Allison - The Idaho Rancher's Wife

The Buffalo-Working-Crew

December 22, 2014 by Allison

I’m finally getting around to telling you a little more of working the buffalo from my trip to Lemhi. The crew The Lemhi Rancher assembled was all sorts of random. A sister and her crazy kids, a brother and his family, a few hands from the ranch and then the office crew.

The owner of the ranch has several businesses under his hat, which means he has a variety of guys that work for him. The office guys come in really handy on the days when they run short on ranch hands.

Most ranches are only run with a few guys. Sure there is always work to be done, but for the most part, the day to day things can be taken care of without a big crew. But then there are a few days that you just can’t do it alone. On our operation, we turn to our neighbors and friends and in return we help them. We realize how valuable the ranchers are that we work with and grateful we are that they are willing to step in. In a way they become invested in our operation, hoping that the work that they do for us isn’t in vain. Because of their hard work, we are happy to turn around and help them whenever they need. And its become a real blessing working so closely with neighbors. They aren’t competitors down the road but are family of the industry.

At Lemhi, it isn’t quite the same. The cowboys don’t go into the office to help do the accounting or paper work. But working together on the ranch helps them have a better understanding of the role each of them play in the big pictures. Working buffalo might not be their strength, but every bit of help is welcomed. We take the buffalo-working crew however they come, with grateful hearts.

Little Lemhi, Idaho- My First Happily Ever After

December 21, 2014 by Allison

Lemhi, Idaho will always have a special place in my heart. Mostly the ranch that my brother worked on. Why? Good question… I’ll tell you.

This is the place I met my cowboy.

I always said I would marry a cowboy but then when I went to college, there were no cowboys around. I was interested in the nursing program at BYU- a school where there is nothing remotely close to an animal science or ag business programs. See.. ya… no cowboys. It was a little much for this country girl so I would head up to my brother’s to visit, ride my horse, and get out of the city. It so happened that The Rancher thought that Lemhi would be a great place to do an internship and took a semester there. We met. We played. We worked. We checked cows until midnight. I though nothing would come from it because he didn’t even come say by as I left that first weekend I met him. That was until I got a call from my sister in law warning me that The Rancher had asked my brother for my phone number! Too scared to ask me, but not too scared to ask his boss for his sisters number… Boys…

So we romanced and fell in love and got married. Then we moved to the ranch! We worked on the ranch the first 8 months before we went back to school. It was like a long honey moon- we just worked and played with practically no one else around (have you heard of Lemhi? No? That’s because its suuuuper small. LOVE IT!).

Now when we go to visit I always think of those great few years where The Rancher and I got our start. In some ways it will always be home because that it where we had our first home. I love to take time to drive around the valley and the ranch to just take it all in. This was the beginning of my happily ever after!

Cousins make the best of friends! How many boys does it take to open a gate?…

A Drive Through the Buffalo

December 16, 2014 by Allison

My family loves to work together. Is that weird? For family reunions we have cut a horse (castrated him), built fence, and put up drywall. Everyone does stuff like that, right?! Someone once told me that so long as you are doing something you enjoy, you can consider it recreation. We like to recreate by working, sweating, stinking… Ok, maybe not everyone and not all of the time… there are times we like to sit and do nothing. But that doesn’t last long at all.

So whenever my older brother announces that he has big work days like preg checking the buffalo, we all (those within a reasonable distance) head out there.

The kids and I showed up the night before the big day, not long before The Lemhi Rancher (my brother) walked in the house. He sat down with a sigh and said, “All the buffalo are in the corrals… what a relief!” You could see that he REALLY was relieved. Working buffalo carries a little more anxiety than working cows. There is nothing really domestic about these animals. They are still so primeval that whenever they encounter anything that stresses them out they go fight or flight. Hard core fight or flight. So for the work to go well, for the buffalo to get in the corral without any intense effort, IS relieving.

