Raise them right. Family ranching and hard work
As many of you know we run our sheep ranch year round. For the last few years we have added in a few bottle calves from our friends in Warwick, ND. This year we added 8 bottle calves to our ranch. We have 2 black angus heifers “former bottle babies” from last year Abby and Fiona and this year we have added; Rocky, Roman, Buck, Danger, Frankie, Toughy, Bunny and Penny. 6 steers and 2 heifers! All of our calves are black, Penny is out of a pure black angus mother and father, but is our only red calf. She’s so sweet!
Abby and Fiona are the best “aunties” to the new crew! The “aunties” would lick the littles faces and they all play together. They are both very nurturing to the new littles! The little calves, licks and skips are adorable! Our two heifers just got AI’d (artificially inseminated) a few months ago, which has been so fun to be learning all about that? Did you know you could go to a 3 day school in Oklahoma to learn how to AI cows?!
Our days have been busy, but we truly do care about the health and well being of all of our animals! They are so loved and adored! Teamwork at its finest here on the ranch. We asked the boys the other night what they wanted to do when they get older, our oldest son (6.5) said “a welder and a rancher with daddy.” Our middle son (4) said a custom combiner and sprayer. That made Lance (my husband) and I very happy.
I am learning that cows are so different than sheep. It has been exciting to see the difference between these two animals. The speed at which the cows eat is so much slower than the sheep. The cows in general have more of a calm temperament and gentle movements compared to the flighty/frantic sheep. When we bottle feed, we plan to have this as part of our chores for a few months at least. We soak in all the snuggles and love in the meantime!
I am grateful we can do this journey with our children. Teaching them all about hard work, dedication, determination and responsibility in caring for our animals. We would love for them to never think of this as something they HAVE to do, rather something that they are happy to get to do.
Lance also helps a family farmer friend on occasion during planting season. The boys LOVE to go with and help out. The boys and now our daughter love to tag along. Especially on the first day of the season. I love that they get to spend time independent of one another with their daddy! I also love the different facets our children get to experience because we live here!
Jeremiah 29:11
-Kelly
