Mercy for Animals

Recently Mercy for Animals released a video of animal cruelty.  They suggest that you should go vegan because of it.  I think the video is horrible and it makes me very angry that there are people in the agriculture industry that give the rest of us a bad name.  Most people that I know that are in the cattle industry are doing it because they love what they do.  They aren't doing it for the money or the GREAT hours that the job provides.  On my Grandads ranch the cattle always came first, we all knew that.  It didn't matter if you had plans if something was sick or needed fed that was your first priority.  So I hope that the people that are not educated about the cattle industry don't take what these "bad eggs" have done and pass judgement on the rest of us.  I know if I saw someone doing these awful acts on ANY animal they better have a good pair of tennis shoes on because I would be coming after you!!! 

Work Ethic

Recently we have been trying to hire for 2 positions here at the feedlot.  They are entry level positions.  I can't believe how hard it has been to fill either position.  People will come in for the interview and we will hire them.  They may show up for a day or may not even show up at all.  It is just crazy to me how a job is not important to some people.  Growing up I was always taught that if I wanted something I had to work for it.  We were also taught to keep our equipment maintained also.  Granted we didn't have the nice new equipment but what we had did the job.  It may of been 30 years old but we always kept it in nice shape.   Back than I thought that my grandad was just being hard on us but now when I look back it was the best thing that could of ever happened.  First of all it kept me out of trouble.  Secondly, I valued what I spent my money on.  My grandparents have 6 grand kids.  So that meant my grandad had a full hay crew.  The best thing about the summer was every year after haying and the seed was sent down the road we got to take a trip.  We usually had 4 days worth of action packed adventure packed into 2 days.  Those trips always made the memory of the 100 degree weather on a tractor with the sun beating down on you wither away.  I guess what I'm getting at is that growing up I didn't get a choice of calling the boss or not showing up at all.  I was taught that EVERYONE is always replaceable and when you go earn a dollar make sure you put in a two dollar effort and when you use someone else's stuff treat it with respect. I'm glad I had this kind of bringing up because I wouldn't be where I am today.

It's Friday!!!

The one good thing about living the "town life" is the perks of an 8 to 5 job Monday through Friday.  It's nice to get away from the job and have the weekend for "me" time.  The "me" time consists of cleaning my house, laundry, shopping, and having a good time with my son.  It's funny how you get accustomed to living "in town".  Where I currently live you can say that I live out in the country. I do have to drive on a gravel road to get to my house.  It's funny how "out in the country" can mean so many different meanings.  Where I live I still can be in town in 5 minutes. If I forgot milk or if I don't feel like cooking I can pick something up at a drive thru.  Now that's a different story for most people that live in the Sandhills of Nebraska.  First of all, getting to go to town is AWESOME!  You get to break out your good clothes, actually do your hair and even put on some makeup. When we went to town we always had to make sure that the trip was well worth it.  We always had to pick up parts or take something back.  When we went to Walmart we bought groceries that would last a month.  You always bought stuff in bulk.  I could always go to my Grandma's pantry and it was like shopping in a mini Walmart.  She always had 4 or 5 of everything.  At my Grandma's if you went downstairs she had cases and cases of fruits and vegetables.  Living on a ranch 17 miles from civilization you had to.  She had to be prepared to be snowed in or not having any "me" time to go to the store for a good month.  Also cooking for hired men and grandkids it took a lot of food.  I guess looking back I wonder "did my Grandma ever get any "me" time?"  I mean going to town was a chore in itself.   First she had to make a meal that would keep and be ready for the guys to eat while she was gone.  We had to leave early am so we could have a good day to do all of my Grandad's running around for him.  Than to top off that she always had at least 2 grandkids with her and believe me we were no angels.  I guess the best part of her trip was she had at least one meal that day cooked by someone else.  So my point of all of this is I have it pretty good living the "town life."  My job ends when I leave work.  Yeah I might get a phone call or two from a customer but for the most part my job stops when I leave work.  Being a rancher it's a never ending job.  There is no 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. There is always something on someone that needs fed. 

I'm new at this..

Let me introduce myself, I am a 30 year old working mother. I currently work at a feedlot in Central Nebraska.   I am the Finance Loan Officer (aka jack of all trades).  I have a 2 year old son that keeps me on my toes.  I can say that my life never has a dull moment.  My grandparents were life long ranchers. 

My purpose of this blog is to give you insight about growing up on a ranch, and how it has impacted my everyday life. I would like to keep the tradition of the "cowboy way of life" alive.  I think to many people forget the simple things in life.  Im am very PROUD to say that I work in the cattle industry.  I think the cattle producer gets overlooked on how hard they work to get prime, healthy and safe meat on your dinner table.

Feel free to pass this blog on to your friends and let me know what you think.  This is my first time of starting a blog.  I thought I was in the "now" knowing and using Facebook and Myspace.  Now everyone has a blog.  How things have changed since I was in school.  I would of never of thought that you could catch up on all the "happenings" without picking up the phone.