May 19, 2017
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest ag census, the average age of the typical American farmer or rancher is 58 years old. In Texas, there’s a brand new rancher who’s out to prove you’re never to old to learn something new.
Gary Joiner with the Texas Farm Bureau has the story of a spry senior citizen, Bobbie Blesh, who at 88-years-old is just now getting into the cattle business. Blesh is a self-proclaimed city girl. She was raised in Dallas and as a young child she spent some time on her father’s farm outside Fort Worth, but most of her life was centered around the Metroplex. Lately she’s been stepping outside the city limits. Her son Warren said he wasn’t surprised when she wanted to reconnect to her rural roots and spend her tax return on a cow. Blesh and her son got an account set up and headed to the auction.
Ken Jordan, owner of Jordan Cattle Auction in San Saba, consulted with Blesh before the bidding started. One of Ken’s employees Bart Larremore, walked with her through the holding pens to help find the perfect cow. Bart also sat with them during the auction to give her the signal when it was time to bid.
Blesh is now officially in the cattle business. She is the proud owner of a seven-month-bred cow and it won’t be long before her first calf is born. The cow is headed to Warren’s ranch near Goldthwaite, TX. Warren also grew up in Dallas but memories of visiting his grandpa’s ranch as a child cultivated in him a passion for agriculture. He and his wife Dori bought a ranch in Mills County in 1996. A love for the land seems to run in the family, but Blesh has decided to leave the day to day care of the cow to Warren.
Warren hopes his mother’s story will inspire people at any age to follow their passion wherever it leads them, and he’s sure for his mom more adventures await.