Tag Archives: ranch life

Our favorite articles about ranch life in Northeast Texas posted on TexasHomesteader.com

Mentoring and Paying It Forward

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

When we first purchased our property neither one of us had ever lived or worked on a ranch and we had no idea where to start. Thankfully one of our first local acquaintances was a veteran cattleman who purchased our first calves for us at a livestock auction.

Not only were we holding down full-time jobs in Dallas without flexibility to attend these auctions ourselves but we’d never been to an auction before and were very intimidated by the entire process. This wonderful gentleman purchased those calves and brought them to his corrals to work them for us, then delivered them to our own fledgling ranch. He is a valued friend and mentor even today.

Help others by being a mentor. Pay it forward when you can. #TexasHomesteader

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Country Beauty Through A City Girl’s Eyes

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Guest post by Ashley

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I have always lived in the city.  My parents bought a beautiful stretch of country when I was just a young girl, but we still lived in the city.  They didn’t sustain themselves on the wealth of the land until I was grown and already moved across the United States, so this is all still relatively new to me.

Since I moved to North Carolina I only get to come out and visit about once a year and even then my time is stretched across Texas to try and visit all of my old friends and family. However this trip I was able to sit back and relax a little more, smell the country air, look at the little details and actually appreciate the things that my parents see every day. Things that are new, wondrous, and amazing to me is nothing but an old piece of equipment to them. So allow me to take you on a tour of the Homestead with what wondrous things these city eyes see.

It's a wondrous world in the country, especially when viewed through a city-girl's eyes. Come see & experience with me #TexasHomesteader

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New CowGirl Employees at The Ranch

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

The drought of 2011 was a hard one on our Texas ranch but somehow we struggled through.  However the subsequent consecutive year of drought in 2012 forced us to sell off some of our hand-picked registered cattle in order to assure there was grazing and water available for our remaining herd.

Thankfully the winter rains came and replenished our ponds. We were able to get through that year by utilizing stocker animals to add to or take off our pastures as the grass came and went during the seasons.

Recently we added new cattle to our herd. #TexasHomesteader

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What’s The Reflection You See In The Mirror Worth?

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

In any business there’s ample opportunity to get ahead at someone else’s expense. That little voice in your head that says “C’mon, no one’s looking.  Besides, EVERYONE’S doing it!  It’s the nice guy who finishes last!” 

I’d be lying if I said that voice doesn’t whisper to me just as much as it does to the next guy. But I can say that I remain PROUD of the image I see in the mirror looking back at me. I won’t compromise my principles to get ahead.

Temptation is out there - no one's looking, so why not? Staying PROUD of the reflection in your mirror #TexasHomesteader

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Self Employment Benefits and Risks

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by Texas Homesteader 

Working for yourself requires a special dynamic.  You must wear all hats – Public Relations Manager, Information Technology Director, CEO and CFO. And your paycheck doesn’t come at all unless you do your job well, even with circumstances that are beyond your control.

Last year we purchased our stocker calves the same as we do each year. We brought those calves home and gave them their health workup and immunizations. We poured them for parasites and castrated and dehorned where needed. Then we put those calves out on the most lush green winter pasture we had ever had. They were calm and happy, and they grew fat off of our careful attention to detail.

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1882 Elwood Barbed Wire Decorative Wall Crosses

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by Texas Homesteader 

Recently I wrote about framing a very large mirror with wood removed from our 1880’s barn during it’s exterior renovations.

The mirror included embellishment using our Elwood barbed wire dating back to 1882. We enjoy using items from our Homestead’s past and bring them close to us in our home.

We used our 1882 Elwood barbed wire found on our Texas ranch to create beautiful art for our home. Beautiful! #TexasHomesteader

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Can You Sell Animals You’ve Raised?

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by Texas Homesteader 

In November 2010, RancherMan became a certified A.I. technician. Our plan was to sell our registered black Angus bull and start producing our calves using A.I. instead. In April 2011 we began to A.I. our registered Hereford cows. That cow bred with her first A.I. The result was our very first A.I. calf. How exciting!

It's not hard for us to sell animals we've raised. It's a source of pride for us to raise quality, calm animals and we know we've given them a great life! #TexasHomesteader

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Making A Large Mirror Frame Using Reclaimed Wood

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

I needed a large barn wood mirror for our home, but large mirrors in that style are pretty pricy. So we purchased a large mirror at a thrift store and made our own using reclaimed wood from our beautiful 1880’s barn. I love the way it turned out!

We used reclaimed wood from our 1880's barn to make a beautiful mirror frame for our home. #TexasHomesteader

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