Ag development vs. Rural development

[cowman]

I don't know what's wrong with this thread but I'm only getting about two thirds of it. It's sort of cut off on the right hand side of the page. So I sort of have to read between the lines.
Now if you read that article these old boys don't even wean their calves! Just let them run out all winter with the calf on them? What happens when the cow has next years baby? I'll just bet there are a lot of dead calves who never got any milk. If this is the new way of doing things then no thanks...I don't have a wife to support me like these two guys! This system of theirs is not sustainable!!! As long as the old lady brings home the paycheck it's just all kinds of fun... get to play cowboy all day. This isn't the real world.

[Deb]

Sure it's reality. I bet most farmers and ranchers with small herds have someone in the family working in town. Nothing wrong with that. If she loses her job, she gets to stay home and grow a big garden of vegetables to supplement the meat they raise. Subsistence is good enough for a lot of people. If they are happy that's all that counts. there's no law that says we must contribute to the GNP.

[cowman]

This stupid piece of #@@#$%$% computer!! I can't even read the comments from the commies! So once again I'll "surmise" what you are saying!(oh, sorry about the commie thing!!)
No doubt, many women are out there doing their thing to keep the old homestead going....however I hope they too have bought into "fantasy world" or else I see problems on the horizon!!?

[rodbradshaw]

Deb
I have to agree with cowman on this article. There is nothing wrong with working with nature instead of against her but, both wives work in town so they pollute the enviroment by driving probably 40 miles each, each day. They probably go in different directions so there is two vehicles instead of one.The balance of their paycheck probably just pays for groceries and clothes for the job, not an exciting prospect. Subsistence living is not fun and will lead to problems down the road.

The next thing these guys will be doing is not castrating and letting natural selection take place in their herd. Like their grassland, this might work out in 20-30 years but who knows. Based on the picture these guys will not survive a drought as the ground was pretty bare.

Holistic management philosify is alright but it doesn't mean going back to living like they did 100 years ago. You have to take the knowledge that we have gained and use it to better the enviroment and your self.
Rod