We’re starting off this month’s Women in Ag feature with Robin Lufkin, a rancher from Leadore, Idaho. She is currently the Chair of the Idaho CattleWomen Council, having served in such capacity since 2013. Robin and her husband Carl (who currently serves as the President of the Idaho Cattle Association), have 3 kids and 4 grandsons.

How are you involved in agriculture today? For the past 16 years, my husband has managed a registered/commercial ranch; however, we just moved to our own ranch where we’ll be running a registered herd and having spring bull sales. The new ranch has kept us busy this year, as we’ve been building new corrals, fixing fence, and getting a calving shed built.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? I would say that my life has been more than shaped by agriculture—it’s the way many generations of my family, and my husband’s family, have made a living. We’ve been in the cow business for 36 years, and now our kids are too! It seems like every day revolves around what needs done with either crops or animals.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? My mom—who’s almost 80 years old—but looks closer to 60! She has cooked lunch every day, her entire married life, for whomever works on the ranch. She doesn’t expect a lot of fuss over doing it, but she knows it’s a big thing for everyone who eats at her table. I think her cooking meals has also helped all of our family members get along better, because they have a time and a place to discuss what needs done on a daily basis. I really admire her fortitude.

Photo Credit: Kathy Gines Hunt

How do you provide encouragement to others? I ranch with family and sometimes I think people just want to be heard, appreciated and included. By lending an ear, or an encouraging word, I think people can easily work out a lot of their own frustrations.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? That we are good people, trying to provide a great product, that is beneficial for everyone.

What are you most thankful for? That I really do have the opportunity to live a simple, wonderful life. I don’t always take the opportunity to do so, but I can make my life pretty simple and enjoyable if I choose. We live in a beautiful place, do what we love, go to bed tired, eat great food, have darling grandkids and have raised really nice kids. Some people never have it so good!

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Probably meatballs and au gratin potatoes. That’s what I get the most compliments on, but I’m a baker at heart. I love to make anything with dough!

What is your favorite childhood memory? Just simple things like riding on the motorcycle with my dad to change water in the evenings, or him singing us silly songs. We were very poor, so we didn’t take big vacations or spend a lot of money. Our fun came from everyday things, eating together, talking at the supper table, helping hay, or moving cows.

Photo Credit: Joyce Caywood Photography

What are your guilty pleasures in life? A new purse, a new cookbook, and a little bit of time to myself occasionally.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies? I love to read and knit.

An old tractor sits on our family’s property.

I’m sure I’m no different than most women involved in the ranching business, but last summer I realized how versatile we women are. We wear many hats—or sit in many seats to help get the job done.

One day during the summer we were haying and finished baling in one field, then moved the equipment to another field. I had been baling, then when we moved fields, I drove the baler, the pickup, a hay-hauling truck I call Mary Kay—because its kind of a pink color—and the Telehandler.

Enjoying some time in the seat of a saddle during a trail ride.

I came home and took the grandkids on a four wheeler ride, mowed part of the yard, fixed dinner and collapsed into the recliner. Hey, it’s a seat too.

I don’t think for a minute that I am any different than any other cattlewoman; I’m just proud of the fact that we are a versatile group.

Whether we are haying, working cows, planting crops, branding or assisting in those activities, or working in town, helping with homework, upgrading the house, cooking for the crew or sneaking away to golf, we are an independent bunch.

The beautiful hay fields of the Lemhi Valley.

I think women in general have to be very versatile just to keep up with busy families and lives, but I’m proud of how we step up to fill in, learn how, take over or step back and watch if that’s what’s needed. Maybe that’s why we’re never bored—because things change daily and seasonally for us.

Now we are starting into calving season and that brings another set of skills including the ability to know how to layer on warm clothes. I prepare taxes also at this time of year, which makes for a packed schedule for 3 months.

What hats do you wear or seats do you sit in everyday that keeps you busy? We’d love to hear!

~ Robin

Robin and her husband raise Angus cattle in the Lemhi Valley. They both grew up in ranching and farming families, and love the lifestyle. They raised three children and are enjoying being grandparents now too. Robin, like many Idaho cattlewomen, helps whenever and wherever needed on the ranch.

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.

Our family. Photo credit to Jestine Hensley

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!?

Spring cattle work

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.

Moving the cows back out to pasture after weaning.

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.

I heard Skeeter’s pickup drive by the house, I looked at my alarm clock and it was 6:23 a.m.  Oops, I didn’t set my alarm and didn’t hear James’. I could hear James in the shower. We were supposed to be up and ready to head to Willow Creek for day one of gathering cows. I jumped out of bed and went to the kitchen to make sandwiches and put together a meager lunch for the crew. I could hear my father’s voice saying, “We’re burnin’ daylight.” I checked with JJ to see if she was going to be able to go with us or if she had to stay for volleyball pictures. I was delighted when she said she didn’t have pictures and encouraged her to get moving. She had a volleyball game Thursday night, early volleyball practice Friday morning, went to the Gooding vs. Melba football game Friday night and got home after midnight.  Needless to say, she wasn’t jumping out of bed.

