Much has changed in the Gem State since the gold rush, although a few vestiges endure. Rooted in practicality and steeped in history, cattle brands remain an important tool for ranchers in the state.

I’ve been hanging around for a decade or two. I’ve had some good luck, but I’ll bet I’m like you.

I am a firm believer that attending these events are crucial for the success and improvement of the cattle industry, but the loveliest thing to me is the fact that nobody has to do it.

Raising the best kids, cattle and corn – in that order – is the goal of Jesse and Michelle Weber of Weber Land and Cattle in Lake Benton, Minnesota.

“Somewhere down in Texas” could be the start of countless phrases related to the cattle industry. Somewhere down in Texas, someone is working cows, saddling a horse for a long day or preparing to sell their calves at the local sale barn.

When most ranchers describe unforgiving conditions, they often think of high-mountain cattle or those hunkering down for a long, drawn-out winter.