“One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.”
~Will Durant~

Harvest time is well under way and it’s this time of year that remains my favorite. There is nothing better than that first morning you wake up and discover fall has fully flown in, layering everything with a light frost and the air holds the smell of wood fire places that have been stoked up for the first time in months. I savor the last tomatoes from my neighbors’ gardens who have kindly kept me stocked all summer long. I know that this is one indulgence that won’t make a return until next summer. The chill in the air has officially made it time to whip up those favorite soup and stew recipes that were shelved when the evenings started to warm up. October is the month that keeps me on the road and away from home much more than I like, but it also awards me the opportunity to see autumn in a variety of different coats around the country, so who am I to complain.
Another sort of harvest is happening right here at our office, as envelopes and boxes full of photos have been arriving since the beginning of September. Unlike past years, when I opened each and every one the day it arrived, my schedule this year has prohibited that from happening. The plan is to open and check them all in tomorrow when all of the entries should have arrived. It’s a lot like Christmas Eve; believe me the anticipation of seeing the photos is on that level. There is one large corner of my office that is stacked high with over 60 boxes and envelopes. We have an impressive set of judges lined up to evaluate this year’s submissions. While at this moment I do not know how many “People’s Choice” entries we’ll have, be sure to check our web site so that you can vote for your favorite.

I want to thank everyone who has responded to our reader’s survey on our website; the numbers have been staggering, and this has certainly given us a better insight to what our readers think and the challenges that they feel ranchers in the West face each day. For those of you that filled out the survey look for your hats in the mail soon; the staff is working tirelessly sending out as many as they can each day. Those of you that haven’t yet taken the opportunity to do the survey, you better hurry up as you really don’t want to miss out at getting a very fine Western Cowman cap. In future months we’ll begin sharing the results of the survey with you. I believe you’ll find them fascinating.
We’ve got a great issue of reads for you. We all know what development has done to pasture land and the toll it has taken on ranching. The article, “Land Rush,” is very informative and will bring you up to date on what is happening with agricultural land values today. We always want to be on the cutting edge in bringing you new ways to look at your ranch and add value. With that in mind I believe you’ll find the piece on agritourism, “The Next Big Thing,” extremely interesting. “Bulls in Transition” is terrific. It brings to the plate all that you need to do to get those new sale bulls purchased this fall ready to go out and work for their living. Once again, it’s a full book of marvelous pieces that will not only inform but entertain as well.

The October chill will curtail your reading on the porch for a few months, so grab your October issue, snuggle down in your easy chair, let the dog sleep at your feet, snag a mug of something fun and enjoy the treats we’re serving up without the tricks. I’m sure to be pretty saddle sore by the time I get off my final trail at the end of the month when the goblins start heading out to play. I’ll still look forward to sharing with you this year’s 2007 Western Cowman photo winners in the November issue as those winter winds start swirling.

Happy Trails……