Scarlett and I would like to thank you for all of the support across the country as ag programs, families, and schools purchase our books to use as resources for teaching kids about agriculture and celebrating the farmers and ranchers who produce food for us to enjoy.
We have been completely overwhelmed with school visit requests, and while we wish we could make it to every single one, there's not enough hours in the day to travel to all of you AND stay home and calve out our cows.
So, today we thought we could share a read aloud of Scarlett and her book, "Scarlett and Lucky." We hope your kids enjoy the story!
]]>
March is Ag Literacy Month!
Scarlett and I would like to thank you for all of the support across the country as ag programs, families, and schools purchase our books to use as resources for teaching kids about agriculture and celebrating the farmers and ranchers who produce food for us to enjoy.
We have been completely overwhelmed with school visit requests, and while we wish we could make it to every single one, there's not enough hours in the day to travel to all of you AND stay home and calve out our cows.
So, today we thought we could share a read aloud of Scarlett and her book, "Scarlett and Lucky." We hope your kids enjoy the story!
Watch Scarlett on Keloland News to see what inspired the book:
Order "Scarlett & Lucky" here:
Order Amanda's complete book set here:
]]>
March is Agricultural Literacy Month, and if you’ve been following this column long enough, you already know I have a huge heart for teaching kids about agriculture and where their food comes from.
Since 2011, I’ve written nine agriculturally-accurate children’s books, and I’ve taken them coast-to-coast. I’m committed to celebrating America’s farmers and ranchers, and showing kids how folks like my friends and family back home in South Dakota are stewards of the land, livestock, and people.
I’ve taken these books from New York City to Los Angeles and everywhere in between, and for most of these kids, I am the first farmer/rancher they have ever met. It’s a humbling exercise, and it’s abundantly clear to me that we have our work cut out in engaging and empowering the next generation of consumers to know the truth about how food is grown, raised, harvested, and delivered to them in the grocery store.
]]>
March is Agricultural Literacy Month, and if you’ve been following this column long enough, you already know I have a huge heart for teaching kids about agriculture and where their food comes from.
Since 2011, I’ve written nine agriculturally-accurate children’s books, and I’ve taken them coast-to-coast. I’m committed to celebrating America’s farmers and ranchers, and showing kids how folks like my friends and family back home in South Dakota are stewards of the land, livestock, and people.
I’ve taken these books from New York City to Los Angeles and everywhere in between, and for most of these kids, I am the first farmer/rancher they have ever met. It’s a humbling exercise, and it’s abundantly clear to me that we have our work cut out in engaging and empowering the next generation of consumers to know the truth about how food is grown, raised, harvested, and delivered to them in the grocery store.
My book titles include, “Levi’s Lost Calf,” “Can-Do Cowkids,” “Beef Strong, “Soil Quilt,” “A Home Run For Peanuts,” “Roll, Spread, Sprinkle, Bake,” “Faith, Family, Freedom,” and “C is for Care,” all illustrated by talented western artist, Michelle Weber, of Lake Benton, Minn.
My 9-year old daughter, Scarlett, has gotten in on the action, following in her mom’s footsteps, and this past fall, she wrote and illustrated her own book based on the true story of her bottle calf. “Scarlett and Lucky” released in 2023, and she’s been busy on the road with me reading her story and talking about ranch life from the perspective of a kid.
And to kick off March Agricultural Literacy Month, I’m so excited to share my newest book — “The Journal of Rowdy the Cow Kid.” Illustrated by Weber; designed by Hannah Shroyer; published by Ag Storytellers; and commissioned by the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and the Beef Checkoff Program, the story features a little boy named, “Rowdy,” and shares a full calendar year of his adventures on the family beef cattle farm.
Inspired by my own life as a kid, helping Mom and Dad on our South Dakota cattle ranch, Rowdy pens in his journal about winter feeding, calving, grazing, haying, going to the county fair, planting, harvest, and everything in between.
Kids will get a first-hand, up-close look at what life is like living on a beef cattle farm and ranch. The story is short and sweet and is complete with a beef recipe and colorful illustrations from Weber that truly bring the book to life.
As the month marches on, now is a great time to go into a classroom and read a book to kids. Show them who we are and where our heart lies in rural America and agriculture. Connect with them on personal stories, and enjoy a day spent with little ones, who are eager and excited to learn more about agriculture.
“The Journal of Rowdy The Cow Kid” is already traveling far and wide, and I can’t wait to see the impact it has. These books were designed to be used as a resource in the classroom and as a fun story for families to enjoy, as well.
The books are available at www.amandradke.com. If you take these stories into the classroom, please share photographs and your feedback with me! I would love to see what you’re up to and how far these books travel.
Together, we can make a difference — one story at a time. Happy Agricultural Literacy Month, everybody! Let’s get reading!
]]>
It's sometimes hard to believe this all started for me as an 8-year-kid when my parents signed me up for my first public speaking contest. I'm thankful for their foresight in helping me find my voice, giving me strong values on which to stand on, and teaching me how to think critically and articulate those ideas to others.
]]>
As I pause to catch my breath after tackling 14 speeches in the first 11 weeks of 2024, and as I prepare to hit the road for another run of three speeches this week, I just can't help but feel grateful for the opportunities that have come my way -- to share my message, to connect with people, to celebrate agriculture, to serve others, and to truly get to see what makes up the #heartofruralamerica
It's sometimes hard to believe this all started for me as an 8-year-kid when my parents signed me up for my first public speaking contest. I'm thankful for their foresight in helping me find my voice, giving me strong values on which to stand on, and teaching me how to think critically and articulate those ideas to others.
It didn't come easy though. I learned by doing -- juggling notecards, making posters, nervous jitters, forgetting my lines, not knowing the answers to questions, getting tripped up in interviews, PowerPoint glitches, microphone malfunctions, and the list goes on.
I’ve presented in tiny rooms, dive bars, mega stages, schools, universities, libraries, barns, casinos, cattle sales, backyards, on tv & in radio stations, and I’ve learned to navigate the unique challenges of each setting.
This spring, I plan to share what I've experienced in nearly 30 years of public speaking, through an intense communications course that will cover all the bases. The course will have two tiers -- one for young people and another for professionals -- and I look forward to sharing it with you all soon.
If you are interested, shoot me a message with your email address, and I'll get you on the list. After countless requests to do this, I am eager to help others and to give back this way. Please, share this information with other families, FFA advisors, 4-H leaders, coaches, teachers, and students who might benefit from this course.
Watch for updates on www.amandaradke.com. Hope to see you on the dusty trail soon!
]]>
Plus check out the testimonies of Rep. Marty Overweg (District 21) and Rep. Karla Lems (District 16)!
]]>The will of the people is clear — we MUST stop SB 201! The simplest way to get active is to sign this petition. Takes 10 seconds but sends a strong message to Pierre.
https://www.buttesdgop.org/sb201/
She talks about the carbon pipeline plans, how they started, and the current bill that is being pushed to take power out of local governments hands and hand it to the corporate controled state government, so they can force landowners to accept the pipeline on their land.
She talks about how they got to that point and what it will mean for the rest of the country if South Dakota state legislature and Governor Kristi Noem fold to the corporate pressure.
]]>South Dakota Cattle Rancher, Journalist and Agriculture Spokesperson, Amanda Radke joins Jim to go over the current battle happening in South Dakota.
She talks about the carbon pipeline plans, how they started, and the current bill that is being pushed to take power out of local governments hands and hand it to the corporate controled state government, so they can force landowners to accept the pipeline on their land.
She talks about how they got to that point and what it will mean for the rest of the country if South Dakota state legislature and Governor Kristi Noem fold to the corporate pressure.
]]>Pierre, SD – The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC), with Ag Storytellers, Amanda Radke and Michelle Weber, are excited to present their new children’s book, “The Journal of Rowdy the Cow Kid”.
The Journal of Rowdy the Cow kid will take you on a 12-month adventure with Rowdy the Cow Kid to learn all about what it takes to be a farm or ranch kid raising high-quality beef. Throughout the book you will learn how beef farmers and ranchers support their communities while raising cattle that help the land, water, air and wildlife.
]]>Pierre, SD – The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC), with Ag Storytellers, Amanda Radke and Michelle Weber, are excited to present their new children’s book, “The Journal of Rowdy the Cow Kid”.
The Journal of Rowdy the Cow kid will take you on a 12-month adventure with Rowdy the Cow Kid to learn all about what it takes to be a farm or ranch kid raising high-quality beef. Throughout the book you will learn how beef farmers and ranchers support their communities while raising cattle that help the land, water, air and wildlife.
Author Amanda Radke is excited about the new release. “Rowdy will take readers on an adventure on the beef cattle farm and ranch through an entire calendar year. Kids will learn about calving, grazing, feeding in the winter, harvest, auction barns, and county fairs. Weber truly brought the story to life with her beautiful illustrations, and it is our hope that readers will see how producers are stewards of the land and livestock in every page of this book.”
March is National Agriculture Month, the perfect time to release the book that highlights the hard work and community dedication of farmers and ranchers. The SDBIC will be using the new children’s book throughout the month at several events, including Ag Day at the Washington Pavilion March 22 – 23, 2024 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The South Dakota Junior Beef Ambassadors will also be promoting the book throughout their local schools in South Dakota, as they read and donate the book to elementary classes during National Ag Week, March 17-23, 2024.
South Dakota Junior Beef Ambassador Coordinator, Riley Zoss-Littau, believes the book will be a great tool for the Beef Ambassadors, “Rowdy the Cow Kid reflects many of our Jr. Beef Ambassador’s daily lives as they work with their families to care for the land and the livestock. This book will be a great opportunity for the Ambassadors to share their stories while promoting beef in their local communities.”
Get your copy of “The Journal of Rowdy the Cow Kid” at The Journal of Rowdy the Cow Kid: Radke, Amanda, Weber, Michelle: 9798878482936: Amazon.com: Books
The South Dakota Beef Industry Council works on behalf of South Dakota beef producers through the $1 Beef Checkoff program.
