, which provides a snapshot of the average cost of a classic holiday feast for 10, found this year’s feast
“We’re looking at overall retail prices being a little higher this year,” he says. “These retail prices include what it costs to get it packaged and to the store, so this doesn’t necessarily mean higher prices are happening on the farm level.”
Anderson sites the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Price Index which shows at-home food prices have risen 1.1 percent over the past year. He notes green beans, at $1.82 per pound, are down from last year’s 1.99 per pound and flour prices are lower than this time last year.
However, russet potatoes, at 88 cents per pound, are up from last year’s 85 cents per pound; sweet potatoes, at 80 cents per pound, are up from last year’s 69 cents per pound; yellow onions, at $1.06 per pound, are up from last year’s 74 cents per pound and a 12-ounce bag of cranberries, at $2.34, is up from last year’s $2.01.
Although sugar prices have declined slightly in recent months, they are still higher than a year ago, and in the wake of the HPAI outbreak, eggs are up to $3.37 from last year’s $2.07.
The AFBF survey also notes prices for 14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix, a half pint of whipping cream and one dozen dinner rolls are also higher this year.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on
Roger Eugene Steben, age 89, peacefully passed away at Goshen Healthcare Community on Nov. 12. He was born on Jan. 2, 1935 at home on the farm north of Mitchell, Neb., the son of Jake and Katheryn (Sommer) Steben.
At the age of three, Roger’s family moved to Lingle, where he later attended Lingle Elementary until the sixth grade. In 1947, the Steben family moved to the Stephenson Farm, and Roger graduated from Torrington High School in 1952.
Roger went on to attend the University of Nebraska and Southeast University
Center in Torrington where he met the love of his life, Shirley Pursley. The couple was married on June 27, 1954 in Torrington.
Roger and Shirley raised their family and farmed in the Torrington and Huntley area for the next 55 years.
Retiring in 2000, they moved to Torrington, and Roger continued to drive out to the farm at Huntley to supervise farming operations of his sons Randy and Mike.
Throughout his life, Roger enjoyed fishing, hunting and pack trips with family and friends into Yellowstone. He even brought home a bear skin from a hunt in Canada. Roger was a certified pilot and purchased his Piper Super Cub plane in 1977. He also enjoyed snowmobiling in Medicine Bow and the Black Hills.
He had many horses which he spent a lot of time riding and moving cattle on his ranch, as well as his daughter and son-in-law Sandra and Artie’s ranch. Roger was known to like
only two kinds of pie – hot and cold. All of his grandchildren were initiated into working on the farm, fishing with piggyback rides across the river and enjoying another favorite of his – ice cream.
Always active in his community, Roger was a member of the Wyoming and Goshen County Stockgrowers Associations.
He served on the Huntley School Board, Board of Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) and the Board of Torrington Community Hospital.
He was a session member at the Huntley, South Goshen and First Wyoming United Presbyterian Churches. He was named Outstanding Young Farmer for Wyoming in 1969. He was a 4-H livestock leader, member of the Sugarbeet Growers Association and North Platte Valley Feeders. Roger was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jackie Morris and his son-in-law Artie Johnson.
He is survived by Shirley, his wife of 70 years; sons Randy (Twila) Steben and Michael (Charlotte) Steben; daughter Sandra Johnson; grandchildren Tyrell Steben, Roxanne (Michael) Jolovich, Shannon (Jason)
Baldwin, Will Johnson, Taylor (Breanne) Johnson, Trenton Johnson, Jake (Hunter) Steben and Blake Steben; nine great-grandchildren;
his sister Gwen Miller and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the First Wyoming United
Brown, Matt - Thermopolis
1 Blk Cow, 1445# $9850
Catone, Jennifer - Powell
2 Boer Goats $160/Hd. BULLS
Kittelmann, Gaylord - Shell
1 Blk Bull, 2060# $14250 Larsen Ranch Co. - Meeteetse
1 Blk Bull, 2170# $14050
Turnell Cattle Co. - Meeteetse
1 Blk Bull, 2160# $14050
1 Blk Bull, 2130# $13500
Leigh Creek LLC - Ten Sleep
1 Blk Bull, 1795# $13800
1 Blk Bull, 1800# $13000
Lewton, Lonnie - Ten Sleep
1 Blk Bull, 2060# $13550
Mueller, Terry - Shell
1 Blk Bull, 1805# $13500
1 Blk Bull, 1720# $12100
Orchard Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep
1 Red Bull, 1775# $13100
