Allison - The Idaho Rancher's Wife

“They’re Sheep… Not Cows!”

February 20, 2014 by Allison

On our last outing to check water we came across some range neighbors. As soon as The Rancher’s Sidekick could pick out what they were he shouted, “They’re sheep… not cows!”

Apparently we need to get out and see more critters than what we normally see on the ranch because our kids loved seeing those sheep!

There is a big sheep herd sharing the range with our cows in Locomotive. They blend in with the country side really well and when you finally recognize that the sheep are there they just POP out at you. Hundreds of sheep! There is even a little sheep camp and their very own ~~sheep cowboy~~, ~~sheepboy,~~ shepherd…

I think that they must have been surprised to see us because they just took off running. Little fluffy sheep running all over.

I had to do a double take when I saw a black sheep in the midst of the other white sheep. I had to ask what it was… I assumed it was a herd dog! I think that I had better stick with what I know best-cows!

Out to Locomotive Checking Cows and Water

February 20, 2014 by Allison

We are about to put a lot of miles on the ranch truck. It happens every year when we take the cows to Locomotive (we also get a LOT of mud). Its important that we take the time to check out the scene in Locomotive because we can’t let our cows go without feed and water.

For the most part, the work happens from the truck. We drive across the range to make sure that all of the troughs are working and filling. Generally we keep some supplies in the truck in case there is a trough that needs some work. If ever there is a bigger problem the cowboys come home to gather up the bigger tools and head back out.

Along the way we see how the feed is. A drive though helps us gauge when we need to move cows or if we would ever need to bring any feed down (but that usually only happens when the snow comes).

Of course we check out the cows too. Occasionally we find a few on the wrong side of the fence. Apparently, the grass really is greener on the other side!

I let The Rancher take care of all the hard work or keeping the wheels on the road and I just make sure to document the cow scene!

Hauling Cows to the Calving Pasture

February 18, 2014 by Allison

The Rancher has sighed a big sigh of relief last week. All of the cows that were home (about 500) have been hauled to the calving pasture in Locomotive.

It took 3 days to get them all moved down and we jumped in to “help” take them down

Now that we have all of the cows moved we will be making the trip down to check them, but Locomotive is a great place to calves out our cows!

First Calf of 2014

February 17, 2014 by Allison

I have been asking and asking when we would finally have our first calf. In fact, I’ve been asking for over a month and I swear that every time, The Rancher would answer that it would be in two weeks. But he was saying that for the last month!

But the wait is over! We have our first baby- a bull (that will soon be a steer).

After bundling my babies up, we braved the cold to find the new baby calf to take some photos of the little fella. We found him nestled in the straw with momma close by.

With the first calf here the rest will follow soon. Remember, in the spring when we AI-ed the heifers? One of the benefits and reasons that we do that is so that they are synchronized to all calve together. Now that we have reached their due date we are going to be swarmed by babies! Hooray!

And now that I’m getting this post out, I think its time to go check to see if there are any new babies before we turn in for the night.

Feeding Cows With The Rancher

February 15, 2014 by Allison

I love going out to feed the cows. Maybe that is because it gets me out of the house or it gives me a chance to play with my camera or maybe its just being back to my cowgirl element. Whatever it is, I love to be out feeding cows.

The Rancher… ah… not so much. He’s not a fan of those things that he has to do over and over, repeating it everyday (read that in a bored, droning voice). It always makes me laugh when he reminds me of how he doesn’t like those jobs. I am the queen of doing the same thing over and over- breakfast, dishes, lunch, dishes, snacks, dishes, dinner, dishes, clean, laundry… repeat. Its a good thing that I’m the house wife and he, well… isn’t.

But back to feeding cows, something The Rancher’s does everyday- that’s what we were talking about. We have a pretty handy system- I cut the net wrap on the bale, he rolls it out to the cows. Then repeat, about 8 times. We have the big group of cows, the bulls and the first time heifers.

