Life On a Kansas Cattle Ranch

Using fire to enhance sustainability of the prairie

2013-05-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

Sustainability means different things to different people. Farmers and ranchers are inherently focused on sustainability--if they don't take care of the land and the animals in a sustainable manner, it can't be passed on through the generations. One of the most important goals we have is to hand our ranch down to our kids. In our area, we work hard to maintain and improve the Flint Hills and the

Vaccinations make healthy cattle

2013-04-23T15:20:00.002-05:00

It is vaccination day on the ranch...I remember taking my kids in to get their vaccinations and how important it was to good health. I treat my cattle the same way! So last weekend, we vaccinated 120 cows and calves on Saturday before Prom....that is a story in itself! And on Sunday we vaccinated another 150 cows and calves once the boys woke up from spending the night partying at Prom!! The

Welcome Spring to Kansas...with ice!

2013-04-11T10:12:00.002-05:00

Spring has returned to Kansas...with a lovely rain in freezing temperatures, turning the trees and grass into ice sculptures! It surprised the purple martin scouts--they are checking out our house and fluffing their feathers to stay warm! The grass had just started to take off and grow...and along came ice! Luckily our wheat is not growing fast enough to be at a stage that it will be

Bring on the April showers!

2013-04-04T08:29:00.001-05:00

"April showers bring May flowers," at least that is what the poem says. On a cattle ranch, April showers also bring pasture grass for cows to eat starting in May! We are in our third year of a major drought (or fourth year, depending on who you talk to) and grass is not our only concern. Many of our ponds are the only source of water for cattle for the summer. And the majority of the ponds in

Wordless Wednesday - Barn Cats & Curious Heifers

2013-03-27T10:54:00.003-05:00

Our tom cat will snuggle up to nearly anyone! Even a curious heifer who came to sniff him and ended up licking him until he was slimy! I'm not sure that the cat really enjoyed the mauling, but he tolerated it until the heifer stepped on his tail! -Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

National Ag Day, or What Will I Be When I Grow Up

2013-03-19T19:26:00.001-05:00

You know, I could have been anything I wanted to be...at least that is what my parents told me! I had the college education, a strong work ethic, awesomely supportive parents and even enough money to live for a bit while I "found myself." ....and I chose to live in Poedunk, USA and marry a guy who likes cows! If you think that I never question that decision, you are wrong!! Most recently,

March Madness - small town style!

2013-03-07T13:11:00.001-06:00

My "Bleach Boys" surprised Gma Jan at the recent Lyons Ranch bull sale! I've been a bit distracted this week! Yes, the cattle are still getting fed, the bulls had their doctor's appointment, and calves are being born and tagged, but our family has been fired up about BASKETBALL! More clearly, small town basketball! We have our own version of March Madness! My boys are juniors at the little

Winter storm on a ranch 2013

2013-02-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

As I get older, I like snow less and less! As a rancher, snow just means lots of work! This week the weatherman predicted a foot of snow for our area with more to the north and west of us--that is a LOT of snow! We are in a drought, so moisture in any form is welcome, but I have about 50 cows supposed to have their calves this weekend, so I'm really not excited about dealing with a foot of snow

Just hitchin' a ride

2013-02-17T15:00:00.000-06:00

Calving season has begun! New babies are everywhere all of a sudden. 99% of them are born out in the field with no problems, but every once in awhile, we need to help out for some reason. When we do help out, it means that we need to walk the cow and her new, slimy, slippery, smelly and cold baby in to the barnyard nearly a mile away. Carrying the calf is difficult enough, but the mama

Meaty Monday - "So God made a farmer"

2013-02-04T12:51:00.000-06:00

Silence, absolute motionless, focused silence....that is what happened at the Super Bowl party last night when the Dodge Truck commercial came on. The familiar voice of the late Paul Harvey reciting his speech he originally gave at the 1978 Future Farmers of America national convention caught everyone's attention, as did the poignant images of rural America. When the commercial was over, applause

Snow Days are work days for farm kids

2013-01-30T12:21:00.002-06:00

Last night it was raining and misting slightly, and I didn't think the predicted snow would really come to our area, but it did! Yesterday as we headed to a high school basketball game, this little calf was born. The cow decided that since there isn't water in the creek, it was a perfect place to bed her new baby down. It was out of the wind, but still in the snow and he was cold this morning. I

Kansas Drought - Part 4

2013-01-28T11:37:00.000-06:00

The drought has changed a lot of things around our ranch. Normally in the winter, before the cows start to calve, they are roaming the fields, eating the leftover corn or milo stubble, snacking on the brome grass and we only need to feed them a bit of hay to fill their bellies. This year, there is no leftover crop in the field. The brome grass was gone long ago and we have very little hay to

