Category: My Columns
-
Branding Day Protocol
If you’ve ever been to a western South Dakota branding that served Rocky Mountain oysters cooked on a branding stove, you may not think such an event requires etiquette but there are certain expectations that go with branding. According to an undocumented branding policy, if you want to help gather cattle, don’t be late. Special…
-
Branding Day Protocol
If you’ve ever been to a western South Dakota branding that served Rocky Mountain oysters cooked on a branding stove, you may not think such an event requires etiquette but there are certain expectations that go with branding. According to an undocumented branding policy, if you want to help gather cattle, don’t be late. Special…
-
Sponsor A Ranch Wife
If you are looking for a worthwhile, trustworthy charity to donate to, consider the benefits of sponsoring or donating money to a ranch wife (me and I’m flexible on either method). Since ranch wives don’t get a paycheck, regular days off, or even a safety award for being injury free, accepting charitable donations would be…
-
Motherland
Towns are a lot like mothers. Some towns insist on a neat, tidy, and uncluttered environment with well-groomed yards. Some have stipulations for businesses wanting to remodel or rebuild for the town’s appearance sake. Some communities regularly have buildings getting updated or renovated to restore a town’s original vintage look or a new addition of…
-
The OB Ward and Nursing Home Ranch
The problem with deferring replacement heifers too long is that you’re apt to end up with a lot of really old cows and a bunch of young, first time calvers to take care of simultaneously come calving time. Hanging on to cows too long and not incorporating younger cows into the herd gradually, creates more…
-
Calving Season Survival Checklist
Prior to calving season, my husband always inventories calving supplies that we need to buy or find. Having everything on hand avoids the stress of discovering in the middle of the night that we don’t have what we need. His checklist includes mostly items like mineral supplements, veterinary, and doctoring supplies, but he tends to…
-
Eighth Wonder of the World
Most people aren’t aware that South Dakota has two wonders of the world; Mount Rushmore and our Herford cow Annabelle the eighth wonder of the world. A neighboring rancher told my husband once that a Hereford cow that doesn’t get pinkeye or sunburned udders and doesn’t prolapse is the eighth wonder of the world. Hereford…
-
Dreaming of Sleep
Of all of the dreams I want to come true, my current one is that of sleep. When calves showed up in freezing temperatures my husband and I started cow checking at night more consistently. Night checks that can take up to three hours if there are problems have left my husband and I sleep…
-
Who’s Running the Show?
Calving season is a challenging time of year for my husband and me to keep up with our kids’ involvement in school, church, and club activities. Obviously, the ones who are running the show around here are the cows we spend most of our time chasing after during calving. Until spring arrives at our place,…
-
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…