I’ll admit that The Rancher has some pretty awesome tractor skills. He makes it look easy to pick up, drop, roll, nudge, or tip a bale. But I know different. I’m not completely inept with a tractor but I certainly couldn’t do it with such finesse.

Maternity Pen Prep- We’re Ready For Babies

February 13, 2014 by Allison

A little something you should know about The Rancher- if there is something that needs fixing he will do and when he does it, he fixes in a big way.

With calving just around the corner The Rancher is finding and fixing everything that needs updated. The major one has been the maternity pen.

Last year it was such a struggle to get the heifers in when you were alone, so that was high on the list to get fixed. He spent a few days in the shop making a new gate to replace some old panels (that, of course, we were there to “help” put up). They put in a few man-gates to make it easy to move from pen to pen. The last day they replaced a handful of poles and added some tin for a windbreak.

It makes me feel better that these new mamas have their own maternity bay- all fixed up and ready to go. Granted, we don’t really want to use it because that means there are problems… but still its nice having it there!

So lets have some babies! (don’t let The Rancher know I’m begging for the calves to start coming!)

Out to Feed

February 12, 2014 by Allison

The cows are heading to Locomotive. They are due to begin calving within a few weeks which means it is time to get them to the calving pasture.

Locomotive is such an ideal place for our cows. We hardly get snow there (or at least enough to matter) so it makes for a dry, warm place for babies to be born. NOT to mention that they are so spread out, that one momma doesn’t take another baby by mistake.

Ya, we really like calving out in Locomotive.

And since the cows are leaving, the kids and I have been taking a few mornings to go out and feed with The Rancher before we missed our chance. There were even a few days that he actually needed me to be the one to cut the net wrap! Oh, the things that make this rancher’s wife happy…

Favorite Super Bowl Ads Representing Ag

February 10, 2014 by Allison

I love football but I’m not a huge Super Bowl fan… There, I’ve admitted it out loud. I really am more of a college sports fan so I don’t really even have a favorite pro team. And since motherhood began my attention to sports has REALLY dwindled.

Even though I’m not a fan, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a good Super Bowl party with the treats and commercials. It seems I only get the highlights when we rewind to rematch the amazing plays (thank you TIVO) but this year I hardly got to see even the commercials. Ya, you probably guessed I was busy wrangling my crazy kids. And making football cookies with The Rancher’s Sidekick… But of what I did get to see, I loved how many had roots in agriculture.

This was probably my favorite!

There was an ad I was watching for but it didn’t air in out here (it only went to 20 cities). What is so fun about it was that it about being a ranch mom and featured a real ranch mom that I follow! Fun to see someone representing the rancher’s wife club and doing it so well.

And the Winner is…

February 7, 2014 by Allison

Kirsten! Congratulations to Kirsten for winning the drawing for the 2014 Cowboy Calendar. Maybe this year I won’t make a calendar on an impulse at the last minute and have it ready and available when the year actually BEGINS! And who knows, maybe you can help me with the final product!

Spring in January

February 6, 2014 by Allison

You must have been praying for some snow with us because the weatherman is calling for a sever winter storm with 12″ of snow in the valleys and 2-3 feet in the mountains! Yahoo!

Of course it is coming just as we are about to start calving… so I guess now we pray that the calves will keep warm. Oh, the life of a rancher!

With all of the storms heading our way, its hard to believe that less than a month ago our lawns were bare. Our Christmas snow had melted with a few of warm and sunny days. It felt like spring!

The Rancher has really had some spring fever and has been sprucing up the ranch. He has been doing some intense cleaning in the shop and sheds- he even found the back wall of one! They have done some corral repairs and he has even trimmed up the trees.

I don’t know how professional pruners take care of the trees, but I would feel safe guessing that they don’t use a tractor and a chainsaw like these ranch boys! But I guess when that’s what life gives ya, you go with what you got!