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May is a busy month. As the days and nights finally begin to warm, things really kick into high gear. Daylight hours become longer and still, I find myself struggling to fit everything into the day.

But this is still my favorite season in life. For running, my long runs become more enjoyable and more frequent. A few more races begin popping up on the calendar and I long for those hot days of summer ahead.

On the ranch, our cows are beginning to calve and the new ones will soon begin running around the pastures full of energy. For as long as I can remember, calving has been my favorite season of ranch life.

What is your favorite season of life that comes around each calendar year?

I often hear from advocates that they struggle with coming up with good ideas for stories or content to share. Agriculture can seem like one big circle and once we’ve discussed a topic one year, it seems repetitive to bring it up again the next.

However, that big circle of life is an important story itself. Believe me, life in a feedyard sometimes seems like one big daily circle. But there are so many stories that can come from that routine.

Seasons of Life in Advocacy

Each calendar year has specific seasons in the production cycle in every part of agriculture. Take a few minutes this week to reflect back on those and evaluate how you might share the stories of those chapters.

If you’ve covered the topic in past years, is there a way you can approach it from a different angle? Maybe you could step back and answer some of the questions from your followers who followed the journey.

What seems simple about your job is often an angle someone else finds new information. And if you can share your passion and why you love those seasons that come around each year, it’s something that will resonate with others.

Our bull sale happens on one day each spring, but there are so many stories to share how it all comes together in the 12 months leading up to the big day.

This entry was originally published in the Beef Runner email update on May 13, 2021. To receive weekly advocacy tips and tools in your inbox, click here to subscribe.

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.