Good Neighbors
Cattlemen share what it means to be a good neighbor.
It’s part of “The Code of the West” … or the East, North or South, for that matter. Like hospitality, fair play, loyalty and respect for the land, most cattle folk rank neighborliness among their unwritten rules of personal conduct. While they tend to be of the independent and self-reliant sort, cattle producers usually see value in being on friendly terms with their neighbors.
For an Angus Journal article featured in the August 2015 issue, we asked representatives of different kinds of cattle operations located in different parts of the country to explain what they think it takes to be a good neighbor. They graciously agreed to tell about their efforts to maintain neighborly relations with other area farmers and ranchers, as well as the nonagricultural people residing in their respective communities. We’ll share one example here and refer you to the Journal article for the remainder.
Kraft Livestock, Fort Collins, Colo.
Urban sprawl has brought Colorado’s fourth-most-populous city ever nearer the cattle and farming operation of Bob Kraft and his family. On the farm where he was born and raised, Kraft cultivates some 1,200 acres of feed crops and maintains a 3,500-head capacity backgrounding yard. Kraft’s two sons are involved, but also run their own cow-calf enterprise.
Just a half-mile away are the Fort Collins city limits. Conscious of his urban neighbors and wanting to foster a positive image for the beef industry in addition to his family’s business, Kraft emphasizes good stewardship. He tries to demonstrate a neighborly concern for how the operation impacts the community’s appearance and the environment.
“We try to keep the place looking neat by not letting trash and junk accumulate and keeping the weeds mowed,” explains Kraft. “We clean our feedlot pens regularly and disc in manure as soon as it’s spread on our fields. That helps hold down odor. And we control the flies using predatory wasps.”
Kraft has been actively involved in the community by maintaining memberships in area organizations and serving on governing boards. He’s supportive of the local and state cattlemen’s associations, too.
“A big part of being a good neighbor is recognizing when people need help and then doing what you can for them,” says Kraft. “We all need help sooner or later.”
Other viewpoints featured in the Angus Journal article include those of Liz Babcock, Adams Land & Cattle LLC, Broken Bow, Neb.; Ben Eggers, Sydenstricker Genetics, Mexico, Mo.; Abbie Nelson, Five Star Land & Livestock, Wilton, Calif.; and Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch, Ranchester, Wyo. The article anchored the “Being a Good Neighbor” theme, the final key featured in the magazine’s “35 Keys to Success” series, which celebrated 35 years of ownership by the American Angus Association. All articles in the series are archived online at www.api-virtuallibrary.com/35keys/index.html.
Editor’s Note: Troy Smith is a freelance writer and cattleman from Sargent, Neb.