For more information about the Beef Checkoff and statewide efforts visit www.sdbeef.org and www.MyBeefCheckoff.com or contact Jodie Anderson at janderson@sdbeef.org .
]]>What is your story? Your story is your family, your values, the traditions you have, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the hopes and dreams you have for the future.
And when you share that story in your business, in the way that you market, and the way that you show up for the people you want to serve, it can open up pathways to success and profitability that can help keep families on the land and food on the table.
This was the theme of my presentation at the Farm Credit Side by Side Conference, where we plant seeds and work for a bountiful harvest by “bullet proofing our businesses.”
Learn more at Speaking
The story of America’s farmers and ranchers runs far deeper than the crops and cattle that we raise.
It’s a connection to the land, the wildlife, the wide open spaces, and having a front row seat to a gorgeous sunrise and sunset to kick off and end each day.
It’s hearing the coyotes howl and the birds chirp. It’s the cattle grazing, and the kids running wild in the yard. It’s the starry sky with a big moon so bright, you can see for miles even in the dead of night. It’s the peace and quiet. And yet even in the silence, the prairie hums with life and activity.
And on the prairie, you build your hopes and your dreams, praying you can leave the land and a business for the generations that are yet to come.
]]>
The story of America’s farmers and ranchers runs far deeper than the crops and cattle that we raise.
It’s a connection to the land, the wildlife, the wide open spaces, and having a front row seat to a gorgeous sunrise and sunset to kick off and end each day.
It’s hearing the coyotes howl and the birds chirp. It’s the cattle grazing, and the kids running wild in the yard. It’s the starry sky with a big moon so bright, you can see for miles even in the dead of night. It’s the peace and quiet. And yet even in the silence, the prairie hums with life and activity.
And on the prairie, you build your hopes and your dreams, praying you can leave the land and a business for the generations that are yet to come.
For many of us, our stories on this land began before statehood. For others, it’s the first generation of big things to come. And whether you own a quarter-acre lot of ten sections of land, there’s something about owning the ground beneath your feet — you can put roots down, get married, have a bunch of babies, raise your family, build businesses, and plan for the future.
This tradition of setting down roots dates back to the beginning of our great nation. Our Founding Fathers understood it well. George Washington is quoted as saying, “President George Washington is credited for saying, “Freedom and property rights are inseparable. You can't have one without the other.”
I think of that quote often as I look at the land my family lives on. Feeding cattle while my kids play in the yard, I feel grateful for the pursuit of the American dream. I’m not entitled to it, but I can pursue my own version of life, liberty, and happiness by my own labor and ability to grow a business.
We don’t think in weeks, or months, or years; we think in decades and generations. The decisions we make on the land today will impact our future great-grandchildren.
It’s an honor to live this life in agriculture. It is a challenge to live it, too. And now, with external threats powered by greed, power, control, and the heavy hand of the government, we wonder if there’s any future at all.
Yet, we press on. We buy the land and plant the seed. We water the dream and pray for sunshine. We work hard for a bountiful harvest. And even though there are very few of us left on the land growing food, we do it with integrity, with hard work, with an honest handshake, and with perseverance.
It reminds me of a a John Adams quote, “Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone.”
There’s a growing trend of “public-private” partnerships, where the government, using tax payer dollars, funds and helps grow major corporations and businesses. Even more alarming is the use of carbon credits to incentivize these businesses.
It’s essentially grown men creating businesses that produce nothing, based on the premise of a red hot lie, with their hand out waiting for the federal tax credits and government checks to arrive.
That’s not what built this country. And it’s certainly not what’s going to strengthen this country for future generations.
Yet, there is a mentality out there that if you can’t beat them, you might as well join them. Instead of standing on principle, you cave to an extremist environmental agenda and the Green New Deal. When there is enough money involved, you jump on board, and if anybody gets in the way of “progress,” you’ll take their land rights, bulldoze over the top of them, and hey, if you’re feeling generous, you’ll give them a little check on your way through.
That’s exactly what’s happening with a multi-state carbon pipeline project that plans to rip through the prairie, divide towns, sever relationships among neighbors and family members, and leave a cloud of pain and broken promises in its wake.
I contend, and will continue to say, that if you want to bury carbon in your backyard, be my guest. But for the rest of us, we just want to be left alone to enjoy our little slice of prairie, the land where we call home.
Private property rights are critical to a free and fair society. Will our elected officials hear the cries of the people? Will they take part in destroying the American dream? Will they choose the slick lobbyists and billion-dollar public-private partnerships? Or will they choose the people?
It takes courage to do the right thing. I pray for courageous leadership. We desperately need it.
]]>
There’s no doubt about it, farmers and ranchers live under a great deal of stress. This way of life requires hard work, resilience, constant effort, and an ability to pivot and navigate through many factors completely outside of your control such as market volatility and weather.
Add in the constant attacks on our ability to own and manage our land and livestock as we see fit, and it’s a heavy burden for producers to carry.
There is no shortage of things coming our way — proposals to measure our emissions in the Godless government grift of carbon capture and climate change intervention; the relentless propaganda coming from animal rights activists; the fact that our elected officials, who vote on our behalf, are unfamiliar with where their food comes from and how it is grown; the skewed messaging being presented in schools teaching our kids that farming is bad; and the list goes on.
In my travels, I talk to countless agricultural families, and they are all feeling this pressure — on and off the farm.
I recently spoke at a women in agriculture event in Indiana, and one of the workshops was on reducing farm stress. As so many do, I carry a heavy weight on my shoulders, and I thought, “why not?” Let’s see what the session has to offer.
Now, I’m sure the workshop was meaningful to some. There was advice on sleep, diet, exercise, and creating a home environment that is peaceful and calm. There was talk of soothing paint colors and plants in offices, using stress balls, and practicing mindful meditation.
As I sat there listening though, a few thoughts came to mind. The first was, “Is stress really bad? Is it something we should strive to eliminate?”
Calving season is stressful. Planting and harvest season is stressful. Building a business is stressful. Raising children can be stressful at times. Taking on extra community service projects or leadership roles can be stressful. Testifying at the capitol or fighting for meaningful change in the political arena is certainly stressful.
The reality is the demands of life are stressful. But what I have realized is anything in life worth doing is hard. I don’t want the easy road; I just want the ability to take on the task, joyfully, and to find strength to continue to push forward even in the difficult moments.
It’s not the stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it. It can either act as an accelerator, a motivator, and a driving force to take on things much bigger than ourselves. Or it can cripple us with fear, anxiety, and worry.
So how do you choose one or the other? My Christian faith would dictate to me that instead of stress balls, fruit smoothies, and breathing techniques, I only need to turn to the Bible to give me the answer.
Johne 16:33 reads, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Isaiah 41:10 reads, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
There’s no promise that this life will not be hard. It will, and it is. And I suppose it’s due to living in a secular world where it’s not politically correct to talk about our faith that these fundamental truths are left out of the conversation.
If life is heavy for you right now; if you’re feeling lost, aimless, or hopeless; if you’re worried about the future; if you’re facing the unimaginable…toss the spinach and turn to Jesus. He is always with you, just waiting for you to lean on Him.
And once you walk with Jesus, you’ll soon find strength, courage, fortitude, joy, and peace, even in the hardest of times.
With that, I hope this column brings you comfort and a reassurance that we can do hard things; that we can face great evils; that fighting for our children and grandchildren is worth it. That is my prayer for each and every one of you.
But we can’t do it alone through our own grit and “buck up” attitude. However, we can do anything with Him!
]]>I’ll never bend the knee to climate change tyranny, that seeks to control every facet of our lives.
And neither should you.
I’ll never bow to the heavy hand of an overreaching government.
And neither should you.
I’ll never compromise the Constitution for quick cash or short-term gains.
And neither should you.
I’ll never see how it’s right for a privately-owned, out-of-state, foreign-backed company, using YOUR tax dollars, to take what is not theirs.
And neither should you.
I’ll never vote for regulations that strip away independent liberty, free enterprise, and local community governance.
And neither should you.
SB 201 is the boot on the neck of every family in SD. It’s anti-American, anti-South Dakota, and is a slap in the face to who we are and where our values lie.
George Orwell must have been talking about South Dakota when he wrote in 1984, “There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always— do not forget this, Winston— always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever.”
A shameful, and honestly quite embarrassing, decision was made in Pierre, SD today, with the move to advance SB 201 out of the committee of energy and commerce (7-2).The following S.D. Senators voted to strip you of your local governance and ability for communities to lead at home — Crabtree, Stalzer, Kolbeck, Beal, Wheeler, Nesiba, Schoenbeck. Make sure they hear from you.
My critics say I’m “emotional. I’m not. That’s actually a cop out because they are unable to debate the merits of my argument.
It’s called Passion. Patriotism. Purpose. And an unwillingness to compromise on the Constitution. That doesn’t make me emotional; it makes me an American. Period.
This bill may have made it out of committee, but it’s not over. Write your senators now and tell them to say NO to SB201.
At that rally, we asked our legislators for three very clear things.
First, we asked them to remember their oath to preserve the Constitution and protect our God-given rights, including the right to acquire and protect private property.
Second, we asked them to eliminate the use of eminent domain for private gain. In the case of a carbon sequestration pipeline, we have seen the abuse of condemnation of private property of landowners who simply want the option to say, “No, thank you; we don’t want to get into the carbon capture business on our land.”
And third, we asked the legislators to maintain local governance, to ensure that decisions on projects of this ilk can be made as close to home as possible, with townships and counties making critical decisions on the needs of the community.
]]>On Jan. 8, I attended a private property rights rally in Pierre, S.D. Despite a snow storm, the Capitol was packed with concerned citizens, landowners, farmers, ranchers, business owners, and families who are worried about their futures here in this beautiful state of South Dakota that we love.
At that rally, we asked our legislators for three very clear things.
First, we asked them to remember their oath to preserve the Constitution and protect our God-given rights, including the right to acquire and protect private property.
Second, we asked them to eliminate the use of eminent domain for private gain. In the case of a carbon sequestration pipeline, we have seen the abuse of condemnation of private property of landowners who simply want the option to say, “No, thank you; we don’t want to get into the carbon capture business on our land.”
