Front page of The Green Sheet today

Getting off to an early start
By Jonathan Knutson
The Forum - 04/27/2007

Mitch Field really put the “boy” into cowboy. The 16-year-old Pelican Rapids High School sophomore used his savings to buy his first beef cow when he was 10 years old. He now has a herd of 11 cows.

“I just enjoy working with cattle,” he said.

Mitch operates his herd along with his father Bill’s 100-head herd. The Field family ranches about 11 miles east of Erhard.

Ranching came naturally to Mitch, his parents say.

“He was out working in the barn when he was 5 years old. Things took twice as long because he wanted to help with everything,” said Karen, his mother.

Mitch works on the ranch in the summer to pay for feed and other expenses.

But he’s busiest during spring calving. He and his father care for the cows and newborn calves, and also check every few hours to see whether a cow is giving birth.

“You really hate to lose a calf. It means you don’t make any money from it that year,” Bill said.

Mitch has a lot going on besides cattle. The honor student is involved in football, band, 4-H, FFA, Boy Scouts, Ducks Unlimited and the National Junior Angus Association. Angus is the breed of cattle the Fields own.

On Easter Sunday he rose at 5 a.m. and played his trumpet at two church services. He returned home and spent the rest of the day helping his father with the cattle.

The lives of Mitch and his family revolve around cattle during calving season.

Karen returned home one day to discover Mitch and Bill had put a calf in the family’s bathtub to improve its chance of survival.

“Well, they cleaned up the tub,” Karen said. “And the calf lived, which is the important thing.”

Mitch’s cows produce a calf every year. Mitch sells the calves and has spent his profits on a car and fourwheeler.

Eventually, Mitch plans to study mechanical engineering at North Dakota State University. He hopes to work for a big agricultural company such as Case IH or John Deere.

Establishing his own ranch would be very difficult financially, he and his parents say.

Someday, though, when Mitch is putting his mechanical engineering degree to use for a big ag company, he might establish a small hobby ranch with a few head of cattle.

“I’ll probably always want to be around them,” he said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530