Fly Over Zone Even During Disaster

Thousands of cattle are dead and more are dying. The early wet and windy snow storm caught everyone off guard. We all knew that it was coming, but for many ranchers it was too late to move their herds to winter pastures. That is a process that takes days and weeks. Also the cattle did not yet have their winter coats to protect them from the strong winds and extremely wet snow. Some herds in their winter pastures still met the same fate, suffocating in the blowing drifts or dying from exposure or pneumonia in their light summer coats. Difficult as it is to believe, even some of the hardy bison fell to the fury of this early storm.

Some ranchers lost most of the herds they had nurtured and developed for years while others lost a fourth or more.  How can they recover? Insurance can not make up such extreme losses. Prized bulls carefully bred to grow the herds perished along with champion horses. South Dakota ranchers are devastated, emotionally, physically and financially. Ranching is the number one industry in our state and this storm came after years of drought that brought the industry to almost a breaking point. The loss of these cattle that were getting ready to be shipped after the first decent year of rain and abundant hay, cannot be measured. How can you measure the complete loss of a lifetime, or several generations, in terms of money? How can you begin to realize the grief of a rancher who lost most of his cattle in the prime of their calving years? Who can balance the tipping point in terms of money, loans, time or years of uncertainty with drought and high diesel prices?

There were numerous cattle, ready to be shipped, that died in the stock yards. They were trapped, as I imagine many of our ranchers feel. It is well-known that ranchers are a hardy stock of people. They have had to be, living with storms, drought and fluctuating cattle prices. But I am so afraid that for some this may be the last straw. Now many of the large corporations have an opportunity to swoop in and take over the land that has been owned for many generations by individual families who loved the land and their herds.

To top it all off, the national media gave only a glancing nod to this story. I realize that we are "the fly over zone" and are largely ignored. That is one of the attractions of the area. We love the lack of notoriety and sensationalism and high drama of the two coasts. We cherish the smaller population, clean air, water and low traffic and crime. But for the nation to ignore the plight of our ranchers and their heartbreaking stories seems appalling. South Dakota may be less in numbers, but we provide much of the nation with its low-cost meat, raised by our ranchers who care about the quality of their beef and the integrity of their land. These ranchers and we local residents who enjoy seeing the tractors, cattle and bulging hay trucks rumble through our down-town main streets, do not want to lose this way of life.

We felt the spirit of the area when we first moved here. We were entering the lobby of a local bank to open an account when a rancher- stained cowboy hat, jeans and well-worn boots - had sauntered past us from the bank on his way to his truck. One of the tellers in high heels and dainty dress was mopping the floor. The smell of hay and cattle dung still clung in the air. As she sprayed the lobby she replied cheerily, "Just one of our services".

Hello, out there, you national media! There are wonderful stories to share with the world from those who supply you with your steaks and hamburger. There has been one source of thorough and heartfelt coverage that I have seen by an on-line news magazine. It will be well worth your time to check it out.

Visit  www.RealAmericanCowboyMagazine.com
"The Perfect Storm - Hell Strikes South Dakota" October 10
by Hope Sickler

We may be low in numbers but we represent the heart of America. Some say we are the "real Americans", not those portrayed by the movies. Whatever we are, our ranchers are hurting. We all know it. If only the rest of the world would understand. But, as I hear from friends from other states, they only heard a "small bit" on their news. That small bit is huge to us in America's heartland.