1 Red Bull, 1840# $13000
Pitchfork Ranch LLC - Meeteetse
1 Blk Bull, 1815# $13100
L U Ranch - Worland
1 Blk Bull, 1740# $13100
SLS Cattle Co. - Meeteetse
1 Blk Bull, 1750# $13000
Paxton, Larry - Riverton
1 Blk Bull, 1840# $12950
Lyman Ranch Co. - Ten Sleep
1 Blk Bull, 1620# $12850
Beard, Michael - Daniel
1 Blk Bull, 1895# $12850
91 Ranch - Cody
1 Blk Bull, 1805# $12600
Crowfoot Ranch Inc. - Worland
1 Char Bull, 1585# $12550
Manning, Keith - Pinedale
1 Blk Bull, 1530# $12550
Hurricane Cattle Co. - Riverton
1 Blk Bull, 1895# $12300
Werbelow, Dana - Shell
1 Blk Cow, 1215# $9600
Lloyd, Mike - Meeteetse
2 XBred Cows, avg. 913# $9050
Allen, Emma - Basin
1 Blk Cow, 1300# $9050
HEIFERETTES
Hurricane Cattle Co. - Riverton
5 Blk Hfrettes, avg. 855# $17800
HEIFERS
E Spear LLC - Riverton
1 Blk Hfr, 835# $20100
Baird, Jack - Thermopolis
15 Blk Hfrs, avg. 802# $20000
Larsen Ranch Co. - Meeteetse
11 Blk Hfrs, avg. 903# $18250 HEIFERS CALVES
Horton, Duane - Otto
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 332# $40000
38 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 407# $34000
14 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 471# $28250
Shumway, Eddie Lee - Thermopolis
1 Blk Hfr Calf, 345# $39750
7 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 458# $30000
45 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 554# $28550
2 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 618# $25400
7 Blk Hfr Clvs,
$31300
23 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 529# $29225
Nicol, Bob - Fort Washakie
5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 361# $38000
17 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 513# $28550
Lofink, Brad - Thermopolis
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 325# $37500
Hopkin Livestock - Lovell
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 382# $37000
6 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 466# $29750
Presbyterian Church in Torrington. Memorial contributions in honor of Roger will be used to create an agriculture scholarship at EWC.
Jerry Kienlen – 140 mixed, mostly black, 550-650#, two rounds of shots, weaned.
Luke Foss – 50 black steers, 650-700#, two rounds of shots, weaned.
Lloyd Nielson – 50 black steers, 50 black heifers, 550-650#, two rounds of shots, weaned.
Love, Valerie - Thermopolis
1 Red Bull, 1540# $12250 BRED COWS
Larsen Ranch Co. - Meeteetse
15 Blk Bred Cows, ST $2000/Hd.
Gitlitz, Karla - Meeteetse
1 Blk Bred Cow, SM $1950/Hd.
Scolari, Shawn - Thermopolis
1 Blk Bred Cow, 4YO $1935/Hd.
Brown, Matt - Thermopolis
18 CharX Bred Cows, ST $1725/Hd. Pennoyer & Son Inc. - Thermopolis
4 Red Bred Cows, ST $1725/Hd.
Sims, Tyson - Riverton
36 Blk Bred Cows, ST $1600/Hd.
E Spear LLC - Riverton
14 Blk Bred Cows, ST $1600/Hd. COWS Beard, Michael - Daniel
1 Blk Cow, 1215# $12750
1 Blk Cow, 1345# $12500
1 Blk Cow, 1210# $12050
1 Blk Cow, 1140# $11550
2 BWF Cows, avg. 1355# $9950 Orchard Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep
1 Red Cow, 1635# $12700
2 Red Cows, avg. 1263# $11400 Molnar, Anthony - Greybull
1 Blk Cow, 1805# $12550 Lake, Jerry - Thermopolis
1 Blk Cow, 1050# $12400
2 BWF Cows, avg. 1105# $11750
1 Blk Cow, 1155# $11600
Six C Ranch Operations - Meeteetse
1 Blk Cow, 1050# $12400
Hurricane Cattle Co. - Riverton
1 Blk Cow, 1125# $12250
1 Blk Cow, 1165# $12100
1 Blk Cow, 1485# $11400
1 Blk Cow, 1285# $11300 Paxton, Larry - Riverton
1 Blk Cow, 1645# $12150
1 Blk Cow, 1135# $11800
2 Mxd Cows, avg. 1300# $11200 Pennoyer & Son Inc. - Thermopolis
1 Blk Cow, 1150# $12100
1 Blk Cow, 1280# $12000
1 BWF Cow, 965# $12000
1 BWF Cow, 1070# $12000 Lindamood, Douglas - Thermopolis
1 Blk Cow, 1415# $11700
1 Blk Cow, 1105# $11250
Lyman Ranch Co. - Ten Sleep
3 Blk Cows, avg. 1320# $11650
2 Blk Cows, avg. 1295# $11450
E Spear LLC - Riverton
1 Blk Cow, 1120# $11600
1 Blk Cow, 1350# $11450
1 Blk Cow, 1395# $9850
Sims, Tyson - Riverton
1 CharX Cow, 1205# $11550
1 Blk Cow, 1230# $11350
Price, Charles - Daniel
1 Blk Cow, 1215# $11550
8 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 565# $25700
Stoffers, Shawn - Greybull
1 BWF Hfr Calf, 380# $36750
Bottoms, Michael - Greybull
4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 405# $34750
6 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 462# $28400
Scolari, Shawn - Thermopolis
20 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 359# $34500
39 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 422# $31500
Dalin, Robert - Greybull
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 420# $34000
L U Ranch - Worland
15 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 373# $34250
Klaren Cattle Co. - Pinedale
