Life On a Kansas Cattle Ranch

Baby calves begin to arrive

2012-02-01T04:28:00.001-06:00


A happy, healthy calf and his mama.

Baby calves are bouncing around the winter pastures, neighbors are slowing down on the highway to see newborn babies, and the weather is holding out beautifully! Kansas winters are notoriously rough, but this year it has been mild and fairly warm. The nights are cold and clear, and the baby calves have perfect weather to enter this world kicking and jumping and ready to grow!

Once upon a time, these plants were happy and healthy!

My houseplants, on the other hand, are not doing so well. My daughter thought this picture made a perfect blog post, as it is a perfect example of where I spend my time in the winter/early spring. Obviously, I'm not hanging around inside much!! My houseplants die in January/February and the cattle thrive!

Baby calves will be here soon!

2012-01-24T15:04:00.002-06:00

I am getting excited for calving season! January and February are notoriously nasty weather months in Kansas, so we chose to start calving in late February this year. For the past 20 years, we've been beginning calving in early January, but when snow falls then, it stays until spring! Or if it does melt, it freezes into mud and ruts that are hard to negotiate when helping a cow with her calf. Cows are tough--as long as they have plenty of feed to keep up their energy, and they stay dry, they can handle bitter cold weather.

But a calf arrives sopping wet! If the cow can lick him clean immediately and he has enough strength to get up and nurse, he will be fine in nearly any weather. But the cold can make him less energetic and the cow might not lick him completely dry, so if calves arrive in the deep cold, we try to be there to help make sure they will be okay.

This year, the Kansas winter has been very mild, though! This would have been a perfect year to calve in January and early February! I guess I just can't outsmart Mother Nature. So we are approximately 3 weeks away from having our first calf. This weekend we will gather up all the cows and sort them into groups based on their projected calving date. They receive a vaccination that will protect the calf by passing on immunity through the colostrum (or first milk) and then they will be kept closer to the barns so we will be ready when the calves begin to arrive.

In the meantime, if you are interested in seeing pictures of baby calves, check out some of my previous blog posts:

A Calf is Born -- pictures of the process of birth!
Wordless Wednesday--Baby Calves are Here -- pictures of babies
The First Calves Arrive -- the first calves of 2011
First Baby of 2010 -- the first calf arrives in 2010 and the whole cow herd celebrates!

Homemade Hot Chocolate in Hand Painted Mugs

2012-01-14T18:10:00.000-06:00

Country people are creative...you may not think so until you realize that they learn to make do with what they have. Pioneer women worked hard to use what the homestead offered and make it "homey." I do like to make things and I have decided to create a new section on my blog for Ranch Crafts! This is my first post for that section--not my first craft project--but the first time I'm willing to share it in public.

I made this as a donation to a scholarship auction.

Angus is the breed of cattle that we raise, and we have a cattle show next weekend, where they also are raising money for a state scholarship fund with an auction of items like this! So I am working with a friend to donate a basket with homemade hot chocolate mix, homemade marshmallows (by her), and a handpainted storage container for the mix, with handpainted mugs to drink from! So how did I make this? Here goes:

First, I used my printer to make a template of the word "Angus." This is 72 pt, Bleeding Cowboy font. To make the glass canister, I taped the template on the inside of the glass, allowing me to trace it with the glass paint pen on the outside. Easy peasy!

Next, I enlarged a jpg I had of barbed wire to be the right size and printed it out, then taped it on the inside of the glass canister to trace it in the same way. After allowing the paint to dry, it looks great! I had some scrapbook paper with the pattern of a red bandanna, so I decoupaged it onto the lid. I do think that the regular metal lid looked good, too, but I wanted to add some color into the project.

To make the mugs, I got some plain white ceramic mugs that I liked, and a ceramic paint pen--the kind that you paint it, let it dry and then bake it on. The mugs are then dishwasher safe, but I probably would be too chicken to do that for the first few uses! Anyway, I used the same template, and then traced it onto the mug with transfer paper. The ceramic paint pen is very easy to use and I had no problem working with it. I let it dry for about a day, and then fired up my oven to 300 degrees...with the mugs in it so they warmed up at the same time....and baked them for 20 minutes. After letting them cool, I handwashed them so they are ready to use!

I filled the canister with my homemade hot chocolate mix (recipe below) and now all we need at the last minute are the homemade marshmallows from my friend!

Hot Chocolate Mix
8 qts powered instant milk
2 lb package Nestle Quik (I have used other brands, but find this is the best)
2 c. powdered sugar
12 oz. package coffee creamer powdered

Mix ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container. To make a delicious cup of hot chocolate, fill your mug 1/3 full with mix and add hot water. Top with a homemade marshmallow for melty, gooey, goodness! I have been told that you can substitute flavored instant creamer -- french vanilla or even kahlua flavored would be awesome. Also, in a pinch, I totally left out the creamer. It makes a decent cup of hot chocolate and it is certainly lower in fat, but the creamer really really REALLY makes it better! Just believe me. Don't waste a whole batch without creamer!

