Why Texas is Texas

          Texas has had many myths in its history whether it was heroic myth, englightment myth, or economic myth. Myths have shaped Texas and its people for hundreds of years. In Betty Sue Flowers's short story "Why Texas Is The Way It Is", she perefectly explains the on going controversys about all the Texas myths. When we think of a myth we certinaly always think of something "fake" or "made up" but some myths sometimes prove to be true. When many people think about Texas they often think of our big littering slogan " Don't Mess With Texas". When that first slogan came out it made a solid hit on reducing the amount of literring. In the next five years after the slogan was proposed it reduced seventy two perecent of literring in Texas. With farming and ranching having to be a giant part in Texas for many years comes a lot of problems.

          Texas has been home for farming, ranching and hunting for hundreds and hundreds of years. For hundreds of years farmers, ranchers and hunters have ran into many daily problems. Some problems easier then others and some that can completely kill off your cattle, wildlife or even your own family. One of the biggest problems farmers face today is the high cost of farming equipment. With our economy the way it is it makes it way more difficult for farmers to farm. Another big problem is the cost of feed. Feed has been on a constant rise since it was first produced making this harder on farmers to buy. With all of our new technology feed keeps getting better and better by reducing the amount of trash and other little things that may harm your cattle and deer causing it to become more expensive. The price of fuel has been on the rise for many years this causes a lot of problems to operate modern day tractors. To fill up a medium sized diesel tractor it can run you in the high triple digits that takes a big chip out of your pocket that you could have been spent on other more important things. Antother big thing ranchers have to watch out for their cattle is varmits. Varmits can be a big harm to your cattle, goats and sheep. Coyotes have always been a big problem they love to go after baby cattle, goats, sheep and deer. By being over populated by varmits they can quickly slim down any of your herds making it harder to make money. On the more rare occasion you sometimes might run into a mountain lion that has been taking out your herds. Taking down a full size mountain lion is no walk in the park.

          All in all Texas is and will be filled with myths about pretty much anything. Betty Sue Flowers short story " Why Texas Is The Way It Is" explains the best about the on going Texas myths. It may be a heroic myth, englightment myth, or economic myth but any of those three will and have shaped Texas and it's people. As well as all the problems modern day ranchers encounter everyday is amazing. It might not be the cost of the feed that gets you but the cost of the tractor fuel. As well as it might not be the tractor fuel that will get you but the on going fight with varmits attacking your herds.

Works Cited

        Google Image Result for http://ctmountainlion.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/mtlion.jpg." Google.N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=isch&tbnid=

      Smedes, Ty. " Google Image Result for http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/species/graphics/coyote1.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=

 Shaw , George . " Google Image Result for http://www.tvacres.com/images/gun_crockett.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=847&tbm=

T. C. Richardson and Harwood P. Hinton, "RANCHING," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/azr02), accessed May 02, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.