Baxter Black

Today, I was listening to an audio clip on one of my newest favorite blogs done by Amanda Nolz called www.chewingthecud.org. Amanda, a college student from South Dakota State University and ranch kid who served as the National Beef Ambassador, is a wonderful advocate for the beef industry.

Recently, this young 19 year old had the priviledge of interviewing cowboy poet Baxter Black. I'm sure most of you know who Baxter is...he writes and recites cowboy poetry, writes a column about ranching adventures and is incredbly funny. The first time I ever heard of him was when he spoke at the National Block and Bridle meeting in Denver. I fell in love with his humor, bought one of his books and have been a fan ever since. His column appears next to mine in the Farmers' Advance and every time I hear Big Daddy laughing I know he's reading Baxter's column. He usually feels compelled to share and he reads it to the rest of us. The next best thing to Baxter himself has to be my southern born husband reading Baxter Blacks stuff. We all end up in a giggling mess.

In the interview, Baxter was sharing a story from his childhood growing up on a farm, feeding chickens and milking an Ayrshire cow. Yes, mom, an Ayrshire. While I listened to him tell of his experience with a mean rooster, the thought occured to me that the story he was relating could've been told by countless farm boys all across our nation. That same story could've happened here on the Knolltop.

It's always amazing to me that here we are miles apart, farm folk scattered around the country, down dirt roads and over vast prairies, ranging in age from ten years old to sixty years old all enjoying the same experiences we call farm life. There is just none like it.

Hey, I think I just wrote my column for next week! :)