Twelfth Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2012-01-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....twelve Kansas sunsets,

My favorite thing about Kansas is the sunsets. Our house sits on a hill, with an unimpeded view in all directions. We see for miles--and each horizon has its own value! Frankly, I don't see many sunrises...even if my eyes are open, I am too bleary eyed to care! But sunsets are my thing.

Eleventh Day of Christmas...on a Ranch

2012-01-07T09:33:00.000-06:00

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....eleven loving relatives,

The front 2 rows are filled with Blythe relatives to watch some small town basketball! Awesome to have family close enough to want to cheer on our boys.

Cousins take an early evening walk after Thanksgiving dinner. Love these gals!

When I moved to our little town, I didn't realize that I was marrying into the TOWN, not just the family. The family connections are like a spider web that keeps it all together. I love living near a small town. The feeling of community is very strong. So, as the song says, eleven loving relatives...but we have many more than that! But we may have eleven at the house at any given time!

But nothing beats family! We have great aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and siblings all within a 2 1/2 hour drive. We get together for holidays, and fun times throughout the year. We are here to help when my father-in-law got sick, and they are here for us when we need them. They come to our sports events; we help at their bull sale. They support our decisions; we support theirs. Family is a verb, as well as a noun. We are connected--not just by blood, but by love.

Tenth Day of Christmas...on a ranch

2012-01-07T08:56:00.000-06:00

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...ten high school sports games,

Small town 8-man football is awesome! Fast paced and I know all the kids...can't always see who they are during the game, though. Good thing they wear numbers!

I enjoy basketball much more, but I never played, so I don't really understand all the plays and such, but I yell like I do!

Life on our ranch has a lot to do with cattle and taking care of the land, but it also has five teenagers (okay, four teens, and one nearly 21 *gasp*). In a small town school, every kid is involved in every sport, every club and every event or else there wouldn't be enough people to make it happen! Consequently, we don't have nearly as many events as larger schools, and we just have a few sports within the school. This can be a downfall, or it can be a strength. For my sons, it is a strength, as they are all athletic and enjoy playing sports. So they like to play both football and basketball. So, I get to attend a LOT of games in a week. This week, I haven't really had 10 games, but sometimes it feels like it! There were weeks in the summer when we had baseball or softball games every night of the week, and we might have had kids in different towns playing on the same night! Wow, I'm glad those times are over!

Ninth Day of Christmas...on a Ranch

2012-01-03T16:44:00.000-06:00

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...nine helpful neighbors,

Especially when the kids were little, we relied on neighbors and family to help get the ranch work done. P.S. that is Eric with his finger in his nose! :)

I'm sure you've all heard stories about a farmer getting sick or injured and the neighbors pitch in to get his crop planted or harvested. That really does happen! We don't make a big deal out of it, because it is the right thing to do and no one does it for the glory--we are just willing to help out. More likely, helping happens every day in the country...my dog strays into your barnyard and you bring her home, or your cows visit my pasture through a break in the fence. We all work together to get things done.

Neighbors work together to get cattle rounded up and vaccinated, to build fence that borders between their pastures, to burn pastures and to help out a neighbor who can't get the job done for some reason. We have friends we can call on to help feed cattle if we need it, some to call for advice on cattle, and some to help put cows back into the pasture when they've gotten out. Neighbors are one of the best parts about living in the country...and they may not actually live right near each other, but they are close enough to help out when called. So, nine helpful neighbors is a gross understatement!

Eighth Day of Christmas...on a Ranch

2012-01-02T11:44:00.000-06:00

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...eight hungry barn cats,

You know I'm a dog-person. I do love a good dog to hang out with me while I work, but there is something about barn cats and kittens that is appealing! They are also functional...they keep the varmit population under control! We feed our cats a bit of cat food, but they are hunters and stay fat and fit on mice and more!

Seventh Day of Christmas

2012-01-01T19:11:00.000-06:00

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...seven Flint Hill pastures,

The view this fall in one of my favorite places!

The Flint Hills are very special to many people. When I'm out in the middle of a pasture, with no power lines, no houses, no fences and only cattle and grass visible, I imagine what it was like to cross the prairies in covered wagons. I wonder what it was like to camp at night on the prairie, listening to coyotes howl and your campfire snap. It must have been a beautiful place and easy to select a place to call your own...to build a house, build a barn, build a life.

Today, it takes about 6 acres of grass for a cow and calf for the entire season. We take care of a few thousand acres of grassland on the prairie, and we are proud to do so. It is a responsibility we feel for ourselves, and for future generations. I have blogged many many times about the prairie. We have approximately seven separate pieces of grass that we have cows in, hence the song's reference...

