As most Oklahomans are being told to stay home and avoid being on the roads during record cold temperatures and back to back winter storms, the state’s farmers and ranchers don’t have a choice.
Kingfisher County rancher Kyle Glazier had icicles on his face as he chopped ice in a stock tank with an ax. It’s a critical time for him and his animals because it’s calving season, and many heifers are having their first babies in the record cold. It’s also critical for the beef industry at large. Each of the animals born is worth between $600 and $800, and they will make up the country’s beef supply in about two years.
Glazier talks about all of the challenges of working in the extreme cold in this video/audio diary that was recorded by Oklahoma Farm Bureau as they document the ranching experience.
Disclosure: Oklahoma Farm Bureau is financial supporter of KOSU.