Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
We are just getting through an Arctic Blast that has hit the Midwest and wreaked a lot of havoc on our friends to the south. Personally we didn’t get much snow or moisture out of the deal at all. It was eerily still which make it feel like you were walking into a deep freezer when you stepped outside. But we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the warm up is on its way.
Yesterday I had to travel the long the trip down to our old ranch to check on some things. On a frigid Sunday afternoon, in the middle of cattle country, it was basically me, the ranchers that were pulling on and off the highway to feed and check cows and the open road. I would guess I could count more bale bed pick ups in my 4 hour trip that most see in a year! And all I could think about was, “how their cows were doing” “I wonder when they start calving” “I wonder if their windmills froze up or if they have solar wells?” “I hope the heater works in that pick up.” “I wonder how cold their feet are.” “Do they use an axe or a chainsaw to open up their tanks, riverbanks, or lakes to let the cows water.” Probably not a single typical thought that most people think about.
I hardly listen to the radio. After all, a solo 4 hour car ride gives me time mentally decompress from my daily life and marks me safe from having to listen to any world or national news. As I drive that stretch of blacktop between our ranches, despite the bitter cold and all the challenges that a ranching brings, I can’t help but be more thankful than ever to live where we do. For I know that this kind of country isn’t for everybody, but it dang sure is all right with me. I’ve got ice to chop and heifers to feed, so I’ll check back in with you tomorrow, right here on Ranch Raised!
karina@youragnetwork.com or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
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