The Rancher's Wife - The Idaho Rancher's Wife

Ranching Memories: Magic, Mishaps, and Mischief

May 26, 2014 by Allison

With it being a long weekend, most of the crew (except for Cowboy Pete- he is in Bulgaria!) came back to the ranch to play. The best part about everyone coming home is the times where sit around and visit. We always end up talking about days on the ranch. Those crazy branding days that The Buckaroo’s horse would always buck. Or the days of near tragedy that were too scary to laugh at. There is a theme running through them- somebody did something a little crazy! We were laughing so hard my sides hurt… I wish you could have been there. Some of the stories were just too perfect to NOT share!

Three Boys Means no Boys

Any smart ranch dad takes advantage of the free labor that comes with raising kids on the ranch. One day Rancher Sr. and The Ranch Boss went out to Locomotive to work some cattle and took along a few of the boys for some help. It was a typical dusty and windy day, which meant that these kids couldn’t hear or hardly hear what they were being told to do. That’s kind of a must when you are the gate man on a sorting day. Even when they figured out some hand signals, the cowboys would forget to use them! The Ranch Boss just told them, “When you have one boy, there is one boy… two boys there is a half a boy… three boys means no boys!”

Magical Ranch Mornings

Mornings on the ranch really can be magical. The fields smell incredible, the sun streams over the hills, and the birds are singing. Those moments just make you want to stand still to soak up every bit of the promise of a new day. Some mornings are a little magical than other, like when The Ranch Boss headed out for morning chores to find the old farm hand tractor running in the stack yard. What’s so magical about that? No one was there and no one had been there. The tractor started up by itself! They actually figure that a few mice got chewing on the wires, crossed them, and started the old tractor up.

The Beginning of Crop Circles and BE Farms

Being observant and industrious ranch kids, The Rancher, The Cowpoke, and a few fellow farming friends started their own farms- The BE Farms. They had their own patch of dirt to plant their hay and grain in and despite their clever schemes and earnest efforts their crops didn’t produce well. Buts really no problem when your little field neighbors dad’s big hay field. Just grab your best pair of kindergarten scissors and cut some yourself a supplemental hay crop! Don’t be surprised if the carefully cut pivot circes are mistaken for deer getting in the hay! The Rancher Boss was sure there was a herd of deer… nope- just a herd of little boys!

The Rooster Story

We love having chicken for fresh eggs, but once upon a time the ranch raised their own chickens for the meat. This meant that they had a rooster. And not any ol’ rooster. He was the nastiest, meanest old thing. So mean that the boys wouldn’t go gather the eggs for fear of that rooster chasing after them with his lethal beak. Rancher Sr., tired of the boys not getting the eggs, decided he was going to do something about it. His solution- a 2×4. He left the rooster for dead in the field, sure that the problem was solved. Weeks later, The Rancher was crouched down working on his snow mobile in the shop when all of the sudden, this rooster jumps up on his leg. He perched up there, ruffled his feathers a bit and just stood like he was some sort of pet! Rancher Sr. must have knocked something loose on that rooster, because ever since then he was pleasant as ever! But they tell me he did walk with his head cocked to one side…

It’s just ON FIRE!

The Cowpoke came back to help on the ranch between semesters a few times. It’s the sort of thing these boys live for- dad telling them that he needs them to stay to work on the ranch with them. What they don’t live for is the tractor catching fire on them! While The Cowpoke was doing some farm work he started smelling a little smoke. Being a good farmer he stopped to check under the hood only to see a bird’s nest on fire and shooting flames out the side! Lucky enough he was parked right next to the ditch. Unfortunately he didn’t have a thing to haul water in! He was clever (and probably calm) enough to notice the 4 wheeler there that he was able to jump on to find a 5 gallon bucket at the stack yard. Rancher Sr. was there too, curious as to why The Cowpoke would leave his post on the tractor a bucket. Um, ya… it’s only ON FIRE! Maybe that was the beginning of the Eliason Fire Brigade…

The Buckaroo’s First Catch

The Buckaroo has a knack for twirling a rope. Will Rogers has nothing on him! Well, I’m sure that he will be that good someday, soon! This roping craze started young, like 2 years old. The beginning of his roping career was marked with his first tie down. He had been outside playing with the dog, typical boy thing. But after a bit he randomly ran in the house. A minute later he ran back out… with his rope. Then not too much longer he can back inside… without his rope. When mom asked where the roped was he simply replied, “I tied the dog to the tree…” True enough, that little cowboy had roped and hog-tied the dog to the tree!

