Maine Genetics lost forever.

[Juli N a/k/a common sense]

My intention is not to try and plug somebody's sale but to make a comment on the loss of a pool of genetics that have had a huge influence on the Maine breed.  Due to hard times i.e. drought and economy,  Charlie Phillip of Boerne, Texas has no option but to sell his cowherd.  He will be selling them on Wednesday.  The genetics that he and his father pooled over the years have had a tremendous influence on the Maine breed and are what got our cattle operation started in the 90's.  My heart breaks for Charlie and his family.  They have worked long and hard.  I can't imagine the heart break and grief of taking the last of my cows to the salebarn; years of blood sweat and tears will be gone forever.  I owe Phillip Cattle Company a huge debt of gratitude for all they have done for us.

[Jeff_Schroeder]

At the regular sale in Fredericksburg?

Boerne is on the North end of it and I hate whining about drought but damn it, it's bad.  It would take a 15" rain for some areas down here to improve to just an "extreme" drought.  Except for last August, it's been two years since we've had legitimate, sustained rain.  Before that, it was another huge drought.  This region has gone from being on the border of the Western arid climate to being smack dab in the middle of it.

[Jill]

I am so sorry to hear that, the Phillips herd was one of the great herds in the Maine Anjou breed when we first started showing.  I know the area has fought drought for the past 10 years or so it seems, what a loss of a lifes work!  We wish them well in whatever comes next and hope the sale is a huge success.

[Joe Boy]

Anyone who knows this herd knows that they bred, black, polled cows that milked...

I would like to know more about the sale.  I would love to buy a cow or two....

I am still in a drought too..... I got 7.5 inches in 24 hours the first of May with 6 inches of it hail and nothing since.  I will not make a bale of hay.  I turned the cows in on my millet today.  I did not get to bale my wheat.... and now I have lost my millet.... hope the mesquite make some beans, but we had a late freeze...

We are going to sale some heifers in September that we planned to keep...

I love the Phillips cattle....... they are the real deal...... great seed stock and you can run in any directions that you want.... so very sorry for them....
Water is being rationed at Marble Falls, not far from them...

[Juli N a/k/a common sense]

Here are the phone numbers that I have if anyone wants to contact Charlie.  830-237-2582 or 830-537-4430 or 830-537-3990. 

[chambero]

A drought like the folks are dealing with in south Texas just cuts the heart of a family.  I'm so sorry for them. 

We were in dire straight ourselves in April - we were running out of stock tank water in several pastures - worse than anytime in the previous 15 years I've been in the family.  The good Lord decided to park a big storm over us in late April and filled up everything in one day.  Since then, a little small area from about Wichita Falls toward Fort Worth has been getting fairly regular rains.  We went from desperate to more grass than we've ever had.

Hang in there as long as you can folks.  It can truly change overnight.  La Nina should give us a good chance for a wet fall and winter.

[Jeff_Schroeder]

Actually, the latest kick to the nuts news says the El Nino is back.

edit:Isn't it El Nino that ruins the change for hurricans but gives the great Fall/Winter rains any way?

[Joe Boy]

My cousin lives in Fredricksburg and is going to see if there is a sale bill.  If so I will post it...

There are lots of tough decisions having to be made by family ranchers and farmers who are 3rd or more generations of family owned farmers.  I know of several in Fredricksburg area who sold out their cattle last year.  I have bought more hay in the last two years than I have all my life.  I will be 65 in February.  Most of they hay I bought was two to four years old.  That is all gone.

My brother has raised alfalfa for years, but due to the drought he quit irrigating alfalfa last year.  No hay... His hay hauler is hauling hay from Arizona.  It is over $200 per ton, now.

[LN]

It seems like to me we've gotten lots of rain when el nino was around.

[knabe]

It seems like to me we've gotten lots of rain when el nino was around.

get ready.  probably be rainy in CA as well.  warm ocean air contains more water and when it moves over the rockies, the continental effect will magnify it.  probably a good time to fix ponds, drains, clear waterways etc.

[Jeff_Schroeder]

LN, the 1997 drought was an El Nino.  That was the year that hay got to $100/bale for the first time.

I remember that one quite vividly as it was the Summer I worked at the Gambler's and we couldn't even get the $65/bale sorghum stubble hay out of the field fast enough for the buyers.

knabe, El Nino impacts the Western states much differently than Texas.

[Joe Boy]

Charlie Phillips is selling every thing but the two year olds, due to no water.  They are hauling 60 cows ages 3-10 with one 18 year old.  30 with calves on them.

Folks this is 40 years of very selective breeding going to someone that might not understand the dreams of a family farmer.  Your heart has to be touched by their dreams being crushed.   I would bet when the last cow went on the truck today, a tear rolled down a cheek.... it did at our house last year when we sold the 14 year olds and our 18 year old.

If 60 of us would buy one cow, that would help them out ...

[chambero]

I "mispoke".  La Nina is ending and the El Nino is coming back.  They vary in intensity but this one is supposed to be fairly strong.  I'm thinking the last strong did result in a much wetter fall and winter for us in north Texas.  I thought it probably did the same thing for south Texas but haven't looked into it.

Look for any excuse you can to be hopeful!

[chambero]

Official NOAA webpage on El Nino, including a list of recent ones:

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/el-nino-story.html

Look at the graphs on precipitation predictions:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions//multi_season/13_seasonal_outlooks/color/churchill.php

I know these predictions aren't worth anything, but still maybe a little hope for an end in sight.........

[knabe]

Official NOAA webpage on El Nino, including a list of recent ones:

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/el-nino-story.html

Look at the graphs on precipitation predictions:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions//multi_season/13_seasonal_outlooks/color/churchill.php

I know these predictions aren't worth anything, but still maybe a little hope for an end in sight.........

ocean temp patterns are already changing out here.  there will probably be marlin again in SF bay.  the government is already selling water as fast as they can.  what's funny is that they noticed a decent amount of savings in broken meters, broken lines and found out they have more water for real use as opposed to losses in the system.

i remember the last el nino well.  i cleared out a storm drain in the pouring rain so i could go to work.  i hadn't noticed it was clogged and full of debris.  trees fell over like no tomorrow as the ground was completely saturated.  we have a high clay percentage out here, and for some reason, people don't like to keep waterways clear enough.  obviously small environments need the shade from trees for small critters to survive, but no clearing, either by enough animals to eat down the willows, as used to happen, has been replaced by no intervention, not even noxious weed abatement as the permitting structure is too annoying.  i was on an resource conservation district, so i know first hand essentially bribing land owners to submit proposals and they still wouldn't do it due to subsequent use restrictions.   a couple did, but not enough.

anyway, rain is coming.