LearningSheep
Overrun with beasties
Oh were to begin on introducing myself and the ranch.
I married into a cattle family that has been doing this since the 1800s. We have had ever iteration of additional animals over the years I have been told through legend... including the story about a goat that jumped on a freshly repaired/painted vehicle and my husband's sweet grandfather throwing a pitchfork at it. Luckily the goat jumped but grandpa put the fork through the windshield. Now some may balk when I say "ranch", but the way my very salty father in law explains it - "We don't grow vegetables or fruit here, only meat. That makes us a RANCH not a farm." Personally, I'm all for either lol! The philosophy here on the ranch - regardless of the livestock is all of our animals live their absolute best life until they leave.
Currently there are 3 generations living here, and it has become quite the compound. My in-laws were running it for the family for years until the past few where my brother in law moved home (in to the original house), a cousin moved home (put her own house on the property) and we live with my father in law on his own 2 acres "next door". The neighbor had 10 acres that where part of the original Ranch, my husband and I were able to work a deal with the neighbor to purchase it from her (she gets to live on it, it's a whole deal... that makes me want adult beverages) so technically we have what was originally deeded to the family way back before someone slept with someone and had a debt to pay back in the family for a total of 160 acres.
As for livestock the rundown is: 17 cows (6 babies so far - we are in our calving season), 5 heifers, 3 steers, 1 bull, a bunch of chickens and turkeys (they are my brother in laws), 2 mini donkeys (a gelded jack and a jenny), 4 ewes,1 weather and a ram. Between the 3 houses there are 8 dogs who are spoiled rotten (2 goldens, a cattle dog - no one trained unfortunately, a Pyrenees mix also untrained, a new husky and a Heinz 57 rescue who IS being trained and a chihuahua who is a princess). Oh and we have a total of 3 teenagers... who well, they are getting trained in ranch life as they all lived in the city till recently. 2:3 have spent summers here so it's been less of a battle.
Picture of last years yearlings breaking into the yard.
I married into a cattle family that has been doing this since the 1800s. We have had ever iteration of additional animals over the years I have been told through legend... including the story about a goat that jumped on a freshly repaired/painted vehicle and my husband's sweet grandfather throwing a pitchfork at it. Luckily the goat jumped but grandpa put the fork through the windshield. Now some may balk when I say "ranch", but the way my very salty father in law explains it - "We don't grow vegetables or fruit here, only meat. That makes us a RANCH not a farm." Personally, I'm all for either lol! The philosophy here on the ranch - regardless of the livestock is all of our animals live their absolute best life until they leave.
Currently there are 3 generations living here, and it has become quite the compound. My in-laws were running it for the family for years until the past few where my brother in law moved home (in to the original house), a cousin moved home (put her own house on the property) and we live with my father in law on his own 2 acres "next door". The neighbor had 10 acres that where part of the original Ranch, my husband and I were able to work a deal with the neighbor to purchase it from her (she gets to live on it, it's a whole deal... that makes me want adult beverages) so technically we have what was originally deeded to the family way back before someone slept with someone and had a debt to pay back in the family for a total of 160 acres.
As for livestock the rundown is: 17 cows (6 babies so far - we are in our calving season), 5 heifers, 3 steers, 1 bull, a bunch of chickens and turkeys (they are my brother in laws), 2 mini donkeys (a gelded jack and a jenny), 4 ewes,1 weather and a ram. Between the 3 houses there are 8 dogs who are spoiled rotten (2 goldens, a cattle dog - no one trained unfortunately, a Pyrenees mix also untrained, a new husky and a Heinz 57 rescue who IS being trained and a chihuahua who is a princess). Oh and we have a total of 3 teenagers... who well, they are getting trained in ranch life as they all lived in the city till recently. 2:3 have spent summers here so it's been less of a battle.
Picture of last years yearlings breaking into the yard.