25 things kids should know

I found this list of 25 things every ranch kid should know while surfing the web and visiting with ranch folks like myself. I loved it and wanted to share it with you all. These are important things any kid needs to hear and experience and learn from. Good advice for us adults as well!

1. You have chores, because we love you. They seem tedious, but they are the building blocks for your future. Responsibility, accountability, and basic life skills begin with sweeping the floor, scrubbing the toilet, and feeding pets and livestock. We love you, we want you to find success in life. Success comes from preparation, so we give you chores.
2. Boredom is a choice. Don’t let me hear you say you are bored. Boredom is a choice, when your backyard is the whole outdoors, there are chores to be done, and books to be read. If you can’t entertain yourself with a stick and a bucket full of calf nuts, we’re doing something wrong.
3. There is magic in watching the sunrise. Early mornings are hard, we don’t rise as early and as easily as Dad. Do it anyway. The beauty you will witness with the awakening of the world is worth sleepy eyes and cold fingers.
4. A pet is more than a companion. You’re cats, dogs, calves, and ponies are more than friends and playmates. They are lessons in empathy, responsibility, love, and letting go.
5. Grow your own food. Our world is increasingly rife with poor food choices, the easiest response to unhealthy options is to grow your own food. I don’t care it’s a single tomato plant or a garden large enough to feed 10 families, cultivate an appreciation for fresh, whole food.
6. Be open to learning. In horsemanship and life, you will never know it all, never assume that you do. A humble open, attitude towards learning will lead to new skills and experiences.
7. Dress appropriately for the occasion. A cowboy’s uniform, hat, long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and boots, evolved out of necessity. Protect yourself from the sun, wind and weather with the proper clothing. I nag and question your clothing choices, because you are precious to me.
8. There is a time and a place for bad language. Sometimes you just need to cuss; spew anger and frustration in one grand verbal barrage. Smash your thumb with your shoeing hammer/fencing pliers, massive runback at the gate, ringy heifer won’t take her calf? Yes. At the dinner table, the classroom, in front of your grandmother? No.
9. Feed your help. Neighbors, friends, or hired men? It doesn’t matter, sometimes the best way to show your gratitude for a long day of hard work is a lovingly prepared hot meal and cold drink.
10. Don’t judge, but if you do, judge them by their abilities, attitudes, actions not appearances. Buckaroo or cowboy, flat or taco, slick or rubber? In some circles these comparisons can lead to heated debates, more often than not based strongly in personal opinion, rather than rooted in truth. This is true outside of the ranching world, as well. Words have power to create divisiveness, do not use them to speak against yourself or gossip about others.
11. Stewardship. Dad and I choose to be responsible for landscapes and livestock, this lifestyle defines who we are. Sometimes that means ballgames are trumped by pasture rotations and dinner time is delayed by cesarean sections, it does not mean we love you any less. I hope you approach the world with a sense of respect and connectedness.
12. Fake it till you make it. You don’t have to be confident in everything you do, but taking a deep breath and acting like you are helps you get through it. This can be applied in the arena, the sorting alley, to horses or people, and life as a whole. Stand up straight and look the challenge in the eye, as you gain experience confidence will catch up with you.
13. That said, don’t mistake arrogance for confidence. No one likes a swaggering braggart, even if he is a competent swaggering braggart. There is honor in being unheralded, if you enjoy your work.
14. Low-stress is best. . . . . .for you and for livestock. Don’t let it defeat your spirit and energy. Don’t let it impact your livestock health.
15. The only dumb question is the unasked question. Where is the gate? Which calf? Can you help me? Ask questions, no one will think less of you. Clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings.
16. Always do your best. There are days when your best is better than others, recognize that. Avoid self-judgement, abuse, and regret and enjoy the process.
17. “There comes a time when you’re gonna get bucked and you’re gonna need to know what to do so you don’t get stepped on.“ -Betsy Swain, 1875 Do not let fear of pain or disappointment stand in the way of new experiences. What I regret most in my life are opportunities missed out of fear. Pain and disappointment are a part of living, learn to take them in stride and keep moving forward.
18. Be polite and kind. Enough said.
19. But, don’t be a pushover. Stand up for yourself.
20. Develop a sense of place. Wherever you may live, learn the names of plants, rocks, and animals, visit old homesteads (or neighborhoods) and educate yourself about Indigenous cultures. In doing so, you gain roots, a sense of belonging that will lend you stability in all that you do.
21. Break a sweat everyday. Pound a steel post or take a jog, whatever you do, break a sweat daily. Your mind and body will thank you for it.
22. Be present. If you are mindful of the moment, it is easier to catch a mistake before it happens, redirect a broncy horse before wreck, and have better relationships. It might surprise you, what you observe and what you achieve when you are fully in the moment.
23. Unplug. Go to cow camp. Leave the computer screen, TV, and cell phones behind. Watch the chipmunks and rock dogs, read a book, or share a conversation with your family.
24. Sometimes the hard decisions are the right ones. We cannot rationalize suffering and pain to animals. Sometimes the best decision is the hardest one to make, know when to let them go.
25. You do not have to maintain this lifestyle, but please appreciate it. I don’t expect you to grow up and follow in our footsteps, the long hours and low pay aren’t for everyone. Carry these early horseback mornings in your heart.

