Darcy was born and raised on her parent’s ranch, based in Mayfield, Idaho. During college, Darcy fought fire for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and continued to help her parents on their ranch. After a short stent working for the Idaho Department of Lands, Darcy was hired on at J.R. Simplot Company, in the Land and Livestock Division, as a monitoring specialist. Darcy is also an alumnus of the Leadership Idaho Ag program, graduating from Class 32.

How are you involved in agriculture today? Currently, I am the land manager for Simplot Livestock Company based in Grand View, Idaho. There I manage all of Simplot’s public land grazing allotments, working with federal and state agency staff, Simplot managers and cowboys. I am on the board for three Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, including Saylor Creek, Three Creek and Black Canyon, and am a member for the Shoshone Basin RFPA. I also serve as the public lands chair for the Idaho Cattle Association (ICA), and am the delegate representing Idaho at the Public Lands Council. In my spare time I help my parents with their cow-calf operation. 

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? Both sides of my family have been involved in agriculture, long before I was born. My parents started their cow-calf operation just before I was born and have continued to expand it over the years. Growing up living on a ranch and showing 4-H animals, I learned the importance of hard work, persistence, patience, communication and good hard work!

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? There are far too many people in my life, past and present that have inspired me and serve as mentors to list. However, obviously, my parents have given me the gift of being raised on the ranch and learning all of the life lessons that go along with that. It is an opportunity that if every child was blessed with, this country would be a much better place. Their parenting taught me the importance of hard work, dedication and commitment, which have made me the person I am today.

Probably the person who has served more as a mentor than any other would be Chuck Jones. He was the land manager that hired me on as a monitoring specialist for Simplot. He told me once that even though I might not be qualified; I had the heart and he could teach me the rest. And boy did he try!! His retirement led to my promotion, and his phone number is at the top of my “Favorites,” or what I refer to as my “help” list, in my iPhone. Also high on that “help” list is my good friend and mentor Michael Guerry. We often spend what seems like hours discussing issues, and I believe I have told him on more than one occasion it is a good thing that I don’t live close enough to have coffee with him every morning or we would never get anything done! 

How do you provide encouragement to others? I try to find the positive in any situation – even if the only positive is that nothing is ever a failure if you learn a lesson from it. 

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? Recently there seems to be a lot of talk going on about our food supply and what should and/or should not be in it. Although we all know it, it is amazing how many people know so little about our industry. I think the message that we need to share is how safe the food and fiber we produce for this population really is, and how without the advancement in technologies that we have made, we would never be able to feed the world sustainably.

What are you most thankful for? I am most thankful for being born into and raised in a ranching family. It is an opportunity that most are not provided, and I am thankful that I had the experience. I am also thankful for the opportunity to work for a company that allows me to continue that lifestyle.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? I love to cook meatloaf, with scalloped potatoes and green beans. Also something fun once in a while is the Pioneer Woman’s steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce! 

What is your favorite childhood memory? Spending a week at the Elmore County Fair in Glenns Ferry with my closest friends and family.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies? I love to go home on the weekends and help my parents work cows. I also love to ride my horse just for fun, although that doesn’t seem to happen much anymore. I love to hunt and fish – especially in fun and new places. I love exploring new country and traveling to other countries is fun too. I also love to read.

Favorite place to visit? My favorite place to visit would have to be Prairie, Idaho. When I was growing up, it was always an adventure to head north to visit the family, especially when adventures were in store with my cousins. As an adult, it is still my favorite place to visit, although I don’t get there nearly enough.

Be sure to keep up with Darcy’s busy life on both Instagram and Facebook!

Dawn, and her husband James, are partners in a registered Hereford and Red Angus purebred cow-calf operation, started by her parents. The ranch has an annual production sale, the 2^nd Monday of March. Dawn and her husband have been married for 28 years, and have two children, Bryan and Jae.

How are you involved in agriculture and/or beef industry today? I am currently on the Idaho Cattle Association Board of Directors. I provide support services for the Idaho Junior Hereford Association (IJHA) as well as the Idaho Hereford Breeders. We do a little bit of showing with our Herefords. With a little help from the kids, I break the cattle and get them ready to head to the show. I work outside the home, but use evenings, weekends and other days off to register cattle, work cattle, run parts, and do whatever else needs done.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture and/or beef industry? I was raised on the ranch we live on and have spent my entire life around cattle and farming. My dad always said that cattle raise good kids. I was very fortunate to be raised in this environment and have been blessed to be able to continue to live this lifestyle as well as raise our children with the same opportunities.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? My parents, John and Bev Bryan, have always been my inspiration. My husband James was not directly raised in the Ag/Beef industry, but had a true passion for it from the beginning and this allowed me to stay involved. Together, our inspiration is making it possible for our children to continue to be involved in the industry and continue on a family tradition.

