Greetings Cowbelles. 

I hope many of you are busy making preparations for our mid-year meeting at Inn of the Mountain Gods in Ruidoso. The Beef Ambassador Contest will be held on June 24 and we will hear from the Junior and Senior winners during our joint Board of Directors and General Membership meeting on June 25.

This year there will be a registration fee of $10 for all CowBelles planning on attending and the deadline is June 15 – No Exceptions! This will make it possible for us to plan for the appropriate number of attendees and have the necessary meeting space. There will once again be a ladies luncheon at noon on June 25. The cost for the luncheon will be $25. The registration form will be included in the May Wrangler or you can mail your check for registration and/or the ladies luncheon payable to NMCB to Lyn Greene, NMCB treasurer, HC 75, Box 22 Mountainair, NM 87036. Please be sure to include your name, contact information and the name of your local. Since all arrangements are being made by New Mexico Cattle Growers we MUST adhere to the June 15 deadline.
NMCB will be holding a joint silent auction with the New Mexico Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers so start collecting your auction items. Fita Witte will be the CowBelle Chairman for this endeavor and is looking forward to all the items you bring or send.
Between now and our mid-year meeting here are some fun facts to share with others about beef. These are things many of us know but seldom think about sharing.

• The U.S. has less than 10 percent of the world’s cattle inventory yet it produces nearly 25 percent of the world’s beef supply.
• One dollar in cattle sales generates about five dollars in additional business activity.
• Fifty percent of all beef pounds bought is ground beef.
• The top three uses of ground beef are burgers, spaghetti, and Mexican dishes.
• The hamburger made its international debut at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904.
• Beef is the #1 food source for protein, vitamin B12 and zinc and the #3 source of iron.
• More beef is consumed on Memorial Day than any other day of the year.
• A cow stands up and lays down about 14 times a day (more than an average couch potato).
• Cows can detect odors up to five miles away.
• Cows have almost 360 degree panoramic vision and can see colors, except red.
• Cows drink from 25 to 35 gallons of water each day.
• Cows came to America with Christopher Columbus.
• Cows spend 6 hours a day eating and 8 hours chewing cud.
• The city of Boston was laid out by cow paths.
• In the average herd there is one bull to every 30 cows.
• Wisconsin has the most dairy cows and Texas has the most beef cows.
• It takes about three thousand cowhides to supply the National Football League with enough leather to produce footballs for one year.
• America’s Beef Producers spend an average of $2 million on food safety research and technology each year.

Have fun sharing these fun and informative facts. I look forward to seeing many of you in June.

                          – Beverly Butler, NMCB President



DATES TO REMEMBER

• May 21-23 – ANCW Region V & VI in Hawaii
• June – Beef Promotion Month
• Beef for Father’s Day
• June 24-26 – NMCB Mid-Year & Board Meeting & Beef Ambassador Contest in Ruidoso at Inn of the Mountain Gods
• July 25-28 – Cattle Industry Summer Convention & ANCW Meeting in Denver, CO
• August – State Fair Manpower $ and Ins. due to State Treasurer
• September 13-23 – State Fair Booth
• September 15 – Deadline for Membership Award
• September 26 – Five States and Executive Board Meeting in Clayton, NM

With nine members and one guest present, Lariat CowBelles met on April 11, at the Rabbit Ears Café. An insert will be run in the Albuquerque newspaper supporting New Mexico Agriculture. Kathryn Malcolm-Callis and Owaissa Heimann gave a cooking demonstration at Ranch Market to promote beef and the recipe, St. Patrick’s Beef Pot Pie was well received. Handouts were distributed on the myths surrounding lean finely textured beef that is a controversial topic in the media at present. A new large version of the Brand Napkin will be made for $50 per brand. Send $50, an explanation of how to read the brand and a copy of the brand card to Owaissa Heimann. Kim Miller will be Treasurer for Lariat CowBelle as current treasurer Candra Acuna will be moving to the family ranch in Nebraska. The Beef Council is holding a Gate to Plate Tour along the Santa Fe Trail in May. On May 9, Lariat members will be helping serve breakfast at the research center and lunch at the TO Ranch. The New Mexico Livestock Association and the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ meeting will take place in Roy, New Mexico on May 6. Registration is $20 and RSVP must be made to nmcga@nmagriculture.org by April 30. New Mexico State University Youth Ranch Management Camp applications are due April 20. Union County had four participants last year. An update was given on Masters of Beef Advocacy activities. Chris Allison, Range Management Specialist from NMSU, gave a presentation on “History of Public Land Grazing.” Most states east of New Mexico are privately held lands. New Mexico is a conglomerate of private, military, state, BLM, forest service, and Indian lands. A history of settlement of the Southwest was discussed. Northern New Mexico Spanish land grants were taken away from their owners under the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The 1862 Homestead Act for farming north of the 100th meridian was set up for failure due to untillable land. Congress still thought ranchers were temporary occupants. In 1936 the rangeland had been plowed, the dustbowl occurred, and the lands were abandoned. Water rights are required to get a grazing permit on BLM land. The Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Lands Act are being used to keep ranchers and move ranchers off land. Mr. Allison is promoting photographic documentation as a monitoring tool on ranchlands to prove land improvement. Water rights were discussed. A recommended book is Blood and Thunder, by Hampton Sides. It explains Kit Carson’s involvement in New Mexico and the development of the Southwest. Due to the Gate to Plate Tour, the next meeting of Lariat CowBelles will be on Tuesday, May 8, location pending. Respectfully submitted, Marianne Rose Reporter, Lariat CowBelles.

