As the fourth generation of the Grisedale Ranch, I’ve been able to experience 16 years of a ranch that is constantly working to improve techniques to make beef production safer, more humane and more efficient.

I’m what you might call an unconventional cattlewoman. When I tell folks I hail from south-central Pennsylvania, cattle country isn’t the first thing they think of. They find it hard to believe that Pennsylvania ranks 20th in the nation for beef production and is home to approximately 1.6 million head of cattle.

For producers to capture the most value from their calf crop, a carefully planned marketing strategy is essential. A critical component of developing a marketing strategy is having an understanding of the factors that influence calf prices.

In March 2011, a report from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) was published titled “The Diverse Structure and Organization of U.S. Beef Cow-Calf Farms.” It’s probably not a surprise to anyone associated with the beef industry that the title itself provides an accurate description of this segment of our industry.

You know about it – the view from 60,000 feet that non-rural folks refer to as “flyover” country. But how many people really see the big picture from far enough away to take in its immensity and yet take that view and build a legacy on it?

The art of growing and baling high-quality hay is a skill some possess, while some managers lack detail or timing.

Equipment maintenance is a logical part of baling high-quality hay for most operations. Off-season care is just as important as regular-season maintenance.

Over the past decade, the ethanol industry has created quite a stir in both the corn and livestock industries.

I’ve never been very superstitious. I’ve never used the services of a fortune teller, shaman or palm reader and I think the predictions offered up by a stargazer are as reliable as the defroster in my old 1964 Chevy pickup was. And Chinese food advice is as hollow as the inside of the fortune cookie it comes in. I don’t eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day or any other day for that matter. And other than having a fear of heights, I’d have no trouble staying on the 13th floor of a hotel, if they had them. I even wore jersey number 13 when my basketball coach in high school assigned it to me. I don’t carry on my person a lucky penny, four-leaf clover or rabbit’s foot, and black cats and ladders don’t scare me.

I was visiting with Bill in Alabama. He’s a cattleman, a bit of a philosopher and a constant worrier. I mentioned that one of my friends had sold a set of 520-pound feeder cattle for $1.99 a pound! That’s more than $1,000 a head! “I know,” said Bill, “I’ve sold some myself but … ” then he paused and added, “I’m wondering if the price is getting too high?” I cast a skeptical eye but he was serious. “Whattaya mean?” I asked.