The annual Devon meeting….
….was held at Jacob and Jenny Owens’ beautiful “Brookview Farm” in Kentucky thoroughbred company. And the Owen’s more than hold their own in that high-powered company.
The 600-acre farm is home to about 50 mama cows so, as one of the visitors put it, stocking density is not a problem. Calving season had just begun, adding both fun and an extra educational opportunity.
The 100-plus attendees included quite a few new faces. If any scene typifies a Devon meeting, it is Gearld Fry (in yellow shirt) lecturing from a wagon bed about the proper cow.
Among the listeners was Jacob’s herd, which crowded close and were rewarded to hear that their thymuses (thy-mi?) were in good working order. It’s a testimony to Jacob’s stockmanship that not only the cows but the new babies were so comfortable among the strangers.
But the bulk of the education duties fell to the next generation: Guille Yearwood and Jeremy Engh led a discussion on finishing steers and Jeremy handled sessions on processing new calves and another on DNA.
There’s no doubt this meeting set Red Devon USA on a constructive course. It’s been many years since Devon breeders have been so unified and optimistic about the future.