We are excited to announce we just bought some semen from a great ranch in Colorado to use in our artificial insemenation program. Coleman Herefords from Westcliffe, Colorado raises fine Hereford cattle. We are going to breed some of our good Angus cows to a great Hereford bull from Coleman's. GB L1 DOMINO 175E is a long, fleshy, good looking bull that should make some great daughters when crossed on our cows. It will be a long wait til' next spring to see the calves, but it will be worth it for sure! Angus+Hereford cattle are perfect for our operation. They are thrifty, easy going cows that will produce great calves each fall. The steer calves will be tender and delicious as beef and the heifers will add to the foundation of our cowherd as we continue to grow our ranch. Thanks to Ken and Suzanne Coleman for your help and your awesome operation! Check out their website which can be found on a link under our friends & favorites. 2012 will be an eventful and exciting year for us. Thanks for sharing in our ranch and thanks for your business!

Setting the record STRAIGHT!!!

Lately the beef industry has been attacked by a smear campaign. Anti-beef radicals started the "pink slime" avalanche and the clueless media was spoon-fed their FACT- LESS propaganda! Instead of praising a company for finding ways to use as much good beef as possible by using new technology and being super efficient, they tried to cheap shot them and run them out of business. The words "pink slime" were purposely thrown out in order to panic folks. In fact, "lean Beef trimmings" are 94-97% lean beef! Don't fall for anti-meat propaganda folks! When they get done destroying Beef Products, Inc- the company that makes lean beef trimmings, they will attack another part of our industry. Please take the time to learn the facts about everything you eat! Don't get buffaloed by groups with an agenda that won't be happy until we are all FORCED into becoming vegans! I raise and sell some of the best beef in the world. And so do many, many thousands of ranchers throughout America. Find out the facts and don't get spooked by scare tactics! For instance, when you have a great cheeseburger made with tasty BEEF that contains lean beef trimmings, the meat only contains 200 ppm ammonium hydroxide. Ammonium hydroxide is found naturally in all proteins we eat, plant or animal! One of its main roles is to stop dangerous bacteria from forming. The cheese on your burger contains 813 ppm, the bun 440 ppm and the condiments have 400 ppm ammonium hydroxide. Why haven't we banned cheese and bread and ketchup? Feel free to contact me with any concerns you might have regardless of where you buy your beef. I am proud to be an American rancher, proud to be part of a safe, efficient, sustainable, growing industry! And I will always stand up when radical elements of our society attack my livelihood and try to limit the choices I have to feed my family! There are many websites where you can find CORRECT information in regards to Lean Beef Trimmings. And I would love to hear from you if I can answer any question about tasty, healthy, safe, wonderful BEEF!

leaninghlivestock@hotmail.com
www.beefisbeef.com
http://utahbeef.org/
http://www.beef.org/

We are back!!!

After a computer meltdown, we are finally back in business. Unlike our congress, we follow a budget and can't spend money we don't have. So after a little work fencing for a neighboring ranch we were able to upgrade and get back to updating our blog. The family is growing like weeds. Our ranch is growing too. We are almost done calving for 2012 and it has been a banner year. We even had our first set of twins! Thanks for your interest in our ranch, our cattle and our family! Check in soon for more updates.

Hope anyone who drops by our blog has had a decent winter and is looking forward to spring. We sure are!!! Today's post is all about quality. If you are having surgery done, do you want the cheapest surgeon or the best surgeon? Do you buy a dependable, well-built car or one that breaks down as you drive it home? Do you want the best education for your kids or just read comic books? My point is that we probably all would like to have the highest quality we can afford. And the good things in life usually cost a little bit more. Then the question becomes.........is the higher cost worth it? I want the best Doctor, a good truck to drive and my kids to go to college and have success that comes with a good degree. We should all feel the same way about our food. Cheaper food is always good until it effects the quality. Then we all need to stop and think about what we put in our bodies and our children's bodies. Is it safe? Is it natural? Is it healthy? Quality might cost a little bit more than processed factory food. But what is the cost to our health when we buy lower or questionable quality items? While our beef only costs a small percentage more than supermarket mystery meat, the quality you will have at every meal is expotentially higher. If you except the best in your life, add the best beef in Utah to your freezer. Tasty, tender, safe, healthy, local beef. It's worth it!