Honoring Jim Williams - Livestock visionary enters saddle & sirloin

Mar 06, 2024

By Farms.com

The livestock community is set to honor Jim S. Williams with induction into the Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery in November 2024. This accolade recognizes Williams' lifelong commitment and influential contributions to animal agriculture, from his roots at the iconic V8 Ranch to his innovative practices in cattle breeding and genetics.

Williams' academic and practical pursuits in animal science propelled V8 Ranch to the forefront of the livestock industry, adopting cutting-edge technologies and methodologies. His leadership and foresight have been instrumental in the ranch's domestic and international success, particularly in Brahman and Shorthorn cattle breeding.

His extensive involvement in livestock associations and his impact as a cattle judge, with a history of overseeing 1,500 shows worldwide, underline his authority and dedication to the field. Williams' contributions to agriculture extend beyond the ranch, with significant roles in various agricultural boards and initiatives aimed at fostering the next generation of industry leaders.

Accolades such as the BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year and induction into the Showtimes Magazine Hall of Fame punctuate Williams' storied career, reflecting his passion for and commitment to advancing the livestock industry. His upcoming induction into the Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery cements his legacy as a luminary in animal agriculture.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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