And third, we asked the legislators to maintain local governance, to ensure that decisions on projects of this ilk can be made as close to home as possible, with townships and counties making critical decisions on the needs of the community.
As we watch the South Dakota legislative session unfold, it’s been interesting to see how the legislators have listened to and responded to those three simple requests.
It’s been a mixed bag of leaders who are willing to trample on the Constitution and your private property rights in order to advance their ambitions and agendas.
It’s been a flashlight peaking into the corners of the halls of the Capitol building, where lobbyists wheel and deal; power structures are in full play; and political strong-arming is the norm.
Yet, it’s also been a session to witness good people continuing to stand firm and hold dear to the Constitution. Because the truth doesn’t bend, and neither do our inherent God-given rights.
Last week, I traveled to Pierre to testify in strong support of Rep. Jon Hansen’s bill, HB 1219, which would prohibit the exercise of eminent domain for the construction of pipelines carrying carbon oxide.
The bill would provide much-needed clarity on distinguishing carbon used for permanent sequestration apart from critical things our communities need to thrive, things for the common good of all, like water or electric.
The bill would have also tackled our first two requests — protect private property rights and eliminate eminent domain for private gain.
Yet, it was narrowly voted down in committee, seven to six. One day, I’ll report the names of who voted against your private property rights. It is an election year after all, but that’s a story for a different day.
Things move fast in Pierre though, and later that same week, Rep. Hansen was able to smoke HB 1219 out on the floor. As I type this, we are waiting to hear if the House will agree to add it to the debate calendar and vote to send it to the Senate. I hope they do.
There’s much chaos and uncertainty in these pipeline discussions, and doing nothing and kicking the can just leaves our state in a place of turmoil. Hansen’s bill gives us some barriers to work within, and it’s my sincere belief, that if we take care of the Constitution, the business opportunities — for ethanol, agriculture, and even carbon pipelines — will naturally follow, without taking away the rights of the citizens to do it.
As I type this, a new bill will be introduced in the morning — SB 201. It claims to be providing clear guidance on pipelines; however, the devil is in the details. Within the language, it’s quite apparent to me that this terrible bill would effectively strip away local government control and give it to the state in an effort to streamline the process for pipelines to conduct their business.
However, the best governance is done as close to home as possible, where vested members of the community can lead, guide, and make decisions that impact the local area. There is no uniform, one-size-fits-all approach that perfectly suits all counties in South Dakota. From McPherson to Minnehaha, Meade to Davison, the terrain, population, and needs of the locals are vastly different. It’s insane to me that we would seek to give up that local leadership to be ruled over by bureaucrats and state government in Pierre — all over one pipeline.
How can you get involved? It’s simple. Please, urge your legislators to STOP SB 201 and vote YES on HB 1219, and let’s lay the groundwork for good, honest business dealings in South Dakota.
I’ll continue to watch as this session unfolds, and it’s my sincere hope that by the end, we can applaud our legislators and thank them for achieving what we asked them to do — preserve our private property rights; eliminate the use of eminent domain for private gain; and maintain local government control.
It’s the South Dakota way. It’s the American way. And I pray we get it right.
]]>In South Dakota, the legislative session is in full swing, and Goliath may be beating its chest right now in Pierre, but the Davids are growing stronger in numbers by the minute.
TOMORROW IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT DAY!
Watch this recording from my KFYR Radio interview with Daryl Lies,and please be part of our ongoing efforts to preserve the Constitution, protect private property rights, maintain local government control, and ensure bright futures for our children and grandchildren in this beautiful state we call home.
]]>There's a David & Goliath story happening in agriculture today, and as I state each week on my show, "The Heart of Rural America," my money is forever on the underdog -- the hard-working families who value their faith, family, freedom, and communities. With generations of blood, sweat, and tears invested in the land under their feet, these folks understand what's at stake, and they are willing to pour everything into safeguarding their futures in rural America.
In South Dakota, the legislative session is in full swing, and Goliath may be beating its chest right now in Pierre, but the Davids are growing stronger in numbers by the minute.
TOMORROW IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT DAY!
Watch this recording from my KFYR Radio interview with Daryl Lies,and please be part of our ongoing efforts to preserve the Constitution, protect private property rights, maintain local government control, and ensure bright futures for our children and grandchildren in this beautiful state we call home.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
1. Write the state senators & urge them to vote NO on SB 201
2. Write the state representatives & ask them to vote to add HB 1219 to the debate calendar, and to vote YES to pass 1219
3. Show up in Pierre TOMORROW, Feb. 15 at 10 am.
We need a strong presence of South Dakota families to show our legislators that SB 201 needs to land in the trash can where bad bills go to die. And we need to push HB 1219 forward to protect our private property rights.
I wouldn't ask if this wasn't critically important, but I NEED YOU IN PIERRE TOMORROW! Please, make it if you can.
Your voice matters. No slick lobbyists, campaign strategist, or bully lawyers needed. This is a grassroots effort, and your letters, calls, or even simply sharing this post, can make all the difference.
Thank you for listening and may GOD BLESS SOUTH DAKOTA!
]]>I’m a mom on a mission to fight for faith, family, freedom, food, and farming. I’ve committed my life to it — both at home on the ranch in Mitchell, S.D., where my husband Tyler and I raise cattle, forage crops, and our four children.
I also spend a considerable time on the road with that same focus. In the last two years, I’ve been a keynote speaker at 110+ agricultural conferences across the nation, advocating for farming, ranching, food security, national security, and maintaining our private property rights and local government leadership.
I’ve seen the effects of overreaching government and the tangled web of public-private partnerships, that connect tax payer dollars to big businesses — squeezing out the little guy and bulldozing over the citizens along the way.
]]>
I’m a mom on a mission to fight for faith, family, freedom, food, and farming. I’ve committed my life to it — both at home on the ranch in Mitchell, S.D., where my husband Tyler and I raise cattle, forage crops, and our four children.
I also spend a considerable time on the road with that same focus. In the last two years, I’ve been a keynote speaker at 110+ agricultural conferences across the nation, advocating for farming, ranching, food security, national security, and maintaining our private property rights and local government leadership.
I’ve seen the effects of overreaching government and the tangled web of public-private partnerships, that connect tax payer dollars to big businesses — squeezing out the little guy and bulldozing over the citizens along the way.
It’s happening in blue states like Michigan, New York, California, and Illinois. But never in a million years did I think this same agenda — with so much of it tied to the Green New Deal — would come to roost in my freedom-loving home state of South Dakota.
Yet, right now a bad actor has slapped condemnation papers, lawsuits, and threats of eminent domain on the very citizens who have built their communities and called this place home for 100+ years. This bad actor is a privately-owned, out-of-state, foreign-backed company that has its eyes squarely locked on your property.
And if they have their way, they’ll use your taxpayers to take what is not theirs.
Under our Constitution, we hold inherent God-given rights that, “All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting property and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights are instituted among men, serving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Our legislators placed their hand on a Bible and took an oath to protect and preserve the Constitution and our rights as citizens.
These rights are not theirs to give or take away. And no matter the project; no matter the economic drivers; no matter the money that could be made; no matter the incentives to build business; there is one thing in all of this that is a fact — the truth does not bend to fit our will, and neither does the Constitution.
There is no compromise bill that protects landowners, because “no” should always be an option when it comes to doing business, giving access, and creating relationships for economic agricultural development projects.
If I cannot say “no” as a landowner, is the property I own really even mine?
You know, my 9-year old daughter, Scarlett, said something absolutely prolific last week, while speaking on the Sutton Rodeo Zone Stage as part of Rodeo Rapid City. She was invited to present and share the story of her bottle calf, “Lucky,” the social media sensation who inspired her first children’s book, “Scarlett and Lucky.”
While on stage, Garrison Allen asked her two things. First, he asked her, “Do you think you’ll be the next governor of South Dakota one day?” She smiled and said, “Only if I can do the job where my cows are.”
And the second question he asked was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” She answered, “I want to be exactly where my feet are; on the ranch raising cattle.”
Scarlett, at age nine, understands what many of our elected officials have forgotten or do not understand. There is blood, sweat, tears, and generations of tradition and sacrifice into the land we call “home.”
There is no amount of money that makes it okay for a private company to seize control of what is not theirs. No $500 bill left on the table after they’ve walked onto land where they are not welcome is going to work. And there’s simply no compromise to our private property rights. We either have them or we don’t.
Our fearless Governor Kristi Noem is on the road right now talking about the border crisis we face in this country. I absolutely agree with her that good fences make good neighbors.
Back at home in South Dakota, our fences are currently under attack. We are either free in South Dakota or we are not. And the history books will reflect which of our elected officials sold our freedom down the river to the highest bidder, and which ones stood firm as patriots — standing in the truth, protecting our private property rights, and conserving the Constitution along the way.
May God bless South Dakotans in this fight. If we hold our ground, kids like Scarlett will have the chance to pursue their dreams — to keep their feet squarely where they are planted, right here at home in South Dakota.
]]>Scarlett made her speaking debut as a published author/illustrator at the Sutton Rodeo Inc. Rodeo Rapid City stage yesterday, and we have so many people to thank for this opportunity!
Onto the next adventure on the dusty trail! I predict that I’ll be delegated to driver soon, and Scarlett will be doing the heavy lifting.
]]>Scarlett made her speaking debut as a published author/illustrator at the Sutton Rodeo Inc. Rodeo Rapid City stage yesterday, and we have so many people to thank for this opportunity!
Special thank you to a fierce woman in ag who I respect and admire so much, Amy Sutton-Muller, for the invitation extended to Scarlett to share her story.
Thank you to Garrison Allen of the Starched podcast, who did an amazing job of interviewing Scarlett. She sure covered a lot of ground in 25 minutes on stage, and he did a great job of keeping our 9-year old on track.
Thank you to Grandpa Dave & Grandma Peggy for taking her out to Rapid City while I was on the road and Tyler was home calving heifers.
