What’s in a Name
The “Schwieter”
It’s our last name! Often mispronounced- we’ve heard it all from “switzer” to “swyter” But its really pretty close to “Sweeter”. Easy to remember, right? Just think of Casey’s sweet face and a little accent and Schwieter will roll right off your tongue.
So now you can pronounce it, here’s a trick to remembering how to spell it: You’ve heard the English rule: “I” before “E” except after “C”. Well it works for us in this case too. SchwIEter. (or just continue to follow us on all social media outlets and you’ll see it posted right in front of you- it will become second nature.
The “Land”
Land
Hundreds of acres of rolling pasture, woodlands, farmed fields, and flowing streams, dotted with farm ponds and flower beds. All nestled in Northeast Missouri just off Hwy 36 that runs across the state from St. Joseph to Hannibal.
Not only do we love the land we own, but we are fond of lots of lands we visit. Our spread is diverse, but nothing like the options available around the world. We like to travel near and far and look forward to exploring even more in the future.
The “Livestock”
Livestock
We have a herd of 80 cross bred cows, plus bulls, calves, and replacement heifers. Fifteen-20 horses are normally on hand, plus the extras: donkeys, chickens, dogs and cats.
It’s a balance, like many things, making a profit while being surrounded by what we love. A herd of entirely black cattle might (I say MIGHT) result in higher prices at sale time, but it’s all relative. Why not start with what you love and figure out how to make a profit. We love a challenge and we’re succeeding on a North Missouri farm raising eared, cross bred, colored cattle.
Much of the same principals seep into our horse business. Lower input costs should result in a larger profit margin. A $2000 bred heifer or a $5000 yearling colt, might look nice at the start but they don’t leave a lot of room for profit and also involve higher risk. Don’t get me wrong- we definitely believe in high quality, but also in good VALUE.
Wow, really cool to see another Missourian and learn more about your ranch! Are the cattle 100% grass-fed? It looks like you move them on horseback, too! How often do you move the herd (i.e., do you subscribe to a rotational grazing program?)?
Thanks for your interest. Yes, we use our horses to move the cattle- gets the job done while also training our horses. We currently don’t use a technical rotational grazing program, but do move them around and use some mass grazing techniques. I understand a more organized approach is often beneficial; we just don’t have the fencing at this time to separate into smaller sections. The calf crop is normally sold as feeder calves, so primarily mother and grass fed until 500-600lbs. We don’t normally feed them out for market.
Okay, so I want to pronounce your name like “Sweeter”, but with a “Sh” at the beginning, so more like “Shweeter”. I’m wrong, aren’t I? LOL! I know I’m going to love reading about your ranch. While I don’t think I’m the kind of person that could run my own, I’m fascinated by people that do. Thanks for posting!
You are correct on the pronunciation. There is the “sh” sound, but “lazy-speaking” Missouri cowboys usually skip that part. I say “Shweeter”, but we’re satisfied if the sports announcers get even close when the boys are playing/running, lol.
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