I've had this question a few times and thought I would answer here on the blog for everyone... it's a bit long but involves one of the many times I've annoyed my Dad and enjoyed it.
So when I came home from Indiana to take over the ranch, the cattle operation was called SJ Ranch and the land company was called BBD Ranch. Dad was brilliant but creative, he was not. When he went to organize the companies, he just told the attorney initials and stuck Ranch at the end. Of course, at the time, it didn't matter - we didn't sell to the public and most people just knew it as David's Place anyway - or Barnard Farms or David Barnard Farms.
Logo Concepts
I asked Dad why he didn't name it Barnard something and he explained that he picked our brand to honor his grandfather (my great grandfather) Daddy Sam. His legal name is Samuel Jackson Barnard and he was my Dad's favorite human after his mother, Mary Jane. My grandfather also had the initials SJ - Sterlin James Barnard. Dad was all about honoring those that came before - so he made his brand SJ and named his company that.
Original SJ Logo
I always wanted to change the name to Barnard Beef and we discussed it several times while he was alive but he kept saying be wanted to honor Daddy Sam so I dropped it. I wanted a logo for some signage on Highway 84 to sell equipment and came up with our basic logo design. Dad and I had a disagreement because he didn't think we needed a cow head - ranches are for cows, that's it --- not horses, sheep, goats, etc.
A few months before he passed, he was filling out some USDA paperwork and he texted me asking me how to spell my last name... ya know, Barnard... his last name. I was super confused until I realized he meant my husband's name. Being the smart ass that I am, I called him up at the bank and left him a voice message to annoy him. I told him I would spell it real slow so he could get it right and proceeded to spell Barnard like I was speaking to a 2 year old. When he called me back, he was laughing thankfully and he admitted he didn't like that I kept my maiden name even though it's the only reason he has grandsons with the Barnard name.
When Dad passed and we had to unravel all of the estate stuff, BBD Ranch had to be closed, SJ Ranch became the land company and I got to name my cattle company anything I wanted. Barnard Beef Cattle Co honors 5 generations of cattlemen/cattlewomen in Coryell County. I kept the SJ to honor the past as my Dad wanted, but I needed to honor one of the biggest influences in my life - David Barnard.
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