Thank you to Bob May for being so supportive and giving Scarlett some encouraging words and helpful feedback.
Thank you to Jeff Keyes of Mill Road Cattle who has taken Scarlett under his wing and helped guide her with her steer project.
Thank you to Ck Sonny Booth & Mary Booth for their $275 purchase of “Scarlett & Lucky” to benefit the SDLA and to Chisum Peterson for highlighting her work in the auction.
Thank you to Summer Raderschadt for the KELOLAND News feature of Scarlett and Lucky last week.
And thank you to everyone who came out to listen to Scarlett’s speech and purchased books. She SOLD OUT of her stack at the event; safe to say she’s outgunned me in the sales department. Books have gone coast-to-coast and even Canada.
Onto the next adventure on the dusty trail! I predict that I’ll be delegated to driver soon, and Scarlett will be doing the heavy lifting.
]]>MITCHELL, S.D. (KELO) — Most 3rd graders’ lives are consumed with school, recess, and chores. However, a Mitchell 3rd grader is doing something that most adults never even imagine accomplishing.
Like many ranch kids, 9-year-old Scarlett Radke does her chores, is in 4-H, and helps take care of bottle calves. However, unlike most ranch kids, Scarlett is a published author.
]]>
MITCHELL, S.D. (KELO) — Most 3rd graders’ lives are consumed with school, recess, and chores. However, a Mitchell 3rd grader is doing something that most adults never even imagine accomplishing.
Like many ranch kids, 9-year-old Scarlett Radke does her chores, is in 4-H, and helps take care of bottle calves. However, unlike most ranch kids, Scarlett is a published author.
“Well, I decided to write the book because Lucky came around and we started making some videos about him and he went viral on social media. I don’t even know what that means, and then I decided I would write a book about him because people wanted to know more about Lucky,” says Scarlett Radke.
Scarlett’s mom Amanda is also a published author, with 8 children’s books and a ninth on the way.
“But then when Scarlett was about five, she said, Mom, I want to write books like you. And I said, Well, you know, maybe you need to learn how to read and write first would be step one. So she mastered that skill and, and she’s advanced, you know, from stick figures to being able to really draw pictures,” says Amanda Radke.
When Lucky the Bottle Calf went viral on social media, racking in millions of views on different platforms, the Radkes knew this was Scarlett’s time to finally write and illustrate a book.
“I mean, people were just so excited to see kids out working, doing chores and taking care of this really cute little calf. And I said, Scarlett, this might be your story. I think people are really interested and hungry to learn more about what life is like for a kid living on a ranch,” said Amanda.
“I decided to write a book about him because, one, I wanted to save him from being a steer. And second, because he went viral on social media I thought people might like to learn about him,” says Scarlett.
While Lucky still ended up as a steer, the book tells the story of Lucky’s survival. In February of 2023, Lucky was born prematurely in a snowbank, weighing 40-50 pounds less than what he should have weighed.
“And so I named him Lucky because he was lucky to be alive, because usually when they’re 30 pounds, they don’t even last. They usually die immediately,” says Scarlett.
The book goes on to show the sweet relationship of Scarlett and Lucky, showcasing real-life events that did well on social media.
“I’m scooping Lucky’s poop. Of course, that needs to be done. Every book should have a manure joke, right?” says Scarlett.
“So the one where Lucky pulls the top of the bottle off and the milk goes flying and she’s crying. And the boy, her brothers are laughing hysterically like it was too good not to share, poor Scarlett, but people just thought it was hilarious,” says Amanda.
The book goes on to show the sweet relationship of Scarlett and Lucky, showcasing real-life events that did well on social media.
“I’m scooping Lucky’s poop. Of course, that needs to be done. Every book should have a manure joke, right?” says Scarlett.
“So the one where Lucky pulls the top of the bottle off and the milk goes flying and she’s crying. And the boy, her brothers are laughing hysterically like it was too good not to share, poor Scarlett, but people just thought it was hilarious,” says Amanda.
“So she did her own elementary school and she went across town to Longfellow and we had a school-wide assembly there. She has an invitation to Mt. Vernon and another one in Minnesota. So they just the calls keep coming, I guess, and I’m just the proud mom and chauffeur and I just take her wherever she is,” says Amanda.
Even with the accomplishment of being a published author in the third grade, Scarlett still pitches in around the farm and keeps up with her daily chores.
“Not much different from being a normal nine-year-old,” says Scarlett.
A nine-year-old with a deep love for her bottle calf.
I don’t mean to be all doom and gloom in this column, but the attacks on farmers, ranchers, landowners, and our food supply are numerous.
Our food security is at risk, and it’s not just one glaringly obvious death blow that’s looming, it’s more like death by one thousand cuts.
It’s the proverbial “frog in the pot of water” scenario, where the heat continues to increase so slowly that we don’t notice we are boiling.
Yet, the water is bubbling now, folks, and it’s time to sound the alarms!
]]>I don’t mean to be all doom and gloom in this column, but the attacks on farmers, ranchers, landowners, and our food supply are numerous.
Our food security is at risk, and it’s not just one glaringly obvious death blow that’s looming, it’s more like death by one thousand cuts.
It’s the proverbial “frog in the pot of water” scenario, where the heat continues to increase so slowly that we don’t notice we are boiling.
Yet, the water is bubbling now, folks, and it’s time to sound the alarms!
Let me give you a few examples to highlight both the absurdity and the magnitude of the external threats that could ultimately lead to no farms and no food.
At the recent meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, a panelist demanded the implementation of a criminal category of “ecocide.” In the discussion, she described farming, fishing, and energy production as the mass murder and torture of trees and rivers.
In France, farmers are protesting by spraying liquid manure on government buildings, in an attempt to press the government to loosen regulations and protect them from cheap imports and rising costs.
In the Netherlands, the government has declared a war on livestock producers, setting a metric to halve emissions of nitrogen from cattle, hogs, and chickens. They are pushing for a voluntary strategy of buying farms, which is essentially playing out as a seizure and forfeiture of family-owned lands and livestock operations.
In Ireland, farmers are being pressured to cull up to 200,000 cows to meat climate change metrics.
And the United Nations is expected to release a plan at the COP28 climate summit, urging the U.S. to reduce their meat consumption to fight climate change.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg in the global attacks on farmers and ranchers, specifically livestock producers. Now let’s look closer to home.
Everyone scoffed at Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez when she proposed the Green New Deal and suggested we eliminate “cow farts.” However, fast forward just a few years later, and enough money has been thrown at the situation, that now every conservative Republican and every agricultural association and organization are spouting climate change, net zero, sustainability, and other “buzz” words to meet the arbitrary standards of programs that are simply huge money grabs, and have nothing to do with the environment.
As an example, the USDA is awarding $3.1 billion for 141 “climate change smart commodity projects,” and your eyes would pop at who is on the list of recipients.
Or how about an out-of-state, foreign-backed pipeline company that has ruthlessly attempted to change laws, condemn land, and seize what isn’t theirs in order to cram their project down landowners’ throats? What’s worse, there are those who claim to love and promote agriculture, who are literally willing to trampled on the Constitution and private property rights in order to push this thing to the finish line! Forget the very farmers and ranchers they claim to want to support; they are in the way of progress!
What’s more, just this week, the Telegraph reported that “the carbon footprint of homegrown food is five times greater than those grown conventionally.” These people literally don’t want you to grow your own food and be self-sufficient!
And somehow, since we have repeated the lie that 2+2=5, there are people that have convinced themselves that piping carbon into the ground or reducing methane in cows will save the planet. Or maybe they are just repeating the mantra to avoid the truth of the obvious intention behind projects of this ilk. This is nothing but a massive infusion of tax payer dollars to enrich the very few and put food on the table of absolutely nobody.
Folks, I’ll say the quiet part out loud. This is a scam. A lie that has spread around the world. It’s a pathway to starvation — one that is lined in gold, power, and greed. It’s the total disregard of our God-given inherent rights. It’s anti-humanity, anti-community, anti-family, anti-agriculture, and anti-planetary health.
If you’re reading this, and wondering what to do next, the answer is simple — stand in the truth and hold your ground.
Yes, there are people who want to control the land, the food, and the people; but you, the landowner, the farmer, and the rancher, are the ultimate beacon of freedom. You are an example of sovereignty, liberty, and self-sufficiency. The land under your feet is yours, so be very careful who you allow access to on your property.
Preserving the Constitution and your private property rights are critical to the future of food, agriculture, and our national security. And any politician, company, association, university, or talking head in the media who tells you different just might have a self-serving, underlying agenda.
]]>Folks, the attacks on our private property rights continue, and the more I dig, the more alarmed I am at the sinister, multi-faceted agenda to strip good-hearted Americans off the land to enrich the corporate elite.
Picture this — your family is a multi-generation steward of the land. You’ve planted the trees. You’ve added in rotational grazing. You’ve incorporate cover crops into your rotation. You’ve left buffer strips and habitat for pheasants, deer, and other wildlife. You’ve raised your family and done what is right, putting in the long hours, sacrificing to pay off the land note, paid the taxes, and have been an active part of your community.
]]>Folks, the attacks on our private property rights continue, and the more I dig, the more alarmed I am at the sinister, multi-faceted agenda to strip good-hearted Americans off the land to enrich the corporate elite.
Picture this — your family is a multi-generation steward of the land. You’ve planted the trees. You’ve added in rotational grazing. You’ve incorporate cover crops into your rotation. You’ve left buffer strips and habitat for pheasants, deer, and other wildlife. You’ve raised your family and done what is right, putting in the long hours, sacrificing to pay off the land note, paid the taxes, and have been an active part of your community.
In a nutshell, you’re living the American dream. It’s yours. You’ve worked hard for it. Your children have learned and grown while watching you build a legacy. It’s fruitful. It’s fulfilling. It’s challenging. But there’s joy in it, and there’s nothing you would rather do.
And then some fancy suit on the coast starts trading your assets on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering a pathway for a new type of investment, known as “natural asset companies,” or NACs.
The idea behind it is to list companies that would like to focus on climate change, could invest to reduce their environmental impact.