A Needle Stick

One fine branding day, I was in charge of giving the shots. I was double fisting even. Before we would get to work on the calves we had to have them rolled on the right side. If there wasn’t a free man to do it I would jump in and try to help. Easy, not a problem. Except the time that as I rolled the calf and bent down so did The Rancher’s uncle behind me. It was like two magnets coming together- his bum and my needle. AH! If there was ever a terrible place for a needle stick it had to be there!

Boys and Hot Shots

Little boys and hot shots are always a scary combination, but give them to a little boy that wants to zap his neighbor. There was a little cousin that loved the hot shot and would just come up to whoever and give them a little zap. The boys got so sick of it that occasionally they would give him a taste of his own medicine. And then came the day that he accidentally got The Buckaroo. He was so sick of this kid doing it and not knowing it wasn’t on purpose, he turned around and got him back so bad! Needless to say, he didn’t get anyone with the hot shot again!

A LESS Than Picture Perfect Cattle Drive

May 23, 2014 by Allison

Today we moved cows. It was so far from picture perfect. I mean it. I took my camera but just left it in the truck because there was no time to snap a picture in the midst of our near disaster cattle drive.

There are two things that make a drive go smooth that we didn’t have- a LOT of cowboys and good fences. Here’s the low down of how this day went.

Let’s talk about a little about fence etiquette. In Idaho, the “fencing law” is a fence out law (not to be confused with a fence outlaw that probably steals fences or something). That means that if you are, let’s say a farmer, you’re responsible to fence animals out of your farm ground. Particularily if it borders public ground.

The cattle we were moving were out on a Forest Service pasture with cows from two other ranches. The area has Forest Service ground, but a lot of private farm ground. In fact most of the way to the field we were heading to (6 miles) was bordered by farm ground except the last bit. And, yep, you guessed it… those farmers hadn’t put much stock in the fencing law.

There were places that the fence was up… but the wires were so loose calves just crawled right through them. It kept the in a little better than no fence at all because they could at least see something in the way. But so much of the fence was taken down, left in a mess on the ground. The darn thing didn’t even look scary enough to keep them from trying to get out. And with it being dropped to the ground we had another issue to deal with, getting the horses caught in the fence!

For hours we fought cows trying to cut back into the tempting green wheat fields. And we lost. The cows won. It seemed that they were crawling through the fences everywhere, when there was actually a fence, I mean. Cutting across the fields had its own extra setbacks. There were so many places that was loose dirt that as the herd crossed over it made a cloud of dust so bad you could hardly see the cowboy next to you. The cows don’t like dustiness like that (not that I blame them… actually I do, because if they would have stayed on the road we could have avoided the dust!) A couple of times they got so lost in the dust (or just annoyed by it) they tried to turn back on us. Just what we needed- crazy cows not being able to see where they are going so they turn and go… anywhere else!

The cows in the front were on a mission. They knew they were literally heading to greener pasture, so they walked out. Fast. But then there was the slow babies in the back. Their little tired legs just couldn’t keep up. Before we knew it, we were stretched out for miles moving along a non-existing fence with cows breaking into the first green thing they could see. Every time we would lose a group of cows through the fence a cowboy would follow to get them back out. Before we knew it, there were more cows and cowboys out on the wheat fields than on the road! Actually there was a point I was the lone rider moving down the road.

It might have not all been so bad if we could have had all the cowboys we needed. We needed to have guys at the front with the lead cows, guys doing the gates, guys pushing over the cows that were crawling through, and guys pushing the cows the length of the herd. But we didn’t.

At one point The Rancher switched from his horse to his steel horse which helped him buzz around which saved us. He was able to get ahead of the herd to close gates, get around the lead cows in the wheat field and head them back. It’s just too bad we didn’t have like three more guys helping do all that work…

We made it eventually and really no worse for the wear. We found all of the strays and after a while the bull in the trees decided to come out. But, heaven willing, we will NEVER have to do that again!

Changing Sprinklers with The Rancher’s Wife (because I LOVE it!)

May 20, 2014 by Allison

My high school summer work was working for a neighbor on his ranch (no surprises, right?). Every morning we would start the day moving the wheel lines and a few hand lines. I loved it. Every part.