The Chuckwagon CowBelles met at the Mountainair home of Cookie Conant on April 10 with 19 members and guest Caren Cowan present. Toni announced that September 18 will be Chuckwagon’s day at the New Mexico State Fair. She also informed the group that April 24 will be the Beef Battalion day in Clovis, the applications for brand napkins are out, and that the Mid-Year meeting will be June 24-26 at the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Ruidoso. Joyce Shaw announced the Ranch Rodeo Day in Mountainair will be May 21 and that the organizers are happy to give the local a promotional booth free of charge. The All Indian Livestock Days will be May 15 at the Route 66 Casino. A synopsis on Dalene Hodnett’s presentation concerning informing the public about ranch lifestyle was given. She said studies have shown that it is best to say “My ranch” and “My cattle” in order to put a personal emphasis on beef production, and should avoid words like “Industry” and “Business.” There was much discussion about marketing ideas for beef. Dalene is requesting any photos of families doing ranch work to be emailed to her at: dalene.hodnett@nmfarmbureau.org. There was much discussion about the news media and the recent news item concerning the Dennis Chavez auction in Los Lunas. It was decided that a petition would be created and signed condoning humane treatment of all livestock. Toni Barrow introduced Caren Cowan of New Mexico Cattle Growers. Caren emphasized getting to know the political candidates in our own districts as well as in our neighboring districts. “State politicians need to know someone in agriculture they can trust,” she said. She also urged us to be diligent about voting. There was much discussion about the Legislature and how to be effective in Santa Fe. The next meeting will be at the home of Elaine Aschbacher in Tijeras, NM. From the March meeting: There was discussion about newspaper articles regarding red meat, Jeff Witte’s article about agriculture and the economy, and about Ranchers’ Days in Mountainair on June 16 & 17. Marion Shaw mentioned a recycling project that the Mountainair Library is putting on. Respectfully submitted by Babbi Baker

The Powderhorn CowBelles met at the Episcopal hall for the April meeting with twelve members and two guests present Traci Williams and Aspen Achen. Joan Key reported on the very successful District II meeting held at the Bosque Redondo in Fort Sumner on March 22. An interesting agenda by the state officers was enjoyed by all, as well as good food, unique favors, decorations and hospitality by Powderhorn members. There were about forty in attendance. Members received their yearbooks produced by new member Kari Henry and wrote her a note of appreciation. Powderhorn is going to be very busy all this month, with Karen Kelling spearheading Kids, Kows and More at the Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa on April 17 and at the Santa Fe Fairgrounds April 21 for fifth and sixth graders. Powderhorn is furnishing beef sticks for these events. Also on the 21st, we will be helping Abby Hofman and Yetta Bidegain with information about beef at the Health Fair in Tucumcari. We will be furnishing beef patties for the annual cook-out honoring the grade school honor students and their parents sponsored by the Woman’s Club and Rotary. The Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and New Mexico CowBelles are having a joint auction at the summer conference is Ruidoso on June 24-26. Powderhorn will purchase an item for the auction. Peggy Monzingo died recently. She was a charter member of Powderhorn, president of the state and of Powderhorn and always active until she moved to Arizona. We voted to send a check to the Pat Nowlin Memorial Fund in her memory. We received a copy of the report of our 20th anniversary from Jan Elliott, a former member and now president of the South Texas CattleWomen. It made interesting reading about people and events, and reminded us that 2012 is Powderhorn’s 50th year! Following a delicious luncheon, Traci Williams, Ag in the Classroom coordinator for the New Mexico Farm Bureau, presented a very enthusiastic account of this program and potential benefit to the beef industry. Her response to our question about how we could aid in the goals of the program, help fund one or two teachers to attend the national Ag in the Classroom meeting being held in Colorado this summer. Dorothy Vaughan, Secretary

The April 15 meeting of the Chamiza CowBelles was called to order by President Gloria Petersen with eight members and three guests. A sign-up sheet was passed around for volunteering at Ag Day which will be held on April 20. Workers should be at the field between 8:30 and 9 a.m. to help serve lunches to the school children. It is estimated to be finished by 2 p.m. Gloria reminded group to participate in meetings sponsored by the hospital regarding community health care needs; input will be appreciated. The State Cowbelles are gathering brands for new napkins. Forms were distributed, which need to be submitted with copy of brand card, how to read and $50. The Farm Bureau sent information regarding new beef signs available and also requested recipes. The guest speaker was Mike Shivers, a District Conservationist with the T or C Field Office of NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). Mike emphasized that his capacity is for technical assistance rather than a regulatory office. If you are interested in installing a pipeline, a rainwater catchment system, a drip irrigation system, etc., then his office can assist you with “how to” directions. There is also grant money available for household water conservation items, residential sprinkler/drip irrigation systems, and agricultural producers’ assistance. To qualify for assistance submit an application with Mr. Shivers’ office and must reside in Sierra County. Submitted by Cathy Pierce

 

New Mexico CowBelles: Thank you to all who have submitted their news to “Jingle Jangle.”
Please send minutes and/or newsletters to:
Jingle Jangle, Janet Witte, 1860 Foxboro Ct., Las Cruces, NM  88007 or email: janetwitte@msn.com