“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover.” Author Unknown

Since the winter of 2007 we have been blessed with the presence of a pair of bald eagles.  They visit every year at this time and many times bring with them a juvenile eagle or two.  I wish the pictures I have were of them soaring in clear blue skies, but it seems our eagles visit the ranch during the bleakest part of the year.  The skies of late January and the month of February in Kansas are often gray, overcast and, in general, depressing and not too pretty.   The first time we noticed the pair in the pasture closest to our headquarters, I tried for days to sneak up on them to get a good picture.  Can’t you just picture me crouching down, moving from rock to rock, hiding behind trees, doing my best impression of Indiana Jones?  I did this for nearly a mile, circling around them, thinking I was going to sneak up on them from behind and snap a picture.  Good thinking Kim… SNEAKING up on an eagle… RIGHT!!!!  I seem to have forgotten all of those little facts about the sharpness of an eagle’s eyesight I learned from all those years of watching Animal Kingdom.  The only thing my little adventure accomplished was to whet my appetite for a really big, expensive zoom lens!!  As it turns out, the secret to taking a decent picture of the eagles was to simply drive up to them in the feed truck and snap the picture out of the window.  They had become so accustom to Mark feeding the cows around them that they sat perfectly still for him as he drove right up to them to take the picture.  So much for my stint as Indiana Jones!  We look forward to the arrival of our bald eagles every year.  They are an awe-inspiring sight.  Their strength and power are matched only by their beauty.  I think they come to us during this difficult time on the ranch to remind us that strength of character is honed through the sharpness of adversity and there is always hope on the horizon for those who endure. 

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31

The pictures below are of trucks waiting as we load out the last of our spring calving cowherd.  Today was a bittersweet day for all of us.  We have been working toward moving our calving season entirely to the fall so we are able to concentrate on our customers and their needs during the spring.  As with anything, change is exciting and intimidating at the same time.  These cows were the matriarchs of our herd.  They were the last of the spring cows to leave our ranch for a reason… they were the foundation of what we are today.  It was sad to watch them head to their new ranch home.  I’ll miss seeing every one of these cows standing in our pastures.  However the exciting part of this move is that they are going to the ranch of some very good friends who will now become partners with us in providing the best genetics possible for our customers.  Mark and I are excited about the future of this venture and thankful to embark on it with such good friends. 

As you can see by this last picture, the day is coming to a close as the shadows are getting longer and the sun is casting a golden glow.  My computer says it is 46 degrees out right now… not bad for February the 13^th in Kansas.  Our eagles have moved on this week; a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.  I am anticipating the arrival of the new season with hope and optimism.  Cade and Payton just ran in from doing chores all out of breath.  It seems they saw “like a million turkeys back in the trees in the horse pasture”.  I’m not sure what they think they’re going to do with them, but they are packing binoculars and a few snacks and heading out the door again.  It sounds like another adventure is brewing on Harms Plainview Ranch.  Until next time…. Kim

A New Beginning! 

“Dreams are renewable.  No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” – Dr. Dale Turner

Harms friend and neighbor, Kevin Hill, bringing cows and calves into pens for breeding.

Harms friend and neighbor, Dusty Bina, bringing fall cows in for breeding.

As I bring this entry to a close, I think of our children.  I am including pictures of our three children on Christmas Eve 2001 sitting on their Daddy’s knee and again on Christmas Eve 2009 in the same position.  Typically these pictures would make me long for the past, but this time I believe I’ll look at them as an example of the promise of the future.  How fun to imagine what kind of adults they will become and where their own dreams and passions will lead them.

Hey…the Harms children here.  I’m Cade.  My little brother, Payton, my older sister, Taylor and I are here to do the very first edition of the Harms Children Blog.  Taylor, Payton and I want to tell you about the average week of a ranch family.

As you probably know, we are now going into a winter wonderland.  Even though the snow is pretty fun to play in, it can be very hard on a rancher.  Winter is usually when ranchers can lose a lot of their calves.  It also makes us have to chop ice in the ponds so the cattle can drink.

Now, just because we live in the country doesn’t mean we don’t participate in city activities.  We play basketball, football, baseball and my sister runs cross country.  Have you seen those movies when they make the country people look dumb?  Well if you believe those movies, you must believe the world is flat!  We are very bright people and quick thinkers.  How do you suppose we get our difficult jobs done?

