Author: Amy
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Not Amused
Theme parks and carnivals don’t amuse me at all. A lot of new kids to our ranch think it’s an entertainment mecca, making me the head of amusement park security. Kids that have never seen a stack yard are in awe of our two-story, neatly stacked round bales. I know what they’re thinking before they…
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Ranching Lifestyle Survey
If the thought of ranching for a living sounds interesting and fun, you should take the following survey first to determine if ranching would suit you. Some of the questions concern your personality; others determine your knowledge about ranch life. 1. After accidentally stepping in fresh manure, a. you’re convinced that your shoes are ruined…
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Revisiting Ranch Country
It’s time for a trip back to ranch country which means another lesson in the country’s language (you can read the first lesson at www.ranchwifesslant.com archives section). The following are more words and popular slang terms used by natives of ranch country. Gather: To scatter in all directions or spread out. By doing so, horseback…
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Ranching Career Trainees
Our kids’ instincts to ranch were evident at an early age. They preferred helping with outside chores over inside ones and recognized a good incentive package. Each milestone they met meant they were on their way to a ranching career. At one and two, our little rancher trainees wanted to go with dad and be…
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In My Next Life I Want to be a Cow
In my next life I want to be a cow on a United States cattle ranch so I can find out what it feels like to be spoiled. Cows live a cushy life as a result of a rancher’s hard work and his pocketbook. If I were a cow, I would get to eat an…
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Learning in Style
How stylish one wants to look while doing ranch work is totally up to the individual. Correctly understanding what’s expected is far more important on our ranch. Learning through one’s style to comprehend instructions and process information is helpful in fulfilling job expectations but our ranch utilizes all three learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile…
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Producers and Their Cows
Part of the reason people don’t know much about cattle handling practices is because the cattlemen are busy spending time with their cows. Ranchers are committed to raising and caring for their stock to the best of their ability which means getting frequent updates on their herd. Numbered ear tags serve as an identification and…
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Learning the Language
Anytime someone visits a different country and culture, it’s helpful to learn the native language. The following is a language lesson covering some of the most commonly used words in ranch country. It’s a complicated language that’s similar to English but has room for misinterpretation. Slick calf/cow: A calf or cow that is NOT slippery when…
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Calling Cattle Names
The only cows we name are any calves that are born from the kids’ cow Annabelle, and our butcher critters. (Although there are a few that gain a reputation and get named.) Our kids’ cow herd started out seven years ago with a bottle calf they named Annabelle. After Annabelle was old enough to get…
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Eat Like an Animal
There are days when I would rather feed our heifer calves than my family. For me, cooking is oftentimes more trying than parenting or ranching. I strive to have supper ready at a time when we can all sit down together and I try to make wholesome, home-cooked meals that nourish and satisfy, but I…