Jackson County Junior Stockmen

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We round off our Junior Stockmen Spotlight with Peyton Kirk. She calls Shady

Cove “home” and we are so glad to have her.

What have you enjoyed most about being a Junior Stockmen?

What I have enjoyed about being in the Junior Stockmen Program is getting to

visit many different ranches and businesses. I have gained valuable and special

information from them all.

What other clubs, groups, or sports are you involved with?

The only other things I am involved with are my 4-H club, Cascade Cattle Club and  working. I work for Traynham Ranches taking care of their show heifers, feeding, cleaning pens, and I help with other small things around the ranch..

What do you hope to experience or learn more about before you graduate from

the program?

Before I graduate from this program, I hope to gain even more knowledge about the cattle industry, and learn more about farming.

What do you think you might like to do after high school?

After high school, I want to continue growing my herd of cattle, go to trade school for massage therapy and intern with a taxidermy to learn that trade.

What is something you have learned while being in the program?

I have learned a lot from this program. I am most excited about the knowledge

I’ve gained in how to better manage a herd and how to better my herd overall.

This week we are shining the spotlight on an awesome young man who comes from great stock, the grandson of Mike and Sharon Bateman and son  of Ian and Alyssa McPhee, I introduce, Sebastian McPhee. He is an avid baseball player and a young cattleman at heart. This year he went monthly into a 3rd grader classroom to share all about his steer, Barnabas with the Calves in the Classroom Program. Please continue reading to learn more about this Gold Hill native and dynamite member of the Junior Stockmen’s Program.

What have you enjoyed most about being a Junior Stockmen?

Learning! The tours we've been on have been very informational and fun. I have also enjoyed being with the other Junior Stockmen who have the same goals. I've built great friendships!

What other clubs, groups, or sports are you involved with?

I absolutely love baseball and play for the 8th grade Crater team. I show cattle and am a member of Butte Basin Beef. I'm also involved with Calves in the Classroom, where I get to meet with my 3rd grade kids each month. We just did the Calves in the Classroom Ranch Day last week, which was a blast!

What do you hope to experience or learn more about before you graduate from the program?

My goal is to learn all I can about cattle before I graduate so I can continue to care for my small but growing herd.

What do you think you might like to do after high school?

Hmmm....If I could choose, I'd love to play baseball in college and then possibly do something with BLM or Fish & Game. Maybe someday I'll have a larger herd of cattle and run a cow/calf operation.

What is something you have learned while being in the program?

I feel like communication is something I've improved at. I have always been a

confident public speaker but feel that since starting Calves in the Classroom, I've learned how to better engage with younger kids. A whole class of them at that!

Our next Junior Stockmen, Fernando Corona lights up every room he walks into. He has a great energy about him and you can feel his passion whenever he speaks. We have received so much positive feedback from the teacher that he works with on the Calves in the Classroom Project. In fact, his teacher has already reached out to make sure he can be a part of this project next school year. We are honored to have Fernando and his family who call Ashland “home” as part of JCSA!

What have you enjoyed most about being a Junior Stockmen?

I have really enjoyed learning new information and how to manage a cow herd. It has been great meeting new people and going on all of the tours too.

What other clubs, groups, or sports are you involved with?

I wrestle, and play basketball, soccer, and football. I also have my market steer project in 4-H. 

Wow! You are busy year round then with sports. What do you hope to experience or learn more about before you graduate from the program?

I would really like to experience branding and working cattle, and just keep learning more about the cattle industry.

What do you think you might like to do after high school?

I hope to attend a Veterinary School and be a beef 4-H leader someday.

What is something you have learned while being in the program?

I have definitely learned how to be a better speaker through the Calves in the Classroom Project where I visit my 3rd graders every month. I have learned more about how to run a cattle ranch and know more about the options that are available to have a ranch locally.