Our Shade Havens always bring questions when people see them on the farm. Here is a feature article that Shade Haven recently did about our farm and why we use Shade Havens.

Turning the Page: Soldier to Rancher

When Marine Corps Lt. Colonel Jason Smith retired from the military and took over his 130+ year-old family farm, he made a major lifestyle change. He also significantly changed the way the farm operated. This fifth generation rancher in Mt. Hermon, Louisiana, implemented regenerative grazing practices that enrich the soil and ensure he can leave the farm in better shape for the next generation.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING……………

Is farm talk boring?

My kids would probably answer with a resounding yes!

While farm talk might be considered boring, it is important for future farmers to understand the reasons for embracing change and the reasons for respecting tradition.

Some of the changes that have been made on Smith Angus farm were to ensure that our farm survives another generation.

If the prices in the grocery stores are any indication of where things are headed, farming knowledge could be very important in the near future for many people. 

Give a listen to this podcast from The U.S. Sustainability Alliance about Respecting Tradition While Embracing Change. My interview begins around the 15 minute mark, but Chip Council from Maryland has great insight as he is a 10th generation farmer!“In the United States, around 98 percent of farms are family owned and operated. And many of these farmers want to continue their family tradition by handing down their operation in better shape to the next generation. That takes hard work, dedication, and a continuous focus on doing what’s best for the land and the business.

”In the United States, around 98 percent of farms are family owned and operated. And many of these farmers want to continue their family tradition by handing down their operation in better shape to the next generation. That takes hard work, dedication, and a continuous focus on doing what’s best for the land and the business. In the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability, we hear from two multi-generational farmers – an eleventh-generation grains farmer from Maryland and the owner of a centennial cattle farm in Louisiana – about how they have moved with the times while staying true to their roots. We cover rotational grazing, no-till cultivation, water conservation, biotech seeds, and more. And we discuss why going back to the natural cycle is sometimes the best approach.”

A moment of rest after a very exhausting Washington Parish Free Fair

Did you know that no one gets strong from lifting weights?  It’s true.  You only get strong by resting after lifting weights.  The act of lifting weights is stressful, tiring, and painful at times.  The same is true of exercise of any kind really.  In order to provide a benefit, there has to be a period of stress.  But the secret is that the stress by itself is only half of the process.  The stress has to be followed by a period of rest and recovery.  

I know that many of our customers are aware of the efforts of the Washington Parish Sheriff to force us to violate state law and charge our customers sales tax for our farm-raised products.  For those that may not know the story, his efforts over the last year certainly caused stress on our family, business and finances.  We had our day in court and thankfully the recently released judge’s decision confirmed what everyone (except the Sheriff apparently) already knew; our products are farm raised.  

So now we are in a period of rest.   It's only been a little over a week but already there are some significant ways that we are getting stronger.  Perhaps the most obvious way we’ve improved is that our website and Facebook page have been transformed into something more professional and helpful to customers.  Our price list is posted along with ordering information and will soon be accompanied by an online ordering process.  

A less obvious, but incredibly meaningful, way we’ve gotten stronger is in the relationships with our customers and supporters.  It’s been a very humbling and grateful experience for Rebekah and I over the last week to hear how much support we have from our community, fellow business owners, and fellow farmers.  If you’re reading this, you’re probably part of that group!

Knowing that people are rooting for us strengthens us in ways that I wouldn’t expect and connects us to each other in ways that bolster our resolve.  I realize it’s hard for others to appreciate how thankful Rebekah and I are to those of you that support us, but please know that we are so thankful that you choose to connect with us.  

-Jason

We recently shared an article written by BY FAIMON A. ROBERTS III of Nola.com on our Facebook page. The article discussed the fact that we were fighting for something that the law spelled out pretty clearly. To say the last few months caused stress on the farm would be putting it lightly. We sat on pins and needles waiting for the judgment. Roberts wrote a wonderful piece, so I’ll let you read his words that explained the situation perfectly. (Just click the picture below to read the article)

We were unaware at the time the article was released, but the judge had already made his decision on the issue. The paperwork just somehow didn’t get processed as quickly as it should have. Either way, it was a victory for Smith Angus and other local farms. (Read the updated article by clicking the pictures below)

I don’t think any of us at Smith Angus expected the outpouring of support we would receive from people across the state and nation. It just solidifies that we do in fact live in a great nation.

We quickly realized that the time has come to evaluate the day-to-day operations in regard to orders. It’s pretty hard to take an order while cutting hay or moving cows to a new field.

Due to the high demand for our products, we are reevaluating our ordering process to make it easier for you to purchase high-quality meat for your family. Please be patient as we work to enhance your experience with Smith Angus in the coming weeks!

Thank you for sharing our story and supporting our family farm!

This is a bit late; by the time it gets posted everyone will be well into their barbecues, beach trips, motorcycle rides, and everything else we do to celebrate a long weekend. Of course not much changes here since the animals are all unimpressed with holidays, but that’s a different topic. Regardless of how you spend it, Memorial Day is the day we’re supposed to honor veterans who have lost their lives in service to the country.