Cows and calves are summered in the mountains. In the fall, the family gathers them up and brings them to the home place to wean the calves.

Skeeter caught the horses in time for the horseshoer to show up and set one of Rocky’s shoes. Once that was done, Rocky, Cash and Boone were loaded and we headed north to Willow Creek, a little less than an hour away. Again, not the early start we had hoped for, but we were finally headed to our destination. We met up with Ben, Bruce and Bruce’s dog, Meg, at the south end of the allotment where several pair had been taking advantage of the water and green feed the August rains brought us.

And so it began—up the hillside, picking up cows along the way headed north towards the cabin and the upper meadow field. We had several tree and brush filled draws to clear along the way. We managed to flush out a deer that headed around the hillside and appeared to be on a collision course with Skeeter and his horse, Boone. She headed straight up the hill when she got a glimpse of them. Even with the occasional cow bawls, horse whinny’s and Bruce saying “that’ll do, Meg,” it was very peaceful and seemed like you could hear the faintest of noises.

About halfway we met up with Rishelle, Kris and Kris’ dog, Skye. They had left from the cabin and rode through Hagan Canyon. They reported seeing a few pairs, but they went further up the canyon, eluding them. We developed another game plan. Ben, Kris and Skye headed west further up the hillside and would drop down into the orchard, named for the lone apple tree in the area. The rest of us continued north pushing the 30-some pair we had gathered along the way. We made it to the meadow field near the cabin and barn, clearing the five head in the horse pasture.

We began eating our lunch and watching for Ben and Kris to come down from the orchard with any cows they gathered along the way. When we saw the head of the first cow poke around the side of the hill, we mounted back up and went to help. A rough count gave us 47 pair and 2 bulls, which included a number of animals that didn’t belong to us. That means we didn’t have everything. Guess this is day one of 2014 gathering.

~ Dawn

Dawn and her family raise registered Herefords near Gooding, Idaho. Her great grandparents began a legacy of raising cattle in Idaho. She and her husband, James, and their two children continue producing range-ready bulls for commercial cattlemen. They enjoy working together as a family and the ranching lifestyle.

When I married my husband, I knew I’d never live in town or drive a beetle car. I’d need four-wheel drive and it’d be easier to see across my field than into my neighbor’s window. I knew there would be dirty boots by the door. On our honeymoon, we bought a sign that reads, “Please remove your spurs before getting into bed.” We anticipated cattle and hard work, but we pictured it with the bliss and naivety with which every newlywed couple enters into marriage.

Enter reality. No matter what time of year it is, there is always a potential for hay slivers in the sheets. I learned how to cook on a budget. I made a lot from scratch. Actually, it’s been sixteen years and I’m still doing that.

Showing the kids how shots work.

The reality is that we all have dreams and ideas of what life will look like. We imagine how it will transpire and it is beautiful!! Everyone is healthy, the work gets done in record time, and nothing ever breaks down or slips past a fence. Dreams are good for creating a hopeful platform as they propel us to keep going. Yet, I certainly never pictured tractors breaking down, bailing hay through the night to beat a storm, or feeding cows while having the flu.

On the flipside, I also didn’t imagine that ranching would rope me in and dally itself right to my identity. I had been raised in town. Please don’t stop reading. City girls can go country!
I met my husband in college at a country dance that someone coaxed me into attending. I gave him my number and didn’t think I’d hear from him, but I did and we started dating.
He took me riding, moving cows, and showed me everything I never thought I’d know about ranching. He didn’t get embarrassed of my lack of knowledge or ability, but kept encouraging me to try. It wasn’t until later that I realized this was in his favor, as now all my training came from “his” way of doing things.

Our girls heading out to help move cows.

So I married him and he carried me off to our first little trailer home.
Older than most of the dirt that held it together, it felt like a mansion.

Then something unexpected happened. Instead of me working for years alongside my man to get ready for a place of our own…we had a baby. Ahhh. Yes, it was wonderful. She is wonderful. But it is hard to ride pregnant, especially while still a beginning rider. Then we had another baby and another. Motherhood is the most amazing thing that could ever happen to a person, but also a fair amount of work. We didn’t have family around, so it was up to us to bring these babies everywhere we went. Our oldest daughter spent much of her first birthday in her daddy’s saddle, on his lap, while working cows. (That was a good horse.) I’ve ended up growing up in ranching along with my kids.

True, I never really knew what I was getting into, but I wouldn’t change it. Well, not most days. Guess what? Those dirty boots by the door? They aren’t going anywhere. They are mine.

~Marci

Marci is a city girl gone country. She married her cowboy and never looked back. While life may be different than what she first imagined, it’s also better than expected as well. She and her husband are raising their three kids on the ranch, and she has grown used to all the boots by the door.