But here’s the kicker — it’s using your land, your natural resources, and your hard work. Not their own.
According to E&E News, “The financial services firm Intrinsic Exchange Group, which launched the idea two years ago and has drawn support from the NYSE and groups like the Rockefeller Foundation, says it would give investors interested in preserving nature a place to put their money.
“‘We were looking for a private-sector approach that wasn’t dependent on policy, it wasn’t dependent on traditional taxes, regulation or philanthropy to price in these assets and give investors the opportunity to invest directly in nature, whether that’s for climate or biodiversity,’ said IEG Chair Douglas Eger, who compared their approach to improvements on public lands to a mining claim or a timber lease, or utilizing air rights on private lands.
E&E News reports, “Instead of a lease to extract ore or cut down trees, however, NACs would ink agreements granting them ‘ecological performance rights.’ Where a successful mining claim is intended to result in the collection of ore, the value of the ecological rights would be judged on a series of factors, ranging from data on carbon storage and sequestration to more ephemeral qualities like the ‘ensory benefits’ of a nice view.”
As I was writing this column, my intent was to warn you that this was coming, to share some of the pitfalls that lie ahead if it were to go through, and to alert you of the comment period where you could voice your opinion.
But as I typed, I received a text from a friend, “Amanda, good news — the NACs proposal is dead.”
Apparently, the SEC received so many comments from landowners on this issue that it temporarily shut down their entire site!
According to Yahoo! Finance, “The NYSE has withdrawn from the SEC a proposal to create a new tradeable asset class, NACs, the commission said. The asset class was to be based on sustainable enterprises that hold the rights to ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, produced by natural, working, or hybrid lands.
“In a press release, Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks applauded NYSE's withdrawal of its plan.
“‘Under the proposal, private interests, including foreign-controlled sovereign wealth funds, could use their capital to purchase or manage farmland, national and state parks, and other mineral-rich areas and stop essential economic activities like farming, grazing, and energy extraction,’ Oaks said.
There’s a lot coming at landowners, farmers, ranchers, and our private property rights in this country. It’s coming from multiple directions, and it can be overwhelming to track it all, combat it, slow it down, and preserve and protect what’s yours.
But this announcement highlights how powerful the people in the heart of rural America can be when they lock arms, stand together, and speak up. Keep standing up; your voice and your impact is more powerful than you know. The little guy takes a WIN on this one, for now, and although I’m sure they’ll be back with some new ridiculous proposal, today, I’m smiling at the victory.
]]>I love agriculture. I’m a lifelong farmer, rancher, and landowner. And it makes me so proud to see the innovation, stewardship, and entrepreneurship displayed by hardworking producers who utilize our natural resources responsibly to provide the essentials of life to citizens. I love my friends in the ethanol business, as well, and I know that industry will be around and thriving for years to come.
There’s a million dollar campaign with billboards claiming anyone who is against a carbon pipeline is against agriculture and South Dakota. This is a lie to smear the hard-working folks who call this place “home.” This is an attempt to silence people who know and understand the Constitution, and who are willing to stand up and speak out in favor of protecting private property rights and ensuring local communities have a say in the projects that come to their hometowns.
Last week, a private property rights rally was held in Pierre, SD, and I was humbled and honored to stand alongside landowners, farmers, ranchers, county commissioners, legislators, and concerned citizens at this event. As the legislative session kicks off, we asked three things of our elected officials — 1. Protect private property rights; 2. Maintain local government control; and 3. No eminent domain for private gain.
During the rally, the Rotunda of our state’s Capitol was filled with passionate, caring individuals who want the best future possible for our state, one where our fundamental freedoms remain intact.
Personally, I got involved in this discussion two years ago. We were on our way home from the South Dakota State Fair with our pickup and trailer, a load of cattle, and all the kids in the backseat when I got a call from a tearful elderly widow whose ten-acre plot of land where she had called home for 50 years was in the direct path of the pipeline.
We spent two hours talking on the phone about how she had been bullied, harassed, and intimidated to sign over control of her property and give access to a company she did not want there. They had told her every single one of her neighbors had already signed, which was a lie, and that if she didn’t follow suit, they would condemn her property and use eminent domain to put the pipeline wherever they saw fit on her property.
Listening to her story, I couldn’t believe this was happening in South Dakota, a place that is currently being advertised as “the freest state in the nation.” I couldn’t believe that a private out-of-state, foreign-backed company had been emboldened enough to attempt to condemn and seize control of property owned by honest tax-paying citizens in our state. It was sickening to see this group attempt to use mob rule to take what wasn’t theirs.
And after that initial phone call with the widow, the messages from concerned citizens kept coming. It was undeniable to me that this wasn’t just the fight of the poor landowners in the line of this pipeline. This was the fight of every citizen in South Dakota who believes in the Constitution, and who understands the importance of protecting the individual, over the corporations.
I’ve been told I am on the losing side of this fight. You can’t beat them, so you might as well join them. I have been laughed at by people in this state who have traded principle and the Constitution, in favor of power, control, greed, and self-serving ambitions.
I am a Bible believing Christian, and I know this is a David and Goliath story. I know the odds are in the favor of the well-connected, wealthy businesses who are trying to run a corporate oligarchy in our state. However, do you know what else I know that these carbon pipeline developers and politicians simply do not?
They don’t know who we are in South Dakota. They don’t know our heart. They don’t know how big our majority is when we lock arms together. They don’t know how hard we have worked to build our futures here. They don’t know how tight knit our communities are. They don’t know the resilience and grit of the people who live here. And they don’t know or realize just yet that they have woken a sleeping giant.
There are things in life worth far more than money. There is no compromise in this situation. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is a heart issue. This is a Constitutional issue. This is right vs. wrong. Say no to the climate change boondoggle that is nothing more than a money grab using tax payer dollars. And protect the fundamental God-given freedoms and rights we have that are clearly written and defined under the Constitution.
Our land is not for sale. Under God the people rule!
]]>There are some among us who use words like “progress,” “value-added ag,” “public-private partnerships,” “carbon credits,” and “sustainability,” to justify the stripping of independence and private property rights in this state and our country.
They want to use your tax dollars to fund their private projects, and they’ll do it at the expense of the land you have poured generations of blood, sweat, and tears into to acquire and keep.
]]>Today, I would like to tell you a story of my family’s history. My grandfather, Alvin Nolz, only had an eighth grade education.
Yet, he grew up understanding more than most the value of faith, family, farming, and freedom.
He served our country during the Korean War. He came home, and met a sweet little red head at a local dance.
They married in the Catholic Church, and started a life and family together. Eventually, they settled at the place I call “home,” north of Mitchell, South Dakota.
When Alvin purchased the land, the neighbors scoffed at him. They told him he would never make it. Just a poor, dumb farm kid. He would never last. He would go broke first.
But my grandpa was determined. Gritty. Stubborn. Probably a little hard-headed, too.
He worked the land with old, rusty equipment. Again, the neighbors laughed. But he never gave up or gave in, despite the naysayers. He was resolved to succeed, no matter what.
Three years later, he had the bank note paid off on that land, and those acres are still owned and operated by my family to do this day.
It’s not just a cute anecdote to say that he put “blood, sweat, and tears” into the farm and ranch he built. It was the reality, and now, three generations later, my four children (his great grandchildren) are learning the same lessons and building upon the legacy that he started many decades ago.
Alvin’s story isn’t unique, but it’s special to me. And much like the many hard-working farming and ranching families that I know and love, he dedicated his life to the pursuit of excellence in agriculture.
That love and passion has been passed down to the next generations, and it’s a life my family will fight to protect and preserve.
Per the South Dakota Constitution, we have specific inherent rights that our elected officials are bound, by oath on a Bible, to protect.
“All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting property, and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights governments are instituted by men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Emphasis on “acquiring and protecting property” and “deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
The state of South Dakota, and particularly conservatives and agriculturalists, appear to be divided on this core principle of our constitution. Perhaps some need a reminder. Let me help.
There are some among us who use words like “progress,” “value-added ag,” “public-private partnerships,” “carbon credits,” and “sustainability,” to justify the stripping of independence and private property rights in this state and our country.
They want to use your tax dollars to fund their private projects, and they’ll do it at the expense of the land you have poured generations of blood, sweat, and tears into to acquire and keep.
Of course, I’m referencing a proposed privately-owned pipeline that will stop at nothing to plow through the private property of tax-paying citizens in order to push their project forward. But if allowed to use eminent domain to complete, this is just the beginning of the onslaught that is to come.
In the mighty pursuit of the dollar, we are losing the very essence of what makes South Dakota great — resilience, independence, entrepreneurship, utilizing our natural resources, and being home to incredible farmers and ranchers who feed the world.
In a recent visit with one of the proponents of this pipeline, where I stressed the importance of maintaining private property rights, I was asked in response, “Should one landowner get in the way of progress?”
That mentality is quite alarming. We don't live under mob rule, where the majority can outpower the little guy. Nor should we allow that to happen in a free and fair society.
The answer to his question is actually quite simple — read what the Constitution says, and then ask yourself this question: Are we protecting the individual as the Constitution reads, or are we throwing citizens to the wolves to advance a corporate, climate-change agenda fueled by power, control, and greed?
I proudly and firmly stand with family farmers and ranchers, with independent landowners, with the grassroots citizens who call this state home. And I hope you will join me in that effort.
I invite you to Pierre, South Dakota on January 8 in the Capitol Rotunda at 12 pm CST for a Property Rights Rally featuring landowners, legislators, and concerned citizens. Speak up for the little guy, and let our elected officials know you believe that protecting property rights and ensuring that local governments maintain their just power are two critical components of freedom.
I hope to see you there!
]]>“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” - George Washington Carver
Resolutions — nearly half of Americans make goals for the New Year, but very few actually stick to them. As we welcome 2023, let’s make it our goal to follow through on our resolutions.
To accomplish this, we must first set our resolutions. Then, we must determine ways to realistically follow through with these goals.