We had one long day of work (more about that later…), like so long that at the end we had a few phones out to shed some light on the work. Working hard all day meant that I didn’t have anytime for pictures. Which was just fine… That meant I had to take a drive the next day to satisfy the photographer in me!

I loaded up my kids and the cousins (to open the gates of course!) and we drove through the buffalo. This was a first for us in a sorts. We are usually up in the spring and summer, so to see the buffalo not losing their hair and in the snowy fields was a fun change. I’m awed to watch the buffalo and like to imagine what it might have been when they roamed for hundreds of miles on end. They are constantly moving, almost like they still have that instinct to migrate. Good thing The Lemhi Rancher has some big pasture!

Like I said, primal… not domestic… Certainly interesting, entertaining and always making a fun shot for this Rancher’s Wife.

Have no fear… I’m still here!

December 12, 2014 by Allison

Oh, dear readers… I owe you an apology. Do you know that it has been nearly 3 weeks since my last post?! I can’t believe how fast the time has been slipping away! It seems like we just shipped the calves but that was weeks ago. Since that time we moved cows, finished preg checking cows, went to our annual ICA Convention, gave thanks with our family, competed in the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, and now we are full swing celebrating Christmas. What a whirlwind (and a long sentence)!

Since so much has happened I have so much to share with you… and share I will! But first I want to tell you something, explain something.

I love life. I love MY life. I love all of the pieces of it- being a mom, being a wife, working in the community, being involved in my church, pretending to be a photographer, blogging, and living on the ranch. I don’t know that there is anything I would change. If there was something I could change it would only be to have more time to do more. So much to do in so little time and there are so many dreams I have yet to live! But having so many different areas to spend my time means that my time to work on each is spread thin.

About a year ago, a new fire was lit to inspire me in my blogging/photography work. Speakers, conferences, discussions on society’s perception of agriculture- it all pushed me to see how I could couple the things that I loved and use them for our industry. Since then I have been pushing myself. Pushing to learn new things about writing, taking photos, graphic design, web design, and being more aware what is happening in my little niche of the world. Pushing myself to be more present in the social media world. Pushing myself to meet new people and hear their story.

And in it all I came to a conclusion.

I have an incredible opportunity to connect the ag industry to the consumer. For the most part, our world of producing beef never really comes in contact with those that eat our beef. Once the calves leave the ranch, we begin to focus on the next bunch to be raised. We don’t have the luxury of tracking the beef to the plate. I wish we could see the families that use our beef for dinner. I would love to ask what their favorite recipes are, how they think its tasting, and then answer any questions that they might have. I wish we could have a conversation with the consumer.

But we can’t… At least not a traditional conversation where we sit down and talk back and forth. That only means I have to get creative to make that conversation happen. Instead I am going try to have a conversation without really knowing if anyone is really there to listen. I am going to tell my story, answer the questions that I hear out there in the virtual world, and hope that someone will hear it.

I love this work and I will do it in the hopes that it will help or inspire somebody. And I will keep doing it if my life gets crazy and weeks slip by without touching the keyboard. I want to connect to people through all of the craziness of life… So… sorry its been so long. But know that any time I have a brief hiatus, I will always return!

The Rancher’s Wife Calendar 2015

November 21, 2014 by Allison

I did it again. I made another calendar. Last year I didn’t really know what I was doing and this year…. I mostly do… I’m jumping in again and just praying for the best. I actually like trying to do some bits of graphic design and making a calendar that I would like to hang on my wall allows me to dabble in it a teensy bit. And this last year I have loved to see some of my favorite photos on a calendar hanging on my wall.

So with out further ado, I am announcing my 2015 calendar!

If you are interested in a calendar, please email me or comment on this post. The calendar will be $25.00, which already includes shipping.

Family Photoshoot in the Snow

November 18, 2014 by Allison

For having a population of about 90, there are so many terrific people in this little valley. In the few years that we have been living here I have made some incredible friends. Over the last few struggling years its been humbling to watch our ranching and farming friends plead and pray for help and to see them celebrate in their triumphs and stand tall in their trials.

