So far, 11,000 people have shared this Winfield rancher’s Facebook offer of help

When wildfires torched ranches in western Kansas a few years ago, Winfield rancher Justin Miller sent hay to help.

After the latest fires this year, he didn’t have any hay to share. So instead, he created a Facebook post with a different idea.

“If there is a 4H kid or FFA student that lost or had a bull injured in the fires I have a bull I would donate. I also have a couple of 2 year olds I would loan out to finish the fall breeding season for someone affected by the fires,” he wrote.

He also wrote, “Please help get this out there so that it may reach a few in need.”

His post was shared 11,000 times. Almost 700 people either liked or loved it.

Miller said he had the idea “because I know as a child, starting out in agriculture is tough.”

Being an adult in agriculture is even tougher.

Miller is a full-time rancher on some property just east of Winfield. He raises registered horned Herefords and does dirt farming as well. He also works in the engineering department at Rubbermaid.

“Like most everybody, it takes a job in town to make all the ends meet,” he said.

Miller has had a lot of people reach out since his Dec. 17 post, but he hasn’t found a child who needs a bull. He’s met with some ranchers who would like to borrow a bull for breeding, and he’s meeting with some more this week. Miller said he wants to be careful to make sure they’re actually people in need.

“I think it’ll probably end up happening,” he said.

“You just do what you can to help someone out and hope that if you’re ever in that situation, someone helps you out. . . . If the storm would have been 100 miles farther south, I would be a person that would probably be affected.”

Miller said he believes other ranchers would be there to help him.

“It seems like people in agriculture, they tend to reach out and help people. . . . In other industries, that’s not near as common.”

Though he’s had a lot of messages through Facebook, Miller was surprised to learn his post had been shared so many times.

“I honestly haven’t paid attention.”

In the post, Miller explained that the “bulls are Horned Hereford. If they sire daughter’s like the cows that back them they will be ones to build back with, and the steers will be the money making kind.”

At any given time, Miller usually has about 85 cattle. He said Herefords are especially friendly, and when he’s in the pasture, a number of them like to be petted.

Miller doesn’t go so far as to name his cattle.

However, “They all have a bad name if they’re out.”

This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 2:20 PM.