Sixth Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-31T10:31:00.001-06:00

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
six cows a'calving...

Early signs of labor!

Front feet and nose are out...things should progress fast now!

The shoulders are the largest part, and sometimes get stuck.

After the shoulders, the rib cage is compressed, pushing out any amniotic fluid. The calf tries to breathe, but can't until the ribs are free.

He's out! Mama will take a moment to catch her breath, and then will stand up to begin cleaning him and calling to him!

The miracle of birth! He is less than a minute old!

So, the song says "six cows a'calving" and anyone who reads my blog and knows our story knows that we have many more cows than six, but we can stretch it to mean six cows calving at the same time! We do have that happen from time to time! The number really doesn't matter. What does matter is the miracle of birth. It is amazing, messy and beautiful all at the same time! Nature is awesome!

Fifth Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-29T12:34:00.000-06:00

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
five awesome kids!

The crew of kids and hubby...right before we work cattle a year ago. They are the best cattle working crew I have ever seen...no exaggeration!

They clean up well, too!

I'm sure you've heard me say this before...we never planned to have five kids. Sometimes you just take what God gives you and make the best of it...we had five kids in four and a half years. That made for some wild times when they were all little (there is literally a year that I have NO memories); but some amazing Christmases with toys all over the living room and dining room and mountains of boxes and wrapping paper discarded! They're all older now, ages 20 to 16 years and they are truly awesome. I have no idea what makes a kid turn out well. I don't claim to be responsible. Many parents have done everything right and the kids can still have something that makes their life difficult. I do believe that living in the country and working on the ranch have helped to mold these kids into responsible, caring, hard working young adults.

Sure, these beautiful young adults are not perfect...we're NORMAL! But they are deep down very good kids. I used to say that my goal in life was to raise independent girls and sensitive boys and I believe they are all that...and WAAAAY more! Thank you, Blythe kids, for all the work you do on the ranch beside us, and for your future. Your dad and I are so proud of you and the young adults you have become. You are one of my most important blessings!

In case you're thinking I'm off on my days for the 12 Days of Christmas check out Wikipedia...it is a bit flexible!! Twelve Days of Christmas!

Fourth Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-28T13:55:00.001-06:00

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
four special friends...


One of my best buddies and I ride in a carriage in NYC!

My other best buddy and I pose in a cafe in Little Italy in NYC...notice the olive oil in foreground!

Good friends are hard to find, and harder to keep! The three of us realize how precious our friendship is, and we work hard to keep it strong. I know, I said four special friends, so I include the husbands of my buddies...they are a big part of who my friends are. So bless you Mary Ann and Kevin, and Barb and Joe! Thanks for being my friends!

For an explanation of the Twelve Days of Christmas, check out Wikipedia: Twelve Days of Christmas!

Third Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-27T10:37:00.003-06:00

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....
three old red barns,

Two cotton work gloves,
and a Cow Dog to work beside me.

You may be asking yourself why old red barns would be a blessing? There are actually many reasons I call our barns a blessing...the ranch was established in 1890 by my husband's many time great grandfather and the barns were built in the style of the times with a hay mow in the top, and bunks and stalls below that you could toss hay down to through trap doors. Those hay mows are pretty antiquated as we don't bale small square bales today. We use only a big round baler and each bale can weigh from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. There is no way to put them into the barn's mow, and it is unused space. But we have converted these beautiful old barns into overhead grain storage, and years ago, we cut open a large doorway in the barn above so we could drive a tractor in the large storage space to put a few bales of hay for storage out of the weather.

Also, in one of the barns, we have converted an old grain storage room into calving stalls for heifers. Sometimes when our cattle are calving, a snowstorm may hit and we need space to put the cattle who may be either just calved, or due shortly. This is an excellent use of the old red barn. Over the last few years, we have worked to renovate the barns, adding colored tin to the sides and replacing old rotted structure boards, so we can have these barns for many more years to come.

To me, these old barns signify longevity, strength, and relevance. I hope that I can be as useful as they are as I age!

Second Day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-26T18:22:00.003-06:00

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...two cotton gloves,

Cotton gloves, a blessing? Yeah, well, try working on a cold, wet winter day without them!

and a cow dog to work beside me.

First day of Christmas...on a Kansas Ranch

2011-12-26T18:22:00.001-06:00

On the First Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...a Cow Dog to work beside me!

Roo the Cow Dog waits for me in the truck.