Wildlife Photography - Owl

2013-01-18T10:32:00.000-06:00

Wildlife is one of my favorite things about living in the country. A couple of weeks ago, I was driving near sunset and passed this owl sitting on a fencepost along the state highway. I couldn't pass up the photo opportunity. By the way, you may or may not know, but I am a huge Harry Potter fan! My daughter started reading the Harry Potter books in 3rd grade and by 4th grade she was a fan--so

Homemade gifts--for my wine loving family members

2013-01-13T16:32:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I admit, I'm a bit of a goofball! But I think these "Redneck Wine Glasses" are pretty funny! I do like wine...and I do have real wine glasses, but I love these redneck wine glasses -- a mason jar (pint size) glued to the top of a glass candlestick! And they are selling for $15 each in various gift shops across the country! SERIOUSLY?!? So I chose to make a few for my family for

Meaty Monday - The BEST BBQ Meatballs ever!

2013-01-07T20:40:00.000-06:00

I have the very best friends...have I said that before? Well, let me say it again. A couple of gals that let me hang around with them are amazing in so many ways. One of them is food! They are both awesome cooks! My buddy Mary Ann and I have been sharing recipes since our daughters were in daycare together. She cooks like I do--homemade and with real ingredients (as opposed to fake ingredients

Moving steers to the feedyard

2013-01-01T10:30:00.001-06:00

These boys are weighing 700-800 pounds and are ready to go to the feedyard for approximately 120 days. Before they go, they need a new electronic ear tag that will allow us to track them. The tag is USDA registered and also provides verification that these calves are Angus sired, and is proof of their age. The electronic tag goes in the ear, but the electronic tag reader can read it.

Merry Christmas from the Ranch

2012-12-21T10:40:00.000-06:00

Just whisper to me what you're getting her for Christmas! I won't tell! Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas! Looks like it will be a White Christmas in Kansas this year!

My ranch hosted Rebecca, a viewer from Anderson Live!

2012-12-14T15:40:00.002-06:00

I've said it before; I'll say it again..."I'm nobody special!" I am a typical mom/wife/rancher--okay, so maybe that combination of identities may be unique, but really I'm just a normal person with the same concerns that every other mom or wife or cattle rancher has. Rebecca and I pose in front of the cattle in one of my pastures...we're trying not to seem too cold! Recently, I had the

My ranch hosted Rebecca, a viewer from Anderson Live!

2012-12-14T15:40:00.001-06:00

Do I use antibiotics on my ranch? Yes I do!!

2012-12-10T16:13:00.001-06:00

"Aaaaaaa---CHOOOOO! Oh no, not another winter cold!" When the kids were little, this was a common occurrence in our house. With five little kids, we had every virus and secondary infection known to mankind! Our pediatrician was on speed-dial on our phone. My little redhead had a particularly difficult time with ear infections. Every cold he got would settle in his ears. We learned all the tricks

Homemade Christmas

2012-12-04T18:09:00.002-06:00

My inlaws live across the road from us--I used to think that was a bad thing--until we had kids! My mother-in-law dotes on her grandkids and has been very helpful to us through the years. I had five little kids at one time, remember? She was a provider of cookies and hugs, as well as lots of fun through the years. Now we help her more than she helps us--but it is our turn! She married a very

How do you cook a pot roast?

2012-11-03T14:40:00.001-05:00

There is no better comfort food than a delicious, home cooked beef pot roast! I love coming in from working outside, after a cold afternoon of football, or just sledding on the hill out back to smell the mouth-watering aroma of a pot roast that has been cooking all day! My crockpot is my go-to kitchen appliance all winter as I can spend a few minutes getting a roast ready to go in an evening,

October is National Farm to School Month

2012-10-30T14:20:00.002-05:00

I was honored to be asked to write a guest blog post to appear on the Farm to School Month website. Today is my day!! Today the movement is focusing on Beef and the Explore Beef website and Cow Chow games. If you are interested in reading my post, check out the website: http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org And remember to go play Cow Chow!

Pond maintenance during drought

2012-10-18T14:41:00.002-05:00

During the drought of 2012, eastern Kansas was hit hard--and is still suffering! We all hope for rains this fall and winter (and even snow) to make up the precipitation deficit. In the meantime, we are using the dry season to do repairs on some ponds. Farm ponds become filled in with eroded dirt called "silt" over the years. It has been about 50 years since this one was dry and could be dug

Small Town Gal

2012-10-08T16:20:00.002-05:00

I have had lots of opportunity for travel lately and I do enjoy seeing different places across the nation. From New York City to New Orleans, and from Denver to El Paso; but I have to say I prefer my little town in Kansas. When I travel, I like to fly out of Manhattan, Kansas (we call it the "Little Apple")--my ticket says I'm boarding at Gate 1, which is good since there is only one gate! From