030- One Hell of a Life

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Love it or hate it, "Yellowstone", has been a hit series over the past few years. As someone who grew up on a cattle ranch, when I watch the show, I find myself critiquing the accuracy of the show portraying life on a cattle ranch. {Let's forget about all the violence for this blog post. I don't ever plan to address that, but I will say that it's pretty extreme; it's nothing that I ever experienced growing up on a cattle ranch.}

What made me decide to do a post on this topic? Awhile back, I wrote a post about a book that I received at the Ascent Retreat that I went to in March of this year. The book is Rooted: How I stay small town strong when life gets hard and how you can too by Lewellyn Melnyk. I wrote a post about the book too- you can find it here. On page 87, Melnyk talks about a conversation that John Dutton has with his grandson Tate in the 3rd season about how hard ranching is. Here's how the conversation goes:

John: “Ranching’s a terrible business, grandson,”

Tate: “Terrible? How?”

John: “Well where do I start? We can’t control the price of beef, or hay, or the diesel it takes to take the cattle to auction or the hay out to the cattle. There’s federal regulations, state regulations, county regulations… There’s people in the city suing us – complaining about the way we raise the food they eat. What else? Lizards and droughts… And half the herd trying to kill itself in the river and the other half looking for a hole in the fence… So they can stand in the middle of the highway and get hit by a car. Or wander into the forest and get eaten by a grizzly..."

Tate: "Well, if ranching is so hard, why do we do it?"

John: "Because it's one hell of a life, Tate. One hell of a life."

Watch the scene HERE.

I have a confession- I absolutely love the scenes with John Dutton and his grandson Tate. It is, by far, my favorite part of the show. Besides the topic that I want to discuss today, I think this is a testament to how grandparents are different with their grandkids than they were with their own kids. Maybe we will discuss that another day. In sticking with the cowboy grandpa thing, here's a photo of my dad and J.T. when he was about three. This is one of my favorites from J.T.'s toddler years.

When I was growing up, working on the ranch was not my favorite thing to do. I would've rather been in town with my friends. There were usually a few complaints coming from my sister and I on cattle-work days. I lost track of the number of times my dad said, "you know girls, people PAY MONEY to do this." As you can imagine, this was met with grumbling and eye rolls. At the time, we had no appreciation that it was, in fact, one hell of a life.

Through the character of Yellowstone's John Dutton, we get a glimpse into the challenging yet rewarding world of ranching. Ranchers have a connection to their land. They understand every nook and cranny, every water source, every fence line, and the behavior of the wildlife that shares their space. There is no better environmentalist than a rancher.

Ranching is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's a life that demands physical strength, resilience, and an unwavering work ethic. Real-life ranchers face long days-- there is no such thing as a 9-5 ranching job. My dad used to say, "we work 7 days a week when we have to; 5 days a week when we can." Adverse weather conditions is also a rancher's reality.

One of the most appealing aspects of ranching, as shown by John Dutton's determination to protect his legacy, is the passing down of traditions and values from one generation to the next. Approximately 98% of farms and ranches in the United States are family owned. The sense of continuity and the preservation of a way of life hold immense significance. The legacy of ranching is not just about cattle and land; it's about passing on a unique lifestyle and a set of values.

There is no shortage of challenges in agriculture. Some of these are a fluctuating cattle market; cost of inputs; threat of predators; labor sources and costs; weather; the constant maintenance required for infrastructure; and so much more. However, there are rewards as well. Ranchers witness the beauty of nature everyday, experience the satisfaction of nurturing animals and land, and enjoy a degree of self-sufficiency that few other lifestyles offer.

One of my favorite parts of ranching is the tight-knit community. Neighbors and friends come together in times of need, whether it's a wildfire threatening their land, the annual branding day requiring extra hands, or being able to borrow a piece of equipment when yours is in the shop. I have no experience in other fields of agriculture, but I can say without a doubt, that in the beef cattle and dairy industries, help from our community is just a phone call a way.

Ranching is indeed one hell of a life, with its rugged lifestyle, deep connections to the land, and the enduring sense of legacy. It's a life that's not for everyone, but for those who choose it, it's a passion that can't be easily shaken. So, whether you're a fan of the show or simply intrigued by the world of ranching, one thing is clear: the challenges of ranching are outweighed by the unique rewards and the enduring legacy it brings to those who embrace it.

Now when I hear things like "people would pay money to do this" or "ranching is one hell of a life," I have an appreciation that I didn't have as a kid. I am proud to say that I grew up on a ranch. I am also proud of what Andy and I have built, and that we've been able to raise our family in the beef and dairy business. To all ranchers and dairymen out there, be proud of yourselves!