As I sat in our small town church on Christmas Day, surrounded by neighbors, listening to an uplifting sermon, I was filled with thankfulness for my many blessings. Throughout the day, I toyed with a few ideas of how to express my thanks for these blessings in my life...and today I finally decided to re-write the 12 days of Christmas...Kansas Ranch-style! So although today is actually the second day, here is the first day, and a link to the second day...I'll be on time starting tomorrow! I hope you enjoy my version of the 12 Days of Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our Ranch

2011-12-20T11:36:00.000-06:00

It is snowing! After a day of rain and sleet, it is now snowing on our ranch. Looks like we will get a measurable amount before the day is over, but people just a few miles away have over a foot of snow! Our cattle will be in good shape today as they have plenty to eat, a warm straw bed ready for their nap, and fresh water available. The kids' school was called off due to the weather, so they have been helping with the chores of caring for the cattle (so much for sleeping in!). It is a family effort--with everyone having responsibilities on our ranch.

The American Angus Association has a great video that talks about the family importance in the Beef Community. Check out other "I Am Angus" videos on YouTube as well for more information about the people who raise your beef.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a blessed New Year!

#GiveBeef--A Rancher's Story of Giving

2011-12-06T12:14:00.001-06:00

The following is a guest blog post by a cattle rancher friend of mine, Barb Downey. Please join me in promoting and growing the movement #GiveBeef!

On the ranch with Barb and Joe and their daughters Anna and Laura Cate.

by Barb Downey

Our cow herd has given us a lot over the years. A good living, a way of life that lets us work together as a family, a way to teach our kids the joys and responsibilities of an intimate bond with animals and a way to live in partnership & harmony with our environment to provide safe, wholesome & nutritious beef. In return, we give our cow herd the best we have to offer; top nutrition, health care and a lifetime of interaction with humans that ensures they are treated properly. So while every job has its ups & downs, when the dust settles, cattle ranching has been a blessing and a gift. This is why all of us in agriculture, both farming & ranching, do what we do. Sure, its long hours spent in some of the worst Mother Nature can dish out, but the blessings are many and manifest.

Many of America’s farmers & ranchers give back to our communities in lots of ways all year long. According to the Cattlemen’s Stewardship Review:

Nearly one-half (47%) volunteer with a youth organization compared with a national average of about 7 percent. About one-third donate their time to community civic organizations beyond youth groups.
On average, cattlemen volunteer 11 hours each month to non-profit organizations or charitable causes.
Farmers and ranchers are not just generous with their time, but also contribute to charitable causes. About one-half of farmers and ranchers donate at least $500 annually to local or national charities and nearly one-third donate at least $1,000.

I want to recognize that and use it to inspire all of us to unite in our giving. I’m calling on you, America’s Ranchers, Farmers & all of you who support ag producers every day to join me during the Holidays, long winter & all year long in putting a face on the generosity of our ag community.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2010, 14.5 percent of U.S. households were food insecure at least some time during that year. The beef community is responding to this need in a number of ways, from donating beef to food banks to volunteering time in our local communities.

How can I make a difference, you ask? Here at Downey Ranch, we donated a beef and contacted our local locker to donate the processing & packaging. GTB Meats, Inc. of Riley, KS stepped up to the plate and together, we were able to deliver over 460 lbs (1800+ servings!) of ground beef to the Flinthills Breadbasket. In turn, the Breadbasket will distribute that to local individuals & families in need this season. We are fortunate that what we & our cattle produce provides a huge nutritional punch to those members of society most likely to be deficient in what beef provides so well; complete, high quality protein & plenty of vitamins & minerals often lacking in Americans’ diets.

So donate beef (or pork, poultry, dairy or other quality foods from American agriculture). If you don’t have actual product, sell a few bushels & buy quality product. If you just love ag & want to help, offer to buy part or all of a beef from a rancher and donate that way. Just find out what your local organizations need & help to secure it. There are pantries, kitchens, churches, schools, etc. in every community needing you to step up to the plate. Then let us know what you’ve done so we can help you inspire others. Together, we can share the bounty of America’s ranches and make a real difference.

Remember, support “Give Beef” (Twitter: #GiveBeef) any way you can so that all winter long, everyone can truly say, “Beef; it’s what’s for dinner!”

Working with family is FUN!

2011-11-29T09:51:00.001-06:00

Planking -- Cowgirl style!

During Thanksgiving break, we took advantage of the extra working hands and put the kids to work! The girls were home from college and the boys were off school from the local high school, so we pregnancy checked about 200 head of cows. Frankly, we were overstaffed...it doesn't take 7 people to work cattle through the chute and check to see if they're pregnant, but we used everyone and had fun doing it!

I'm not quite sure what the girls are studying in college, though, as about halfway through working they asked if we would take their picture "planking." I guess this is a common thing for kids to do--lie down somewhere strange like a board or plank, and have their picture taken. So, my girls headed to the middle of the cows and flopped down in the manure and filth and "planked" while we took their picture so they could post it on facebook!

This is a perfect example of enjoying what you do! We do love working on our ranch, but the day started to get a bit cold and my fingers were hurting in the cold--but the girls were enjoying it all and even chose to get more manure on their clothes by lying down with the cows!

