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Large animal care is hard and can be difficult to Large animal care is hard and can be difficult to learn - especially for new ranchers. It can be even harder to know where to start and what to start with. Is it more important to learn general principles before learning how to recognize and treat acute illness? Probably, but what happens if something emergent pops up? Vets are costly and can't always make it in time, so learning animal care is a good idea not only from an animal welfare perspective but from a financial one as well.  Especially when losing just one animal can be the difference between being profitable and being, well, not. With their ProfitFinder 2.0 course, Cattleman U has created another amazing resource for producers who want to learn more about caring for their cowherd, whether it's brushing up on general principles, making a herd health plan, and assembling a vet kit to the more "specialized" skills like veining cattle and treating specific illnesses.  They even go over how to recognize and treat things like Johne's and High Altitude Disease and what to do about Mycoplasma and water belly - less common, maybe, but handy to know! It really is a toolbox you can have for your operation so that everyone can know the foundational information and grow from there.  The best part? When you purchase the ProfitFinder 2.0 course, you have lifetime access, which means you can go back and reference or refresh any time, and it's entirely self-paced. It's an inexpensive way (costs WAY less than a vet bill!) to learn the hands-on skills that every cattle producer needs to know. Access opens on Monday, but hop on the waitlist, so you're the first to know!  Even better? Use CASSIDY to get 15% off, which makes it even less than a trip to the vet - even if you didn't grab dinner on the way home.  (Which, like, never happens. When in Rome, right? If Rome is "close proximity to takeout.") File this right under the "Resources I Wish I Had 10 Years Ago."
Y'all know I listen to audiobooks and podcasts a l Y'all know I listen to audiobooks and podcasts a lot--in the car, while cleaning, while doing busywprk, sometimes while making dinner or exercising. I love learning something new or listening to a fantastic story while accomplishing mundane tasks because it makes them go so much faster.  The Cattleman U podcast has had an absolutely bangin' (banging? How do we write this?) couple of months of episodes. I love that they give you a little bit of everything: inspiration, industry news, perspectives on the future, and business tips, and I love their wide array of guests because your girl gets bored hearing from the same people all the time.  Some of my favorite episodes from the last little while are from @sarahjbohnenkamp, Clay Conry, and @nataliedkerfoot. If you haven't given the Cattleman U pod a listen yet, here's your sign to give it a try! Have I ever steered you wrong? (Please say no 😅 or my Enneagram 1 self is going to be sad 🤣)
Today is my 11th wedding anniversary, and I'm so g Today is my 11th wedding anniversary, and I'm so grateful for this guy. This has been one of the hardest years of my life but gosh it's so much easier because I've got the best teammate. Getting married young(ish) is no longer very common (the average age for a first marriage in the US is now 31 years old) and sometimes it feels nuts to tell people how long we've been married, but I wouldn't have it any other way, and when you know you know, so why wait, really? Choose the right person, decide you're in it for the long haul, and it's pretty great. Together, Bert and I have worked for big ranches in three different states, had three blue-eyed boys, and are now starting the entrepreneurship journey with JRC Ranch Management & Consulting. We've done all-night calving seasons, sorted cows, and bred cows without major conflict, so I'd say we've passed some pretty key "Can we work together?" milestones. 11 years down, hopefully way more to go.