I’m not really sure why- maybe it was knowing that the work we were doing was growing the hay we would harvest. Maybe it was doing a job that I could do well. I would say that it was playing in the water, put at that time in the morning the water was COLD. I actually wonder if I didn’t love it because it was one of the times that my OCD-ness really came in handy- straight wheel lines, unplugged nozzles, the birds standing upright…

It has its bad moments- like when you have to get the heavy mover through the ditch and you fall in. Ya… not so cool. Or you have a riser blow its top, continually. In fact, I have an Instagram buddy say Irrigation=Irritation. So true.

But still… I loved and still love moving sprinklers. And The Rancher loves that I love it. Its not too hard to hard to get me to come help and make the work go a little faster (isn’t that what every rancher wants in a wife?). Thankfully, he does it in the evenings when I can help out (and not egg cold!). He’ll go in one direction to work on a line while I turn off another. We jump between the different lines to get them drained, moved and the pressured up again. Of course along the way there are seals to fix, drains and nozzles to replace, or lines to wash out. It seems that something always needs a little fixing…

Doing this together for a few years we have learned a few things- bring the bag of tools, have a stash of oil and gas, and always wear water boots- even when you shouldn’t be in the water… because Murphy’s Law is a part of changing sprinklers!

** Funny side note- when I asked The Rancher’s Sidekick what I should title this post he said, “Um… Lemonade!” Yes, it is a sprinkler changing, lemonade sippin’ spring day at our house. Summer is on its way!

Country Style Lasagna with The Rancher’s Wife

May 18, 2014 by Allison

Growing up I didn’t like lasagna. Don’t know why… just crazy I guess. Being the kind mother that she is, my mom didn’t make it because I didn’t like it. And I feel so terrible because lasagna is one of those home cooked kitchen masterpieces! I finally came to my senses and learned that and now I love, LOVE lasagna.

But I do have one tiny problem with lasagna- the ingredients. Its not that I don’t like the ingredients. I love every bit of what goes in a traditional lasagna. The problem lies in whether or not I have them. I have to plan ahead and make sure that I have ricotta cheese (did you know it is pronounced rigot?!) and make sure that I make it before it has gone bad. Of course there is the alternative of using cottage cheese instead of ricotta, but when I buy cottage cheese, I eat it up before it can make it to the lasagna.

See my problem? Its in the cheese…

But I found a solution! Cream cheese! I always have tons of cream cheese (not sure why… maybe subconsciously I’m thinking of making cheese cake!) which means that we have a green light for the lasagna!

Now, for all the Italians out there, I’m sorry if you think that I have taken your beautiful cuisine and ruined it. I’ll try better to not disappoint in my next Italian recipe undertaking. I just had to make it in a way that I could use it! That’s why this is Country Style Lasagna, not From Italy’s Kitchen Lasagna.

I was a little leery to try the cream cheese. Why mess with something that you know is already so good? But I was desperate. So I tried it. And I don’t think I will EVER go back! (ok… maybe on occasion…)

Start with some brown hamburger.

Then add in spaghetti sauce. I actually make mine from tomato sauce, Italian seasonings, basil, oregano, dried onion flakes and garlic. Plus the salt and pepper or course! I add in a little olive oil and then a little water to get it to the right consistency. And I just give a little shake here and there. Nope, no real recipe… so sorry.

And, I have a confession- I don’t like chunks in my sauce, except for the hamburger of course. To that end I don’t put in any tomato bits or onions. But you sure can if it you want!

Then let it simmer for a little while…. simmer…. simmer… Lets those seasonings come ALIVE!

This is the perfect time to cook up the lasagna noodles and whip the cream cheese. The more the cream cheese is whipped, the easier it is to spread. I got a little crazy… and added some sour cream too! Just a dollop…

Once the noodles are cooked, the sauce has simmered, and the cream cheese has been whipped, its time to put it all together.

Grab an 8×8 dish and slather a scoop of sauce around the bottom. Before layering the noodles in the bottom, coat the top side with a healthy helping of the cream cheese. Its so much easier to spread it BEFORE its in the pan. Trust me. I tried it the other way… Put the noodles in the pan and cover with a few scoops of sauce. We like the layers really meaty/saucy, so I put a BUNCH. Then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. And if you are hard core (or just happen to have it in your refrigerator) add some fresh Parmesan cheese.

