Thanks for all the nice comments on heifer Chap, CAB, and everyone else-- and the help with a barn name!! My daughter always takes forever to pick a name and then usually changes it about a week later. Usually, by that time I have given them a name(sometimes not a very flattering one depending on how they treat me) and it can get real confusing. This heifer is a real sweetheart though--the Mardesen's did a really nice job of breaking her and getting her ready.
Congratulation on your successful sale, Freddy, sounds like your fall sale may work out pretty good, too. Wish you were a little closer, the steak sandwiches with onions and mushrooms sound pretty good, too!! I'd really like to get out and see your cattle some time down the road. I've also been impressed with Alias calves I've seen--we used him on a couple cows 2-3 years ago and unfortunatley neither one settled. May have to consider him again , though.
HoofHearted--the Northern Exposure Sale is put on by a group of consignors from MN, IA, SD, WI, & MO and was held for the first time here in my hometown of Northwood, IA. Previously, they had their sale north of Minneapolis but because of the TB situation in MN and the convenience of our location to two interstates they decided to move it 2-3 hours farther south. We're located just south of the IA/MN line in north central Iowa. I think the sale was started primarily by Wakefield Farms, Polzin Farms, and Zehnder Cattle in MN and possibly a few others and this year was expanded to include several more consignors.
The sale was managed by Hubert(Greg)Cattle Sales of Oakley, KS. Unfortunately, there was no website for this sale nor does Greg have a website that I can find. They had a presale social at the Diamond Jo Casino just a couple of miles from us on Friday evening before the sale because most of them were staying there at the Country Inn & Suites.
I was very impressed with the quality of cattle on this sale and although the attendance was not what I thought it might be, I'm sure the word will get out and that will improve dramatically next year. If you're looking for quality Charolais cattle you should probably keep this sale in mind for next year and come visit us.