]]>“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” - George Washington Carver
Resolutions — nearly half of Americans make goals for the New Year, but very few actually stick to them. As we welcome 2023, let’s make it our goal to follow through on our resolutions.
To accomplish this, we must first set our resolutions. Then, we must determine ways to realistically follow through with these goals.
1. Prioritize projects and actually finish them
My husband Tyler and I were talking about improvements to the ranch we want to make in the upcoming year. After Tyler rattled off a list of a dozen projects he wanted to accomplish, I told him we needed to make a list and prioritize.
Which ones should we tackle in the first quarter? In the next six months? The next year? The next five years? The next 10? How much money will each project take, and which projects are in the budget to finish sooner rather than later? Which should be put off until a later date?
Now that we’ve finalized what we can realistically accomplish in the next twelve months, it’s time to put the plan into action and actually get these plans completed, so we can move down the list to loftier goals in the upcoming years.
2. Find a way to increase productivity
There are always ways to improve efficiencies, increase yields and get more out of each blade of grass and every cow in our care. Identify these areas where you could improve and follow through. Let’s get accomplish more with less in 2023!
3. Spend more time with your family
At the end of your life, it’s not your job that matters, but the people you get to enjoy each day with. Carve out more time for your loved ones. Make memories together as a family. Don’t get so busy with the hustle and bustle of ranch life that you forget who and what really matters.
And the great thing about working in agriculture, is we often get to do it alongside our family. Memories can be made outside — in the barn, out in the pasture, in the combine — just as easily as they can be made on a beach or a cruise.
4. Make better financial decisions
Save. Invest. Reduce expenses. Adjust family standard of living. Make frugal choices, but spend where it counts. Invest in assets that will move the needle. Be aggressive in those investments where and when you can. Whether you’re in agriculture or not, this is a common resolution for many each year. This year, stick to your guns, and by 2025, your bank account will reflect your new habits.
5. Focus on healthy living.
The average age of the American rancher is 58 and climbing. As we age, more health problems tend to creep up. Take care of your health by making wise dietary decisions. Focus on quality protein and fats. Skip the sugary-loaded drinks and snacks to avoid the afternoon lull. Prioritize sleep and pencil in rest as needed. Your body and mind will thank you, and your kids, grandkids and great-grandkids will love having you around for decades to come.
6. Network more
Attend the cattlemen’s meeting you’re always too busy to make time for. Set up a regular coffee date with the neighbors. Make it a habit to engage with your customers more often. Reconnect with old acquaintances. We are the sum of the people we spend the most time with, so network with the people who will make you better and enrich your life. It’s worth taking the time to do so.
7. Learn something new
My dad received a drone for Christmas, and he has high hopes that he’ll be able to check fences, water tanks and calving cows from the comfort of the house. First, he has to figure out how to fly the thing!
Learn something new in the upcoming year. This could be finally mastering social media, improving your mechanical skills to cut down on the costs of equipment breakdowns, or investing in genomic testing and using the results to make better keeping and culling decisions. The sky is the limit, and there is plenty to learn with so many advancements in agricultural technologies!
8. Schedule more office time
Whether it’s a family business meeting, filing paperwork, tracking inputs and outputs, organizing records or updating the will and estate plan, dedicate more time in the office to manage your business. Making this a priority will help with tax preparation, daily decision making in the business, long-term sustainability of the ranch and keeping all family members on the same page.
I’ve listed my top eight areas that any family ag enterprise could focus on in the upcoming year, but I would love to hear your additions to the list, as well. Email me at Amanda.radke@live.com.
Shop here: God. Grace. Goals. Crewneck
]]>Never forget that under the Constitution, we hold inherent rights “All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting property and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights are instituted among men, serving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
George Washington once said, “Freedom and property rights are inseparable,” and if we lose control of the very ground we stand on, we are not free in the state of South Dakota. It’s as simple as that.
]]>In the coming weeks, the United Nation’s Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is expected to publish a food systems road map calling for the west to limit their consumption of meat in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This falls right in line with a long-standing agenda to slap regulations on livestock producers and take meat, dairy, and eggs off the dinner plate for average Americans.
Think U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s infamous attack on cow farts in her proposed Green New Deal.
Or Al Gore’s flopped climate change hysteria, which laughably did nothing to change the climate, but did a whole lot to line his pocketbook.
More recently, the New York Post released an article titled, “Humans may be fueling global warming by breathing,” which says the quiet part out loud that these people really despise humanity.
And politicians in liberal cities like New York have enacted meatless Mondays in the public school system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a cruel joke for the city’s kids who are deprived of quality protein during the school day.
It’s nonsensical science where propagandists, politicians, talking media heads, and celebrities use the same tactic — keep repeating a lie until it becomes the truth. We are told that 2+2 does not, in fact, equal 4, but instead, if we take a long winding road filled with fancy-sounding words like “sustainability,” “carbon neutral,” and “net zero,” we can convince the general public that 2+2=5.
Not because it’s even remotely true, of course, but because there’s money, control, and power at stake.
The real truth is that American agriculture is an absolute success story when it comes to environmental stewardship. We produce more food using fewer natural resources than ever before, and the current narrative is trying to convince American farmers and ranchers to admit that they are somehow at fault of doing wrong.
The carbon capture agenda is a noose around our necks, my friends. And we simply cannot hand them the rope.
In several Democrat-run states, legislation has been passed this year to advance this agenda even farther.
According to the Daily Caller, “Michigan, California, New York, and Illinois have all passed legislation that consolidates authority over land use issues and rules with state-level bureaucrats at the expense of local governments that could have altered their own zoning codes to stem the tide of industrial green projects like solar and wind farms. These policies deprive rural residents in these states of their freedom and local autonomy, while also benefiting the corporate interests that line the pockets of the states’ Democratic governors, state policy experts, and lawmakers.”
Ironically, we face the very same issues in my Republican-led home state of South Dakota, where the push for “private-public partnerships” seeks to use subsidies and tax credits to enrich the very few while jeopardizing our private property rights and local government control.
A proposed carbon pipeline is bringing Democrats and Republicans in this state together — standing united — because citizens are being threatened, coerced, attacked, and smeared for simply standing up for their private property rights.
A pipeline company has slapped condemnation papers on landowners, has showed up to survey on private property with armed security, and when faced with criticism and extreme public outcry, they have come to the conclusion that they need to regroup and try to be “nice.”
Meanwhile, a cushy little campaign has put up billboards around the state to try to smear anyone who stands in the way of “progress,” as a fringe radical.
I’ve been told resisting this carbon pipeline is a losing effort; however, if it goes through, it will be a floodgate of who and what comes through your land next. Just wait.
I recently attended a meeting of concerned landowners in a small little South Dakota town just last week, and let me tell you, it was a packed house of landowners and concerned citizens all asking the same thing, “What can we do to stop this?”
The answer is simple — we demand that our conservative leadership and Republican-led legislature stand behind the Constitution, as they pledged on the Bible to do.
Never forget that under the Constitution, we hold inherent rights “All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting property and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights are instituted among men, serving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
George Washington once said, “Freedom and property rights are inseparable,” and if we lose control of the very ground we stand on, we are not free in the state of South Dakota. It’s as simple as that.
We would be wise not to toss our children and grandchildren’s freedoms aside in favor of a fat climate change check fueled by leftist extreme environmental agendas. The question remains, do we have enough backbone to stand up and speak up?
I stand with the independent landowners in rural states like South Dakota, and I hope you will join me in doing the same.
]]>
“Son of a nutcracker!” –Buddy
I can't believe Christmas is already here, and we'll soon close the chapter on 2023. Compared to last winter's Snowpocalypse, it's been a welcome change of pace to be feeding cattle this Christmas season in hooded sweatshirts and no hats, gloves, or coats required! Cattle are grazing stalks, and we are thankful for the extra sunshine!
It's been a busy year for us as a family. If I rewind the tape and watch it all back, I'm not sure how we squeezed everything in that we did, but Tyler and I are still standing, I guess, a little worse for wear but that's parenting in a nutshell, I think!
The boys kicked off the year with wrestling. Thorne "The Badger" Radke competed in his first tournaments, and made it to regionals. He's a tough and ornery old farm boy, so it's a good way to channel all that energy. This winter will be even better with all three boys competing, so Scarlett and I look forward to our quiet and peaceful girls' nights while the trio are at practice with their dad.
“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” —Santa Claus
Speaking of the trio of boys, they keep us hopping. Living with three sons is like inviting a pen of yearling bulls to live with you. If they get bored, they'll start flipping feed bunks and destroying the place, so keeping them busy with projects is key.
Somehow, the boys think they are grown men now. And they've transitioned from asking for cheap plastic toys for Christmas to weaponry -- real guns, knives, arrows, that sort of thing. Lord, help me. And fair warning to any neighbors planning to swing by and say hello to the Radkes. Our little militia is fully armed and ready for action. We probably should have a sign in the front yard that reads, "Beware Of Boys."
In the theme of keeping the boys busy, Tyler bought an old duck boat off Craigslist this summer, and the boys spent months fixing it up -- complete with custom camouflage paint, cushy seats, rope lights, navigation, and any bells and whistles you can think of. The maiden voyage of the boat on the Mighty James River was hysterical. I watched from ashore as Tyler took the kids out for a trip down the slowest and most shallow river in America. They all bawled like babies out of pure terror, but eventually they warmed up to the idea and now beg to go back out on the water daily.
We bought an acreage a mile straight east of our place this summer, and probably the favorite project for the boys in 2023 has been the demolition. We knocked down the farmhouse, outbuildings, and dead trees, and it was "EPIC," according to the boys.
"Christmas isn't just a day. It's a frame of mind." —Kris Kringle, Miracle on 34th Street
While the boys give us gray hairs, Scarlett marches to the beat of her own drum. She's taken quite an interest in the cattle business, and she sure let's us know if she doesn't like our breeding decisions. Lots of opinions with a dose of sass, she certainly must get that from her dad. ;)
She showed cattle for the first time this summer, and we all made the trip to the NALJA show in Rapid City, where she got to show her steer, Kyote. Thorne and Scarlett also earned some hardware with the bull calves we brought out. Scarlett made her mama extra proud winning her first national speaking competition -- sales talk. She had to learn the EPDs, pedigree, and data of the bull she showed and present it to judges and make the final sale. We are hoping to put her bull salesmanship skills to work in the real world soon.