It was a fun week with the whole family home...but the girls headed back to college on Sunday to prepare for finals! (At least I hope they're studying...and not finding other strange places to go "planking!") Google it...what a strange interest!

Freeze Branding Registered Cattle

2011-11-18T06:55:00.001-06:00

All the cattle on our ranch are identified by a specific number.

Registered cattle must be permanently identified, so we either put a tattoo in their ear, or a freeze brand on their side.

Freeze branding is a slow, boring process. Two of my boys are helping this time.

The brass irons are cooled in a bath of methyl alcohol and dry ice.

We also put our legal identifying brand on their hip.

Immediately after applying the iron, the skin layer is frozen, which changes the structure of the hair follicle so the hair grows in white forever!

For more information about freeze branding, see my previous posts:

Weaning Time

2011-11-08T11:26:00.000-06:00

Rounding up the cow herd takes lots of people! Unfortunately, I get the least favorite job--calling the cows. I drive the pickup that leads them to the catch pen. Everyone else drives a 4-wheeler or ATV to round them up! I'm in the good old feed truck. Honking the horn, alerts the cows to my presence, and the alfalfa pellets or buckets of grain I have in the bed of the pickup lures them along. This week we're weaning calves and my husband and I have our three teenage boys to help us.

Once the cows and calves see my pickup and hear me honking the horn and calling to them, they come running! The want to see what "treats" I have for them today! I spread a bit of the pellets and grain on the back for them to taste and they will follow me anywhere! Cows love grain! I know there has been a lot of information on the internet about force feeding cattle corn, but I am here to tell you that a cow LOVES corn and will run me over to get to it! These girls rarely get corn, except as an enticement to come to the catch pens, but they will follow me anywhere when I have a bucket of corn based grain!

Today we're weaning our bull calves. They are now 8-months old and weigh around 700 pounds. Their mamas are pregnant with another calf and are due in February and March, so they need to be weaning these calves and putting on some fat for the winter. Above, a bull calf gets a last sip of milk from his mama before we wean him.

After gathering the herd, we sort the cows back into the pasture and load up the calves to take them home. There are many ways to wean and we've found this works best for us. The cows will wander the catch pen where they last saw their calf for a day or so, but after that, they are happy to go back to eating grass. The calves do bawl for their mamas for a few days, but we immediately get them eating a silage/hay mixture and getting used to us. In a previous blog, I talk about one of the important jobs that I call "imprinting" or getting the cattle used to having humans around. Check it out here: Bad Weather? Work is not cancelled on a ranch!

Weaning time means that lots of work is ahead for the next few months. Calves in a pen need fed every day, and provided a dry place to lie down, as well as room to romp. They must be watched for signs of illness and we treat with antibiotics when signs of a secondary infection appear. Once winter arrives, the work really ramps up! As I get older, winter is less and less fun, but I still wouldn't change my life for anything! I love the cows and calves and I look forward to calving season each year. Weaning time is like harvest for grain crops. Our calves will end up as breeding bulls, breeding heifers, and the steers go to the feedyard.

Halloween 1995

2011-10-30T15:00:00.001-05:00

Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but little kids do love to dress up. While looking through photos recently, I came across the pictures of Halloween 1995. That year, my twins were born just 11 days before Halloween, and my mom was still staying with us, helping me to keep my head above water!

She stayed home rocking the little baby boys, while my husband and I took the three older kids trick-or-treating. Halloween in the country is not the same as in town. There are fewer houses and you must drive from house to house. Once you arrive, you better plan on staying for a bit to visit about how big the children are and other important things in a small town. One major plus for country trick-or-treating is that you know everyone you visit so you can eat the homemade treats, and you usually make a very good haul at each house!

That year, the kids were characters from the Wizard of Oz! Meghan was 4 years old and wanted to be the Good Witch Glenda.

Allie was 2 years old and was a cute little Dorothy. She wasn't really too pleased with the piggy tails, but they did look very sweet on her!

Trent was a year old and was the Cowardly Lion. He didn't like the headpiece at all, but was willing to wear it when bribed with candy!

Grandma claims that as soon as we left, the twins started fussing and she HAD to pick them up and rock them the entire time! That is just fine with me, but I think she just wanted to snuggle Tyler and Eric a bit more before she went home the next day, leaving our family to try to cope! Let me be very honest, she was to return frequently to help with my sanity through the next year.

Lessons to be Learned from Football

2011-10-22T21:26:00.003-05:00

Guest Blog Post:
As most readers of my blog know, I am an avid watcher of small town, 8-man, fast paced football. Read a previous post of mine, "My Boys of Fall." I do like when my alma mater Kansas State wins, but I can only tell you the names of one or two players...okay, one. But a good friend of mine works in helping people who have made some bad decisions straighten themselves out--and he uses the analogy of football! I asked him to share his thoughts with my readers as a guest blogger. So, meet Jay Egger, a great guy from Small Town Kansas who sits on the bleachers near me and explains the game!