23 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 403# $33900
7 RWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 407# $31600
Johnson, Jerry - Thermopolis
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 387# $33750
2 CharX Hfr Clvs, avg. 595# $24600
Jones, Mark - Morristown
4 CharX Hfr Clvs, avg. 404# $33500 Wiberg, Tim - Lander
5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 456# $33400
91 Ranch - Cody
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 440# $31000
Adams, Warren - Greybull
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 460# $30800 Teppert, Floyd - Ten Sleep
1 Blk Hfr Calf, 360# $30250 Shumway, Leroy - Thermopolis
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 463# $29100 Lewis, Paul - Cody
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 470# $28800 Donley, Janell Dee - Worland
3 Rd/Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 425# $28800
5 SimX Hfr Clvs, avg. 581# $24100
Martinez, Scott - Evansville
3 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 475# $28100
Dausman, S. Dave - Lovell
4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 480# $28100
7 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 584# $24700
Green, Tawni - Cowley
5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 462# $28100
Borre, Gene - Burlington
5 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 493# $28050
Ulmer, John - Powell
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 483# $27800 Schatz Irrevoc Trust - Lovell
13 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 565# $27700
Farley, Christine - Worland
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 565# $27600 ZE Ranch Co. - Meeteetse
4 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 475# $27500
4 RWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 749# $24400
Butterfield, James - Worland
9 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 546# $27250
3 Rd/Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 670# $24150
RCA Livestock - Worland
5 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 586# $27000
Hughes, Kevin - Pavillion
4 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 524# $27000
Winchester Hereford Ranch - Worland
5 Hrfd Hfr Clvs, avg. 484# $26850 Frias, Ramon - Powell
9 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 605# $25300
1 BWF Cow, 1245# $11450
1 Blk Cow, 1415# $11250
1 Blk Cow, 1265# $10100
Larsen Ranch Co. - Meeteetse
1 Blk Cow, 1475# $11450
Madson, Linda - Lovell
2 BWF Hfr Clvs, avg. 608# $25050
Lewis, Paul - Cody
1 BWF Hfr Calf, 675# $25000
Jason Wiechmann – 75 black steers, 500-600#, three rounds of shots, poured, high elevation, weaned September.
Sage Creek - Snyder Sister – 65 mixed black & red, 550-650#, weaned.
Dave Greer – 60 mixed, mostly red, 425-575#, two rounds of shots, poured, weanted September.
Hurricane Cattle – 50 mixed, BB & black, 350-550#, two rounds of shots, hay fed, weaned Oct. 10. Brewster Ranch – 30 black & BWF steers, 400-550#, two rounds of shots, high elevation, out on pasture, weanted September.
Eric Bower – 32 black steers, 600-700#, two rounds of shots, poured, weaned.
John Miller – 22 mixed black, 600-650#, two rounds of shots, bunk broke, weaned 45+.
Lucky Homewood – 10 CharX steers, 600-700#, two rounds of shots, bunk broke, weaned. Randy & Marti Baird – 10 red steers, 450-500#, one round of shots, poured, bunk broke, weaned Oct. 15.
Jacob Miller – 8 black steers, 600-650#, two rounds of shots, bunk broke, weaned.
• Field Rep & Auctioneer • (307) 331-2222 Consignments • December 4 • Bawl of the Fall
Karst, Rusty - Powell
3 BWF Cows, avg. 1632# $11450
Baird, Jack - Thermopolis
1 Red Cow, 1235# $11350
1 Blk Cow, 1290# $11300
Butterfield, James - Worland
1 Red Cow, 1295# $11050
SLS Cattle Co. - Meeteetse
1 Blk Cow, 1200# $11050
Culver, Andrea - Meeteetse
1 Blk Cow, 1375# $11050
Crouse, Doug - Basin
1 Blk Cow, 1465# $10450
Brubaker Sheep Co. - Ten Sleep
2 Blk Cows, avg. 1145# $10450
1 Blk Cow, 1650# $9850
Vigil
Greybull River Land & Cattle - Meeteetse
13 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 616# $24900
1 Blk Hfr Calf, 785# $23500
Lara, Bethany - Worland
2 Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 585# $24750
Skelton, Sheldon - Thermopolis 1 BWF Hfr Calf, 570# $24700 Metzler, Jodee - Powell
Blk Hfr Clvs, avg. 665# $24500 Gingerich, Daniel - Riverton 2 Red Hfr Clvs, avg. 593# $24400 Neves, Jay - Otto 1 Blk Hfr Calf, 610# $24200 STEERS Sims, Tyson - Riverton
Blk Str Clvs, avg. 797# $26850
Nov. 27-29
Wyoming Livestock Roundup Office Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving. We wish all of our readers a safe and happy holiday.