How do you provide encouragement to others? I was involved in 4-H and the IJHA while growing up. I don’t believe I ever left either program. I help with our county 4-H market animal sale, and help with IJHA shows and events. I look for opportunities to encourage youth to stay involved in agriculture and the beef industry.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? The ag & beef industries are the lifeblood of our nation and our world. We care about our natural resources; therefore we are invested stewards of our land. We recognize that life sustainability depends on us feeding the world with safe, wholesome food.

What are you most thankful for? My family; past, current and future. I know it would have been very difficult to have had the experiences I had growing up had my grandparents and parents not had the tenacity to stick with this industry during the difficult years. I was lucky to find a man who was willing to work hard so that we could stay in this industry, and I am thankful that we have been able to introduce our children to this industry.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? My favorite meal to cook includes steak. It might be because it is an easy fix and easy cleanup, but it is soooo good.

What is your favorite childhood memory? My brother Shawn had Reserve Champion Steer at the Gooding County Fair. He had the opportunity to show him in the Open to the World Steer Show at the Twin Falls County Fair two weeks later, but he wanted to be done with taking care of the steer. We made a deal that I would feed and continue to care for the steer through the show, and I would get whatever premium money he received from that show. He ended up winning the carcass contest with premiums of $300. That was quite a bit of money at that time. Shawn quietly handed over the money.

What are your guilty pleasures in life? Red Wine and Beer. Not necessarily in that order.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies?  I love to run. Call me crazy – well, you could if I didn’t get the chance to run and work off some stress. I run 3-5 times a week 3.5 – 8 miles each time. I occasionally participate in 10K and 5K running events. I’m not fast, but I can finish. That’s all that matters. I also like to golf.

Make sure to follow Dawn and JBB/AL Herefords on Facebook!

Idaho is home to two Camas Prairies, and we’re lucky enough to be able to feature a cowgirl from each one! Yesterday you read a profile on Diana Graning, and today you can read one on Christie Prescott. Christie was born and raised on a ranch outside of Fairfield, Idaho. Her husband, Wyatt, serves as the Executive Vice President of the Idaho Cattle Association. She and Wyatt have a son, Gus, and are expecting a little girl at the end of this month!

How are you involved in agriculture and/or the beef industry today? My involvement in Agriculture really starts at my day job as outreach coordinator for the Idaho Grain Producers Association. When I’m not in the office my husband and I are building our own beef cattle operation. Currently, we primarily grow calves and place them as feeder cattle in a custom feedlot. We also do whatever the market presents as an opportunity when it does, like feeding feeder cows and growing our cow-calf numbers.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? I grew in agriculture. I still have dreams that I’m back on the ranch I grew up on. I hope that my children will be as fortunate as I was and get to grow up the same way. I look forward to instilling the passion for cattle in our children. Being surrounded by the beautiful Idaho landscape, working the land and learning to be responsible through agriculture is the best way to grow up.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? My grandpa, Al Bauscher, has always been an inspiration to me. He was a WWII veteran that came home to Fairfield and kept up the family cattle business. He inspired me because he was tough as nails and always on time. I keep a picture of the two of us together, at my desk as a constant reminder.

How do you provide encouragement to others? I provide encouragement to others by providing valid feedback and being supportive. I’m a realist that likes to get things done. I think a fresh perspective is always good and try to support the best way to do any given thing.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? I’d like to let people know that if they like to eat they should be supportive of agriculture and agricultural practices. I think there is a major gap in people knowing where their food comes from. Many don’t understand what goes into food production. I’d like them to understand that farmers and ranchers are where what on their plate starts and that these people care the most about their animals and land.

What are you most thankful for? I’m most thankful for my family and our health. I’ve come to realize through losing my parents that it’s the most important thing.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Bolognese sauce and spaghetti are always a go-to favorite.

 

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? I try and shop the perimeter of a grocery store. I load up on fresh produce followed by meats, cheeses and dairy. I try and avoid highly processed aisle foods.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies? Trail running and boot camp work outs, reading, watching football, canning and cooking.

What are three little known facts about you? 1) I was a BLM firefighter for six fire seasons. 2) I am a Lord of the Rings nerd. 3) I’m actually shy and have to work hard at being outgoing.

Be sure to keep up with Christie on Instagram and Facebook!

Day 5: Women in Ag: Diana Graning
Day 4: Women in Ag: Julie Kerner
Day 3: Women in Ag: Megan Satterwhite
Day 2: Women in Ag: Celia Gould
Day 1: Women in Ag: Robin Lufkin

Diana Graning was raised on northcentral Idaho’s Camas Prairie. A graduate of the University of Idaho, Diana majored in Animal Science Production, putting her degree to work as a Feed Consultant for a local Ag Co-Op. Recently Diana made the decision to leave her job, so she could focus on her family and their cows. Diana and her husband, Cody, have a little girl named Mesa Rose, and are expecting another little girl arriving at the end of January!