Lessons to be Learned from Football

by Jay Egger

I am of the opinion that the game of football is THE sport that, if coached correctly and responsibly, teaches a young man (or young woman) many important values that could benefit them throughout the rest of their lives. Now certainly, there are many other sports and academic disciplines that are just as important to a young person, but if you would indulge me, I would like to share with you my thoughts on why football encompasses those traits that I feel are important for our children.

I know a young man who was on probation for a simple misdemeanor conviction and had more recently been arrested for beating up his 19 year old pregnant girlfriend. He was only 20 and had just been released from jail for the third time in the last 18 months and was looking at the possibility of spending the next year in jail. He grew up on the east coast and was raised by his grandmother who had recently died. His mother was in prison and he had no idea who his father was. To say he felt alone is an understatement. It was obvious that this young man was starting his young adult life making some very bad choices and was leading his life down a very destructive path.

In talking with this young man he was sure that he wasn’t at fault. Law Enforcement was singling him out and picking on him because they knew he had a record. He failed to take responsibility for his actions, always blaming someone else for his misfortunes in life. He was convinced that since he practically raised himself, he didn’t need anyone elses help and was just fine being alone. I asked him if he played High School sports. “Of course I did. I played football” he exclaimed, as if that was something you had to do to graduate. I asked him if he was very good and if he played much. He began to share with me a list of impressive statistics and accolades that he earned.

I asked him if he earned all of those achievements on his own, or if he played on a team. He gave me a puzzled look. I began to share with him my thoughts and philosophy of why the game of football is the perfect game in preparing a young man for life.

First, it’s a team sport. You must rely on your teammates to work together toward a common goal. It starts with an individual effort, giving your very best in concert with other individuals in order to help the team fulfill its mission, to win. This is not unlike any other profession, or discipline that a person enters into after high school. To be successful, a businessman, salesman, doctor, teacher, clerk, etc. must do his or her best and expect that out of each fellow employee to allow the organization to succeed.

Second, the values that one learns from the game are immeasurable. Preparation, hard work, positive attitude, and desire can make up for a lack of skill and will carry a child through the next stage in their life, if not the rest of their life. Success is earned irregardless what we here in the media. Some of us have to work harder to succeed than others, due in part to our genetic makeup, family nurturing, or the community in which we live and are raised. We are not all gifted athletes or Rhodes Scholars, many of us are raised by single parents, and few of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouth. Football inspires young kids to dedicate themselves to something much bigger than themselves. The hard work and sweat that they share forges a bond which causes them to believe that there is nothing they can’t do together; believing that success is earned through “sweat equity”. General Douglas MacArthur once said, “On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other fields on other days shall bear the fruits of victory”. This quote is inscribed and displayed in the gymnasium at the United States Military Academy today.

We can all be satisfied when life is going well. The game of football teaches the athlete that it’s those times of difficulty that show the strength of character in all of us. What will a young athlete do when its 40 degrees, raining, the wind is blowing, and they are down by four touchdowns in the first half? They are already hurting, tired, cold, and wet. It’s 3^rd down and long and you are just outside your own goal line. The other team is stronger and faster, and no one expects you to win. What do you do? It would be easy to give up and pack it in. But they have worked too hard to quit. They represent their school, their friends, their family, and their community. There is no chance of winning if you quit, and hope remains as long as you keep working. For many of these kids, this is merely a glimpse of just how tough life can be. This is a classroom that tests them each Friday night on how they will handle adversity, AND success. They learn about themselves and can draw from these experiences later in life when they may experience real adversity like losing a job, going through a divorce, or discovering that you or a loved one has cancer or other serious illness. For those of you who have experienced these difficult times, how has a positive attitude, hard work and preparation sustained you? Who did you draw strength from, or go to for encouragement? Did you have a ‘team’ fighting for you?

A student certainly learns these traits in a classroom and the results are shown in their test scores, report cards, and scholarships awarded, etc. Special shows, exhibitions, recitals, and other competitions are other avenues in which our students receive that feedback for their work in a myriad of disciplines. That is something that they can do as an individual, for the rest of their life, if they choose to. Football on the other hand, is an activity for the young. I believe this is what really sets football apart from other activities.

