The Cotton Shedd

3rd Annual Barn Dance

Come experience a REAL Barn Dance on our farm.   This is all about authentic pit BBQ from 4-H raised pigs,  line dancing, reeling and two steppin' in a working barn - all under the stars and candle and lantern light ( no electric lights).  We had over 200 people last year attend.  This is a real blast from the past.    All the money raised is for Big Shots 4-H Club.

I hope to see you there......

Download Barn DanceFlyer 2011

Holiday Traditions on Jan D'Atri Today

We will be visiting with Jan about Holiday Traditions on KFYI 550 am today from 3:00 until 5:00. WARNING:  Don't listen while hungry because Jan and Mama always have the best recipes around.

 

 

Great Western Images

We were just included in a very cool treasury of western images.  Check it out here.

Big Shots Barn Dance 2010

Wow, between barn dance and planting cotton we have been a bit busy around here.  Whew! both are done.  Here are some barn dance photos.  We had at least 200 people and a lot of fun.

 

Before dinner we had hay rides around the farm.

 

At noon while we were preparing for the barn dance, Caboodle fell and had to go to emergency where they glued her face back together in lieu of 4 stitches.  It was no doubt my fault because I remember thinking a few moments before...wow we are really prepared, this way too easy.  Never a dull moment.

 

Leaning on the largest grill in the county.

 

Pork BBQ which was pit bbq'ed and kept warm.  The kids raised the two donated pigs and helped process them.

 

Dinner is served.

 

The Boss.

 

The two dance floors are ready for action.

 

Getting ready to smack the pinata.

 

Rodney and the State Champion Shotgun team.

 

A little line dancin'.

 

Enjoying the peaceful farm fresh air.

 

Doing our version of the Virginia Reel.  Arizona reel?

 

Tuckered out.

Pink & Black Steers at the County Fair

We are recovering from the exhausting fun that is fair.  The kids received lots of fair bling (awards) from shooting to cattle to knitting and quilting.  Lots of socializing and grazing from family camp to camp.  Apparently, other camps serve mostly meat as well according to TT, so this week we have been bingeing on lots of salad and green beans to restore balance.

The Big Shots dominated in shooting sports...

 

The livestock auction raised money for breast cancer research and the kids were encouraged to wear pink.  For Boo, who has wanted a pink steer since she was four, this was a dream come true.  Her and her little friend, Miss T, dyed her steer pink for the auction....

 

Not to be outdone so did brother...

 

 

A special thanks to everyone who supports and helps our kids.

Support Local Ag Come to the Pinal County Fair This Week

Come to the Fair. Support local agriculture and young entrepeneurs!   Beef show on Wednesday - Auction and Buyer's BBQ on Saturday at noon. (OK, those other species like lamb, goat, and swine will be there too.)  

This is a great chance to get quality meat for your family often cheaper than grocery store prices because of no middle man. Want to know how it was raised what it was fed? Ask the kids they love to talk about their animals.   Intimidated by the auction process?  Ask someone to help you.  Barn folks are the friendliest.

Practicing some Line Dance Moves

Practicing some line dance moves while prepping for the Barn Dance.  Our kids can dance and shoot!

Get your tickets before they are gone.  Drop me an email

Kind Words and Interesting Cotton Info from The Fill Your Plate Blog

If it is locally grown and available in Arizona you can find it on Farm Bureau's Fill Your Plate.  They just ran a great post about cotton and a bit about us.  Check it out here.

Meanwhile we are busily getting ready for Fair inbetween rain showers...

Barn Dance - Don't Miss It

Coming to our Farm in April.  The event you don't want to miss!!!

Exhausted Little Popsicles

The children are exhausted little popsicles from washing their steers (28 degrees this am) and showing at a SAILA show all day.  The boys are gone again before dawn to shoot state archery.

 

Our girl is the one you can't see because she is shorter than her giant steer.

 

Our oldest is waiting to go into the ring and is a smart boy because he realizes that sometimes ranch women have a lot of wisdom.

When I got home from the show I wanted to curl up on the couch and be warm, but I instead compulsively picked my green but not yet ruined tomatoes tonight by the headlights of the truck.  Hopefully, they will ripen in the house but a bunch will be canned for green tomato salsa.  

I am not obsessed with tomatoes.  Really, I am not!  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, brother Dan ran the CATS shotgun practice and Papa kept an eye on the farm.  We finished plowing down yesterday and began listing (making rows) for next year's crop today.