It has been snowing for the past day and we had no school because of it.  On our snow day from school, Payton and I decided to shovel snow to scrape up some extra money for Christmas.  When we came in, we were FREEZING!  We also had to feed the bottle calves, the other calves in the barn, our dog and cats.

                                                            Cade, Payton and Taylor Harms

Ranch Family Blog

Character Revealed Every Day! 

“True character is revealed when you come face to face with adversity.”

I cut the quote above out of a magazine when I was in high school in the ‘80s. The clipping is yellowed and worn. It hung on my bulletin board throughout college; it was tacked to my cubicle at my first job in the “real” world, taped to my computer screen in graduate school and now sits on my desk in our office at the ranch. I have no idea where it came from, but this little quote has given me comfort and motivated me during times of trial for more than two decades, and we’re getting close to THREE. To this day, I truly believe tough times bring out the depth of a person’s character. It is easy to be kind and live by your values when life is sweet, but the core of a person’s being is revealed when the world seems to circle overhead like a flock of vultures.

As I have said in previous entries, starting your own business from the ground up is never easy, but compound that with starting your own business in the industry of agriculture, and the trials and tribulations seem to be mountainous. So many things out of your control can quickly effect your bottom-line. Too much rain, not enough rain, hail, rapidly climbing expenses and a political tug-of-war with another country can decide if farmers and ranchers remain in business for another year, let alone for another generation to enjoy. Interestingly enough, the onset of a pandemic flu that has absolutely NO CONNECTION to your livestock species, but unfortunately bears the name “swine” in its unofficial nickname, can also decide the business fate of farmers and ranchers. Our increasing population demands more production of food in a more efficient manner, yet it becomes increasingly difficult for young people to return to production agriculture as a career.

Adversity truly does reveal the depth of character people possess. As producers, we are told that if consumers truly knew us and a little bit about our families and the commitment we have for producing food for the people of the world, they would rest easy in the integrity of their food supply. From someone who is deeply entrenched in this industry, I am here to say our food supply is in the hands of people who care about others and the animals under our care, and who strive to do things right each day. What a comfort that brings to me, as a mother of three, when I put food on our table. 

I have come to realize there is more truth to my little quote than I ever imagined and it goes further than I believed. True character is not only revealed in the adversity we face, but it is honed to sharpness by our everyday responses to the opportunities and challenges presented to us each and every day.

This week we are freeze-branding our fall yearlings and preparing for the fall breeding season. I look forward to sharing our life and the adventures we are about to embark on with all of you. 

“Ranch Family Blog” authors, Mark and Kim Harms, own and operate the Harms Plainview Ranch along with their children Taylor, Cade and Payton. Together, they raise Angus, Red Angus and Charolais cattle — their children represent the fifth generation to work on the land they call home. Their ranch is headquartered on Kim’s family’s 120-year-old homestead. 

Ranch Family Blog

Harvest

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.

 – Robert Louis Stevenson

It’s harvest time at our ranch! The word harvest probably invokes images of combines in the fields for most of you. In Kansas, this time of year, farmers are busy harvesting corn, milo and soybeans. Some ranchers are doing the same thing, but many, like us, are harvesting their crops solely for the purpose of feeding their livestock through the winter months. All summer, we have had a beautiful corn field directly across from our house. With abundant rains, the ears grew large and the stalks grew tall. We have had the most fun watching the wildlife enjoy our cornfield. Many different animals made their home in the cornfield across from the house and the predators enjoyed abundant hunting among the stalks. Our German Shepherd puppy often disappeared in the field for hours hunting mice, rats and rabbits. Unfortunately, she brought many of her prizes to the house to show off to her family, including a snake or two. The kids and I enjoyed seeing the smaller wildlife in the mornings and evenings, but the most exciting events were when a bobcat or coyote was seen strolling along the rows next to our house.            

Two weeks ago the custom cutters arrived at our place to harvest the corn for the purpose of making silage to feed our cows. I tried to capture the process in pictures to share with all of you. It’s amazing to watch the trucks drive next to the chopper in a line. They don’t stop in-between trucks. As one truck is filled and starts to pull away from the cutter, the next truck in line drives up with no pause in the action. It takes skill and a great deal of teamwork to pull off the process smoothly and without mishap. I’ve driven one of those trucks before and it’s exciting as you wait your turn to pull up in just the right spot. One job I don’t think I’d have the nerve to do is to pack the silage. After the trucks leave the cutter they drive to the place the rancher wants to pile his silage. They dump their bounty and a big tractor with a blade on front pushes the silage into a pile and drives up and over it several times to pack it tight. Packing is very important to make sure the silage doesn’t spoil and go to waste, but ferments and makes good quality feed for the cattle all winter. 

