The Idaho Rancher's Wife

The Ranch From the Wife's Perspective

Ranch Winter Scenes

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I love winter.  Pretty much everything about.  The colder temperatures are so nice after a hot summer. 

Winter time is calving time and there is something special about new babies.

I even love myself a little blizzard once in a while.  I’m a hopeless romantic- the idea of being snugged up by the warm fire during a blizzard sounds so lovely.  (Don’t let The Rancher read this… I might get in trouble by saying this out loud…)

But I especially love looking out over the ranch and seeing it covered in blanket of snow.  Or the trees that are frosted and twinkling in the sunlight.  Mmm…  I love me some winter scenes.

Back to Sun Valley

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In October I posted about my spontaneous participation in the district Farm Bureau discussion meet.  This last week was the state discussion meet in Sun Valley so The Rancher and I took off a few days to play with other Young Farmer & Ranchers.

The closer we drove to Sun Valley the more exciting this got for me.  I’m passionate about ranching.  I’m passionate about having a family ranch.  I’m really passionate about sharing our family ranching story.  Ya, you know that already… Any way, this discussion meet was right up my ally- an opportunity to talk about issues we face in our agriculture community. 

The meet went really well, in fact I had several of the judges and folks from the audience tell me how well I did or that they liked my style.  After the high I was on last year I am already to do it again!

These are the questions we discussed.  I would love to hear if you have any thoughts on them!

1. How should Farm Bureau engage farmer/rancher members, representing all types and kinds of operations (i.e. conventional, organic, large, small and niche markets), to work together to better promote a more positive image of agriculture? 

2. How do we encourage young farmers and ranchers to continue to be involved in Farm Bureau?  How can young producers lead even if they don’t hold elected positions on boards? 

3. What are the best practices for youth working on farms and ranches to ensure their safety and provide them learning opportunities in the area of agriculture production?

4. US agriculture is one of the major industries for the American economy.  What can farmers do to stimulate more economic growth? 

5. How can Young Farmers & Ranchers work with elected and appointed officials to eliminate unnecessary or excessive regulations placed upon agriculture while ensuring that new regulations are justified based on their costs and anticipated benefits?

Cowboy Calendar

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I think that I have gotten myself way in over my head, but let’s face it… that’s how I roll.  I just jump in and go with my motto “Fake it ’til you make it!” My latest jump is to make a calendar using my Rancher’s Wife photos.

Every year I look for a calendar that is more than a fat advertisement.  I want something worth hanging on my wall.  With so many fun pictures about the ranch I figured I ought to make one myself.  So I did.  And I think it turned out pretty good.  Here are a few pictures and if you want to see more, check this out.  If it fancies you, let me know and I can send one your way.  I don’t know cost yet but I’m going for not very much.

Lessons Learned From Ranching

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My parents always said that raising a family on a ranch made it easy to teach life lessons. There were lessons of hard work, responsibility and then the fruit of ones labors. Of course it also made it easy to talk about the birds and the bees. 

But not all of the lessons to learn from the ranch are easy.  For the first time I was on the mom end of one of those hard lessons.  My son’s puppy was ran over and it was my unfortunate opportunity to tell him and explain that he wouldn’t be coming home. It took a while to set in and when it did he would tell me that he didn’t want him dead or that now he needed a new puppy.

It’s been a lesson for me to learn as much as The Rancher’s Sidekick.  It was so hard for me that they won’t be able play together. It was hard that he didn’t understand. And of course we all struggled with the loss of a little friend.

 

Happy Thanksgiving From The Rancher’s Wife

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This really is one of my favorite times of year.  I’m not entirely sure why but there is something about the chill in the air, the anticipation of this holiday season and celebrating with friends and family.  It comes after the push of the fall work- weaning, sorting, hauling, selling, vaccinating, preg checking…  (did I miss anything?!).  There is also the farming to do and some fencing and then the winter prep.  But all of this is coming as a result of a good calf crop and a blessed harvest.

Isn’t it wonderful how inspired the first Thanksgiving-ers (I made that up) were to set a day aside to give thanks for their blessings after the harvest season.  Actually that really is how the story goes; the pilgrims had been devastated with sickness and starvation as they reached America.  They may not have made it had a few Native Americans put aside any differences and taught them skills to survive the new land.  It was after their first corn harvest that their leader declared that they all share in a celebration of fasting and thanksgiving.

There have been other distinguishable times in our country’s history that leaders proclaimed it a time of fasting and thanksgiving, primarily after or in the midst of great trials.  In fact it was during the Civil War that President Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. 

I love looking into the history of this holiday, to see what was intended for this holiday.  It was quite religious, so much so that they fasted rather than feasted.  I hope that I, personally, haven’t strayed from its heritage.  No, I didn’t fast but I hope that my thanksgiving was honorable.  Of course we are able to add our own traditions to help it be more meaningful for each of us, but are we still celebrating and cherishing our blessings as we should? 

So after another great year of blessings, a healthy family, a good harvest, and a home full of love and happiness, I want to give thanks to family, to the legacy we live, and mostly to a loving Father in Heaven.

The Rancher’s Wife is Being a Little Spontaneous

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If you know me you can attest that I really like to have a plan, with whatever I am doing.  I do like a little spontaneity but I like the dance-to-the-radio-in-the-parking-lot kind of spontaneous. 