This little family has to be at the top of our best friends. He was best friends with The Rancher as they grew up, she and I hit it off instantly and we have kids the exact same age that already love each other. She asked me to take a few family pictures and we found the perfect day on the morning of the first snow of the season. Now when I say she wanted me to take a few, she really meant it. “I just need a family one, one of each kid… and I guess just the two of us!” That’s just what we said. I snagged a few others and then talked them into taking a few fun ones “sledding” that I think turned out so fun!

I’m a work in progress, ready and eager to learn how to take AWESOME pictures, and I’m grateful for those willing to jump in and let me capture their story!

Headed to Fall Pasture

November 16, 2014 by Allison

Calling it fall pasture now sounds wrong that it is currently covered with a sheet of white snow, but since the calendar still calls this time of year fall we will go with it. Fall pasture. That’s where we headed a week ago. The Rancher asked me one of my favorite questions- do you wanna ride? Um… YES!

It really was a fabulous day and a fabulous day for a ride. Unfortunately… there was one part of that day that wasn’t so fabulous- I didn’t bring my camera! I was so busy getting kids together and getting out before the cowboys left me that it slipped my mind. But in some ways it made for a different kind of ride.

I always enjoy being out for a ride and I love capturing the scenes of the day. But as I’ve been riding and photographing at the same time, I realized that as much as I take in with my camera I don’t personally it take in. I look around seeing my next photo or noticing some exciting action and then I take the picture instead of internalizing what’s happening. And that is exactly what I did this ride.

We gathered in the forest cattle, the same bunch we had brought in twice already. This time it was to sort off all of our remaining cows to head over a couple of hills to the fall pasture. Luckily they pretty well sorted themselves… a few of them were a little hot and if too many were that feisty it might have made for a bad day… When they take on the horse in front of them rather than running through the gate, you can see that there was plenty of fun that day. Once we got all of our cows out The Rancher, Cowboy E and I started moving them down the road.

It was uneventful. The cows moved slow because they were busy eating all along the way. The air was chilly but the sun beating down was warm and comfortable. We commented about how good and fat the cows looked. And we called for the dog keep the cows moving (NEVER move cows without a good cow dog… he’s worth his weight in gold!). It was nice to have a moment to connect to what we were doing and take it all in. The creak in my saddle, the cow’s hooves on the gravel, and the dog running were the only things to really take my attention.

This little uneventful ride helped me realize how beautiful of a life we live, in its simplicity and in its intensity. We have times of the year that we fall into bed exhausted only to wake up early again the next morning. Then there are the days that The Rancher gets done early enough to saddle up the horse for the kids to ride. In all of it we get to live a life where we work as a family to raise beef to help feed the world. We work hard, play hard, and have beauties all around. On this ride to fall pasture I didn’t capture the day with my camera, but I certainly captured it with my heart. If only I could help you to see the imprint it has left on this rancher’s wife.

The End of a Satisfying Year

November 14, 2014 by Allison

The first week in November is always a big week for us. Over that week most, if not all, ranchers in the valley sell and ship their calves. We calved out these babies, grown them over the summer, and then put the weight on them since weaning. I’ve said it over and over-this is the day we work for. Sale day is the day that makes every other day possible. And when its over we can finally relax (its only for like a day until we start thinking about the next year!).

We have had amazing growth over the last two months and it really showed on sale day. They were chubby, so chubby that we weighed in heavy! Seriously, fantastic! When we contract our calves, we contract less than what we have (mostly to hedge our bets because occasionally we contract before the calves are even born!). When we weigh heavy and have more calves than in the contract, that means there are more we can keep and sell on the side. Its like having two paydays! We do keep back anywhere from 90-115 heifer calves to keep for replacement heifers the next year.

