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!
Just an ole cow! Thanks for starting your week with me right her on Ranch Raised.
Earlier this fall, we had cow come in from summer range who was packing a back leg. Upon further inspection is was clear she suffered an injury that she wouldn’t recover from. Her next destination would be a decision that a lot of farm and ranch families, just like mine make. We made a call to our favorite butcher shop.
When I look out my kitchen window and see these cows grazing, I see things that most do not see. Yes, I see black and Hereford hides grazing on green grass under a clear blue sky. It is romantic and as Yellowstone-esque as it gets. But I also see food security. These are the cattle that will fill my freezer to nourish my family and I take that very seriously.
So while this cow had a major flaw she lived out her life fulfilling a huge calling, maybe my favorite of all the things she did and that is feeding my family. Half of the meat it went it chubs of ground beef and patties. The other half went in to a delicacy what we only splurge on every few years because of the processing costs. We had a few hundred pounds of that grind made into summer sausage and beef sticks of different flavors! This comes in so handy to pull out for quick lunches and snacks. These pack perfectly for summer days in the hayfield or long trips in the semi.
And now you know another reason that I am so committed to this way of life. When I am out there chopping ice and scooping bunks, I am dreaming of the days where I can grab a package of beef sticks from a cow that lived a good life and enjoy a snack with my family!
Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 4 children near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Watching the cattle industry go the path that it has gone, she could no longer sit quietly at home checking cows, fixing fence, and doing all the everyday tasks wondering when some else was going to make it all better. As she became more active and outspoken on industry issues, she was asked to join the R-CALF USA staff in September 2020 as the Checkoff Petition Campaign manager. That position transcended into her former role as full time Field Director for R-CALF USA.
Listen to Ranch Raised on a Your Ag Network hometown station or www.youragnetwork.com where she talks about her daily life on the Jones Ranch.
Cattle producers are her people. She will meet you at the county fair, at the sale barn, or anywhere the dusty trail leads.
[email protected] or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
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