Last night we had a Young Famer and Rancher meeting where they did their annual district discussion meet.  When we got there the man in charge was looking for more people to participate in the discussion meet that night.  The Rancher and I told him that we would do it, only if he was desperate for people jump in.

After two rounds of questions that we didn’t have any answers for or any examples prepared we were done.  I thought it was something we would just get to chalk up it up to experience.  I was more excited for the door prizes they were passing out than the results.  But then they finally came to it. 

And I got 3rd place!  I was so shocked when they called my name I just turned to The Rancher to make sure it was really me.  The greatest part of all this means that we have a free trip to Sun Valley for the state discussion meet.  It also means I have a lot of work to do… YAHOO!

Pick Photos for a Photo Contest

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In November the Idaho Cattle Association has an annual event of meetings and greetings for its members.  The few days there are filled with all types of information to help cowboys and ranchers keep making it year after year.  I recently learned that they also have a photo contest for its members, perfect for me to enter a few shots in. 

Once again I want your help in picking some to enter. 

The categories are: COWBOY CHARACTERS, THE COWBOY EXPERIENCE, COWBOY HUMOR, RANGES & LANDSCAPES, and CATTLE & HORSES.

Please, please comment below the posts of your favorite pictures.  Its folks like you and me that are voting, not an actual judge so I want YOUR opinions. 

Thanks, Friends!

Our Ranching Family

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When we find people that have a similar purpose, passion, and experiences we create a sort of brotherhood. We find comfort and friendship with those that can relate to us.  In our ranching family we recently have dealt with detrimental losses. 

You may have seen in the news about several ranches in South Dakota that have lost more than 80 thousand animals.  At the beginning of the month a freak storm came along, a storm of several inches of rain, feet of snow, and winds up to 70 MPH.  Had this storm come during the winter, when ranchers might have been better prepared, there still would have had incredible losses. 

But it wasn’t at a time when ranchers were prepared.  Even the cattle weren’t prepared.  These cows hadn’t grown their winter hair.  These ranchers hadn’t brought them in where they could have been better protected from the wind and rain.  Some still had their calves that were weeks from being sold. 

And so thousands and thousands of cows and horses walked aimlessly in the blizzard until they dropped to the ground from exhaustion.  Here they were covered and smothered by the snow, causing them to suffocate.  The rain caused inches of deep mud to stop them in their tracks, leaving them only to stand as they were buried by snow.  For some that survived the actual blizzard and freezing temperatures, they later drowned in the runoff from the rain and melting snow.  Many are still dying from effects of the cold and may continue to die from any sickness or infection spread by the dead.

These are real families that spend day after day working to raise cattle just like we were are.  Can you imagine if this happened to you or me?  I hope that you are because so many ranches won’t be able to bounce back from this loss.  Not only did they lose calves that would be this year’s pay check, but they lost the cows that would bring in money for years to come. 

Ranchers all over can understand, even if only a fraction, what these families must be going through.  A sickness runs through the herd, fires blaze through the summer rangeland, or there is one of those freak storms.  From experience I know that there is nothing worse than watching your animals dying as you strive to do everything you possibly can.  Every minute you are willing them to live.  You almost feel silly praying for cows or horses but praying is about the only thing left to do. 

I don’t know if there is anything any of us can do, but I wanted to bring this up just so you can be aware.  That you can realize what a loss our ranching family has had.  We are already in the midst of an uphill battle to keep our lifestyle.  At every turn it seems there is another fight that will bring one more ranch down.  But please, help our ranching family keeping fighting.

50!

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I didn’t realize until after I had already posted my last adventure but I have done 50 posts!  I have really been loving sharing the ranch with you.  I have such a passion for our lifestyle and I love the chance to give you little glimpses of it.  Our life here isn’t perfect, and it isn’t always picturesque (as I have shown) but there really is so much here for us. 

There really is so much to capture on the ranch.  And so many seasons.  So many surges and lulls.  You may not find it all too interesting, but it is all a part of my life as The Rancher’s Wife.  I get to deal with the crazy schedule, dictated by cows, mother nature, and occaisionally the cowboys (oh, and we shouldn’t forget the BLM or Forest gurus… we could never forget them!).  I try to fit in what can here and I hope you have enjoyed it thus far.

Is there anything more you want to see?  What part of the ranch do you want to learn more about?

I would LOVE to have your input fellas, because even though this is my blog, its about sharing the ranching life with you!

First of the Fall Pasture

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This is the same bunch of cows that we preg checked and moved in my last few posts.  These lucky critters get to be in all of my photos because they are actually where I can take a shot or two. 

In fact I woke up bright and early to go out the with The Rancher and ride while Grandma watched the babies.  We trailed these cows along the highway for a while until we could get on the back roads.  It wasn’t too long and we made it to the first of the fall pasture.  It was a nice move because there wasn’t any babies to slow us down. These cows walked hard and fast!

 For a while The Rancher was up at the front to turn the cows so I got to be with some of the old cowboys.  I LOVED it!  These cowboys have such fun stories to tell.  They talk about the days when they were just starting and getting things figured out.  They have stories of one darn cow or another that had to be roped or that headed for home and had to be chased down.  Maybe someday we will have some exciting stories on here to tell.

Here is The Cow Puncher again.  A darn good cowboy, helping us out again.

About Me

Hello! I'm Allison, The Rancher's Wife! There's nothing I love more than being out on the ranch with my husband and kids. Join me for a look at what goes on here at the ranch and the life being a rancher's wife!

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