Chewing The Cud

The four-wheeler rumbles down the grassy path in the pasture as father and daughter reunite for the best ritual ever: pasture tours. The chatter of their excited voices discussing the upcoming great ones adds to the music of a South Dakota summer evening. The crickets chirp, the birds sing, and an occasional mama cow bellers for her baby. The duo stops to fix a twist in the barbwire fence, Dad observes how the corn stalks weathered the last rainstorm, and the daughter is in heavenly bliss.

As the plane sputtered to a stop on the Sioux Falls runway last Saturday, I anticipated a wonderful evening in the company of my family and my cattle. This South Dakota girl has been away from home for 10 weeks. She has widened her horizons and reached to new heights. She has learned to appreciate her family roots in agriculture, and she has rededicated her life to preserving rural America for many generations to come.

A cattle ranch isn't just a pretty picture with relaxing pasture tours. The chores never end, the show calves need washing, the lawn needs mowing, and there is always a thistle or two to tend to. Although the adventures of a glittering city life have come to an end for the young girl, her heart sings with the joy of returning to the family farm that she loves. She smiles wide and heads out to do the nightly chores, ready to get some dirt under her fingernails...