Mark completed graduate courses at K-State in ruminant nutrition. Although genetics and animal breeding are his passion, he will tell you one of his favorite jobs on the ranch is to feed the cattle on those really cold, snowy mornings. He loves feeding silage to the cattle when it’s cold, because the silage-mixed feed is warm and steamy due tothe fermentation process it undergoes. He says it reminds him of how he feels when he has a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast on a cold day.  It’s just another example of how ranchers care for the animals under their charge. 

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. – Og Mandino

As for our kids, school, sports, music lessons and 4-H meetings have taken the place of livestock shows, rinsing and working with their heifers and walking the goats. Mark and I genuinely miss having them around all day long. Everything out here is much more enjoyable when the entire family is around to help. All three of them still have plenty of chores to do when they get home from school or whatever practice they may have each day. For Mark and I, that is part of the “seeds” we plant with our children. Our hope is that no matter what career they choose, Taylor, Cade and Payton will always respect this way of life and the lessons of hard work, diligence, patience, faith and persistence in the face of adversity learned from growing up on our ranch. I guess Mark and I will have to wait a few years to truly enjoy “our harvest.”

 Taylor cheering.

 Cade playing flag football.

 Payton playing flag football.

Ranch Family Blog

Babies, babies, babies

“All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

   The Lord God made them all.” – Cecil Frances Alexander

Sunrise at our ranch, viewed from our porch.

Fall is my favorite season on the ranch. The air has a crisp feel to it in the morning and warms to the sun in the afternoon. Many people call it “football weather,” but I like to think of it as “porch sitting” weather. After the kids get on the bus, the sun starts to come up, and Mark and I like to eat our breakfast out on the porch and listen to the ranch animals wake up. We calve in the fall and spring, so at this time of the year, you can hear the cows calling to their calves, an owl hooting in the tree as it gets ready to go to sleep for the day, our pup as she harasses the nearest cat and an occasional coyote talking to its’ closest neighbor. Right now, we are in the middle of weaning the spring calves so for a few days we will have them noisily complaining until they settle into life as a young adult. As much as I love all of these sounds, my favorite part of our life right now is discovering the newest additions to our cowherd. Some of the cows are proud to show off their new calves, and others like to hide them for days and lead you in the wrong direction when you try to find their calves.  

Within the first few hours of birth, Mark weighs each calf and tags it so we can identify it and trace it back to its’ sire and dam. He carves each tag, individually, with a dremel tool. He puts the calf’s individual ID number, its’ sire’s name and dam’s number on each tag. He checks the calf to make sure it is healthy and nursing, its’ mother is okay and looks to see if it is a heifer or a bull. He then goes back to his office and records all the data so I can enter it in the computer. During the first couple weeks of fall calving this year, we were getting anywhere from 22 to 10 new calves a day, so they kept Mark hopping just trying to keep up with his weighing, tagging and record keeping. Every calf in our herd has complete records that will be updated frequently throughout its’ life. All of this information will be turned in to the appropriate breed association, and each calf will be registered so we can keep track of its’ pedigree and performance data. All of this is done so we can produce the best possible seedstock for our customers, so they in return can deliver a safe and superior product for consumers. It is a demanding and labor-intensive job, but ranching is not just a career choice, but it’s a way of life. Mark and I are convinced that you don’t choose ranching for a vocation, it chooses you, and it seems to choose you from a very young age.  

Mark weighing a new calf.

Checking over the calf after weighing.

Mark has shown me his drawings of a cattle ranch he did at a young age, with trucks bearing his name going out to deliver bulls to his customers. I remember with fondness many days spent with just me and my horse enjoying the countryside. No television program, party or event was more important to me than time spent in the saddle. Both Mark and I graduated college with career opportunities that would take us to the city with wonderful, challenging jobs. Yet, both of us experienced a call to come back to the country to raise our family in the middle of a dream that started for both of us when we were children. The path is not always easy or pleasant, but as with anything you are passionate about, the struggle makes the accomplishment that much sweeter. Our family is a living, breathing testament to the fact that dreams really do come true.

