My grandma had 11 kids…… ELEVEN! I have one busy little 2 year old. I am convinced my grandmother is the most saintly person on this earth. While raising all these great people, her and my grandpa had the typical farm, complete with hogs, chickens, cats, dogs and of course, cattle. In later years, every spring and fall us grandkids, would drive the cattle herd from cow camp to the home place or visa versa, which took about two days. These memories are some of my most treasured. My cousins and I played hooky from school and when the bus approached we thought we were the coolest cats on the prairie as we led the bus through the cattle on our horses, waving at the kids that had to attend school that day.

The second best thing about long days helping grandpa with cows, was my grandma’s sandwiches. She would come with bread sacks full of them. Most were bologna, slathered with some white stuff and if she felt fancy, some cheese. They were the best sandwiches I had ever tasted. Now thinking back, it was probably just because we were so hungry. About a year ago I finally figured out her secret of Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. Who knew!?

This brings me to my topic of ranch wives. I am very early in my experience of being a ranch wife/mother, so I am constantly observing other gals that share the same lifestyle. I have concluded that ranch wives are a very special breed of women, like my grandmother, that have amazing skill sets that make newcomers like me, a little intimidated. They can cook, mend, clean, take care of the babes and husband, keep the place tidy, like a traditional wife. PLUS they chop wood, fix fence, memorize spring and fall vaccine protocols, ride, rope, hammer nails, castrate calves, drive truck—the list goes on. Sometimes they do all this and even hold down a full time job in town!

Growing up in agriculture definitely gives you a leg up, but I am sure finding a young gal that has mastered all those tasks doesn’t come around every day. If you find one, I’d recommend marrying her, quick!

See, I learned more about the outside chores from my mother than I did inside, which I am grateful for, but cooking did not come as naturally to me as some girls. I can burn dinner as good as anyone. Early on, I was more likely to kick in the oven door by the time all was said and done. Now I find myself mulling around in the kitchen trying new recipes any chance I get. Although I would rather be outside (as I’m sure most of us would) doing all the activities that create calluses or riding our ponies around, housework has grown on me. Not that any of us particularly care to do dishes or laundry, but there is an element of satisfaction knowing you have a clean house for your family to call home. Of course this balancing act is not narrowed to country folk; it’s any new wife or mother. We all share these times of trial and error, rancher or not.

Our daughter Mesa, keeps my husband and I on our toes. We are in the process of fine tuning our negotiation and bribing skills. No matter the degree of meltdown, when we ask if she wants to see the baby calves, she always responds with a sniffle and a “yeah!” It warms my heart to see her enthusiasm towards an industry I am so passionate about. I hope she never loses it. I am a lucky gal to have had some strong female influences growing up and now Mesa has them as examples as well. You can bet that I will do my best to teach her the qualities of a ranch woman. Goodness knows we need more of them! Sometimes when I have planned ahead and have a meal ready for all of us after we come in from working cattle and I didn’t even mess up drastically, I feel like I am getting closer to being one of the many ranch wives I idolize. Ranch wives are tough and caring, bold and compassionate, full of grit and pride. They know when to stand their ground and when a caring touch is needed. There is no better group of women and I am fortunate to have them as family, friends and neighbors. I look up to these talented women and maybe someday I can earn a place among this bunch of cowgirls.

~ Diana

Diana and her husband grew up farming and ranching. Now they own a crop and rangeland spraying business, and their own herd of cattle. Diana is a busy ranch wife and mom to a two-year-old little girl. When not helping with their spraying or cattle, she travels throughout north Idaho discussing feed programs with ranchers as a full-time feed consultant.

A friend and I were comparing this year’s fair week and its highs and lows. I was posting the kid’s fair pictures when I realized how many years our family has counted the last week of July as “fair week.” Through the tears of record books to stepped on toes, fair week just blended into the ranch’s schedule. . .like calving, branding, turn-out and gathering.

Fair Week 2011 was probably a highlight of all the fairs since we started this in 2000. We celebrated our oldest daughter’s last year, middle daughter’s sixth year and son’s first year. The kids worked together, laughed together and cried together. They continued traditions and started new ones. These pictures tell the story of why we believe in 4-H, FFA and “fair week.”

~ Julie

Julie and her family own a cow-calf, yearling operation and custom feedlot in southwest Idaho. She and her husband were raised on livestock ranches and their industry roots run deep. Their children have been very active and involved in the ranch and feedlot, and are developing their own herds of quality cattle.