The morning of sale day we bring the calves, already sorted into steers and heifers. We weigh all the calves, getting an average weight. Based on that weight, our broker will pick out any calves that he won’t be taking and then we reweigh those (to make sure we have the MOST accurate weight down). After the work of sorting and moving and weighing and reweighing its time to load the trucks. Once those trucks are full, they drive off into the sunset and we all live happily after. Ok, not really… It was noon so more like driving into the sun…. And its not all sunshine and roses, but having another year behind us is as sweet and satisfying as any fairy tale ending!

Why Ranchers Don’t Need a Personal Trainer

November 12, 2014 by Allison

I just got done spending a few days helping The Rancher fence. Mostly by accident. Like, my kids took off trekking down the busy road to find their dad and I followed after in my sweats. And of course once I got there I got put to work. And boy was it work, actually more of a workout. I tease The Rancher from time to time that he had better get doing some exercises before he has to move his buckle down a notch. But in reality, his daily living is enough of a workout that he doesn’t need to exercise.

Well, I take that back. As an exervise science major I believe that everyone needs to exercise, everyday. But hanging out with a rancher provides enough core building, heart racing, strength training exercises that you won’t have to hit the gym at the end of the day.

For example, take the job of tamping- using a narrow, 15 pound bar to pound and pack the dirt around a fence post. And since nothing done on the ranch is slow, you do it fast, as fast as you can. You squeeze your core tight as it will go to stabilize your shoulders as they slowly begin to burn from lifting the bar over and over again.

Moving hand lines. In the days when I was a pipe mover I always considered it to be my morning exercise routine. Squatting with an extra 50+ pounds stretching out 15 feet off each side is a great for a little balance work, especially while the water is still running up and down the pipe.

Roping… oh boy roping… I’ve learned this last year what a great workout this is. Keeping your elbow, swinging at just the right rhythm and then still having the strength to throw is so much harder than what it looks. In fact, I have yet to even remotely come close to figuring this out… But I have gotten sore, super sore.

And then there are all of the sledge hammers. Big, little, tall, short- they all have one thing in common. They are all heavy. So heavy that you don’t slam them down as much as swing them up and then just let them fall on whatever it is you are hitting. While they are doing whatever damage you need, they are building some beautiful core, shoulder, and even back muscles.

I really could keep going on… ranching is a physical job. So much so that even with my intense morning workouts, I still get sore after a long day with The Rancher. If ever you were looking for a change in your exercise routine, come spend the day with a rancher!

Cutting Cowboys

November 11, 2014 by Allison

I married a cowboy, a roping cowboy. And I’m down with that. Actually, I love that. Its what I wanted. But its definitely the type of cowboys (they were more ranchers than cowboy if you get down to it) I grew up with. The rancher’s from my roots were more cattlemen than horsemen. My dad, however, did a lot of riding. He had this mare that was his partner in crime for years. She did her best work when she was cutting a cow. Once she knew what she was bringing in she was locked on. She had an incredible drive and hustle… so intense.

I fell in love with cutting watching and riding this mare. I learned a lot from her- mostly to hunker down in my saddle and lean back to free up her front to move fast and easy. But really, just to hold on…

The boys around here do a lot of roping, and although I love watching them roping and I am highly impressed by their skill, I get really excited to watch them cut. (I get even more excited when I get to do it!) After preg checking all of the cows, they have a pen full of buggers that are being sent home and need to be sorted according to each rancher. This is one of the highlights of the day for me. Those cows are tired and ornery and put up a good, GOOD fight. And that means that the horses put on a good show! I love to watch them put all their weight on their back legs and spin their front around to follow a cow and then launch forward in a totally new direction. Its so smooth and explosive all at the same time. Then there are the times that they have to take off to cut off some cow and have to make a quick, hard stop at an instant. Its pure athleticism. Can you see how I love it?!

Unfortunately, I was busy cleaning up during the majority of the sorting. These darn boys still need to learn how to work around my schedule… But I did catch the tail end of cutting cowboys.