Tag: hard work

GETTING INTO THE CATTLE BUSINESS

On By Marci WhitehurstIn My Blog2 Comments

Having cattle is a business, but it is also a lifestyle. You don’t clock a 9-5 and head home. You’re on call all the time. You live where you work. You work where you live. And you have to learn to relax and play so you don’t go crazy.

My most recent article in Progressive Cattleman included a questionnaire. Have you ever seen the questions asked to see if you’re ready to have kids? It goes something like this…

  1. How do you handle vomit and poop?
  2. Do you value Friday and Saturday nights out on the town?
  3. Can you step on a building block and not cry?
  4. Do you handle finances responsibly? Do you have room in your budget?
  5. Do you know how to hold a baby?
  6. Are your houseplants dying?

The idea is to get people thinking about how their lives will change once they have a child. These quizzes make me laugh because there really isn’t anything that can prepare you for it.

The same is true for owning cattle. You can be prepared as much as possible, but you’ll still find some surprises. To check out the entire article, please click HERE.

Owning cattle is hard and rewarding. Just like parenting.

There’s poop involved. Just like parenting.

And the hours are unpredictable. Just like parenting.

While there are obvious and major differences between owning cattle and parenting–the adage stands: You don’t know what you don’t know…

Until you do it.

Ultimately, if you’re interested in learning about cattle, do it. Read, study, but most importantly, spend time around people who have cattle and be teachable. One of the most annoying things about people starting anything is pretending to know everything when they don’t know much at all. It’s okay to have a starting point. Just be willing to learn and grow from it.

The agriculture industry needs newcomers. We want others to join us. So come!

Top 5 Ranching Myths

On By Marci WhitehurstIn My BlogLeave a comment

riding-crew-2

If you haven’t lived it, you don’t know it.

I don’t have a clue about hailing a cab…or traffic in cities… Or selecting wine…Or hoola dancing. There’s more, but if you are going to read about everything I don’t know how to do, well then my friend, you need more hobbies.

It’s interesting to be on the other side of the fence though: hearing someone talk about ranching as though they know, BUT… they’ve never lived it. I think it’s helpful to share life experiences to round out our perceptions, so here are 5 ranching myths, busted wide-open:

1. We’re not environmentalists.

Environmental issues are of grave importance to ranchers. Stewardship of the land is paramount to the future of agriculture. We assess riparian areas and maintain healthy land balances. We recycle. We put back into the land whatever we take out; and more so when possible.

2. It’s subsidized.

Ranchers do not receive any kind of government subsidy. Yes, there are subsidies for farming and they are used ONLY when appropriate, but ranchers do not receive funding. There are no guaranteed yearly payments or buyouts.

3. You ride off into the sunset.

As my daughter says, if you ride into the sunset, you’ll end up riding in the dark or making camp somewhere. Ranching is a lot of work. It’s worth it, but horses don’t come when you whistle, like they do in the movies. You have to fight the elements: frost bite in the winter and heat stroke in the summer. Predators are a real threat to us and our livestock. We grieve if we lose an animal.

4. Ranching doesn’t take intellect or education.

If you’re going to make a living and survive in agriculture, you need to study market trends. Cattle prices hinge on the stock market. You need to be able to budget large amounts of money and live off a once-a-year paycheck (when you sell your calves). We have spreadsheets and bookkeeping galore to keep records and make good business decisions.

5. It’s like rodeo.

Ranching is nothing like rodeo. Ranchers may enjoy attending a rodeo, but what you see in the arena is wild compared to what happens in a field. Cattle producers move slowly and quietly in their daily routine. We use low-stress handling techniques for herd health and safety. We do not whip or shout. We wish to work with the animal and what is natural for them.

I think the myth I hear the most is that ranching is like a rodeo. It’s nearly opposite actually!

No matter what you do or where you are, I’m sure there are myths in your lifestyle or profession. Whatever we do, may we do it well and do it with purpose. The world needs our passion.