It is our mission to care for the creatures God has put in our charge to the best of our ability, to do our best to contribute positively to the American beef industry, and to treat our customers with respect, honesty and integrity and to earn their trust through our sound business practices. This is a charge Mark and I take very seriously, and it all starts with a newborn calf nestled in a clump of long grass taking its’ first breath. What a wonderful life! 

“Ranch Family Blog” authors, Mark and Kim Harms, own and operate the Harms Plainview Ranch along with their children Taylor, Cade and Payton. Together, they raise Angus, Red Angus and Charolais cattle — their children represent the fifth generation to work on the land they call home. Their ranch is headquartered on Kim’s family’s 120-year-old homestead.

Ranch Family Blog

Teamwork

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington

Our entire family is sports crazy. Football probably tops the list, but you can find all five of us jumping up and down and cheering at the television as we watch a good race, human or horse, swim competition, Tiger Woods’ latest great shot or an amazing hit in a beach volleyball match. We all have our favorite players that we follow loyally. Most of them are products of the KSU Wildcat Football program who have gone on to succeed in the NFL, but without fail, all of them are humble athletes who are quiet in their demeanor, fierce competitors who never give up, gracious when they lose and team-oriented when they win. We seek out those athletes who are good role models on the field and off. A lot of good lessons can be learned from participating in sports and following the careers of athletes who are strong leaders. Mark and I encourage our kids to become involved in sports so they can learn the value of teamwork and a strong work ethic. However, what we’ve come to realize, is that our children are not only learning those lessons on the field or in the gym, but right here at home on the ranch.

All three of our children are very different in their personalities, temperaments, talents and abilities. I’m sure all of you parents out there can attest to the same thing in your families. When Taylor came along, I couldn’t imagine loving another child as much as I did her. When Cade joined our family I felt like we were complete … one girl, one boy … our hearts were overflowing … how could we possibly feel this passionate about another living soul. Then along came Payton and Mark, and I realized how truly amazing God is. He gave us three children who are ours to love and raise and who are so different from each other. It is at that moment that I completely understood what it means to love and appreciate each person you come in contact with for their own unique characteristics. Each person is truly unlike anyone else in this world and cannot be pigeon-holed into some group we like to label.

Because of their appreciation of each other’s unique abilities they can accomplish a lot of things that I really don’t think they’ll be able to. They surprise me all the time by showing me what they have built outside or how they have come up with a new way of doing something that makes things go smoother. This works for feeding bottle calves, washing show heifers, catching kittens in the hayloft and cleaning out stalls. It doesn’t matter what the task, these two boys have learned that being part of a team where you capitalize on each other’s strengths is the greatest asset one can have. You are witnessing one of those moments in the pictures I took of the two boys climbing the big round bale of prairie hay. Both of them originally wanted to get on top to enjoy the view. Cade quickly realized that he was not agile enough to climb up on his own and that Payton was not strong enough to help him reach the top. So, he decided that he could use his strength so at least one of them could enjoy the view. When Cade finally was able to boost Payton to the top of the bale, Payton quickly told Cade about the things he could see from up there and gave his brother credit for being the strongest one of the two. Cade sacrificed for Payton, and Payton lifted his brother, in return, by thanking him and giving him credit for the accomplishment. In the end, both of them gained confidence in themselves, trust in each other and enjoyed success in the moment.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants”
 – Isaac Newton

I’d like to think Mark and I have learned much the same thing in building this ranch and raising our children together. We don’t hold “traditional” roles in our business and family. You definitely wouldn’t think that on the days you see me covered in cow manure or see Mark coming in early to help one of our children with homework. However, we do try to utilize each other’s strengths when deciding who would be best at accomplishing a certain task. Each New Year’s Eve, Mark and I sit down together and establish ranch, family and personal goals for the coming year. In the beginning, many of our personal/professional goals were very similar. What we’ve discovered in the last 19 years is that sometimes an individual must sacrifice a personal gain for the good of the team. The amazing thing is if you are blessed to be part of a true team … than if one individual succeeds in a goal or dream, the entire team/family succeeds. Our family will remain “sports nuts,” but God willing, our children will continue to learn teamwork from being part of our family and this ranch.

We are calving fall cows, finishing up the summer cattle shows, weaning spring calves and getting ready for fall bull sales, so teamwork is becoming more important on a daily basis. Please visit our blog again soon as I’m sure I’ll have many stories to share from our family life on the ranch — never a dull moment!

