Our Winter Coat - The Idaho Rancher's Wife

Merry Christmas from The Crew

December 26, 2014 by Allison

What a glorious season it has been! It certainly has been busy with friends, family, service, playing, working… The list can just go on but in reality it has been a terrific season of celebration. I am a religious woman- you know that (not too many ranchers are NOT).

I take this time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ because of the blessings that have come from His life. Every day I am grateful for His birth, His life, and His death. It has given me so much and everyday I strive to live in a way to thank Him.

I have been blessed with a family- a wonderful, hard working husband, two happy and healthy kids, and a lifestyle that shows no bounds. Every day we can connect with Him and, in His way, we work to serve people all over the world.

From all of us at the ranch, we want to say Merry Christmas! Thank you for a fun year riding with the Eliasons!

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.

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!

Roundup of Other Ranches: Calving in Cold Weather

March 5, 2014 by Allison

We have had such a mild winter which is AWESOME for calving. But that hasn’t been the case for everyone.

My old neighbors in Montana have really been having a hard time this last weekend. My dad was saying its the worst calving season they have had in 25 years. A town nearby was dealing with a wind chill of -68 degrees at night. That’s beyond brrr! That’s cold enough to freeze a baby’s nose even before he has been born. Not being able to keep all the babies and mommas out of the cold is like throwing money in the wind.

But my Montana friends aren’t the only ones dealing with the cold. Its a normal part of winter calving. Over the years we have all found things that help on those cold nights. We have our go to hot boxes or shelf ready ear warmers. We’ve learned when we need to bring a calf in or when to leave it with momma.

But don’t just take my word for it. Here are a few other ranchers that have been out fighting the cold.

1. Calving in the Cold on PincherCreekVoice.com

2. Baby Calves Will be Here Soon on KansasCattleRanch.blogspot.com

3. Ranch Snow Day: Calving Heifers on AgricultureProud.com

4. Calving Shed on BeefMatters.org

5. No Maternal Instinct on JustARanchWife.com

6. Warming Baby Calves on TalesOfAKansasFarmMom.blogspot.com

Calving on the Ranch

February 27, 2014 by Allison

*Just a little note- I have picture of a few cows giving birth. Its not too pretty. These are definitely not my photo contest photos… You’ve been warned!

Watching a baby being born is such an incredible experience. That includes watching a baby calf being born. Its not too often that you get to see it. With my luck I make it just as momma is done and licking baby off. But the other day I managed it just right to see this little baldy calf being born!

After having my own babies, I am so impressed with the instincts that these first time heifers have. There are no doctors or nurses or even husbands to help them through it all and (for the most part) they rock it!

We take a lot time to check the cows to make sure that things go right when they deliver their calves. First time mommas have more problems than the seasoned cows, which is why we keep them close to home.

Generally, we know that when a cow has left the herd and is acting a little antsy, it is probably in labor (that’s how I feel too…). We know for sure that she is calving when we can see a water bubble and the feet sticking out. At this point the calf should be born within the next hour or two and if its not, its time to jump in and help.

Seeing those feet coming out is a good indicator of how things are going. If the toes are pointing up its good news. If they’re not, it means that calf is coming backwards and you’ve got some work to do. The cow might be at this stage for a while because she is working to push the shoulders and head through. But once they do come, gravity helps out and the rest calf quickly comes.

A momma’s instincts kick in fast once that baby has hit the ground. The cow is quick to get up to start licking and cleaning her new little baby. The mom side of me thinks that those licks are part momma loves! The calf’s instincts kick in fast too because as soon as it can, it will stand up and look to start nursing. That first bit of milk (colostrum) is SUPER important because it contains nutrients and antibodies that will help give energy and a strong immunity.

If all of this has gone down without a hitch you can pat yourself on the back and leave them for a while.

But…

… things don’t always go the right way. When we talk about calving there is always a lot of “if-s” and “should-s” and “generally-s” and “usually-s” because we plan on there being problems once in a while. Murphy has a permanent residence here at the ranch…

The first thing to do (after we manage to get the mamma to the maternity pen) once we realize a cow needs help is to figure out exactly what is going on. We face a whole variety of issues like one leg being stuck back, the head being turned the wrong way, the back feet or bum coming first, or the baby being too big for a first time heifer to have alone. The figuring is the easy part. Getting the calf in right position is the tricky part. I mean, you have The Rancher pushing the calf in, grabbing that one leg to get it in just the right place all while momma is having contractions and pushing on the already stuck calf. And there is only room for one hand to do the work. Yep… kinda tricky!

When the calf is finally in the right position the cowboys put some chains around the legs and connect it to a sort of jack. Its brilliantly name “The Calf Puller”… With some steady pulling the baby is able to come much easier. And Ta Da! A calf is born!

Congratulations, its a bull!

To see all of the many exciting pictures, click the “read more” link below!

Wintertime Horses

February 25, 2014 by Allison

Every few days The Rancher takes a bale of hay out to the horses. The last few times that he has gone to feed he has a slight issue… the horses have been getting out! He pops the gate open, drives the tractor into the pasture and then once he has cleared the gate out they go.

But being the ever vigilant ranch wife I’ve been there to the rescue. I mean, you can’t really miss eight horses running down the road. I feel guilty admitting this, but I do love to see them run. Its like back in the day when bands of horses would run wild, free… and crazy. Ya they were crazy, but still beautiful!

It really only took a minute to get the horses back to their pasture on those few days they were out roaming. Giving a good cowgirl whoop and holler is just the trick to get those horses to turn back. Do you think it would work to get my kids to come back like that?

One fine morning we had the privilege of helping The Rancher feed the horses and we must have been good luck. Not a single horse ran out! They must have known that I wanted a few photos. I love a winter shot of the horses in the snow. Their long, thick winter coat is its own kind of beautiful.

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.