How long does it take you to get an average painting? About a month, since I'm working on more than one at a time. Having that many in progress keeps up my productivity. I'm always in the mood for one of them.
Photo credit: "Vern", oil on canvas
Click here to learn more about this beef bull painting
Today's agriculture themed website of interest to followers is "Life on a Cattle Ranch", written by Kansas beef rancher, Debbie Lyons-Blythe. Debbie and her husband Duane Blythe are raising five teenagers and 500 head of cattle on a ranch in Kansas. Debbie posts to her blog weekly to share with people around the world what life is like in rural Kansas and how her family works every day to ensure a safe, nutritious supply of beef to consumers.
The Cow Art and More blog has been selected as one of the "Top 100 Great Blogs for Art Students and Enthusiasts." Our blog is specifically mentioned in the nature category as "a blog connecting art to the natural world."
How long does it take you to get an average photograph? 
Where did you learn your technique?
Today's agricultural website to share is The Center for Food Integrity.The Center for Food Integrity was established in 2007 to increase consumer trust and confidence in the contemporary U.S. food system. The primary mission of the organization is to promote dialogue, model best practices, address issues that are important to consumers, and serve as a resource for accurate, balanced information about the U.S. food system.
The center is a non-profit entity and does not lobby or advocate individual food companies or brands. The group's member organizations represent each segment of the food chain, including farmers and ranchers, processors, and companies that deliver food products under local, regional and global brand names, and government.
Dr. John Plishka is the featured artist for October on Cow Art and More. Dr. Plishka's art has been featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. He enjoys both painting and drawing with pastels portraits of the animals he sees on a regular basis, whether they are patients or not.
Monday's website of interest for agriculture and farming enthusiasts is American Farmland Trust. Their mission is to help farmers and ranchers protect their land, produce a healthier environment and build successful communities. The group was founded in 1980 by farmers and conservationists concerned about the rapid loss of the nation's farmland to development. American Farmland Trust is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the nation's strategic agricultural resources. Working with farmers, ranchers, political leaders and community activists, American Farmland Trust has helped to permanently protect more than a million acres of farm and ranch land.
