Kids, Cows and Grass

Why do ranchers burn their pastures? Five beneficial reasons to put up with the smoke

2023-04-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

Less than 4% of the original Tallgrass Prairie remains in America and most of that is in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The prairie is comprised of native grasses--not planted by any human. Even though it was designed by Nature, it is mankind's responsibility to help maintain the prairie. "If we want it to be here for the next generation, and the next generation, then we gotta do what

Freeze Branding Registered Cattle

2022-01-12T08:11:00.000-06:00

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. 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

How do we train new cowhands?

2021-10-05T10:34:00.000-05:00

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Kids...Cows...and Grass...I didn’t choose that name by accident. Those are three of the things I am most passionate about, and in my life, they are all very intertwined! It is not a surprise that our main source of labor on the ranch is our

Our veterinarian is a vital ranch team member

2021-09-24T09:16:00.003-05:00

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Sustainability is such a complex idea! Everyone around seems to be talking about sustainability. Ranchers and farmers are focused on being sustainable—and that means taking care of the land, cattle, and people, and it also means being

Supermarket beef is raised by farm families!

2021-09-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

I have talked to people in grocery stores in Manhattan, Kansas and Manhattan, New York and they all have the same concerns--is supermarket beef safe and good for me? I actually love getting this question. I usually tell them that we own a ranch in the Tallgrass Prairie of Kansas. We are in the middle of cow-country with more grass than crops. We are focused on taking care of the environment,

What is upcycling?

2021-07-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.That big belly is not because she is pregnant, but instead it is her 4-part stomach filling up with grass and helping her make delicious Beef! Upcycling!Recycling, upcycling, composting, using less and doing more.....those words and ideas are

Grow what you love!

2021-06-24T12:38:00.000-05:00

I love, love, LOVE fresh garden produce! But I really don't have time to grow a large garden. That confession is really difficult for me. You see, my grandma was a committed gardener. My mom is an excellent gardener and I'm pretty mediocre! The previous two generations relied on garden produce to feed their families, but I have a really good supermarket just a short drive away. (well, my

The Best Meat Seasoning Recipe...EVER!

2021-05-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

Seriously, I NEVER exaggerate...well, mostly never...almost never, but THIS stuff is awesome! I have made it for years and given it for gifts. After receiving a mason jar of this seasoning for a Christmas gift, my friends start dropping hints about July 15 that they are starting to run low on my seasoning. We use it on everything--especially beef on the grill. But it is great on pork

How long does it take to make a steak?

2021-03-23T05:00:00.013-05:00

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. How long does it take to make a steak? First question—are you Team Medium-Rare like me? If you are, then it takes about twelve minutes to make a delicious Porterhouse Steak! My favorite way is grilled over charcoal with a bit of

How do cows have their babies?

2020-03-03T13:30:00.000-06:00

Often the first sign of a cow in labor is her raised tail. She will look for a place to be alone. The membranes may appear as a water "balloon" that will burst and you can then see the calf's front feet. I usually don't get to see calves actually born. We have about 300 calves on our ranch each year, but when I see a cow in labor, I leave her alone to have her calf and I return in about 30

TED app

2018-08-28T14:04:00.005-05:00

It all started in 1986--I went to Japan to promote Kansas beef in the Daiei supermarkets and I was hooked! Through the years, communication has changed and consumers have changed. I often hear criticism for the "Millennial" consumer, and I vehemently disagree! These young people are interested in many of the things that farmers and ranchers also care about: protecting the environment,

Who am I?

2018-08-11T14:45:00.000-05:00

I'm Debbie Lyons-Blythe. I am a cattle rancher in central Kansas, in the heart of the Flint Hills. My husband and I both grew up raising cattle. It is an excellent way of life, not just a way to make a living! We have been married for more than 29 years, and have five kids: Meghan, age 27; Allie, age 25; Trent, age 24; and Tyler and Eric, age 22 (yes, they are twins!). We have about

Cooking Prime Rib--tips from a rancher!

2017-11-11T11:45:00.000-06:00

Who better to ask than a rancher how to cook the perfect prime rib? Many people are overwhelmed by a prime rib roast and it is a relatively expensive cut of meat. So you don't want to screw it up--but it is really pretty easy! My first piece of advice is to do some research. I downloaded an app from Certified Angus Beef and it is awesome! Called Roast Perfect, you can download it for

My "Boys of Fall"

2017-09-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist sharing this post from a number of years ago. My boys have now all graduated from our small town high school and the oldest has even graduated from college. But their time on the 8-man football field in our little town surrounded by community members cheering them on has grounded them and tied them to our little community. So even though this was a few years ago, this

Italian Wedding Soup - with a beefy twist!