Nov. 18-Dec. 1 Cheyenne Livestock Exposition, Laramie County Event Center, Cheyenne. For more information, visit cheyennelivestockexpo.com
Dec. 4 Second Annual Green River Valley Rancher’s Workshop, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sublette County Extension Office, Pinedale. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail dmontgo8@uwyo.edu or call 307-367-4380.
Dec. 4 Natrona County Predator Management District 2024 Annual Meeting, 3 p.m., ARLC Building, Casper. For more information, e-mail ncpmd1@charter.net.
Dec. 4-6 Ninth Annual National Grazing Lands Conference, Tucson, Ariz. For more information, visit grazinglands.org/grazing-conference
Dec. 4-6 Montana Stockgrowers Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, Billings, Mont. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/MSGAconvention
Dec. 5 West Greeley Conservation District Ag Symposium, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Island Grove Event Center, Greeley, Colo. For more information, visit wgcd. org/symposium or call 970-302-1011.
Dec. 5-7 U.S. Cattlemen’s Association 2024 Annual Meeting, InterContinental Hotel, San Antonio, Texas. For more information or to register, visit uscattlemen.org/ annual-meeting-2024/
Dec. 5-14 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas. For more information, visit nfrexperience.com
Dec. 6-7
Dec. 7-11
Wyoming Leadership, Education and Development Program 40th Anniversary Celebration Gala, Laramie. For more information, visit wylead.com or contact Cindy Garretson-Weibel at wylead@gmail.com or 307-214-5080.
American Association of Equine Practitioners 69th Annual Convention, Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit convention.aaep.org
Dec. 9-11 Wyoming Stock Growers Association Winter Roundup Convention and Trade Show, Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Casper. For more information, visit wysga.org
Dec. 10-12
Nebraska Ag Expo, Lancaster Event Center, Lincon, Neb. For more information, visit nebraskaagexpo.com
Nov. 25 The Berry’s Herefords Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Cheyenne, 307-6345178, 307-630-7944
Nov. 26 Paint Rock Angus Annual Fall Sale, at the ranch, Hyattville, 307-469-2206, 307-271-2000, 307-272-5332, 307-578-7392, paintrockangus.com
Nov. 26 Huge Premier Retirement Online Auction, Bonesteel, S.D., 800-251-3111, 605-491-4748, wiemanauction.com
Nov. 29-30 Vermilion Ranch Fall Performance Sale, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-6700078, 406-672-5844, vermilionangus.com
Dec. 2 Stevenson’s Diamond Dot Angus 64th Annual Fall Production Sale, at the ranch, Hobson, Mont., 406-366-9023, 406-374-2250, stevensonsdiamonddot.com
Dec. 3 Western Video Market, Silver Legacy, Reno, Nev., 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com
Dec. 3 ZumBrunnen Angus Annual Bull and Female Production Sale, at the ranch, Lusk, 307-216-0198, 307-334-2265, zbangus.com
Dec. 3 Ward Livestock Sixth Annual Red, White and Blue Bull Sale, at the ranch, Laramie, 307-399-9863
Dec. 5 Sitz Angus 59th Annual Fall Bull Sale, at the ranch, Harrison, Mont., 406683-5277, 406-581-9153, 208-670-2364, sitzangus.com
Dec. 6 KG Ranch Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Three Forks, Mont., 406285-3660, kgranch.com
Dec. 7 Leachman Cattle of Colorado High Altitude Sale, Loma Livestock, Loma, Colo., 970-568-3983, leachman.com
Dec. 7 T-Heart Ranch High Altitude Female Sale, at the ranch, LaGarita, Colo., 719-850-3082, 719-850-3083, t-heartranch.com
Dec. 7 Fredrickson Ranch Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Spearfish, S.D., 605254-4872, fredricksonranch.com
Dec. 7 Lofink Farms Live Hay Auction, Lofink Farms Stackyard, Thermopolis, 307921-1825, 307-921-1864
Dec. 9 Hollow Top Angus Third Annual Production Sale, Montana Livestock Auction, Ramsay, Mont., 208-365-8862, 303-513-9058, 406-552-0491, hollowtopangus.com
Dec. 9
Dec. 10
Dec. 11
Dec. 10-11
Cross Diamond Cattle Company Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Bertrand, Neb., 308-991-2452, crossdiamondcattle.com
Rock Lake Angus Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Wheatland, 307331-1175, 406-600-7514, rocklakeangus.com
Shipwheel Cattle Company 16th Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Chinook, Mont., 406-357-2492, shipwheelcattle.com
PAYS Annual Blue Ribbon Stock Cow and Bred Heifer Special Sale, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-245-6447, publicauctionyards.com
Dec. 13 Bowman Cattle Ranch-Ready Rugged 2-Year-Old Bull Sale, Sugar Valley Stockyards, Gering, Neb., 307-287-6503, 307-575-4992, bowmancattle.com
Dec. 14
Dispersions & Liquidations:
402-376-4919)