Then repeat! Cream cheese-ed noodles, loaded with sauce and cheese.

You may have a cute little helper that comes in from the sand pile that tries to pick in the noodles and cheese like I did. Don’t worry, the eyes in the back of my head caught him before anything disastrous happened! And after washing his hands he had this very cute face that I just HAD to take a picture of.

And then I (lovingly) kicked him out of my kitchen so that he would stop picking… He is related to his dad.

Back to the lasagna… Its all layered and done, but you need to do one last thing. Cover the top with cheese! Lasagna is meant to be cheesy. And then for a little extra flav-a, add a little bit more of that yummy Italian seasoning.

Then bake!

Slowly your kitchen will fill with that tantelizing aroma, so either go out so you can’t smell it or… be tough I guess! But once those precious 30 minutes have gone, you are ready to set the table and eat that delicious masterpiece!

Country Style Lasagna

1 lb ground beef, browned
1 (28 oz) Jar Spaghetti Sauce *
1 (16 oz) pkg Lasagna Noodles
2-3 cups Mozzarella Cheese (and Parmesan Cheese)
1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
Italian Seasonings

Mix together browned beef and spaghetti sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn down to low, cover and simmer.

Cook noodles according to package directions until ‘Al Dente’. Set out to cool.

In a mixing bowl, whip one package of cream cheese. Spread over cooled lasagna noodles.

In a 8×8 baking dish, pour one scoop of sauce and spread over the bottom. Layer noodles, 2-3 scoops sauce, and 3/4 -1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice. On the top, add remaining cheese and sprinkle Italian seasonings across the top.

Cook at 350 for 40 minutes or until the top is hot and bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into.

* For a simple spaghetti sauce, mix 2 (13.5 oz) cans spaghetti sauce and your favorite Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, onion, parsley) plus a little salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 to 1/2 cup water.

DIY Rope Clock

May 16, 2014 by Allison

There is a good story that goes with this fun little craft. Get comfy, because it is sorta long. I understand if you just want to skip to the end…

I have decorated The Rancher’s Sidekick in cowboy-ness (a far stretch for your imagination, I’m sure…). Its really been needing a little more umph and he had been begging for a clock. I figured, perfect way to add a litter bit of cowboy to perk up the room. I was so sure that he would love it.

Nope.

After he told me that he wanted the rope off and that it looked, “not great…” I figured that when he saw the finished product he would think it was so cool, so I went on. And really, I didn’t want to quit. I knew the potential awesome-ness that was about to happen!

So I finished and showed it to him. Still “not great.” He quickly told me that I had to take off the rope. Actually that sounds like he was calm. Oh no, The Rancher’s Sidekick was in a complete meltdown because I had “roped” his clock and he didn’t want it like that. In my attempts to make him stop, I just put it away and moved on.

But he didn’t… 15 minutes later he comes to me, totally calm but with his little mischievous smile. Then he shows me the clock with out the rope! He completely ripped the rope off! Grr! I was so frustrated. And now I’m over, so I made a new one. Even better, The Rancher’s Sidekick is over- ya he loves it now! What a goober!

If you are gonna make a rope clock you are going to need a rope…

And you will need a clock (I got a cheap one at Walmart).

The get gluing. I used my favorite glue gun, of course!

Just keep going around and around… Until you decide your done. Or run out of rope! Ta Da! You have a rope clock- functional and fashionable!

Happy Mudders Day from The Rancher’s Wife

May 11, 2014 by Allison

There are too many good mothers (and mothering women) out there to not say Happy Mother’s Day to!

You are amazing, you know! There are so many things that you do- manage your home, chase your kids, help your husband, work in the community, serve your friends and neighbors and somehow you manage to still be you.

AMAZING!

So here is a little note from The Rancher’s Wife.

Delicious, Home-Cooked Steak Dinner

May 9, 2014 by Allison

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I hope you have big plans for pampering the mother’s in your lives. Maybe you’ll do a little breakfast in bed, beautiful spring flowers, some chocolates maybe or how about a nice dinner to say thank you.

Growing up it was my mom that pulled together those nice holiday meals that added just the right touch to the day. Not to say that dad couldn’t, but it was mom’s forte. That usually meant that when it came to Mother’s Day we were already starting without our MVP. I don’t want you to fall short this Mother’s Day, so here is a SUPER easy, delicuious and easy meal to show the mom’s in your life just how much you care!