2016-12-19T13:47:00.000-06:00

The following is a guest blog post by my friend Leslie Williams--an amazing cook who is a very gracious host! I think you will enjoy her meatball soup recipe. I also believe that I will try this recipe in my electric pressure cooker during Christmas break while I have a houseful of kids home to feed! Thanks for sharing this recipe with it's "BEEF-y tweaks," Leslie!! “No soup for you!” The

Do ranchers care about animal welfare?

2016-10-10T15:25:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Paige Pratt, a friend of mine from my hometown and lifetime family rancher in Kansas. I recently saw Paige and she said she had attended a meeting that Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the US was one of the main speakers! Mr. Pacelle is often considered an enemy of animal agriculture and many people are afraid to confront him in person...but not Paige! She even asked a

Happy Birthday Hamburger! #Recipe post! #giveaway

2016-07-28T11:06:00.000-05:00

On July 28, 1900, Louis Lassen served a hamburg steak between two slices of bread--and voila! The Hamburger was born! So, today in celebration of Louis and the first hamburger, let me share a recipe or two, and a link or three and just see if you can't get excited about hamburgers! My favorite place to get hamburger recipes is the Certified Angus Beef recipe page...did you know they have a

Prairie Wildflower of the Day: Butterfly Milkweed

2016-07-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

Butterfly Milkweed is definitely my favorite prairie wildflower of the tallgrass prairie! It blooms near the end of May and early June and usually only for a short time, providing pops of bright orange in the lush green of the growing prairie. Of course, it attracts large numbers of butterflies. Cattle do not eat it, but it doesn't bother them, either. I had always been told that you could

Prairie Wildflower of the day: Catclaw Sensitive Briar

2016-07-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

Catclaw Sensitive Briar is one of my favorite wildflowers in the Kansas prairie! This plant has briars on the stem and leaf that are shaped like a cat's claw. And the fern-like leaf is sensitive to motion and will curl up when brushed or touched. Catclaw Sensitive Briar is also an indicator of a healthy rangeland, as when a pasture is overgrazed or overused, this plant will not grow.

Aftermath of the Wildfires

2016-04-14T06:43:00.001-05:00

Wildfires recently devastated the area around a town in Kansas called Medicine Lodge. My friend Sandra Levering lives there and is involved in the recovery efforts with her family. Now that pressing needs have been met and farmers and ranchers have been able to assess the full situation, Sandra has had time to record a few of her thoughts. Below is her heart wrenching, yet hopeful guest blog

Calving season is here--you are not going to believe what else is in my pasture!

2016-02-23T15:11:00.000-06:00

Take a look at this pictures...what is the first thing you notice? As a rancher, I notice the cow on the left has just moments ago had a calf and is trailing the afterbirth and licking her brand new, slimy baby calf. What is the next thing you see? Look up at the top right corner and notice the bald eagle soaring above the cows. Wait, did I say a BALD EAGLE is in my calving pasture?! YES I

Children's Books Starring Agriculture!

2016-02-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

Book Review: "It's All About That Beef!" by Rianna and Sheridan Chaney ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of my favorite ways to connect with people who want to learn about agriculture is to volunteer to read in grade school classrooms. Kids love having new people read to them and then once the book is done, they have tons of questions for me. In addition, the teachers enjoy not having to be

Celebrate National Sunday Supper month in January

2016-01-05T07:31:00.000-06:00

Life is busy--especially with kids! Every family is a bit different based on their traditions as well as their professions and family structure. I don't know if there is any "typical" family anymore! But one thing we can all do to bring our families closer together is to eat together. More and more experts say that simply sitting down together as a family at least once a week promotes not

5 Things I learned on a bloggers' #FarmFoodTour

2015-11-20T18:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, okay, yes I know I'm a rancher, so before you ask why I was on the tour with a group of bloggers, I want to remind you that I am a cattle rancher--not a vegetable farmer, or a dairy farmer or a hog farmer. I do NOT know all there is to know about agriculture and I admit, before the tour, I had never been to most of the places we visited. And, even though I haven't been the most

The Art of Nature in the Flinthills in Autumn

2015-11-13T12:04:00.001-06:00

I love the Flinthills in the fall. The colors of the mature grasses, combined with the golden sun of early morning or late afternoon are truly spectacular. Kansas is often thought of as flat and treeless, but in eastern Kansas, the hills are rolling and grass-covered and cattle still dot the countryside as we get closer and closer to winter.