angus (4-12 yrs) bred angus; cf 3-10 for 70 days. Years of genetic input through A.I., sourced genetics Maternal strong to Marcy, Connealy……....Fanning Angus
blk (6 hfr, 44 sm-st) bred blk angus; cf 3-20 for 60 days. Dispersion, second time to retire……....Tim Colvin
35… rwf & brockle (5-8 yrs; 1250-1300#) bred rd angus; cf 3-25 for 45 days. Yearly vaccination, HR Liquidation of brockle, rdx
……....Paxton Rn (John Warren 308-650-9000)
35… angus & blk (3 yrs; 1200#) bred angus or hereford; 25 cf 3-1 to 3-30/ 10 cf 4-1 for 30 days. Disposition plus! Sharing ½ of our 2023 replacements……....Mark & Haley Miles (402-617-6570)
62… angus (1100-1200#) bred angus; cf 2-25 for 30 days. Genetics- Paywt, Wall Street. Likeable, top of the top Dispersion
……....Butler Angus
135… angus (1000-1100#) sync & A.I. bred angus (Hickok); 57 hd cf 2-13 for 2 days, 78 hd cf 3-11 for 2 days. Hand picked
w/disposition……....Clint & Brynn Burney (402-322-0677)
59… angus (1000-1100#) bred angus (Power Bull & Reserve sons); 30 hd cf 3-5 for 30 days, 29 hd cf 4-1 for 15 day
……....Clint & Brynn Burney
93… angus (1100#) 53 sync & A.I. bred angus (Standout; CED EPD 10); cf 2-25 for 2 days- 40 bull bred angus (True North sons, Cha-Ching, Cowboy-up sons); cf 3-1 for 32 days……....Dewing & Gudgel (Cort Dewing 402-376-5333)
32… angus (1050-1100#) 21 sync & A.I. bred angus (Baldridge Endeavor- CED 9); cf 2-27, 11 bull bred angus; cf 2-27 for 30 days
……....Dewing & Gudgel
30… angus (1075-1100#) 16 sync & A.I. bred angus (Baldridge Endeavor- CED 9); cf 5-25, 14 bull bred angus (sons of True North, Cha-Ching); cf 5-29 for 30 days……....Dewing & Gudgel
123… blk (100) & bwf (23)(1000-1100#) sync & A.I. bred angus (Patriarch) ; cf 2-25 for 2 day. Complete vac program
……....Rick, Missy & Reece Weber (Rick 402-389-1406)
75… blk & angus (1050-1125#) sync & A.I. bred angus (Patriarch); cf 2-15 for 1 day……....Marv Schank (402-760-1499)
44… blk (1000#) bred angus (Connealy); cf 3-15 for 21 days……....Powder Horn Rn (Will Fischer 402-376-4811) 100… angus & blk (1050-1100#) bred to proven LBW angus (CED +10); cf 3-1 to 3-20 & 3-21 to 4-10 Angus sired influence of Upward, Waylon.Rothleutner origin……....Fuoss Angus Rn
200… blk & angus (1000#) bred angus (Triangle S); cf 2-28 for 34 days-
Amdahl Angus Fall Bull and Female Production Sale, at the ranch, Rapid City, S.D., 605-999-6487, 605-929-3717, amdahlangus.com
Noted Outlaw Butch Cassidy has been portrayed as both a dangerous criminal and the Robin Hood of the West.
This week’s Postcard from the Past relates the gentler side of George Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy, in the Brown’s Park area of the corner of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.
Historians write of one fanciful event which took place about 1895 when the Bender Gang, Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and Elza Lay treated the residents of Brown’s Hole to Thanksgiving dinner.
No expense was spared. The menu included blue point oyster cocktails, roast turkey with chestnut dressing, giblet gravy, cranberries, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, creamed peas, celery, olives, pickled walnuts, sweet pickles, fresh tomatoes on crisp lettuce, hot rolls with sweet butter, coffee, whipped cream, Roquefort cheese, pumpkin pie, plum pudding, brandy sauce, mints and salted nuts.
Another account noted Tom Davenport raised the turkeys and the gang bought them. The dishes, linens and silver were furnished by the women of Brown’s Hole.
Held at the Davenport Ranch, the affair attracted nearly 35 people.
Isom Dart presided in the kitchen, and the outlaws donned white aprons to serve dinner. A diary recalled Cassidy got flustered pouring coffee and retreated from the dining room.
“The boys went into a huddle in the kitchen and instructed Cassidy in the formal art of filling cups at the table,” the entry reads. “This just shows how etiquette can put fear into a brave man’s heart.”
One young lady by the name of Anne Bassett at the gala wrote – reprinted with her faulty spelling and casual punctuation –to her friends:
Men wore dark suits
– vests were always worn – white shirts, stiffstarched collars, patent low cuts. No man would be seen minus a coat and a bow tie at the party if it killed them, and it almost did I am sure. If a mustache existed, that must be waxed and curled.
The women wore tight-fitted long dress with leg-o-mutton sleeves and boned collars, hair done on top of the head either in a French twist or a bun and bangs curled into a frizz. Girls in their teens wore dresses about three inches below the knees, spring-heeled slippers and their hair in curls or braids, tucked up with a big bow of ribbons at nap of neck.
