Real Cowgirls Don’t Go To Padre Island
Well it’s that time again…college students from all over the nation are getting excited about their trips to Padre Island, Panama, and Cancun for Spring Break. I know that the majority of the conversations I’ve heard around campus this week were dominated by talk of packing swimsuits and checking on resort reservations. However I am not packing any swimsuits for my Spring Break but I will be packing several pairs of boots.
I haven’t had a true “Spring Break Vacation” since I was 10 years old. Every Spring Break my family and I head south to Houston, Texas for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with a trailer full of pigs and beef heifers. While all my friends were sitting on lounge chairs surrounded by sand and the smells of the ocean eating coconut shrimp in their bikinis I was sitting on a show box surrounded by shavings and the smell of the business end of livestock eating ham sandwiches out of the cooler. I know it doesn’t sound glamorous, but I truly loved and looked forward to every Spring Break I spent at the livestock show. All my show friends were there and it was the last big major of the year.
I thought that when I moved 10 hours away from Houston my Spring Break might be a little different, but once again I’ll be at the livestock show. My Wool Judging Team will be making the trip down there next week to compete in our last judging contest of the year. I am definitely looking forward to spending my Spring Break at my old stomping ground and hopefully bringing home a big crystal cup from the judging contest!
Just like me, farmers and ranchers never get a vacation to Padre Island. Cattle have to be taken care of everyday so leaving the farm is rare occurance. I can’t think of any occupation that takes more dedication and passion than those in our industry.
I hope that everyone enjoys their Spring Break whether it is on the beaches of Mexico or the pastures back at the ranch!
Happy cow trails to you until we meet again,
Mandy-Jo
That’s right! Most don’t realize that farmers very rarely vacation and if they do it’s usually to the state fair or a national show for their breed association. And we enjoy these vacations just as much as others enjoy their beach and skiing trips.
I agree! Between our cattle and dogs, it’s hard for us to go anywhere – especially since our co-op animal sitters (namely YOU and your Mom) left town!!
But the good part is that folks CHOOSE to farm and love it so much that the vacations just don’t seem that big a deal!! I hope you and the team do well in Houston and you get to see loads of old friends!!
Yeah, our family vacation is the National Jr. Angus Show. Because we love what we do, we can’t even take a vacation from it. It’s not a job, but a way of life.