I survived my week away and so did my mom and the farm!
I flew out from International Falls last Monday and, despite the flight being delayed due to a mechanical issue causing me to miss my connecting flight from Minneapolis to Nashville, it was a really great week.
I cannot say enough good things about the Falls airport, who went out of their way to keep us occupied and fed while we waited – they even set up a bingo game to pass the time. They had to get a mechanic in from Bemidji, so there was quite a wait.
Thankfully, once I did arrive in Minneapolis there was a later connection to Nashville that was all rebooked for me.
I made the trip to attend the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention (a.k.a. Cattle Con 2026). It was a record-setting attendance year, with more than 9,400 people attending from many countries. That sounds like a lot, but it was so well spread out that you never felt like you were crowded anywhere.
I attended many great sessions and also went to see a Nashville Predators game. They played the Minnesota Wild and there were many Minnesota fans in the crowd, so I joined in and cheered for them.
They held a special night at the Grand Ole Opry for us convention delegates and it well worth attending. If you haven’t been to Nashville, put it on your list! The Opry is a legendary American country‑music stage show that has been running since 1925. It helped launch the careers of icons like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Garth Brooks.
We stayed downtown and walked everywhere. It was great, and I don’t know if I have ever visited a friendlier place. Everyone was pleasant and thankful that you were there. I am thankful that Beef Farmers of Ontario had me attend this conference and even more thankful for my mom and friends at home who helped out so I could make it.
At home, the cows are showing signs of calving, but I think I have a bit of time yet. I do have one cow pulled into the shed with the new calf Fireball and her mother that I think could be the next one. It is difficult to say yet, but she is my guess.
It looks like we have made it through the deep freeze, and I can honestly say when you leave the house and it doesn’t hurt to take a breath that it takes a lot of the stress out of things. I still have a few little jobs that I need to do before I am knee deep in calves, but the big, more difficult action items are crossed off the list.
I really did miss my ski club and all but one of us were out of town last week, so we were happy to meet back up on the weekend and get skiing again. My trail has to be rerouted because of the beaver dam flood, but it looks like a great week to get outside.
This past Sunday was Food Freedom Day. This simply means that you have worked enough this year now to pay for the food you will eat this year! We hear lots of complaints about the cost of food, but when you look at it this way it certainly seems a lot more reasonable. Feb. 10 is Canada’s Ag Day, where we all need to celebrate the great food that we produce and enjoy in this great country! Raise a glass of milk on the 10th when you sit down and enjoy a juicy burger or steak!