At our house you can never go wrong with a nice steak dinner. And when you cook them on the grill, its minimal mess which means minimal clean up (for you… because momma isn’t doing dishes on Mother’s Day, remember?).

The most important step in making this isn’t going to be at home- its at the grocery store. A good steak isn’t made with the rubs, seasonings, or marinades (although they do make for some awesome added flavor!). Its how that calf was grown (ok, so really its starts on the ranch, but you don’t have much control over that!). At the meat counter, take the time to choose a steak with good color and good marbling- the little flecks of fat that are in the meat. This is where you get your flavor and what makes a steak tender. Factor in the cut, or the type of steak, that you are getting. Choose one that is from the rib area. Steaks that come from places like the shoulder tend to be a less tender. Personally, my favorite is a T-bone… yep… I love T-bone steak.

Once you get your steak home the stage is set for some incredible eating with only a little bit of work. Get the grill hot and ready to go and when its hot, its time to get cooking.

After putting the steaks on the grill, add a little salt. Partially for flavor, but also because that helps to keep the juicy flavor in the steak. A LONG time ago you learned about how water follows salt in some science class, right? This is when you are finally gonna use what you learned!

Let it cook for a good 1-2 minutes and then turn in 45 degrees to give it that criss-cross look. Besides looking so professional (which is what we’re going for, right?!), those lines are seared, which sort of caramelizes the surface and locks in more of that delicious flavor!

Once you rotate your steak, let it grill for another 2-3 minutes and then flip and repeat. A little more salt for flavor AND to keep your steak moist. This time we like to add a little more seasonings- just some pepper and good ol’ seasoning salt (at this house, sometimes less is more!). After its cooked for a minute or two, rotate. Give it another good couple of minutes and then you’re done!

Unless you’re going for a well-done cooked steak. Then you’re not done. Keep cooking…

Timing is important to cooking steaks. You don’t want to under cook your meat, pull it off and then have to start over. Ideally, you only want to flip your steak once. But the opposite is possible- over cooking. I’m not a fan of burnt steak… or a dry steak. I don’t know about you, but pink in the middle is perfect.

But however your momma likes it, is what we’re going for. And no matter how that is, she is gonna love your delicious, home-cooked steak dinner. Add some steamed veggies and some fresh watermelon and you will rule the day!

Because really, don’t all the mom’s in your life deserve nothing but your best?

Happy Mother’s Day! (early…)

Steak Kabobs on the Grill

April 20, 2014 by Allison

Its grilling season! OK, I don’t know that there is an official grilling season… but if there were I would declare it open! We actually don’t wait for grilling season to get cooking outside. I’m a big fan of cooking on the grill, partly because that means less dishes to do…

One of my favorites to cook on the grill are Steak Kabobs. The delicious, bite size pieces of meat and veggies are the perfect dinner to change things up! I will tell you that everyone loves these. My baby couldn’t shovel them in fast enough. So fast that I was fishing the too-big-bites out of her mouth to cut them down to non choking size. And my boy was thrilled with the idea of eating off of a stick (no surprises there- he is ALL boy). In fact I might cook more on a stick because then he actually eats!

So let’s get down to cooking these kabobs! (PS, isn’t kabobs just a fun word?!)

Since they are steak kabobs, let’s start with the steak. If cost wasn’t an issue, I would tell you to go get a Filet Mignon. But a nice sirloin or skirt steak will do great. Whatever you get, cut it up into 1” pieces. Try to make them as uniform as possible so that they will all cook the same.

With the steak cut up, cut up some veggies. Peppers and onion are a favorite at our house. And zucchini- The Ranch Princess LOVES zucchini. Some days I do potatoes too. If you do potatoes, I recommend that you cook them up before. They won’t cook on the grill long enough to make them tender. I have even use baked potatoes to slice up! If I was a fan of mushrooms I would put them on… but I’m not. Really you can try anything!

This time we had a treat- pineapple! If you haven’t tasted grilled pineapple, you have to give it a try! Some people think it is weird to have warm pineapple… I promise it is so delicious you won’t even think about it!

Once everything is chopped up, it’s time for some marinating. Grab some oil, honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Add in a few shakes of chili powder and garlic powder.

Mix, mix, mix and then pour over the meat and veggies. I threw the veggies in a big Ziploc bag with the marinade- it made easier to shake and keep them coated with the sauce. But you can do whatever you want!

