Published 1:30 pm Monday, June 13, 2022
Baxter Black, the humorist and commentator on all things agriculture known for his signature mustache and a twinkle in his eye, died June 10 at his home in Benson, Ariz. He was 77.
Originally a large animal veterinarian, he turned to writing and speaking. He wrote a newspaper column, had a radio show and made appearances at events around the nation offering his one-of-a-kind perspective. He also wrote poems, made TV appearances and was a commentator on National Public Radio. He was seen as something of a spokesman for rural America.
For a champion of all things rural, Baxter Black had a decidedly urban beginning. He was born in 1945 in Brooklyn, N.Y., where his father was in the Navy.
The family moved west after the war and he grew up in Las Cruces, N.M., He rode bulls in high school and college, according to his website.
He graduated from New Mexico State University and veterinary school at Colorado State University.
He worked as a veterinarian for a company and was laid off when it was sold.
“I was doing speaking on the side and people just kept calling, so here I am,” he said on his website.
“I like what I do. I have a great home to come home to, a couple good horses, a few cows, a good dog, and friends everywhere I go,” he said on his website. “I’m square with God and I make a living entertaining people I care about.”
He was modest. As a storyteller, his pride of authorship lay in his audience.
“My audience is my inspiration,” he said. “Every cowboy, rancher, vet, farmer, feed salesman, ag teacher, cowman and rodeo hand has a story to tell, and they tell it to me. I Baxterize it and tell it back to ’em! It doesn’t seem fair, does it?”
Baxter had a special way with words. Read this: “Because farmers and ranchers choose to work directly with God, we get a closer look at life. We’re not insulated from its precarious nature. In return we’re exposed to the beautiful sunrise, the smell of rain, the quiet snow and the satisfaction of saving a life now and then.”
He had a catchphrase he used in ending his missives, “This is Baxter Black, from out there.”
His many admirers will miss hearing that.
Click on: www.baxterblack.com