“Ranch Family Blog” authors, Mark and Kim Harms, own and operate the Harms Plainview Ranch along with their children Taylor, Cade and Payton. Together, they raise Angus, Red Angus and Charolais cattle — their children represent the fifth generation to work on the land they call home. Their ranch is headquartered on Kim’s family’s 120-year-old homestead.

Ranch Family Blog

The Race is On

“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

Well, the last county fair is complete, we enjoyed a short vacation, and we now find ourselves relishing in the last few days of having our children home with us all day. The race has begun. We started bringing fall cows home from summer pasture to calve here at home, school shopping is done, backpacks are packed and the kids are getting excited for their first day of school. Soon, fall school activities, football, cross country, calving fall cows and the mad dash to the holidays will consume our days.  

Payton showing his goat, "Sue."

Cade with "Tootsie," his angus heifer.

Taylor was 2nd in the senior division of the Marion Co. Livestock Judging Contest and first in reasons.

I am so thankful we took the time to squeeze in a short vacation to the Wyoming and Colorado mountains. We always enjoy spending unscheduled time just being a family and enjoying the very different personalities our children bring to the mix. It would be wrong of me to write this blog without including the fun of our county fair. Although our kids spend all year working on their projects, especially their animals — which are very labor intensive to say the least — the best memories of the fair are not of ribbons and trophies won, but of time spent with good friends. Of course, memories of the annual water fight and tank dunking escapades land pretty high up on the list for all three of our kids…especially when they can claim the honor of getting an unaware adult soaking wet. That is always a highlight of the fair.

Once the fair is complete, our family takes a few days to unwind and enjoy each other’s company on a vacation. This year, we decided to head to Wyoming and Colorado to enjoy the cool mountain air. At the end of each day, I always ask what each person’s favorite part of the day was. It always amazes me how different the answers are. Of course the sighting of a bull moose or an elk with a large rack is a pretty natural response, but singing songs to the radio, watching a man paint a mountain scene or a really good cup of hot chocolate in the crisp morning mountain air tend to surprise me. Life really is experienced best in the little details of the day, not so much in the momentous occasions of the year.

Summer vacation 

Summer vacation. 

Summer vacation. 

Summer vacation. 

We were home from vacation barely 24 hours and it seemed like my head was about to explode. Boy, am I glad we took time to relax before the race started. We brought the majority of our fall calving cows home from summer pasture, so they can calve close to home. We like them close, as it is easier for us to keep a watchful eye out for them and so Mark can weigh and tag each calf as soon as it’s born. Gathering cows is always an adventure, as you just never know what to expect when you’re working with animals. This particular morning, about a fourth of the herd decided they really didn’t want to go in the catch pen and would rather run around the pond and scatter. A little patience and perseverance found them all standing quietly in the pen by the end of the afternoon…just a FEW HOURS later than we anticipated. Of course, this was happening in an area where we had no cell service and, at the same time, Taylor, our daughter, was stranded in town after a livestock judging practice with no way to get home or call us. Thanks to grandparents who live close and are constantly “on call,” she made it home safely. Meanwhile the cows were all loaded on trucks and safely brought home to pastures closer to home. Once we were done for the day, it felt good to have accomplished so much. Hard physical labor is good for the soul. I am also thankful for two young boys who were responsible enough to take care of their chores alone with only one major argument to tell me about. 

 Gathering fall cows.

Taylor and I went shopping for school supplies the next day. I try very hard NOT to take the two boys with us shopping, as they tend to get extremely bored with “girl stuff.” I enjoyed a wonderful day with our daughter, although I spent most of the time in amazement that we have a sophomore in high school. Honestly, I don’t know where the time has gone. I know you hear that a lot, but it is so incredibly true. I stare at her trying to get past the fact that I still see a shy little blonde curly-headed, blue-eyed, five-year-old excited for her first day of kindergarten. The boys will be in fifth and fourth grade respectively, and Cade takes much glee in reminding me that he will soon be in middle school and that high school will be right around the corner. I don’t know why he finds so much amusement in making me feel old. 

Jeremiah Stang

Jeremiah Stang

As you begin your own personal daily race, remember to take the time to hug the members of your family tight and let them know you love them simply for who they are…each day we have together is a precious gift.

“Ranch Family Blog” authors, Mark and Kim Harms, own and operate the Harms Plainview Ranch along with their children Taylor, Cade and Payton. Together, they raise Angus, Red Angus and Charolais cattle — their children represent the fifth generation to work on the land they call home. Their ranch is headquartered on Kim’s family’s 120-year-old homestead.