Her big project for the year was writing, illustrating, designing and publishing her first children's book, "Scarlett & Lucky." It's based on the true story of her bottle calf, Lucky, who went viral on social media with the videos we made of him and the kids. She's sold hundreds of copies so far and has done some school book readings and event signings. I think I can retire now and just be her biggest fan/personal chauffeur.
“You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary. ”—George Bailey, It's A Wonderful Life
Tyler is the steady and solid rock that keeps the chaos of careers, kids, and cattle all together. He runs with all my crazy ideas, and keeps our focus on what really matters. He's patient and kind and everything you would want in a husband and father to your children.
Honestly, the amount of people who have told me I married a saint when I'm out on the road is unbelievable at this point. I'm not sure what that says about me, but we won't dig too much into that. I certainly married well, but hopefully he thinks the same about me! HA! It's hard to believe it's been 15 years since I first met that quiet guy on the SDSU meats judging team. I think I'll keep him around. He's an alright fella. ;)
Tyler continues to work at Farmers National Company, managing farms and selling ag real estate. He's great at what he does, and it's been interesting to watch land sale trends in the last couple of years.
Together, we have been busy on the ranch working on some big projects and changes. We dispersed our Maine Anjou herd, which was very bittersweet, but closing that chapter was made a little easier with the great breeders we sent our cattle to.
In turn, we've been aggressively expanding our Limousin and Angus herds and have several donors we are flushing. Me waiting for those embryo calves to be born this upcoming spring is like a kid waiting for Santa to drop down the chimney with presents. I'm eager to see what lies ahead in 2024!
"A true selfless act always sparks another."—Klaus
As for me, I continue to stay busy writing, speaking, and running a retail business. Hands down, the best part of what I do is being surrounded by so many amazing people. The kindness and generosity I experience and witness on the road could fill a book! Turn off the news, and go spend some time with real people. The America we know and love is alive and well, I assure you!
I gave 52 speeches this year, which is insane to me to think about given that it all started as an 8-year old kid doing public speaking contests in 4-H! It's tough being on the road so much, but the people in ag fuel me. I love the work and am passionate about the message, so we push forward.
A few new things this year -- I started a podcast, "The Heart of Rural America," inspired by the wonderful folks I meet on the road at ag conferences, and it's been such a joy to interview these individuals and highlight them on the show. This podcast and radio program wouldn't be possible without amazing sponsors, CK6 Source, CK6 Consulting, Linz Heritage Angus, Linz Meats, Real Tuff Livestock Equipment, and Redmond Real Salt. A special thanks to my talented producer, Abbey Graves, for bringing the show to life!
This summer, I also took on a consulting gig with my friend, Chris Earl, at CK6. I join an incredibly talented, passionate, driven, and faith-filled team, and to me, the work is very much aligned with what I speak about on the road. Instead of just talking about it, I get to put those ideas to work, helping ranching families pursue new pathways to profitability, so they can continue to do what they love to do on the land and with the cattle they raise.
While I am increasingly frustrated with what's going on in Washington, D.C., I believe private enterprise and entrepreneurs will save this country and fix many of the challenges we face. So my goal on the road is empowering producers to do exactly that -- to be the change they want to see and pursue it without ceasing. We are the solution -- you and I, in the heart of rural America. We must continue to fight back, anyway we can, to create opportunities for success for future generations, to secure our food supply, and to keep main streets in rural America alive. I am actually quite optimistic for what lies ahead, but we definitely have our work cut out for us!
"Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more." —The Grinch
As I reflect on another year gone by, I think it's a good time to remember what truly matters in life -- our faith, our family, our friends, our community, and the impact we can have in service to others.
Life is pretty meaningless without those pillars, and we are thankful to be surrounded by an amazing support system who reminds us of this often.
Tis the season for tinsel, and lights, wrapping paper and bows, presents under the tree, Santa sightings at the mall, Christmas carols in the car, and delicious food at big family gatherings.
But truly, what this season really means is a KING came down from heaven as a vulnerable little baby. Born in a manger in poverty surrounded by cattle and sheep and two loving parents with unbreakable faith, His incredible life, death, and resurrection would change the world and give humanity with the opportunity to spend eternity with our Father in heaven who loves us so dearly.
I pray that Jesus will impact your life as He has mine. I pray that more people will come to know and love Him. I pray that our hearts and minds will stay on fire to serve the Lord on this earth, so we can prepare for our true and forever home in the kingdom that awaits us. I pray that our children and grandchildren will grow in their relationship with Jesus. I pray for discernment, wisdom, and strength to carry the cross that God gives me in my life. And I pray the same for you, as well.
May God bless you and keep you in His loving embrace all the days of your life. May you experience health, happiness, and true purpose in 2024. Merry Christmas from the Radke family! We hope to see you on the dusty trail very soon!
- Tyler, Amanda, Scarlett, Thorne, Alexander, and Croix Radke
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. – Isaiah 9:6
]]>As cattle ranchers, the Christmas season is truly our time to shine. Nothing says festive merriment quite like a prime rib roasted and served with au jus at the center of the dinner plate.
It’s a meal we look forward to all year; however, in 2023, I’m mindful of the rising price of beef and that a prime rib may simply be too costly for most Americans this Christmas season.
But there’s hope! Beef can still be a major part of your family gatherings and celebrations with friends, co-workers, and community members. Today, I’ve rounded up some affordable ways to incorporate beef into your holiday menus. Here are my fourbest tips! Feel free to share with friends who may be looking to buy beef on a budget.
]]>
As cattle ranchers, the Christmas season is truly our time to shine. Nothing says festive merriment quite like a prime rib roasted and served with au jus at the center of the dinner plate.
It’s a meal we look forward to all year; however, in 2023, I’m mindful of the rising price of beef and that a prime rib may simply be too costly for most Americans this Christmas season.
But there’s hope! Beef can still be a major part of your family gatherings and celebrations with friends, co-workers, and community members. Today, I’ve rounded up some affordable ways to incorporate beef into your holiday menus. Here are my fourbest tips! Feel free to share with friends who may be looking to buy beef on a budget.
1. Look for affordable cuts.
I know prime rib may be a tradition in your family, but if the sticker price is a little too steep this year, consider more affordable cuts that may satisfy your family’s hankering for beef this Christmas.
A chuck roast, seared, slow-roasted, and served on a fresh baked bun with swiss cheese and au jus dip is a rich and savory alternative.
Or how about a beef brisket, smoked and thinly sliced? Sirloin tip steaks, cubed and fried, make an excellent chislic. Don’t forget the homemade ranch or cheese sauce for dipping!
Ground beef would be another affordable option. Get creative and make festive meatballs. This is a favorite in our house, and my kids love trying new ingredients to add in or top their meatballs with.
2. Shop sales and get to know the folks behind the meat counter.
Make sure you’re checking out holiday sales at your local grocer, meat locker, and shops. You might just be able to snag your prime rib roll at a discount. Or perhaps they are clearing out tenderloins. Call often and stop in frequently to get the best deals. Get to know the workers at the meat case, and they will let you know of upcoming discounts.
3. Buy in bulk.
Now is a great time to stockpile beef for your deep freezer. Get in touch with a local rancher, and consider purchasing a quarter or a half. The up-front cost may be a little intimidating, but once you break down the cost per pound for everything from ribeyes to ground beef to soup bones, you quickly realize that it’s a very economical way to have beef on the menu year-round.
4. Cook once, dine twice.
The old adage, “cook once, dine twice” is a great way to make a great beef meal and then use the leftovers in another way to have a second meal centered around beef.
An example would be to prepare a tenderloin, sliced thin, and served with wild grain rice and bacon-wrapped asparagus. Then take the leftovers and serve over a salad with spinach, red onions, cherry tomatoes and balsamic dressing.
Or take a rump roast, slowly cooked in a crockpot and served with all of the fixings — mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. Then with the leftovers, shred and make quesadillas. Use corn tortillas, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.
The possibilities are endless, and this is a good strategy to utilize when hosting family members over the holiday weekend where you need to prepare multiple meals.
I hope these tips help you to think about ways you can afford beef and enjoy this wonderful protein during your holiday gatherings this season. What other strategies would you add to this list? Feel free to share this with friends to help them navigate their way through the meat case and explore ways they, too, can enjoy beef on a budget!
]]>I just wrapped up my final speech for 2023, and what an absolute honor and humbling whirlwind of travel it has been.
Fifty-two speeches. Twenty states. Tens of thousands of people reached, and thousands of children’s books shared coast-to-coast. I’ve spoke in barns at production sales, at school libraries, in mega convention centers, on the top of trailer beds, and in dive barns on rural main streets.
]]>
I just wrapped up my final speech for 2023, and what an absolute honor and humbling whirlwind of travel it has been.
Fifty-two speeches. Twenty states. Tens of thousands of people reached, and thousands of children’s books shared coast-to-coast. I’ve spoke in barns at production sales, at school libraries, in mega convention centers, on the top of trailer beds, and in dive barns on rural main streets.
If you call, I do my best to come speak and serve my audiences with information that can help empower them to be their own best advocates.
Inspired by the incredible folks I’ve met on the road, I started a podcast, “The Heart of Rural America” to highlight and share their stories. And with every interview, every handshake, every deep conversation after a speech, every email and message I’ve received, and every invite to the next event I receive, I’ve learned one important thing about what the heart of rural America actually represents.
To me, the heart of rural America is made up of families — moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, and a slug of young kids who give hope and purpose to these hard-working families as they grow their businesses, build their legacies, and square up to the challenges of production agriculture.
To me, the heart of rural America is made up of eternal optimists. No, they aren’t naive to the external forces that seek to eliminate this way of life, strip us of our private property rights, regulate us out of business, and take away food choice at the grocery store with their twisted ideologies related to animals, land, food, and people.