When it comes to the actual business of ranching, When it comes to the actual business of ranching, the #1 question I get asked is, "If I want to get into ranching, how do I start?" First, learn the hard skills: fixing fence, giving shots, handling cattle through a set of pens and in the pasture, etc. I think it's helpful to have a bit of a foundation of the basics before eventually adding in the more nuanced subjects of soil and grass management, rotations, genetics, more complicated animal health topics, etc., but that is all necessary, too. Alongside that, mentors and a network are two key things that can feel really difficult to find/build, but I find those come with time and effort by simply putting oneself out there genuinely with a willingness to learn. As a woman, I've found it important to have female mentors, too, both to teach hard skills from a different perspective and also just for the camaraderie and support. The next question is, of course, "But how?!" Unfortunately, I don't always feel like I have a great answer because it's not a step-by-step process I can just hand someone because everyone is different, has different opportunities and goals, and is working within a different set of parameters. Given that, just jumping in with both feet or showing up on a ranch without a single iota of experience doesn't work for everyone. Sometimes, too, even for folks who grew up in this industry, there are gaps in knowledge or the desire to try something a different way. This is where She's A Hand Ranch Camp comes in. Y'all, I really, really love this idea, and it makes me so glad that I have an actual, concrete thing I can recommend! Ranch Camp is a four-day intensive about how to do the hands-on, hard skills ranching requires from doctoring to calving to operating a chute and everything in between. I don't always love a "school" setup, but I love this one because the skills taught at this camp are ones that can be and are used on any ranch. Plus, camp-goers leave with a brand-new network of friends and mentors to help them along their journey. If you're thinking, "Hmm, maybe 2024 is the year I learn this stuff!" then I'm so into it and encourage you to look into She's A Hand Ranch Camp!
Today is National Working Parents Day. When I wa Today is National Working Parents Day. When I was in college, getting married and having children was never in my five or even ten-year plan. I planned on going to law school, getting a great job, buying a Volvo or a BMW, and wearing awesome power suits every day. Then, of course, God was like, "Hold my beer!" and I was working on a ranch at 22, married at 23, a mother a three boys at 30, and the law school/fancy car/power suit dream was (thankfully) completely forgotten. (Although I still harbor dreams of a really good power suit. Someday.) I am a working parent. My working parenthood journey has spanned many iterations. I've been a full-time ranch employee and raised babies basically next to a chute in a barn. I was a full-time stay-at-home-mom for about ten minutes before realizing I needed to start my own business if I wasn't going to go nuts, so I began with a few hours a week working during naptimes. I now work from home, the barn, the library, or coffee shops doing more things than I can put into a list while also being present on the ranch as time and opportunity allows and traveling to share about this amazing industry that has adopted me and made me a home. I get to consult on cool projects, meet amazing people, and hopefully be a part of the change I'm so hopeful to see in this industry. I am a working parent. And I love it. I love being able to pursue my own passions while raising my boys. I love being able to be flexible so I can be a pinch hitter when the ranch needs me, show up to school events, and have time to make brownies for the homecoming lunch. I love being able to contribute to our family financially and dream big for our own future right alongside my husband. It's not easy. Not at all. The balancing act sometimes feels impossible. But we have big hopes and dreams for our family, and I have things I love and want to pursue, so I am a working parent. Shout out to all those working parents juggling all the balls, wearing all the hats, wearing all the babies, and doing all the things for their families.
One of the hardest parts of the last few months ha One of the hardest parts of the last few months has been the feeling of being physically stuck in limbo.  We are living in a temporary situation in a bunkhouse on a different part of the ranch, and at first, I was happy because it was already furnished so we wouldn't need to move our furniture twice since we always knew this was going to be temporary. Now, though, with the timeline and situation vastly changed from what we'd agreed upon, while I still appreciate that we didn't have the hassle of moving all of our furniture in... ...I really miss our stuff. I really miss having spaces that work for us. I miss having our throw pillows and cozy blankets, I miss having pictures of my boys and the people I love, I miss having seasonal decor, I miss having space for the boys to play and thrive, I miss having all of my kitchen, I miss having food storage, I miss the feeling of being home.  It's hard to feel at home among someone else's stuff, especially when that stuff is prevailingly of the "man cave," log-furniture, too-many-recliners variety.  I know, it's just stuff, and it's been hard to work through the idea that stuff and spaces make a difference to my...not happiness, maybe, but my ability to rest and feel at home. There are people all over the world who do not have nearly enough while we have so much, but I'm learning that I can acknowledge my privilege while also feeling itchy in my own skin and wishing for a home that feels like a home.  I know it's not forever. Not even close. But with the seasons turning and no end in sight, I'm also letting myself sit in this feeling of things just not being 100% okay.  And that's okay. Humans are fascinating and multi-faceted: I can feel joy about many things while admitting that other parts of life feel really, really hard. So can you.  Also no this isn't an ad for kombucha. I just really love kombucha.
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