How are you involved in agriculture today? My family and I ranch, as well as operate our own custom spraying and fertilizer business, specifically for crop fields.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? My life has been shaped positively by agriculture in the way of learning core life values such as work ethic, treating others and animals fairly and the value of a dollar.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? I’m inspired by all women in agriculture!

How do you provide encouragement to others? I love sending cards in the mail, or utilizing social media to share a quick message to someone I’m thinking about.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? I would most like to share the message that as rancher, we treat our animals the very best we can, not only because of financial impact, but because care for all ranch/farm animals. There is so much misconstrued information about livestock coming from “factories” i.e. “Factory farms.” This is nothing even remotely similar between a farm/ranch and a factory. I think this is one of the common myths that bothers me the most.

What are you most thankful for? I am very thankful that I was born and raised in agriculture! I’m even more thankful for the opportunity to continue living this lifestyle and to be able to raise my children the same way I was brought up!

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Anyone in my house knows that answer would be spaghetti! It’s easy to make, especially in large quantities, and we never seem to get tired of it.

What are a few of your guilty pleasures? Although I don’t get to watch a lot of TV, I have to say when given the choice to something completely on my own time, especially if its dark outside I really enjoy a good TV show series or a movie. Some of my favorites are Big Bang Theory, Brady Bunch and movies are of course any horse show (Seabiscuit, Secretariat…love them all), Ms. Congeniality or most all Sandra Bullock movies.

What’s your favorite store to shop in? Any farm/ranch store that has TACK! I also enjoy Old Navy for clothes shopping for the family. It’s inexpensive, offers simple styles, and good quality.

What’s the first thing you do when to get to the grocery store? Well first thing is to grab a cart and check my list if I didn’t leave it at home or in the pickup. My favorite isle is the laundry soap isle. It just smells SO good!

Be sure to stay in touch with Diana on Facebook!

Day 4: Women in Ag: Julie Kerner
Day 3: Women in Ag: Megan Satterwhite
Day 2: Women in Ag: Celia Gould
Day 1: Women in Ag: Robin Lufkin

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. Julie enjoys read and playing the organ at church.

How are you involved in agriculture today? I am a partner with my husband, Bruce, in our family operation, Kerner Cattle Company. Day-to-day tasks include bookwork, riding pens and cattle care, phone calls and more phone calls. It also involves daily discussions about cattle and our family. Our lives center on faith, family and the land and cattle we care for. In our community, we strive to show our neighbors what “good stewards” are, in the tangible sense. We work with the 4-H & FFA groups during weigh-in, offering our scales and chute so the kid’s animals are vaccinated and tagged correctly. We stay active in our Weiser River Cattle Association, working on local and state issues. We also work on Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) principals with our family and employees.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? One of my earliest memories is sitting on the back of a Hereford bull in a stall of my family’s barn. Born and raised on a registered Hereford ranch, I was always in the barn with my Dad and Granddad. I loved being around cattle. I became active in the Jr. Hereford Association, which allowed me to see cattle across the nation and fuel my passion to be involved in the cattle industry at a young age. With a degree in Animal Science from the University of Idaho, I continued working in the livestock and allied industries. As our family and Kerner Cattle Company grew, I was able to become a full time “ranch wife.” This has allowed Bruce & I to raise our children in ranching and has continuously taught them life lessons tied to agriculture.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? My mentors were my grandmothers and their quiet strength in their family operations. These women never complained about hardships, but relied on their faith and competence in difficult times. They found joy in ranch and farm life.

How do you provide encouragement to others? I hope a daily positive attitude is evident to others. I hope I truly listen to others and respond with care and concern.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? The necessity of family ranches. We have many people comment on the work ethic of our children, which we can directly tie to working with cattle and the land. These ideas are antiquated in modern culture, but are still recognized as positive. I would hope to share that ranching is a “serving” industry; our mission is to feed a growing hungry world and we do that by the ranch values of caring for others and our livestock. It goes back to living The Golden Rule.

What are you most thankful for?  A life lived with family, cattle and land.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? An old Idaho CowBelles recipe, Chinese Whisky Steak. I usually add a side Sides of ranch potatoes, Rosemary Rolls (from The Pioneer Woman), green salad and Texas Sheet Cake for dessert! Wins them over every time!

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? Look at my list!

What is your favorite childhood memory? Helping feed the sale bulls in our old barn. All the rations were hand-mixed and bunk fed as we halter-broke the bulls to come to the bunk.  You learned to judge their temperaments and gain their trust. Those hours around the bulls taught me to “read” cattle. Not paying attention garnished a few bruises from being kicked!  The radio was always on KSRV and everything had to be quiet when the market report came on!

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies?  I love college football! My favorite season is fall, so we can watch the race to the championship. I love all kinds of music—Big Band, Dean Martin, Classical, Irish, Red Dirt, Classic Country and George Strait, so an hour at the piano with no interruptions and all my music books is a treat!

Be sure to connect with Julie on Facebook!