Most Thankful
Angus members are most thankful for…
November is a month in which we can express our gratitude. We asked our Facebook fans to send us a photo showing the source of their thankfulness. After the top five were chosen by the editorial team, Facebook fans were able to vote for their favorite to choose the cover shot of this month's EXTRA.
Many great photos were entered to win the prize of cover photo. All photos can be viewed at the Angus Journal Facebook page. Enjoy the following explanations for what our readers give thanks.
“This picture [above] is of two very special young people. The young man is 11-year-old Seth Bidwell. He has many health issues, one being difficult for him to walk. He has always had a love for cattle and farming, so last year he decided he wanted to show. The young lady is my daughter, 16-year-old Halie Whitted.
“She has been showing for around 7 years, but she will tell you that this year has been the best because of Seth. She helped Seth with learning what to do, and she walks with him in the ring to make sure he is not hurt. The two have developed an amazing bond through this experience. I am thankful that our two families developed a bond and these two young farmers show courage, devotion and love.”
“I’m thankful my daughter had the opportunity to be involved in raising and showing Angus cattle while she was growing up. It taught her many life lessons, has provided her with educational opportunities, and has made her into the wonderful young lady she is today.
"This opportunity would not have been available if not for my dad and his wife, Al and Vicky DeClerk. All of it started with an orphaned Angus heifer in 2002, shown in this photo with my daughter Paige. Paige still has the heifer who continues to provide us with a calf every year.”
“Thankful for the opportunity to live the ‘Angus’ way of life and for my family to make their living in agriculture. This is a photo of Carter and Claire Lampe.”
“We are forever most thankful for our family. Both of our children had a difficult start into this world — one being born 8 weeks premature and the second being diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 3 weeks old. Both started out with a battle and both overcame.
“Joslyn has grown into a beautiful, smart little girl that devours any information she can about all animals and loves the outdoors. Ty conquered 29 rounds of chemotherapy, many tests, scans and surgeries and is also an avid outdoors child. He was classified as in remission this past July.
“Both our children love every aspect of our family farm and every detail that goes into raising our Angus cattle. From feeding, working, artificial insemination (AI) and the embryo process, and especially calving — they are both involved in every detail. Each have their favorites and we are very lucky to have a lifestyle that allows us to work as a family together taking care of the animals we love. We are thankful for them, their health and for every day we are given together as a family.”
“We're thankful for faith, family, friends and great Angus cattle. Mendenhall Angus Ranch is a family-operated cattle ranch. We love the relationship of working together and enjoy raising Angus cattle. In the picture is the heart and heritage of 25 years of marriage.”
“I’m thankful for the farming and ranching profession. It’s more than a job, it’s a lifestyle. It’s been handed down, generation after generation. It’s a family business and neighbors work together. I’m thankful to be a part of something so special and unique.
“This is a picture of my son and I on Big Ben, a Percheron draft horse. He belongs to the family I worked for during college. The Munson family and the staff at the farm are like family to me. You typically don’t find this kind of camaraderie in other professions. Born and raised, I’m so proud to be in the ag industry. I can’t wait to pass the tradition to my son.”
“I am thankful for our cows. God has blessed us with a good herd of Angus cattle. They are such a joy to have, watching them grow and become mothers. It’s hard to be so close to them and then lose one, like the one in this picture. We came home from church and ran off 20 buzzards that were surrounding her. She lived four days, and those days were so special. I had gotten so close to her in those four days. We did our best to save her, but she was just born so tiny and weak. God will bless you in many ways. Some are unexpected. We cherish those four days, and her memories will last a lifetime.”
“We are thankful for the docility of our Angus cattle. This is my niece, Paighton Witt, just hanging out at the fair.”
“Ever since I was a toddler, I can remember working with my mom and dad’s Holstein steers. Now that I am a young adult, I have researched the Angus breed and wanted to branch off on my own journey, but with Angus.
“So, after years of talking and pestering my parents, my lifelong journey finally began with the purchase of a registered-Angus bred heifer. I am thankful that my family supports the business that I am starting, and are willing to give the shirt off their backs to help me get on with my endeavors. This is a picture of when my parents’ Holstein steers and my heifer were meeting for the first time — it was like watching a Western showdown; they stared at each other waiting for the first move to be made! Frankie (my bred heifer) is the main drive that gets me through the week at college, just so I can see her on the weekends!”
“I’m thankful for enough rain to make the hay grow, enough hay to feed our cattle this winter, and the opportunity to farm with my husband and family. I’m thankful that we are able to make a living doing what we love together!”
“This is Duke. He was my dad’s farm buddy. He loved playing with the cattle and running as fast as he could to chase whoever was out checking or feeding. I am thankful to have captured this picture because he was a joyful dog. About two weeks after this was taken, Duke was hit by a car. I'm thankful to have this memory of him.”
“Thankful for the love of Angus cattle that we share with our family at LeBeouf Farms.”
“My husband and I, both big city raised, were blessed to discover Angus cattle on an early date to the county fair and to spend our life together, with our children, raising them. I was also blessed to have been executive secretary of the Maryland Angus Association for 18 years and the Pennsylvania Angus Association for four years before that. And blessed, too, have known all our Angus friends and been a part of it all.”
From Twitter, fans could tweet their thanks using the hashtag #AngusThanks.
Rachel LaFranchi (@RachelLaFranchi) said, “I am thankful for all the Angus cattle that have helped to pay for my college education! #angusthanks”
