Ranch Raised

While all of us can see the country of origin label on every thing in the store from bananas to our kids underwear, did you know that beef and pork are excluded from country of origin labeling laws.

Calving is in full swing around the country. For most areas it has been a mild winter which lends itself to getting a little more sleep. While that is surely a blessing, the hearts and minds of many farmers and ranchers are riddled with other burdens.

Build your arsenal of tried-and-true recipes because you never know when there will be impromptu cattle working, a few extra hands for field work, or your kids will have an activity that requires calories, I mean snacks. I’m here to help.

Any of you farm and ranch ladies out there start looking at your calendar, and seeing April 1 and your heart starts racing with pace you know you will be running and a wash of anxiety over takes you for a moment. Okay, just me.

We are rounding out National Ag Week. It is a warm and fuzzy few days when it feels like politicians and big ag gives us little people a nod and wink and says, “this ones for you.”

Have you ever looked through the pages of home décor magazines and wondered, “does anyone cook in that kitchen?” I am so confused by the farmhouse kitchen trend. I mean, live in a pretty farmy and ranchy neighborhood and that is not what kitchens around here look like.

You will just have to take my word for what I describe because it’s not like I’m every going to pour you a cup of coffee and say, “Hey, let’s go back to the laundry room and chat.” There are things you can not unsee in that room.

Everything on social media today is telling me that it is National Ag Day and that we are in the middle of National Ag Week. So let’s dive in and really take a look at what that looks like on the Jones Ranch. It is not as romantic as what magazines, social media and TV shows might portray.

Spring is so busy on the outside of our home, that very little attention is given to domestic chores on the inside of the home. This week, I will give you an audio tour of my home and paint a picture with my words that may make you shutter in horror or if you are my people, you will probably nod your head in acceptance and say, “that sounds familiar.”