When you’re ready for the cooking (like after 2-3 hours… but the longer the better!) pull out your skewers and get to poking. I put them on the stick and then straight to the grill, but I wish I hadn’t. They cook so fast that some were ready before others were even on. By the time we got to eating them they were cooled. So skewer them all at once, grill them all at once, and then eat them all at once!

Turn your grill to high and stay close once you put them on. Remember that since they are cut small they will cook fast. And you want crunchy veggies, not mushy. Cook them about 7-8 minutes, turn and cook another 5-7 minutes.

You know the next step- EAT and ENJOY!

I have to tell you a funny about these… The Rancher had a Search and Rescue meeting, so he got to take his on the run (a meal on a stick is the ultimate fast food!). Not long after he left I got a text from him- #Kabobs #Dabomb. The fact that The Rancher thinks hashtags are ridiculous just makes it all so much funnier!

Steak Kabobs

2 lbs Steak, sirloin or flank
Bell peppers
Small Onion
Zucchini
Fresh Pineapple

Marinade

1/4 Vegetable Oil

1/3 Cup honey

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1-2 Shakes Chili Powder

Cut the meat and vegetables into 1 inch pieces. (I only listed the veggies that we used, but it isn’t inclusive- try whatever you want!) Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover and put into the refrigerator for 2-3 hours (the longer they sit, the more flavorful and tender they will be!).

Drain off the marinade and put the meat and vegetable chunks onto the skewers.

Preheat the grill to high heat and lightly oil. Place the kabobs on the grill and cook for 7-8 minutes and then turn. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.

10 Reasons Why I Choose to Raise my Family on the Ranch

April 6, 2014 by Allison

Growing up on a ranch, I knew that it was the way I wanted to raise my family. It helps to shape grow a person in so many. The opportunities for life lessons are never ending. And, I know I always say this, but the space is pretty amazing.

No it’s not the only good way to raise a family- there are so many good people that weren’t raised that way. But this is how I chose to raise my family. Here’s why…

1. Everyday we work- we have to. The cows need feeding, which most often requires us moving them to different pastures. Fences, building, and equipment need upkeep and they won’t fix themselves. Bummer… But my kids know how important work is. Already my kids are learning to help and work, to do the best we can and to finish a job we start. More importantly my kids learn to work because they get to go out to work with their dad. Every day they have the best example they need to see a man working.

2. All around us we see the circle of life. Every year there is new life that brings excitement and hope. But not all new life lasts. Death is a hard thing that we face. Cows, calves, horses, dogs… It’s hard, but it’s a part of life. We celebrate life and learn to move on after death.

3. I don’t know if there is a more natural way to talk about the birds and the bees than actually having first hand on the ranch. All sorts of question come up about why do we keep the bulls away from the cows, where do those babies come from, or what is that cow doing. Yes my kids see it happening and yes we talk about it. But that is because it is so easy on the ranch.

4. What better playground do they need than a big ol’ ranch?! There are fences to climb up, tires to go through, chickens to chase, calves to rope and dirt to dig. Really the list could go on and on… Because there is so much for kids to do on a ranch- no two days are the same and there are no dull days!

5. With so much around them, ranch kids learn to be creative. A stick isn’t just a stick! It can build a fence, it can be sword, a gun or a cane. When my little boy watches what’s happening out on the ranch he gets creative and recreates it with his own little equipment. I never would have thought marbles would be poop for the manure spreader! Instead of just building towers from blocks, we make stacks of bales! Imagination is always at work out here.

6. As kids grow on the ranch, they are given their own responsibilities. It my be feeding the family dog or collecting the eggs or even feeding their own 4h animals. But they know it is their job. Yes we will help, but it is their responsibility to make sure it is done. They are responsible for closing the gate when they go through, keeping gas in the 4wheeler and putting their tack away. With responsibility also comes accountability. And then consequences. Some are good- feeding up your steer makes for a food day at the fair. But not locking the gate means the cows get out. Responsibility, accountability, and consequences- all lessons learned on the ranch.

7. We would like to think that days on the ranch are always happy and cheery, but they’re not. Yes we have awesome days of success. There is that day when you catch your first calf and you feel like you could rope the moon! But then there are days when you get bucked of, lose a glove, and tear your favorite pair of jeans. Frustration and disappointment are just as much a part of ranch life. But with it we learn how to deal with it.