I don’t know the actual statistic but it is not likely that a football player will ever play the game again after high school. To a kid who has worked so hard since middle school (some start earlier than that) their future is right now. I recently heard that it is quite normal for a young man to go through a sort of post-partum depression after playing his final football game. I certainly felt it when I concluded my final football season many years ago. The realization that you will no longer play a sport that has had such a dramatic influence in your life is tough for a 17 year old to grasp. It’s hard to imagine a 17 yr old with a career, let alone the fact that that ‘career’ is over. A student can continue to further their education, an artist can continue to draw, sculpt, or paint, and a musician can continue to play. Even a basketball or softball player can play on leagues or tournaments for years to come. A football player however, will likely never put on those pads and helmet again. Coaches tell their players to play every down as if it was their last. We draw inspiration from those stricken with disease that live each of their days as if it was their last. As an athlete or as a person, what will you do today that will make an impact on your team, your family, or your community?

I was asked recently why it was so important that our kids risk injury, particularly life-long injury just to play a game of football. The risk is just too high, and it only appears that the game is only played to feed a testosterone-filled ego. There is certainly risk, I don’t argue that and we all hear tragic stories every year about kids being injured in a game or practice. I wonder what the percentages are if we compare the number of those tragic football injuries with the total number of athletes who play the game and are not injured. I am sure they are very small. It should also be considered that there are lessons that can be learned through the injury as well. I also imagine that the percentage of those injured from football is even smaller when compared to the number of kids who are seriously injured each year in our society from acts of violence, alcohol or drug related incidents, vehicle accidents, or other tragedies that befall a teenager.

Finally, the sportsmanship and discipline that a kid learns can not only affect THEIR life, but tends to inspire those around them. Encouraging a fellow player, respecting your opponent, giving a kind word, or doing a kind deed for others are actions that should be revered by athletes, coaches, family, and friends.

After sharing my thoughts with this young man, he looked at me and said, “No one ever explained football to me like that before.” I thought it a tragedy that no one taught him these traits and, more importantly, how he can apply them to his life. This young man ended up spending 6 months in jail and successfully completed his probation. Since then, he has moved back home, got married and has a young daughter. He is currently enrolled in a university where he hopes to earn his degree in psychology and become a high school guidance counselor and football coach. Those will be some lucky kids.

I know that not everyone is able to play football, just like I am not cut out to be an airline pilot, a medical professional, or a carpenter. I do however, feel strongly that football is a very important activity for those who are able to play, that can help develop those values that aren’t always taught at home. We send our children to school to receive a basic education. That education is not just dealing with the three R’s anymore and it has never been the sole responsibility of our teachers. Too often our teachers bear the brunt of introducing and teaching those values such as goal setting, dedication, hard work, and sportsmanship because they aren’t taught them at home but that is a separate issue for another time.

In conclusion, I would like to leave you with this quote from the Hall of Fame Football Coach Vince Lombardi. “I believe in God and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle….victorious.”

Things aren't always easy.

2011-10-19T13:44:00.001-05:00

Last week I received the dreaded phone call from the sheriff's office--no my kids were all at home and within my sight. So I knew they were fine, but in the fall and spring cattle seem to think that there is better grass on the other side of the fence and they are often seen on the roads. So when the voice identified herself as from the sheriff's office, I unconsciously sucked in my breath.

We work hard to maintain fences and make sure the cattle have plenty to eat, but at this time of year the quality of the grass is dropping, so cows have to eat an awful lot of it to satisfy their hunger. It doesn't matter how hard you work, it seems that every rancher deals with errant cows or calves.

So when the sheriff's dispatcher said that we had a calf hit by a truck on the road, my stomach dropped to my toes. She said it was badly hurt and couldn't get up. They needed me to be there to identify it so they could put it down. I was still dressed in my "going to town" clothes, but I immediately hollered for my oldest son to come and we headed to the pickup truck. As we drove the 5 miles to the location they had given me, I rolled the information over and over in my mind. I couldn't think of any way we had cattle out on the road. The closest calves to that location were a half mile away, through an empty pasture. I called a neighbor and told him the description that I had received, and he didn't think it was his either. So I wasn't sure what I would find when I arrived. I had hope that it wasn't my calf, but there was also dread of seeing an injured animal and having to take care of the situation.

When we arrived, the 600 pound calf was lying in the ditch on the side of the road, the man who had hit her with his pickup was there. Luckily he was fine, but his truck was damaged. The sheriff's deputy (who is a neighbor and friend) stood by his car with his lights flashing and held his gun. I made my way to the calf, wary that she might be afraid and bolt away, injuring anyone near her. But she was pretty oblivious to everything at this time, and was unable to move. I did see that she was breathing, but not moving her eyes or ears to any stimulus. I picked up her head, turning it to see the ear tag that identified her as one of my 7 month old heifer calves. I told the deputy that she was mine and to please put her out of her misery right away.

As I moved away from her, I admit that I got tears in my eyes. I covered my ears to muffle the sound of the gunshot that would end her misery. Every rancher is familiar with humane euthanasia, but it is never easy to perform. I apologized to the deputy and told him I appreciated him taking care of it for me. My heart broke as we moved her body from the road to the pasture so we could bury her. We were planning to wean that pasture of calves in two days. She would have been safe at home in the pen by the weekend, but instead we were planning how to bury her in the pasture.

