Autumn 2012 in the Ozarks has been so beautiful. Perhaps it seems even more so because of the hot, dry summer that preceded it. We didn't expect much in the way of fall color, but it has been wonderful and longlasting.

This is a busy season on the farm, for it is the time for our second bout of working cattle. We work them in summer, also, when it seems much harder. The men actually enjoy it this time of year, with cool, crisp days of bright-blue skies and no humidity.

I'm invited to help when they get the cattle up, by standing in the road or at a gate to turn them in. This week, as I was waiting for the herd to come charging in, I thought about our "working conditions" and of how fortunate we are.

This was the view from the west "window" of the office Friday morning. The fall colors are gone now, but it is still a breathtaking view.

And this is how it looked out the east window.

This is the board room, where many important executive decisions are made.

Feminists would like our company -- we hire mostly females. A few males are required for peak performance, but the "girls" are really responsible for production. This is where they spend their workdays.

We don't have many complaints from the workers. They just appreciate being left alone to do their job. It IS a good work environment...Casual Friday is the dress code every day!

We don't even complain when they gather around the office "watering hole" -- in fact, we encourage it!

Sometimes we entertain foereign dignitaries who visit unexpectedly, to see how we do things in the Ozarks. These Nebraska Sandhill Cranes asked how we manage our wetlands and wondered about our winter weather.

When we told them we sometimes get snow, they bid us goodbye and continued on their journey. Hope they come back to visit again! Having them drop in was a nice little interlude in the midst of a busy week

Cattle working will continue through the next two or three weeks. Our brand will be applied to our product, and after several more months in growth and development, will be ready to be marketed.

If you enjoy an occasional nice, fork-tender steak or juicy hamburger, you may benefit someday from the superior care we give to our workers, the excellent working conditions under which they labor and the highest-quality product they provide. California isn't the only state with happy cows!