Esther Davenport had the pretty dress for the party – a yellow silk mull over yellow taffeta. She looked very pretty.
Now I will tell you what Anne wore at the party – a silk mull, powder blue accordion pleated from top to bottom, camisole and petticoat of taffeta, peter pan collar, buttoned in the back, puff sleeves to the elbows and belted by a wide sash with a big bow in back. The mull pleated well and how it swished over the taffeta undies. A narrow black velvet ribbon around the neck, a gold locket fastened in the front.
Now for the stockings – hold your hat on and smile – lace made of silk and lisle thread, black to
match shoes. They were precious and worn only for parties. We had to be careful with them as they cost three dollars per pair and lasted a long time.
I wore my hair in three curls fastened at nap of neck, held in place by a large barrette beau catcher curl on forehead, springheeled shoes like the babydoll shoes shown in catalogues now.
The older women wore black taffeta with tucking at the neck and sleeves, high-button shoes often with white tops and high curved French heels – always too tight, as were their corsets.
Josie’s dress for the party was a sage green wool, many-gored skirt, tight to the knees then flared to the floor to sweep up the dirt.
Josie was married, I was not and girls were not permitted to wear long dresses, put up their hair or wear high heels.
Anne also noted, “The party lasted about six hours. That evening we danced at the Davenport home. I say evening, I mean until sun up the next day. Program at the dinner was put on by the guests. The hosts waited table –outlaws and friends. The other boys helped in the kitchen. All but the cook wore butcher aprons over their white shirts and suit trousers. The outlaws received their guests, then slipped on aprons to help serve the crowd of 35 or more, lots of work for the dinner was served in courses.”
“By the way, Josie played a ‘Zither’ and rather well. She was accompanied by Sam Bassett on the fiddle and Joe Davenport with a guitar. I gave a short reading on the meaning of Thanksgiving after being coached by Mr. Jarvie for a couple of weeks,” Anne added.
and bountiful as that of the Butch Cassidy Gang and guests more than 130 years ago.
US #1 Pinto Beans Food Grade Min
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Greeley, CO
National Sheep Summary
As of November 15, 2024
Compared to last week slaughter lambs very uneven, mostly steady to 10.00 lower, except at Kalona, IA and Ft. Collins, CO firm to 10.00 higher, instances 30.00-50.00 higher. Slaughter ewes unevenly Steady. Feeder lambs uneven, mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. At San Angelo, TX 6,606 head sold in a one day sale. Equity Cooperative Auction sold 255 slaughter lambs in Iowa and 400 feeder lambs in Utah. 4,310 lamb carcasses traded with no trend due to confidentiality. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 San Angelo: wooled and shorn 110-145 lbs 158.00-203.00; 167 lbs 165.00.
Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 110-140 lbs 175.00-187.00. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 120-170 lbs 138.00-158.00. Billings: wooled and shorn 110-130 lbs no test. Equity Coop: wooled 140 lbs 150.00. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-2 San Angelo: hair 40-60 lbs 280.00-320.00, few 322.00-326.00; 60-70 lbs 267.50-310.00, few 312.00-318.00; 70-80 lbs 232.00288.00, few 292.00-300.00; 80-90 lbs 214.00-260.00; 90-110 lbs 190.00-230.00. wooled and shorn 74 lbs 270.00; 85 lbs 230.00; 92 lbs 199.00; 100-105 lbs 190.00-199.00.
Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 60-70 lbs 203.00-225.00; 70-80 lbs 200.00; 90-100 lbs 190.00-200.00; 100-105 lbs 180.00-260.00. hair 40-50 lbs 250.00-307.50; 50-60 lbs 250.00-315.00; 60-70 lbs 255.00-330.00; 70-80 lbs 237.00-330.00; 80-90 lbs 210.00-225.00; 90-100 lbs 275.00-340.00. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 60-70 lbs 230.00-247.50; 70-90 lbs 195.00-235.00; 90-100 lbs 185.00-227.50, few 245.00; 100-115 lbs 230.00-232.50. hair 50-60 lbs 240.00-252.00; 65 lbs 275.00; 70-80 lbs 245.00; 80-90 lbs 175.00-215.00; 100-110 lbs 156.00167.00.
Billings: no test.
Slaughter Ewes
San Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 101.00-105.00, hair 85.00-102.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 100.00-114.00, hair 98.00-117.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 82.00-85.00, hair 94.00-100.00.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) hair 82.00; Cull 1 50.00-60.00.
Ft. Collins: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 76.00-97.50; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 70.00-100.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.
South Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 91.00-95.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 71.00-85.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 83.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.
Billings: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) no test; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.
Equity Coop: no report.
Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2
San Angelo: hair 40-50 lbs 305.00-360.00; 50-55 lbs 310.00320.00.