Despite all that, these folks are still optimists. They have to be. This isn’t an easy life. It’s not a life without great risk and financial investment. It’s not a guaranteed profit driver. Nor is it a life that is safe and secure.
Yet, these eternal optimists love the challenge of it all. The risks they take can lead to great rewards. The volatility of the weather and markets keeps them on their toes, and it may get them down at times, but they know they have community to back them up and encourage them to keep going.
And what I’ve found is a large commonality in the heart of rural America is that the well of optimism runs deep because it’s rooted in faith. Because at the end of the day, it’s hard not to see God’s handiwork in a beautiful sunset painting the sky across the prairie, while cattle grazing, and birds chirp, and the bees and butterflies bounce from wildflower to wildflower in the grass.
And its’ hard not to see God in the laughter of a child as they ride along in the buddy seat of the tractor during harvest season. Or in the warm embrace of a father who is proud of the work their children have done. Or in the loving way a mother tends to her family, her work, her home, and anything else she is called to do to keep the wheels humming on the farm and ranch.
To me, what I see in the heart of rural America is grit, a no quit attitude, and a resolute determination to succeed despite the odds. I see families who understand the shared goal they have, and are willing to throw all their weight into it to making their dreams become reality.
To me, what I see in the heart of rural America are honest folks, with integrity, where a handshake is your bond, and your word is worth its weight in gold.
To me, what I see in the heart of rural America are communities who love their family, friends, and neighbors, and are willing to help others when the need arises.
To me, the heart of rural America is what makes this nation strong. There’s an undeniable passion for the land, natural resources, and livestock, but there is also a true love for serving others and making sure the world has access to the essentials of life — food, fiber, and energy.
And at the end of the day, it’s these people in the heart of rural America who push me to keep at it on the road. With every speech, I don’t ask my audiences to agree with me. I don’t ask them to think the way I do. My only goal is to empower them, to share ideas and inspiration, to lay out the challenges and threats to our way of life, and to give them the tools they need to fight for their futures and advocate for this way of life for future generations.
There’s much work yet to be done, and I’m anxious to dive into it in 2024, but for now, I just want to extend a humble “thank you” for the opportunities to share my message, through my speeches and my children’s books. My deepest respect and admiration goes out to each and every one of you, and I sincerely look forward to connecting with more of you on the road in 2024! God bless!
]]>
The holiday season is officially upon us, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for special someone, let this cattle rancher give you a simple solution — give the gift of BEEF!
Ribeye steaks. Tenderloins. Tomahawks. Tri-Tip.
Who is going to complain when they slap a fancy steak on their grill courtesy of one of their dearest friends?
]]>The holiday season is officially upon us, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for special someone, let this cattle rancher give you a simple solution — give the gift of BEEF!
Ribeye steaks. Tenderloins. Tomahawks. Tri-Tip.
Who is going to complain when they slap a fancy steak on their grill courtesy of one of their dearest friends?
On Dec. 1-3, my friends, the DuVall family, at Capitol Angus and Texas Beefhouse will be offering 12 holiday gift baskets featuring Wagyu steaks. And the unique thing about it, is these lots can only be purchased via an online auction! The event will be held exclusively on CCI.live, with buyers able to bid on beef with guaranteed Christmas delivery.
Now the reason I’m dedicating my weekly column to this topic is because this may be the first time in our modern history where beef has been sold at auction, and I’m absolutely excited about it.
I work with some great friends at CK6 Consulting, a service focused on the purebred Angus seedstock business, and CK6 founder Chris Earl had been mulling over the idea of auctioning off beef for quite some time.
Taking beef products to the free market sounded like an incredible idea to me. Doing this allowed for customers to determine the true value and price. It cut out the middle man. It allowed producers to develop close and meaningful relationships withAnd it added dollars directly back to the ranching family.
In theory, it seemed like a win-win-win idea, but would it actually work?
We put the concept to test in November with the Capitol Angus and Texas Beefhouse annual bull and female sale. Consumers were invited out for a barbecue and ranch tour, followed by a live beef auction.
The results were jaw-dropping, to say the least. I don’t think any of us quite expected what would happen next.
More than 800+ people attending the event in person and online for this historic, landmark auction. The event was hosted on the video sale platform, cci.live, and organized by CK6 Consulting. Auctioneer Wes Tiemann led the sale, assisting 100+ buyers from all over the country in making their beef selections. Families, restaurants, and business owners gathered to stock their freezers, purchase steaks for Christmas gifts, and tour the Capitol Angus grounds, giving a unique opportunity for folks outside of agriculture to see how beef cattle is raised on a family-owned Texas ranch.
Results from the 33-lot beef auction were impressive. In total, 2,564 lbs. averaged $26.96/lb.; 1,750 lbs. of ground beef and sausage averaged $8.46/lb.; and 774 lbs. of primals and steaks averaged $68.81/lb.
“To our knowledge, this is the first modern beef auction of its kind, and the excitement was electric,” said Chris Earl, CK6 Consulting. “The DuVall family took a huge risk in trying something completely new, and the market responded in spades. Buyers weren’t just buying beef though -- they were buying into a hard-working family and the story behind this beef. The DuValls work tirelessly to invest in Angus and Wagyu genetics that will ultimately create a great beef eating experience for the people they serve.”
This is just the beginning for Texas Beefhouse, and we are all looking forward to the Christmas auction, and many more to come. And perhaps, this might be a new avenue for many ranchers, just like the DuVall family, to market their beef direct to consumers and earn a premium for what they do.
“We are so grateful for everyone who came out to support us for this sale, both in person and online,” said Tyler DuVall, of Capitol Angus. “We are excited for the future, and eager to rollout new opportunities for our customers to purchase high-quality Angus and Wagyu beef.”
You can learn more about the upcoming auction at www.texasbeefhouse.com, and my encouragement to all beef cattle producers is this:
There are many challenges threatening the future of our businesses and our way of life, and unfortunately, the political will does not seem to be there to address any of these issues.
We can’t wait for a white knight to swoop in and save us; we must instead, look for ways as entrepreneurs and capitalists, to enter into the free market and capture the true value for the hard work we do back at home on the ranch.
And the best way for us to do exactly that is to focus on raising the best beef we possibly can and telling our story to the people we want to serve. When we do that, good things will come our way, and perhaps, we’ll discover new and exciting ways for our children and grandchildren to make a go of it in this industry we all love.
Eat beef and be merry, my friends!
]]>
Virginia’s Young Farmers Podcast
]]>Amanda Radke has always been an advocate for our industry. She travels the country speaking to agriculturalists, consults cattle families, writes children’s books, hosts the podcast, Heart of Rural America, and so much more.
She went down in history as the brave FFA member who led a walk-out during a Carrie Underwood concert at FFA National Convention in response to false messaging around animal agriculture, all while winning a national public speaking contest.
In this podcast, Amanda gives advice on how to advocate while being authentic and holding your family close. You need to listen if you’re interested in finding confidence in who you are and finding your way to pursue your passion.
]]>I can remember being in kindergarten when our veterinarian’s wife, Jean Patrick, came into our classroom to show us the newest children’s book she had written. I was in awe that a country girl, just like me, could go on to become a published author. The seed was planted at that moment, and one day, I dreamed that I could grow up to be just like Jean.
Fast forward 30 years later, and I’m just wrapping up my ninth children’s book, focused on promoting agricultural literacy and teaching kids about where their food comes from. It’s been so rewarding to travel the country, reading these books to kids in schools spanning from Los Angeles to New York City and everywhere in between.
What has become even more rewarding though, is bringing my four children along for the ride. Watching them answer the students’ questions and really take ownership in explaining farm and ranch life to kids who have never seen a cow or a tractor before has been very exciting to witness. I imagine it won’t be long before the Radke kids are on an agricultural advocacy tour, and their mom is just the driver cheering them on at each stop. I know I’m a biased mama, but I’m so proud of their efforts to dive right in and be a part of this shared mission we all have.
A few years ago, our oldest daughter, Scarlett, asked me if she could write children’s books like me. She was five at the time, barely reading and drawing stick figures for people. My advice to her was that she might need to experience a little more life to be inspired by a story worth telling.
So my little cowgirl did just that. And she landed on the perfect story to tell this year.
This past winter, we had a bull calf, born premature in the snow during a blizzard at just 30 lbs. It was fortunate my dad found him when he did, or I’m certain he would have been a popsicle in short order.
But that little baby calf ended up in the basement to warm up for a bit, and soon, he was at my house, where Grandpa Dave told Scarlett, “I need you to take care of this calf for me.”
So whether we wanted a bottle calf project or not, we got one. The kids named him, “Lucky,” and it was their job to mix the bottles and feed him twice a day. I started documenting the kids doing their bucket calf chores on social media, and soon, a star was born. Lucky drummed up millions of views with his videos, and that the as spark for Scarlett to get to work on her own children’s book.
I’m so proud to announce that after months of sketching, writing, coloring, throwing pictures in the trash, and starting over again, Scarlett finally has released her first book, aptly titled, “Scarlett and Lucky.”
It’s a story written and illustrated by a ranch kid and inspired by our real life on the ranch taking care of Lucky. The book details all of the shenanigans the kids got into with Lucky, like the time to boys tried to make him into a bucking bull. And it highlights some of our favorite memories, like taking Lucky to an ag in the classroom event at the school library.
I’ve come to realize that what’s even better than chasing your own dreams, is helping your kids achieve theirs. Scarlett has been busy doing radio and newspaper interviews, signing books, and shipping orders out. She’s calculated her breakeven price after we add up shipping, printing, and all of those bags of milk replacer that Lucky went through. I’m proud of her drive and hard work, and I would love if you would check out her new story at www.amandaradke.com. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer I think kids will love this Christmas!
As for Lucky, well, he may be a cull bottle calf, but he’s got a bright future ahead — going on a book tour with Lucky and getting lots of back scratches and hugs from the kids who love him. Stay tuned for a Scarlett and Lucky appearance coming soon to a town near you!
]]>