Cattlemen take great pride in raising a safe, wholesome and nutritious product. As part of our son’s senior project, he hosted a Beef Quality Assurance workshop at our ranch this summer. With the assistance of our county beef extension educator, producers and 4-H kids from our area received a refresher course on vaccine storage, handling and administration, livestock handling and record keeping. At the end of the workshop participants were give an exam and earned a three-year BQA certification.

The event was also a great opportunity to visit with our neighbors to discuss kids, cattle, grass and all our other many blessings. We appreciate our friends and neighbors who took time out of their Sunday to support our son’s senior project and hopefully gained some additional knowledge to improve the quality of product that they are raising.

~ Megan

Megan lives with her husband and three sons on a multi-generational cow-calf ranch in south central Idaho. She was raised on a small cattle operation and developed a love for the land and livestock at a young age.

“My favorite part of being a cattle producer is knowing, as the last calf is loaded on the semi, that you have done all you can to care for your animals and land, and both are in good condition. If you take care of them, they will take care of you.” she says.

Megan spends her spare time working and playing with her family, reading, gardening, fishing and watching her sons play football.

 

With less than 30 short days until I say “I do,” I can’t help but think about what the future holds. Unlike what seems to be the bulk of my generation, I believe that marriage is a union worth taking seriously. These days it seems as though couples I know get divorced on a monthly basis. And every so often I find myself wondering if we know what a big journey we’re about to embark on.

So how does ranching relate to the life of a pair of newlyweds? The fact is—ranching has everything to do with it. The relationship between an ag couple is far different than any other marriage out there. You wake up together, you eat breakfast together, you work together, you raise a family together, and at night you fall asleep together—just to wake up the very next morning and do it all over again. His hardships are yours, and yours are his. One year, you may make more money than ever before, and the next two years you’ll be lucky to break even. Neither of you know what’s to come, but something deep down inside keeps telling you that no matter what happens, it will all work out. Of course there are things worth looking forward to. You sweat together, you laugh together, you raise your family in a place you have strong ties to, and if you’re lucky, he’ll spin you around the dirt floor in the barn at 2 a.m. while you’re waiting on a heifer to calve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ranching is a scary business. Yet, the occurrences a couple faces—the good and the bad—are what help to strengthen the bond they have. I don’t know a thing about marriage statistics for those in the ag industry; but nonetheless, I’d put down $100 to win that divorce rates are less prevalent among couples who work in agriculture, than among the general population. We’re lucky that we’ve been taught how to live and how to love by some of the greatest relationships out there. This ranch has almost 70 years worth of marriage in its blood, and that’s one of the primary reasons its been able to withstand tough times.

 

Neither of us has ever started something just to throw it away, and this union is no different. We both know our chosen way of life will test us more than anything else, and that’s fine by us. There is nobody in this world I would ever be willing to take on such a life with, and something makes me think that he must feel the same.

Those 70 years of marriage that I mentioned earlier? Well, I’ve got a feeling that the Jarvis’ will be adding another 70+ to it.

~J

Hi! I’m Maggie. So glad you stopped by! If you come back often, you’ll get to meet many different women and families who share a passion for the Idaho cattle industry. Our stories are similar, but unique. There’s a lot of diversity in our industry and our people, but one common theme—a passion for raising cattle, eating beef and living this lifestyle.

I grew up in a small Kansas community as a farmer’s daughter. Agriculture is in my blood and I always knew I wanted to be a part of the food and fiber industry. I just wasn’t always sure about how I would be involved. My interest in language and fine arts led me to study agricultural communications while in college. Now, my work involves telling the story of agriculture—and the people who raise our food—through writing, photography and design. My husband and I met in college and after graduating, we decided to return to his family’s operation. Now we’re raising cattle and kids in the Gem State. We feel very blessed to live on a ranch taking in God’s beauty every day, raising our kids to work hard and doing exactly what we love. It’s certainly not easy, but definitely worth it!

Our ranch raises registered Black Angus and Hereford cattle. Basically we are raising cows and calves, but our cattle are all purebred or seedstock. We breed the parent stock (females and bulls) to sell. Our bulls are sold to cow-calf producers to raise beef for our dinner tables. Most of our females are sold to other purebred breeders raising seedstock as well. Basically, we are raising the parents of the cattle that becomes the beef on your plate.

Our lives are busy and a little chaotic at times, but I am trying to simplify what I can and embrace the rest. I’m a mom like many of you who also juggle work and family life. It’s important my kids learn how to work hard, but we have fun too. Sports, showing cattle, 4-H, church and other activities fill up most of our free time when we’re not helping on the ranch. I love to cook, our oldest daughter loves to bake and I’ve been known to try a DIY project every now and then.

So, if you stay tuned, I’ll be sharing some recipes and a little bit more about our life on the ranch.
~M