April/May 2005 Issue (pdf - 8938 kb)... - Hereford America

24 • HEREFORD AMERICA April/May 2005
COD Ranch: Making a Life on the Plains of South Dakota
By Melissa Burke
Reprinted with permission of
Tri-State Livestock News
When my friend Barry Ellenbecker
recently informed me of the name of the
COD Ranch near Gettysburg, S.D., my
first reaction was that my leg was being
pulled a little bit. I’d always thought that
COD stood for “cash on delivery” and
BHSS...
(continued from page 22)
cross fencing, furrowing pastures,
distributing rural water to all
pastures, artificial insemination,
synchronization programs, embryo
transplants, and electronic
identification of calves
Through his children, Kirk became
involved with high school rodeo,
served as president of the South
Dakota High School Rodeo and was
involved as a 4-H leader.
He has been a member of the
Society for Range Management for
over 30 years, and received the
Range Man of the Year award in
1983.
Because of Kirk’s admirable work
ethic, stewardship of community and
land and dedication to rural South
Dakota that the BHSS honor him as
the 2005 Black Hills Stock Show
Stockman of the Year.
Your ad here
call
605/866-4495
for more information
Troy & Beth Severson
1610 Obrien Avenue
Belmond, Iowa 50421
641/444-3884
• Iowa •
GRAHAM
Livestock Equipment
LIVESTOCK HANDLING EQUIPMENT
FAWCETT ENTERPRISES, INC.
36111 211th Street ~ Miller, SD 57362-6814
WAYNE FAWCETT
Phone 605/853-3930 • Cell 60/530-6024 • Fax 605/853-3310
CUSTOM DESIGNS AVAILABLE
not one thing else. Barry happens to be a
grandson of the man who homesteaded
the property, and has never been above a
good joke now and then. In any case, I
was finally convinced that this was indeed
the ranch’s name as well as the design of
its cattle brand.
In 1909, Lawrence W. (Mike) Herron
homesteaded in this area, primarily raising
Hereford cattle. He married Ida Huyck
(pronounced “hike”) of nearby Lebanon
in October on 1913. The couple lived on
the homestead for
the next six years
before acquiring
additional land a
few miles to the
southeast.
Three children
were born into this
union: a son, Max,
and two daughters,
Eileen and Lucille.
At the age of eight, Max was killed when
a hay wagon ran over him.
A modern house was built on the ranch
in 1928. This was the same year in which
Mike played a major role in helping to put
on the first central South Dakota rodeo.
He even enjoyed horses and always had
good breeding in the ones he owned and
raised. He traveled to Texas and brought
back some of the first registered Quarter
Horses to be introduced into the area.
Some of these he raced, even breaking a
Polled Herefords
2509 155th Ave.
Benton, IA 50835
Phone: 641-785-2260
Cell phone: 641-340-0325
Selling 40 Bulls & 40 Heifers Annually
Johnson
Herefords
Registered Horned Herefords
Since 1918
Jack & Lynne Johnson
2165 240th St.
Milford, IA 51351
Phone 712-338-4578
Want an ad in the
next issue?
Give us a call!
605/866-4495 or
406/684-5465
FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS IN HERFEORD CATTLE
IN KANSAS AND SURROUNDING STATES
THE KANSAS HEREFORD ASSOCIATION
Tom Granzow, Secretary-Manager
765 South 3000 Road
Herington, Kansas 67449
785-466-2247 785-466-2226 (FAX)
kansashereford@tctelco.net
www.kansashereford.org
Douthit Herefords
RR 3 Box 160 • St. Francis, KS 67756
stephend@sbcglobal.net
• Kansas •
4V RANCH
(785) 332-3009
WALTER
(785) 332-3229
ROGER
(785) 332-2455
STEVE
(785) 332-2323
“Best of Both Worlds Sale” • 4th Mon. in March
12 noon at the ranch • Dwight, KS
50 Hereford
Bulls
60 Angus Bulls
The COD Ranch is operated by Bill and Holly Wright(left) along with their son
Andy (inset). Holly’s parents Eileen and Harold Hegerle still live on the home
ranch. Burke photo
few track records at the State Fair in
Huron.
Daughter Eileen married Harold Hegerle,
and they built a house in 1952 which was
adjacent to that of Mike and Ida. In time,
management of the ranch was turned over
to them. Lucille married Orville
Ellenbecker, and they lived one mile north.
Harold and Eileen had four children of
their own: Kelly, Kevin, Holly and Mary
Ann. Holly married Bill Wright of Parade,
S.D. and they also have four children:
Carol, Andy, Kelsie and Nicklaus. Though
Also selling 50
F-1 Baldy
Heifers
Jan: 785-482-3383 • Arden: 785-482-3398
Box 8, Dwight, KS 66849
E-mail: jakoleenbros@tctelco.net
www.oleenbrothers.com
having since retired, Harold and Eileen still
live on the ranch. Bill, Holly, and son Andy
are current managers and co-partners.
Now three hundred head of Hereford
and Angus cross cows know this place
as home, and since its humble beginning
the acreage has grown to 5,000. Nearly
800 of those acres are farm ground;
planted to alfalfa plus wheat, corn and
oats. Weaned calves are fed through the
winter using homegrown rations.
The summer pasture borders the Oahe
Reservoir, and is split by a state fishing
COYOTE CREEK RANCH
PLATINUM STOCK
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unique Hereford bloodlines
for sustainable beef production
Sandra Korb • Louise Korb
One Coyote Creek Drive • Burr Oak, KS 66936
Office/Fax: (785) 647-5465
Home: (785) 647-5451
www.rural-reality.com
Gustafson Herefords
Gus, Deb and Shelbi Gustafson
8621 Davis Creek Road
Junction City, KS 66441
785-238-7306
I-70 exit 303... 7 miles South
Sandhill
Farms
Registered Polled Herefords
Kevin & Vera Schultz
Box 64, Haviland, KS 67059
Phone: (620) 995-4072 • Fax: (620) 995-4071
e-mail: kevin@sandhillfarms.com
website: www.sandhillfarms.com