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!
This was a subject that I really did not want to revisit on Ranch Raised, but staying true to who I am and showing the good, bad, and the ugly of this lifestyle, I’m forced to share how wildfires are once again ravaging cattle country. Yesterday and last night, a nearly 200 mile line of dry lightening not only lit up the sky but also, unfortunately the prairie across Nebraska and South Dakota. Many of these areas that were ignited are close to the fires that were just extinguished. Beyond the fire ravaged landscape this also means that our rural fire fighting resources are further depleted on a human and financial level.
For those that are not from the Sandhills area, I don’t think it can be fully understood how far and few between rural, volunteer fire departments are. Imagine calling in a fire and knowing that the nearest fire department is at least 30 miles away and their mutual aid is another 30 miles away. And those 30 miles are not exactly down a smooth, two lane highway, but instead a one lane sand trail. In our area ranchers with fire rigs are the first line of defense. And let me tell you, they are tired. It is calving season. Their emotional bank and cup of energy are running near empty. We are all tired of praying for the wind to go down and for actual moisture to fall from the sky.
Lord, we are weary. Calm the wind. Quench the earth. Protect the people who live to serve their herds, their families, and their communities. And to that I hope we can all give a collective, “AMEN”!
karina@youragnetwork.com or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
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