As my son and I drove home, we talked about why she was a half mile from the rest of the cowherd. A calf that is not weaned does not willingly separate itself from the herd--even if its mama has started weaning it. Cattle are herd animals and do not like to be alone. They will not willingly leave a herd to venture out alone. I do not understand what made her leave her mama.

On Saturday, when we gathered up the rest of the herd, we found the remains of her mama cow. She was dead and had been for a few days, but she looked as though something had killed her. There have been recent sightings of cougars near that pasture, and her body was in the trees--perfect for a cougar looking for prey. We wonder if a cougar killed the cow and chased off the calf, or if the calf ran out of fear after her mama was killed. All we know is that something scared the calf enough to run from the herd, and her mama is dead in the pasture. We will never know what happened that night, but it really hurts to know that I lost a cow and calf who were entrusted to me for their care. I take my job very seriously and I feel this loss as a failure of my own.

I don't know if I could have saved either of them, but it hurts to lose a cow and calf. We now carry a gun when we go to the pastures. If there are cougars around, it is not smart to be unprepared. I don't think they'd attack a person, but I don't really know for certain. It is illegal to shoot a cougar, unless it is attacking a person or one of your animals. I just want my boys to be prepared.

"I'm a buuuuulllll!"

2011-10-12T11:00:00.002-05:00

Males of any species are interesting creatures....(don't worry, I'll avoid human references since I am now the only female in a house with four male human creatures.) There are many traits that I measure in my selection process for the bulls I plan to sell: muscling, structure, fertility, carcass value and disposition are just a few. Disposition is easily measured and very important since most of the time I am walking through and sorting the bulls by myself. When a rancher comes to see the bulls and select one for his herd from the 50 or so in my sale pen, we walk among them, sorting them into groups so they can be evaluated from every angle. If my bulls are not easy-going and unafraid, I will not keep them as a bull. They will be steered and sent to the feedyard.

Disposition is inherited, as well as learned. From calving season on, I spend time walking through my cows and calves and it is especially important when they are weaned to get them used to humans so they are not afraid of us. Despite all the time and effort we put into making sure our bulls are calm and used to people, you can never trust a bull. They may not be afraid of me, or actually aggressive toward me, but they outweigh me many many times!

While I walked through the group of 20 bulls to take some pictures, they began to "beller" an "bawl" as only a bull does....a deep long call that sounds to me like they are saying, "I'm a buuuuuuullll, I'm a buuuuuuulllll!" I guess they need to make sure everyone knows that! They stick their tongue out, roll their eyes and put their ears back as they bawl..."I'm a buuuuuulllll!"

I am not afraid, but I also do not get too far from the truck. It has been years since a bull has come after me, but I do not give them the opportunity. I don't think they really feel that I am a threat, but they are just making sure I know they are bulls and would rather be with a herd of cows than a group of bulls. These are the 20 bulls that I used on my cows this spring and summer. After 60 days or so, I take the bulls away from the cows--I do NOT want calves coming year round. We calve for about 60 to 75 days in the spring. So the bulls just hang around each other the rest of the year, swapping stories, wrestling, eating and sleeping. (Hmmmmm...too bad I promised not to talk about human males....)

These bulls are now for sale. I think they'd rather be hanging out with someone else's cows instead of a group of teenaged males for the winter.

Tall grasses of the Kansas Prairie

2011-10-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

Big Bluestem grass is at its peak beauty in the fall in the Kansas Flint Hills.

The Flint Hills is also known as the Tallgrass Prairie. The grasses reach their peak height in fall when they put out their seed heads. It has been said that the grasses used to grow taller than a man on horseback. I have only seen the grasses that tall a few times in my 40+ years living on the prairie, but when soil moisture and growing conditions are perfect, they do get very very tall. Unfortunately when the grasses are at their peak in height and beauty, the nutritional value is very low. We must supplement the cattle so that they receive all the nutrients they need. Sometimes it just means a mineral supplement mixed with salt, but other times it means some kind of protein.

There are many grasses on the prairie, but the ones we see in the fall that draw our attention are Big Bluestem (also called Turkeyfoot) and Indian Grass. There are other shorter ones that add to the fall beauty, but these are the literal standouts on the prairie this time of year.


Big Bluestem with a locust hanging tight. The grass is also called Turkeyfoot because of the seed head...look closely a the 3-prongs of the turkey's foot.

Indiangrass has a tall stem and seedhead. It grows in a clump, just like Big Bluestem.


Indiangrass is so named because of the two little "feathers" that stick up when you pull back a leaf.

Roo Dog waits in the truck for me to finish taking pictures, so she can chase any wildlife that happen to be nearby!