Is it just me or does it take longer to unpack every time you move? I have been in Dalhart for a lil over two months now and just got all the boxes unpacked a put away. I know what you’re thinking, “Geeze that boy is SLOW!” Well, yeah you might be right, or it might just be the fact that I really was not worried that the boxes in the corner were collecting dust. But I now have everything unpacked and on the shelves so it can collect dust in a different spot.

The XIT museum in Dalhart, Texas

I have done just about everything required to “move” to Texas. I have new plates on my truck. They start with the letters “AR” which I thought was kinda cool, seeing how I am from ARkansas. I have a temporary, paper driver’s license. Kinda weird, apparently here in Texas they have to mail your license. I paid my Texas Farm Bureau, paid for my subscription to TSCRA’s Cattleman’s Magazine, and have several caps from the feedyard. Now I just have to figure out what to do next. Probably a membership to TSCRA is in line. What better way to connect with active ranchers?

The location of our properly named “Margaret Ranch” here in Dalhart

Things are finally going well at work. My hours are not so off-the-wall anymore. Hopefully a sign of improving time management skills. The people in the office are great. Not the corporate atmosphere I was worried of running into with such a large operation like Five Rivers. I’m getting more and more on my plate all of the time and it is keeping me on my toes. Mostly I do the work for cattle receiving and processing. This includes scheduling arrivals, making pen assignments, and a daily processing sheet. And of course I have those dreaded monthly inventories. Those things drive me insane and I’ve only worked on two!

The Dallam County courthouse in Dalhart, Texas

This is XIT Rodeo and Reunion weekend in Dalhart, so things are a lil crazy. I say there are only 3 things that will ever bring traffic to Dalhart. 1) A combine being stuck under the railroad bridge that obviously says “LOW CLEARANCE” for a reason. 2) The co-op burning to the ground. All of those tires made some black smoke that could be seen for miles. 3) The XIT weekend. Thousands of tourists come to town for the 74th annual rodeo and reunion to remember the cowboys of the famous 3,000,000 acre cattle ranch that sold it’s last livestock in 1912. It was the largest amount of land ever under one fence, covering 10 counties in West Texas and the Panhandle, and forever leaving it’s heritage for us to remember and celebrate.

The weekend is filled with nightly rodeos and dances. Plenty of food. Free watermelon and pork chops. And Saturday I am helping to serve the largest free bbq in the world. It really is a Texas sized feed. Here is the recipe if you don’t believe me.

Well it’s sure to be a fun weekend, and I promise to write more often about my adventures here in the Panhandle. Be sure to check out my two other blogs for more of my experiences. Agriculture Proud and Working Ranch Magazine’s Rancher’s Journal.

Published by Ryan Goodman

Ryan Goodman works in grassroots advocacy as a communications consultant with beef cattle farmers and ranchers across the United States. He is a proud alumnus of Oklahoma State University, with studies focusing on cattle reproduction and nutrition. Ryan's experience in the beef industry range from family farms and ranches in several states to large feedlots and non-profit policy organizations. Ryan is an avid trail and ultrarunner, proudly showing how beef can be an important part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Find Ryan on social media as @BeefRunner.