Ft. Collins: 40-50 lbs 230.00-242.50; 50-60 lbs 212.50-230.00. South Dakota: 50-60 lbs 259.00-260.00; 60-70 lbs 232.00-251.00, few 280.00; 70-80 lbs 202.00-217.00; 80-90 lbs 188.00-197.00; 90-100 lbs 164.00-177.00; 100-110 lbs 155.00-174.00; 110-120 lbs 144.00-162.00; 151 lbs 137.00. Billings: no test. Equity Coop: UT: 400: 100 lbs 163.50 for current delivery. Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2
San Angelo: yearling hair 110 lbs 175.00/cwt; young hair 115-140 lbs 118.00-141.00/cwt.
Ft. Collins: no test. South Dakota: ewe lambs 119 lbs 170.00/head; yearlings 160.00250.00/head; young 145.00-205.00/head; middle age 160.00170.00/head; aged 115.00/head; yearling hair 165.00/head.
Billings: no test. Sheep and lambs slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 36,000 compared with 37,000 last week and 41,000 last year.
Source: USDA AMS LPG Market News, San Angelo, Texas
National Wool Review
As of November 15, 2024
Australian Wool Exchange
Domestic wool trading had no confirmed trades reported this week. Prices reflect trades FOB warehouse in original bag or square pack, bellies out, some graded, and 76 mm or longer. No allowance made for coring, freight, or handling fees at the
level to reflect net grower prices. Wools shorter than 75 mm
discounted .10-.20 clean. Classed and skirted wools usually trade at a .10-.20
to original bag prices.
Source: USDA- CO Dept of Ag Market
Wyoming Hay Summary
As of November 21, 2024
Movement is lower than normal for this past week, according to producers movement and demand is light for this time of year all over Wyoming. According to the Wyoming Crop Progress Report, as of November 18th, 2024 Alfalfa Hay 3rd cutting is 96% completed, other hay 2nd cutting is 89% harvested, corn harvested for silage is completed in the state, pasture condition is 10% good condition and 24% fair condition. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor Website most of Eastern Wyoming is under extreme dry soil moisture. Western Wyoming is moderately dry to severe dry soil moisture. According to the National Weather Service Website precipitation was 1.51 inches which is above normal for this time of year. Temperatures have been an average of 50 degrees which is higher than normal for this time of year.
Eastern Wyoming
Alfalfa - Good Medium Square 3x3 125
Alfalfa/Grass
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News Torrington
Nebraska Hay Summary
As of November 21, 2024
Compared to last week bales of grass and alfalfa didn’t see
much movement. Dehy, sun-cured alfalfa pellets, ground and delivered hay steady. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service as of November 18, 2024 Field Crops Report: Corn harvested was 97%, near 94% last year and 93% for the
five-year average. Winter wheat condition rated 7% very poor, 20% poor, 39% fair, 28%
and 6% excellent. Winter wheat emerged was 91%,
Lee
– one is I never served my country
a person who has
made his living in the beef business, I realize there are no good excuses for not being a grill master, but I’m going to offer up some anyway.
First, this Pitts never had a proper pit, and because I went to bull sales nearly every weekend – when most barbecues are held – I never had the opportunity. Even if I was home on a rare weekend, my wife was working
most Saturday and Sunday nights at the grocery store, and I hardly think it would have been proper to have a barbecue by myself while she was slaving away.
The best reason I have for not becoming a man tested by fire is because I am terrified by it.
As a youngster, I was asleep in my bed at 2 a.m. when my brand-new electric blanket caught fire and my
bed became a raging inferno with me in it. It was bad enough my mother had purchased it from her father’s furniture store, but even more embarrassing, when the fire chief of the volunteer fire department arrived, he just so happened to be the very same furniture store owner. Yes, my grandpa. One might say fire doesn’t light my fire. When I die, I’ve left specific instruc-
tions that there will be no cremation.
Barbecuing is quintessential maleness – an element of danger, plus the use of tools. It is living life on the wild side without pilot lights, timers, knobs or thermostats. It’s a macho thing allowing men to revert back to their caveman origins.
I know I’m a lesser man because I’ve never mastered the art, but I never had a barbecue role model.
My dad was a longhaul trucker and hardly ever home. And, if he was home, a typical barbecue at my house went like this.
My father would awake some weekend morning and say to my mom, “Why don’t you take tonight off and I’ll barbecue?”
She would groan and trudge off to the butcher shop to buy two steaks we couldn’t afford. They were great steaks, but I had to take the grownups’ word for it because kids got hamburgers at our house as we couldn’t squander hard-earned cash on kids.
I was 21 years old and out of college before I ever tasted the most delectable of all food stuffs – filet mignon.
When my mom got home from the store, my father would announce he’d invited a couple over who my mom hated. So, it was back to the market to buy two more steaks, which at this point we really couldn’t afford.
My mom would make my brother and I mow the lawn, pick up after the dog and spritz the place up for company. My dad would announce, since he’d be cooking and doing all of the heavy lifting that evening, he was going to take a nap while my mom baked pies, prepared all of the fixings, set the table, cleaned the grill, laid the kindling and wadded up newspaper for the fire.
