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Can you capture the beauty of the Idaho cattle industry at its best? Then put your eye and your camera to the test. It’s time to prepare for the 7th Annual Idaho CattleWomen Council Photo Contest. We have some new categories and new rules, so be sure to read through everything. It’s never too early to capture the beauty of Idaho and the cattle and people who make it great. The photo contest takes place at the Idaho Cattle Association Annual Convention, Nov. 13-15, 2017. Photos will have the opportunity to appear in future ICA publications and communications materials. Watch for contest rules and details in the fall edition of the Line Rider. Click here for all the rules and entry forms.

With the season of Thanksgiving approaching quickly, the Idaho CattleWomen are taking this opportunity to show our appreciation to our fellow women in the beef industry.

Come put a face and name to Idaho agriculture! Stay tuned for our 30-day Idaho Women in Ag Blog Series. Every day in November, we’ll feature a different women every day.

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I couldn’t get anything done this morning. . .the kid’s breakfast was put on hold, lunch ingredients stayed on the counter, coffee cooled. This sunrise made me stop in my tracks as I silently watched the sky explode in colors and dimensions. The cows started their morning movements of grazing, finding calves, moving from their bed ground. The fall ground fog hinted at much needed moisture seeping into the ground. It was spectacular.

So, why is this “blog worthy”?

Because it reminded me that much of this life remains out of my control. I worried fitfully in my sleep of cows coming in from the desert thinner than expected as a result of a dry summer. I felt my mind not turning off, but thinking through the night of things that needed “fixed”. I find that much of the time in this livestock business, one continually finds things to be “fixed”; some are individual, some are regional, some are international, some are intentional, some are perceptional.

And then, I witness something tangible that says, “Things are in control; no need to worry.”

~ 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.

As the leaves begin to turn their beautiful orange and yellow colors, you can begin to feel the chill in the early morning air. Fall approaches us this year with more items added to our “to do list.” Along with our horse and cattle operation and saddle business, my husband Matt, is a rep for Western Video Market. As per the customer’s request, he will travel to the location of where the cattle are, and video calves, yearlings or breeding stock. You can watch the sale on satellite TV or the Internet. When the seller and buyer agree on price and delivery date, the rep will go to location of cattle and help sort and load them. It is the reps responsibility to make sure the trucks are at the location to load, the cattle are the right weight, and all paper work is taken care of.

The boys and I have had the opportunity to go with Matt and help. On one of our most recent video sales, we went to a beautiful ranch in Wyoming. It required us to stay the night so we decided to stay at a hotel so the boys could swim. The owner of the cattle asked us to help him gather the critters in a large field above his house. So we loaded our horses, kids and swim suits. It was the later part of the morning as we pulled into the corral, saddled our horses, and put on the extra coat we didn’t think we would need.

Fall gathering on a good horse.

We head out across the field aiming for the pine trees and mountains that lie ahead of us. The cattle are waiting in the mist, slowly milling around. The field turned out to be a rather large one. It took a large part of the day, the sun warming us up enough to take a few layers off. It was a great gather, the calves running and bucking, and cows bawling for their own, and we even got to rope a few stragglers that decided to turn back on us. No complaining here. It was a beautiful day, spent riding with my family, getting our young horses rode, and being reminded how blessed we truly are. We left them in a corral overnight so they would be easy to get to in the early morning to sort and ship. We had a nice evening, and the boys swam until their hearts were content.

The next morning came fast, a rather chilly one in fact! Matt and I sorted the calves from cows, making sure our counts each matched. The truckers were there, waiting patiently for their turn to load. The brand inspector looked the cows and calves over. Matt takes care of the paper work transactions, and we load the trucks. Away they go…

That job is complete, and now we go onto the next one…gathering our own cows. Happy Fall Y’all!

~ Jayme

Jayme lives in Shelley, Idaho, with her husband Matt, and their three sons. She was daddy’s little cowgirl being raised horseback on the family cattle ranch. Matt and Jayme have known each other since their early junior rodeo days. They are both 4th generation ranchers and have a cow-calf and horse operation. Jayme drives school bus, and helps Matt on the ranch in addition to chauffeuring kids. Matt is also a custom saddle maker.

Jayme also blogs at www.cavvysavvy.com where this post first appeared.