8. I love opportunities we have to work together as a family. We pull out the horses and go to the arena. We all gather to the garden to gather in our harvest. We all squeeze in the tractor to feed the cows. Family is important to me and I won’t let anything, not even the ranch work, get in the way. Instead, we just make ranch time family time!

9. Life on the ranch does so much to help with learning in school. Ranch kids learn everything from learning counting and colors to map reading and geography. There are science lessons as the crops grow with water and sun, and grow more with a little fertilizer. The learning never stops- math, science, geography, history, reading… do it all, daily!

10. My kids have learned where their food comes from and the cost for it. We don’t grow everything we eat (so thankful for grocery stores!) but my ranch kids know that milk comes from a cow, not made in the back of the store. And more importantly they know the cost of their food. Not necessarily in money, but certainly in the time and effort it takes to have.

Yep, the ranch is the place for me to raise my kids. A place to learn, live, and love while every day is an adventure. Especially when it is the day you need to teach the 12 year old how to drive the stick shift feed truck…

The Rancher’s Wife Living in the Middle of Nowhere

March 23, 2014 by Allison

To have the amount of land we need to run the ranch, we live in the middle of nowhere (TMNW). The Rancher would say we GET to, that it’s a privilege. We have the space to ride and play. We can have as big of lawn as we want (or the lawn mower can handle). There aren’t too many neighbors to worry about being quiet for. We get to live life how we choose to! I can agree with him now that I have learned a few tricks to living away from civilization, some that are definitely worth sharing!

1. Get a freezer. Or maybe two… You will curse yourself every time you run out of food, every time you make an extra trip for more food, and every time you try to cram your groceries in the little freezer space above your refrigerator. Yep… get a BIG freezer.

2. Since you bought a freezer, you have room to buy extra groceries… so do it! Load up on your favorite frozen fruits, veggies, chicken nuggets and of course BEEF! I even have butter and cheese in there! And just to be on the safe side, grab a few frozen pizzas for the days that dinner just doesn’t work out. Stick it all in and enjoy it later.

3. Every visit to town warrants a trip to the grocery store. Even if you think there isn’t stuff you need, go. I always end up grabbing a couple of gallons of milk. My family can never have enough milk! In fact, I get so much that I freeze some to ensure that we don’t run out.

4. Living far away from a gas station makes you realize how precious fuel is. In an ideal world you would have your own gas tank at home to fill up at. But if you can’t manage that, always leave town with a full tank of gas. Running out of gas in TMNW is SUPER frustrating and there is nobody to blame but yourself.

5. It’s sad to say, but since there are less trips to town (because it takes up way too much of the day just to get anywhere) you don’t always have fresh stuff. Either learn to live with that or learn to grow a garden. I suggest the latter because there isn’t much more satisfying than a good green salad from the backyard!

6. Those man car skills really are not just for men. Learning how to change a tire, check the oil, airing up tires, and using jumper cables is something that every person living in TMNW should know. Cowboy Charming (instead of Prince Charming, right?) is a LONG way away and really doesn’t have time (or even want to) to come save the day.

7. You will spend lots of time in the car… LOTS. Make sure you have a car that will be able to go the distance (especially if you didn’t learn those mechanicing skills we already talked about…). Just accept already that putting more than 15,000 miles on the odometer in a year is normal.

8. And if your car is getting that many miles, so are your kids. There have been a lot of late nights spent on the road. Teach the kids to sleep in the car. Take pillows and blankets, at least one for every person… or maybe two. Heck, take all you have in the house and borrow from the neighbors if you’ve got to! The extra work is worth it! And since the babies will be falling asleep always take pjs so they can just got straight to bed once you hit home.

9. Take out doesn’t exist in TMNW. Nor does delivery. Sorry, you GET to have a home cooked meal every night. I highly recommend meal planning, left overs, and guilt trips to get someone else (hubby, anyone?) to make dinner. If all else fails, get out the frozen pizza- that’s why you have a freezer, remember!

10. We don’t have a time to make lots of trips to town, nor do really want to. So with each trip, make it worth it! Hit up the grocery store, the bank, the hardware store, the post office, CAL Ranches, and the local Good Will. Or maybe just Walmart… they’re supposed to have it all, right?

Living in TMNW can make life tough, but choosing to make it work makes it all worth it. For us, getting to live where we have the space to do what we love is always worth it, even when I have more milk than I know what to do with!

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