COVID-19

During this unpredictable time in our country, farmers and ranchers across the nation are still hard at work. Social distancing has pushed livestock auctions to online platforms because even though we can’t gather in person to buy and sell our animals - we know that business must still go on and that there’s a future for our farms beyond the pandemic.

So this afternoon... we took a break from our work outside to come in and purchase a new herd bull. While we were able to get the one we wanted all from the comfort and safety of our dining room, we still can’t be as excited as we typically would be, because the truth is we would rather be AT the sale. Even though online sales serve a valuable purpose, there’s just something special about being at a livestock sale in person. We enjoy being around other livestock producers, taking in the adrenaline rush of raising a hand to bid, and the satisfying feeling of being able to load the trailer with a purchase (or sending our animals to their new homes) after it’s all said and done.

This is only the beginning as we look toward our spring sheep consignment sales which have also had to move online. Next week we’ll be fitting and picturing our entries for the Ohio Showcase Tunis Sale and wishing that we would be seeing our “sheep friends” in the next couple of weeks. It’s also bittersweet knowing that we won’t be coming home with any sheep for FFA members as uncertainty still looms around this fall’s show season. We’re just hopeful that things will settle in the upcoming months and that we’ll all have the chance to gather again soon.

-Peyton