09/12/2026
The second generation is officially in the show ring now, and watching our kids work with cattle that came from the same herd their grandparents and parents have poured so much into is pretty special.
There is so much more to showing an animal than walking into a show ring. It takes hours of work long before the judge ever sees that animal. Feeding, grooming, halter breaking, leading, practicing, cleaning, learning how to set their feet, and learning how to read their animal. It takes patience when the animal doesn't cooperate, responsibility when the child would rather be doing something else, and perseverance when things don't go exactly as planned.
Somewhere along the way, children learn lessons that go far beyond the show ring:
They learn responsibility.
They learn patience.
They learn confidence.
They learn how to accept both success and disappointment.
They learn to care for something that depends on them.
They learn where their food comes from and the work that goes into producing it.
For our family, there is an added layer of pride. Our kids aren't just showing cattle. They are showing animals that we have bred and raised as part of our herd. They get to work with the genetics that we have spent years selecting and developing, and they get to see firsthand how those genetics translate into the cows that stand in our barn and produce the milk that goes into Milky Way Farm products.
Showing teaches children to take pride in their work. And around here, we take a lot of pride in our family, our cattle, our land and the milk they produce.
It isn't just about winning a banner!
It's about raising the next generation of people who understand that good cattle, good food, and a good farm don't happen by accident. They happen through generations of hard work, stewardship, and doing things right!
