kind of hard

[jodywy]

Sue and I just ran the sheep down the alley and put scrapie tags in most every ewe. Brand inspector will be here next Wednesday, and Joey bringing his big 5th wheel and ours, will load up and haul to Newell SD for the sale on Thursday, Consigned them this morning. been sheep on Bagley ranches longer than I been alive. I can't shear anymore, hard finding a shear some years, lions and Coyotes, oh well.

 

[Nicky]

Dang, that will be hard for sure.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Sorry to hear that Jody, this getting older sure sucks.
If the sheep market is following the cattle market it could be a get time to exit the business.
Take care,

 

[jodywy]

did shead a tear getting them in this morning, no waiting for brand inspector and neighbors and trucks and trailers.

 

[jodywy]

we loaded up some trailers today, with ewes and rams, for sheep sale at Newell SD tomorrow. Coyotes, Lions, Sheares, Age, hips shoulders, all added up for the sad decision. Didn't cry till we got them into the corral this morning. Way home MY son in law truck the def was acting up so he was going to a shop in Belle. I told my neighbor we needed to speed up to catch up. Bang! guy came across center line and we took out each others mirrors. Think that little speed up kept it to a side hit and not head-on. Will take Duramax to Belle tomorrow for Dentist appointment and get my trailer.

 

[mwj]

How did the sale go yesterday Jody? Today will be a new chapter in life with a little less stress and strain on the mind and body. I hope you enjoy the fruits of your family's hard work and dedication.

 

[DosArroyos]

It's been over a year now and I'm still in a state of depression.

I hope you fare better.

 

[Nicky]

It's been over a year now and I'm still in a state of depression.

I hope you fare better.

Aww, I am sorry.

 

[jodywy]

How did the sale go yesterday Jody? Today will be a new chapter in life with a little less stress and strain on the mind and body. I hope you enjoy the fruits of your family's hard work and dedication.

2-4 year olds $370/hd, 5-6 year olds $350/hd , SS-ST also brought $350

 

[mwj]

That sounds like a good price but I am not familiar with prices in the west. Sounds like your older ewes held there value well.

 

[Older Whiskey]

Sue and I just ran the sheep down the alley and put scrapie tags in most every ewe. Brand inspector will be here next Wednesday, and Joey bringing his big 5th wheel and ours, will load up and haul to Newell SD for the sale on Thursday, Consigned them this morning. been sheep on Bagley ranches longer than I been alive. I can't shear anymore, hard finding a shear some years, lions and Coyotes, oh well.

That makes me sad, Jody. It reminds me when I sold off my ewes. I was only 40 then, but getting down shearing 30 head was a lot of work, plus my market for the black wool for hand spinners, dried up, so I gave it up. Sad that one of your kids didn't want to take over the business. Glad you got a good price, but still hard to say goodbye to a family tradition. Growing old certainly brings about changes, especially in ranching.

 

[Older Whiskey]

It's been over a year now and I'm still in a state of depression.

I hope you fare better.

It has been 35 years for me and I am still having times of depression. I don't think a rancher of any length of time, especially one from birth, can ever totally deal with such a transition. Not being able to do what we once did is hard enough, but closing the gate on years of a way of life, is very hard.

 

[jodywy]

That makes me sad, Jody. It reminds me when I sold off my ewes. I was only 40 then, but getting down shearing 30 head was a lot of work, plus my market for the black wool for hand spinners, dried up, so I gave it up. Sad that one of your kids didn't want to take over the business. Glad you got a good price, but still hard to say goodbye to a family tradition. Growing old certainly brings about changes, especially in ranching.

we did a spinner market for a while with Rommney , it was a course long wool, we roll it in sheets we get from hotels, tie it with the old paper string they used to tie fleeces with. We had baggies with samples from 3 areas of the fleece with the ewes number. We hit a 2-3 big shows a year. Those sheet covered bag had a nickname from buyers, "Body Bags" we was getting lot more then fine wool was bring, this was back when there was still a wool incentive. Our clip now been nice and fine.

 

[jodywy]

used to milk about 25 cows, towards the end I was one of 3 grade B dairy's left in the state. That winter cheese prices were up we got $16/cwt. More then grade A... only happened one check before things got changed. By spring we were getting $8.50/cwt. That was a nope. Got them contracted, forgot to Bangs, Bled them morning before and ran the Blood to a Utah lab in Logan Ut. They went the next day along with a new born calf and 5 older ones that dad told them they could just have. I shed a tear, and missed the two week check, but loved the release of being the same place twice a day , 7 days a week , 52 a year.