Then my dad would give it a big squirt of starter fluid and light the inferno. Usually, it was such a huge fire, I expected my grandfather to show up any minute with his siren blaring.
While my father was attempting to bring the fire under control by squirting water on it, my mom was seasoning the steaks before taking them to my dad to ceremoniously put on the grill.
“And fetch us another beer while you’re not doing anything,” he’d say to my mom.
At just the right moment – the make-or-break moment of any barbecue – my father would take the steaks off of the grill. Then he’d burn the bread and our hamburger buns.
With his big job finally concluded, he could let his hair down, accept accolades for a wonderful dinner and enjoy a few more beers for a job medium well done.
My folks invariably concluded every barbecue with a big fight because my mom didn’t appreciate all of the work my dad had done so she could enjoy a night off.
On Nov. 19, members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands in support of legislation to expand the use of livestock grazing as a tool to reduce wildfire risk, make grazing permits more responsive to range conditions and
remove regulatory barriers to the maintenance of critical infrastructure. Together, NCBA Member and Utah Cattlemen’s Association President Jeff Young and Sherri Brennan, a California rancher and PLC member, discussed NCBA’s and PLC’s support for the Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Program Act introduced by Rep. John Cur-
tis (R-UT), the Ranching Without Red Tape Act introduced by Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and legislation to increase livestock grazing to reduce wildfire risk introduced by Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA). Each of these bills works together to protect landscapes across the West and support the ranchers who drive the economic success of rural communities.
“I see such a clear need for the Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Act. This bill provides much-needed flexibility to ensure land managers like me can be responsive to what the land needs while also maintaining compliance with our grazing permit,” testified Young. “Resource management shouldn't be static, it should be responsive and
collaborative. This bill represents an updated, modernized way to manage the land, understanding we need flexibility to make things work from year to year.”
“Livestock grazing is a valuable tool for protecting our scenic Western landscapes from the ever-present threat of catastrophic wildfire, habitat conversion and damage from a
wide variety of sources,” said Executive Director of PLC and NCBA Natural Resources Kaitlynn Glover. “NCBA and PLC are proud to support legislation which supports and expands the use of livestock grazing as a tool to reduce wildfire risk, and we are grateful for leaders like Reps. Curtis, Vasquez and LaMalfa for addressing the needs of Western ranchers.”
1597# $118.00
4 Cow, 1746# $118.00 CASPER 2 Cow, 1292# $118.00
4 Cow, 1360# $117.50 ROCK SPRINGS
4 Cow, 1102#
6 Cow, 1146#
1040#
1505# $115.00
SPRINGS 3 Cow, 1465# $114.50
Cow, 1230#
488#
532# $331.00
528#
Heifer, 467#
Heifer, 397#
Heifer, 460#
Heifer, 459#
ID
Heifer, 434#
Heifer, 479#
PINEY
Heifer, 511#
Heifer, 498#
Heifer, 515#
Heifer, 521#
Heifer, 489#
Heifer, 534#
PINEY
Heifer, 524#
Heifer, 549#
Heifer, 557#
Heifer, 562#
Heifer, 554#
Heifer, 558#
Heifer, 568#
581#
Heifer, 654#
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
DECEMBER 6
BRED COWS Flagstone Ranch- 80 Mostly Blk ST Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang bulls to calve March/April. Good, high desert cows. TY Ranch- 50 Blk Bred 3-6 yr old Cows. Bred to Lucky 7 Blk Ang Bulls to start calving end of March. Vaccinated & poured this fall. Nice set of High elevation cows that are producers! Neal & Becky Anderson- 49 Blk Ang 3-10 Yr old Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang bulls to calve March/April. Good producing cows selected for mothering ability, milk production, good disposition & easy fleshing. Steers averaged over 600# middle of October. Super set of reputation, family cows that are proven! Complete Dispersion! Greet Ranch- 38 Blk Ang & AngX Mixed Age Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang bulls to calve March/ April. Rec Virashield 6 VL5 & poured this fall. Reputation, one brand, ranch raised. High elevation. Superior disposition!! TK Land & Livestock- 2 - 4yr old Bred Blk Ang Cows. Bred to a Powerball progeny bull to start calving around February 17th. 2 - 3yr old Bred Blk Ang Cows. Bred to a Powerball progeny bull to begin calving late April. 1 - 4yr old Blk Angus cow exposed to Powerball progeny bull on 10/17/24. All cows have been vaccinated & poured this fall. Nice set of cows that come from the Wagler Angus line of cows in Cody.
BRED HEIFERS
Greet Ranch- 9 Blk Ang Bred Heifers. AI bred to Select Sires Movin On to calve late February. 73 Blk Ang & AngX Bred Heifers. Bred to Low PAP, Low BW Vermillion Bomber Sons & Grandsons to start calving early March. Rec Virashield 6 VL5 & poured this fall. Reputation, one brand, ranch raised. High elevation. Superior disposition!!
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
TUESDAY,