Rosemary asked: How many acres is your ranch? Is all of that useable grazing land? Do you also run cattle on federal land leases?
Rosemary, welcome to Red Dirt country! I guess I haven’t discussed this in a Q&A for a while, so I suppose it’s time. I understand the thought behind the question… kind of like, “I own a ranch on five acres”, or “I live on a ranch outside town, we have 20 acres!” Around the western U.S. (and other places) to ask either how many acres a person owns, or how many cows they run on their ranch, is equivalent to me asking you how much you make a year. Granted, some people would share that information with someone they’ve met for five minutes, but the majority of ranchers consider those questions either rude or intrusive. I understand it is asked out of “ignorance” of local belief systems, but I’m still not going to share! Most ranchers when asked those questions are too polite to correct you, and you’ll get an evasive answer… “Too many!” “Enough” “I’m not really sure…” I will simply say we’re just average for Wyoming. Next question. Usable grazing land. I’m a little unsure about this question. We don’t graze our fields. We don’t graze cliff faces or rock, which Wyoming has in abundance. Final question. Yes.
Sandy asked: You mention Matthew’s dedication. I don’t want to be nosy, but am wondering what a “dedication” is?
Basically, you are just announcing to your family and church that you will be raising up Matthew with bible teachings. He will learn the stories, the parables, the messages of the Bible, as to becoming a Christian. It has nothing to do with baptism or being saved or anything else. It’s a commitment by those around him to expose him to the Word until he can make his own choice when he is older.
Liza: When you move cattle from one pasture to another do you have to have a brand inspector check each move, or is that only when they’re moving off the property?
We use brand inspectors only when we sell cattle and move them out of county. We are a one brand/one place kind of ranch, so there isn’t a need for more inspections, they aren’t off our property (unless trailing) until they’re sold.
Joanne: With water on the ranch do all kids learn to swim when they are young?
My friend from Minnesota laughs at all of us Wyomingites who aren’t very good swimmers! I can float and get across a pool or a creek, though the basic crawl freaks me out (I almost drowned as a kid… at least that’s how I remember it, so I either want to be underwater or out, but halfway is just WRONG) I took my kids to swim lessons and at some point maybe the grandkids will go, but Tess was on a swim team…
OK. Just lost the rest of my questions and answers I’ve been working on for an hour.
It’s midnight.
I’m tired.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll do this AGAIN.
Sigh.
Good night.
Find me here!
over the lifetime of the ranch has the size changed much. do you still own all the original land and has it been added to over the years? I am asking in general terms no amounts needed.