After Eighty Years, Cattle Rancher Still Loves His Job
By Kelli Osgood
If a person should ever want to see a happy rancher, Virgil Johnson is that man.
He wakes up every morning, generally around 6:15, and fixes himself a strong, hot, black cup of coffee. He looks out his window at the quiet prairie sunrise, shakes his head in dismay at the morning news, and thanks God for another day to feed his cattle. His sharp glasses frame kind, mischievous blue eyes that have observed 80 years of growth, transformation and change.
Johnson has witnessed a lifetime of change in an industry that is all he has ever known: the Colorado beef industry.
“I have lived and breathed cattle since, well, since I could brush my teeth I guess,” he said with a laugh. “I bought my dad out of his herd in 1973 and made some adjustments to stay up with the crowds. But I have always loved this life.”
When Johnson was born in 1928 in Stoneham, Colo., -- west of Sterling off Highway 14 -- the Weld County cattle industry was pretty much a backyard operation. The ranchers raised their own calves, brought them to small feedlots, and sold them in Denver when they grew to a certain weight. Johnson said that change was slowly implemented, as the fast-food restaurant mentality overtook the United States and the demand for beef grew to a commercial level. A lot of the small farms were bought out and consolidated.
“Feedlots really made a big difference. Bill Farr, Warren Monfort, these guys were pioneers for how it all operates today,” he said. “In the '60s, they bought cheap corn and beet pulp, fed it to a bunch of cattle and changed the way we do things now. It sure made it tougher on us little guys.”
Johnson said he doesn’t believe that the commercialization of the industry is completely negative. Prices today are relatively steady, and there are a lot of options as to where to ship your cattle when they are old enough to go to the feedyard. However, when he recently crunched numbers, he said that it took him more than one third of his calf crop, or 35 calves, just to cover feed expenses. He said that his profits were greater 30 years ago.
Russell Speaker, another long-time Weld County rancher, said that the commercialization of the cattle industry has been a detriment.
“Just like everything else you see today, big business has swallowed up the little fish. We can’t keep up with them,” Speaker said. “We can’t afford the real estate to just throw ’em out on grass. Sure, Colorado has two and a half million cattle. But there are only 13,000 beef producers in the state. What does that tell you?”
Johnson said that the prominent breeds of cattle have changed as well. He said that when he bought out his dad’s herd in 1973, it was made up of Herefords only. He quickly implemented change, keeping up with the growing popularity of Black Angus (which are the thriving breed in Colorado still today) in the late ’70s.
Virgil said that he was surprised at this trend.
“When I was young, no one would even buy these black cattle at sale barns,” he said. “They were too small. Well, once you start breeding them with something that can bring a little more milk to the table, you’ve got yourself some beef-producing mommas.”
The cattle business has really been a family affair for Johnson. The modest farmhouse that he still calls home was built in 1910 by his mother’s parents. Today, his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren share the property with him and run the business together.
“I love my grandpa and love to help him!” exclaimed Paige Johnson, his 12-year-old granddaughter. “My favorite part is when we have the baby calves. They really like me too.”
Underneath his silver Stetson, below his wispy hair and behind his sparkling blue eyes, it is obvious that there is a sharp man who feels lucky every day for the life he gets to lead.
“I love good horses, I love chicken-fried steak, and I love when my calves climb up in those big trucks and go to market,” Johnson said. “A lot of guys complain about what has happened, what is going to happen, what’s happening now. It’s not really that way for me. I love to wake up in the morning and worry about my cows. Ranch life is good, and making a living while doing it sure helps.”
More Information
Name: Virgil Johnson
Residence: Stoneham, Colo. (Weld County)
Age: 80
Years in Industry: 77
Family: son Skip, daughter in law Heidi, granddaughters Paige, Taylor and Lindy
Hard Times: Johnson survived the 1949 blizzard, although it killed the entire calf crop.
Favorite Part of the Business: Johnson said that the real reason he had cattle was so that he could have horses. He also loves when it is time to ship in the fall.
Interesting Statistic: Colorado ranks 10th in overall cattle numbers nationwide.