Today I’ll remember several Marines I served with. But I’ll only mention one. George Torres. And I didn’t know him very well. He checked into Bravo Company 1st Battalion, 5th Marines shortly after we returned from Iraq in 2003 and during our preparation to return in 2004. He was a Private First Class, straight out of boot camp and became a member of 3rd Platoon. We didn’t have much time to prepare before we were back in Iraq and got there just in time for the Battle of Fallujah in April 2004.

Torres, while smaller than most of the Marines, had a large personality. He was 22 when he joined us which made him an “old man” amongst the mostly 17 and 18 year old PFCs. He was from Long Beach CA and was the son of Mexican immigrants. He had dropped out of High School and had a little more life experience than a lot of the other Marines who joined straight from High School. I remember his nickname in the platoon was “Rooster” because he was small in stature but ready to stand up to anyone, especially if he felt someone was doing something wrong. I never saw him afraid of anything or anyone and he carried himself with all the confidence in the world, so the nickname stuck.

He was killed in Fallujah on April 11, 2004 just 23 years old at the time. When we returned to the US later that year, we held a memorial service for him and the other Marines we lost. His parents were there and we met, but the language barrier prevented me from really knowing how they felt about the service. It was several months after they had already had his funeral and so I always wondered if our memorial service was helpful to them. We also had collected from his platoon mates their written memories of him and so we presented them to his parents. I’ve wondered if they gave his parents any comfort and if they’ve ever been read in the years since

It’s been sixteen years since then. Torres would be approaching 40 years old. I wonder what he would have done with those sixteen years. Maybe he would have stayed in the Marine Corps. Maybe he would have gone off and done something remarkable, or had a family, or made a difference to someone, I don’t know how his family has managed his absence or how they’ve spent the last sixteen years. And I don’t know if it’s helpful to remember in general those that have lost their lives in service. But if you’re reading this, you can remember at least one.

I'm probably not supposed to say that the global pandemic has been a good thing, but there's definitely been some positive aspects for the farm. It's been great to have the kids here full time and not have to ferry them to different places. They've been able to get involved in the farm much more than they normally are this time of year. Of course they would probably say the shutdown has been terrible because they've been able to get involved in the farm much more than they normally are this time of year.

Our oldest, who was scheduled to have his graduation ceremony on Friday spent today bushhogging a field instead of enjoying his last week of High School. Not that there isn't joy in tractor work; it's just that he'll have plenty of opportunity to drive a tractor in circles but won't ever be able to have his last week of High School, so I can understand how he might not appreciate having to be here. But if this pandemic has given us anything it's maybe an opportunity to focus on what things are really important. Time with family, especially our kids, is like that last week of High School. It only comes once and if we miss it, we can't get it back.

So of course what better way to spend a birthday than traveling to see the Lynyrd Skynryd crash site memorial. Now I should say that it's only twenty miles away from us and we had a bit of free time so we didn't have to make a huge trip. But the visit reinforced how short time is and can be, and encouraged me to be a little more deliberate about how I spend it. So there you go. Philosophy from the "Three Guitar Army."

So if anyone is looking for something to do during the quarantine, I know of a place that isn't closed, is outdoors, practices social distancing by default and has the opportunity to give your family a unique perspective. And the Lynyrd Skynyrd memorial is only twenty miles away from it…

Is this really Louisiana? Life on the farm just got a lot more interesting.

We just finished hosting our third group of visitors in the last five weeks.  I won't say who they were; they may not want anyone to know they came!  We still feel pretty honored that they would come to spend some time with us.  They all got to see different parts of the farm and what goes on.  Our first visitors, who happened to be evacuees from Hurricane Irma (we won't hold that against them) got to see the end of summer.  We baled hay and prepared for calving season.  They also got to do some fishing.  Our next visitors came in for the Fair and got their fill of the largest free fair in the US.  We had great food and enjoyed letting the kids run around like savages for a week.  Our last group of visitors came from the Northeast and brought some cold weather with them.  They got to see calves being born, got to stack square bales of hay, and even had time to stage a musical concert at night.  It's too bad their quick weekend trip couldn't have been longer.  In any case, we hope everyone had at least half as much fun as we did while they were all here.    

Old Friends they shine like diamonds
Old Friends you can always call
Old Friends Lord you can't buy 'em
You know it's Old Friends after all

We just finished a great week at the Fair.  Thanks to everyone who came by to see us in the Livestock Barn; we really enjoyed visiting with everyone.  This Fair also marked the first time we brought animals and showed them.  We, and the animals, survived but we have a lot to learn.  If you didn't come out, you'll have to make a point to do it next year.  We're already looking forward to it!  

Last Day of the Fair!

We are having a hard time with ferrel hogs this year.  It seems like we didn't have any for the last few years but they are back in a big way.  Like a lot of people around here we are dealing with their effects and the damage they can do.  At least there is one less of them now!