Hello Fellow Cattlemen and CattleWomen
Hope everyone is well and looking forward to seeing some signs of Spring starting to emerge in your pasture. It has been pretty exciting for Florida CattleWomen lately. You know most women are pretty passionate about what they love, whether it is for their family, faith, community, or career. Once a woman starts loving something, it’s pretty hard to pull her away from that love. No truer words when it comes to the love shown by Florida CattleWomen. Some of the most passionate people for the Beef Industry I have ever met is Florida CattleWomen. These ladies are the one’s who will go toe to toe with a complete stranger talking about the health benefits of consuming beef, clarifying false information, and trying to turn a vegetarian into a filet mignon lover. Let’s face it, you have to be pretty passionate about something to go up against those obstacles and promote an industry that one believes in, loves, and cares for. To be a great association there needs to be an underlying passion running through it, from it’s leadership down to its’ membership. Positive Passion and God’s Blessings, go hand in hand, with a driving force to accomplish goals and realizing God is beside you in the drive to succeed, with those desires, blessings will start emerging in all shapes and sizes.
At the end of January, Florida CattleWomen came from every nook and cranny, driving up the dusty road to Barthle Brother’s Ranch in Dade City, FL. These girls were game to anything and everything, wanting to learn what cattle the Barthle’s run, what cattle health practices were practiced, to how many wild hogs they caught in their traps each night. Florida CattleWomen displayed our adaptable personalities when we vacated the flatbed trailer we were touring on, so the truck and trailer could make it up the sand hill. A special thank you goes out to the Barthle Family in taking time sharing the historical features of the ranch, as we traveled on an original stagecoach road, that once connected Brooksville, FL, to Tampa, FL. The family also shared the decades long water issues they have had with governmental agencies. We also learned about the invasive grasses; from kogan to smut grasses, to one of Mark Barthle’s most disliked invasive tree’s, the Campfor Tree, concluding with the practices they follow in gaining control of invasive vegetation. With every turn in the trail, every miss from a tree branch, to bracing for every bump the trailer went over, was meant with a great laughter and enthusiasm of CattleWomen loving the day, appreciating the cattle, and giving Blessings to the Barthle Family for giving them the opportunity to reconfirm the love they have for the ranching way of life.
Following the ranch tour that day, Florida CattleWomen traveled down the road to Bird Island Lake Ranch, where a hardy lunch awaited them, followed by that game everyone had been waiting on. After lunch, that big red kickball was brought out and aired up for the inaugural Florida Collegiate CattleWomen’s Pasture Kickball Tournament. From the start of the game, the laughter and energy of all, was on high alert, from the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to determine who would be up to kick first to our fully uniformed umpire’s, Polk County CattleWomen, Bailey Buchanon and Beth Hunt, complete with whistles and flags. Yes, the Gator Collegiate CattleWomen and UF, Plant City CattleWomen, each had their own team shirts, complete with their own strategy to play the game. Every lady played the game with the spirit only a CattleWoman would have, with every kick of the ball, dodge of the cow patty, to the slide into home base bare footed. Our Collegiate CattleWomen bonded with manure stains, dodge ball tactics to bring an out, and a great amount of laughter, one cannot duplicate those kinds of blessings. The Gator Collegiate CattleWomen went on to win the game that day, but everyone WON, in creating long lasting relationships. For an uplifting experience, please visit the Florida CattleWomen’s Facebook page, and look under the video tab, and share in the loving flow of the Barthle Brother’s Ranch Tour/Florida Collegiate CattleWomen’s Pasture Kickball Tournament video.
The following Saturday, the North Florida CattleWomen held a Get Together in GORGEOUS Monticello, FL. If there was a day to give GOD the GLORY, it would have been Saturday, February 6, 2021. On that Saturday, the weather forecast was calling for 80% chance of rain. As part of the meeting schedule, a morning ranch tour was planned at Great Mark Western. Many of the ladies were really looking forward to this great ranch tour being led by Great Mark Western’s Ranch Manager, Kevin Horne. Under cloudy skies, God held off the rain storms, so we could enjoy the beauty of this impressive ranch and how it operates. To say BLESSINGS were everywhere would be an understatement, from the minute we walked up to the covered cow pens, to the minute we loaded on the flat bed trailer, beauty was everywhere you looked, every pasture had a purpose, every piece of equipment was placed where it needed to be, and every Ultra Black Cow shined with the love and care Great Mark Western gives them. North Florida CattleWomen asked in repetition many thought out questions for Kevin. Every Florida Cattleman would have been impressed at the questions being asked. One could hang back and observe the yearning these ladies had in wanting to learn and gain knowledge to take back to their cattle operations. Following lunch in the rustic Great Mark Western Venue Building, North Florida CattleWomen got down to business discussing Beef Promotion Activities in the northern part of our state. I look forward to the many blessings from the future beef promotions that will be coming from North Florida.
On February 28th, Florida CattleWomen will be meeting at the Florida Cattlemen’s office in Kissimmee, FL, in a day long program. Beginning in the morning we will be holding workshops on “BMP’s and Ranching” presented by Florida Cattlemen’s Water Manager, Bonita Whalen, to “Key Ways of Communicating with our Politicians” presented by Florida Cattlemen’s Executive Vice President, Jim Handley. After a great lunch, Florida CattleWomen will be holding our Board of Directors/General Membership Meeting. I look forward to a special day of sharing, learning, and growing as an association that day. Stay tuned for great stories in next month’s Florida CattleWomen’s Article.
On March 6th, Florida CattleWomen will be journeying down to St. Lucie County, to spend the day at Adams Ranch, as Florida CattleWomen begin our Spring Ranch Tour Series. Florida CattleWomen is looking forward to a great day of learning how the Adams family operates their ranch as well as enjoying the beauty of this southeast Florida Ranch. Florida CattleWomen has learned many things with these Florida CattleWomen’s Ranch Tours. One thing stands out after each ranch tour, each ranch, has it’s look of beauty, and Florida CattleWomen appreciate the opportunity of becoming familiar with each ranch’s unique beauty.
Blessings come in all shapes and sizes, and Florida CattleWomen appreciates every blessing God has bestowed on us. With every new member gained, a new promise is made, to make them feel a part of this association. As Pasco County CattleWoman, Rachel Barthle so elegantly stated; “The Beef Industry is ever changing and we need everyone on board to carry us into the future.” May we keep moving forward with a passion and love for the Beef Industry!
Blessings, Casie Holloway Florida CattleWomen
