Days That Make You Question If Being a Rancher Is Worth It
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- Опубліковано 23 бер 2024
- It seems like this last week has been filled with nothing but problems and challenges. Some days ranching and farming really make you question if you want to live this type of life. There’s many easier ways to try and make a living but ranching and farming seem to get in your blood and you can’t seem to think of wanting to do anything else. In this video I open up a lot about the mental struggles that go along with ranching and farming and discuss how they affect me emotionally.
You'll be right mate !
you're working for yourself and family, and home each day.
keep your chin up good son
they're goin' great
Thanks for posting
🦅
Hey Scott! I want some of that Australian heat sent this way haha! But not too much of it! Hope you had a good week!
Good morning Sir
It takes a special effort
To do what you do .
Thank you be safe
Thank you! You too!
Oh my goodness,
What a day....but you Made it and you did a great job 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing Bryan.
It was a rough few days haha. It’s nice being on the other side of it now and looking back. Thanks for watching!
Looks like you have everything in control. Just keep kicking it, better times are just around the corner. Have a blessed week.
Thank you! Hope everything is going well for you in your neck of the woods!
As best we can. Got some much needed rain. Now mending fences. @@LuthiRanchWY
It's not a guilt trip my friend, it's reality for thousands of farmers world wide, whether it be snow and sub-zero temps or 10 year droughts and temps over 40. You just need to remind those who sit in their cosy armchairs that there are no dying stock on a sewered suburban block. I admire your tenacity.
Thanks for the comment! We all have our own unique challenges to face with our respective climates. It is nice to think that all of us in agriculture go through a lot of the same challenges and are in the same boat.
Getting up early, fresh air, big bucks…heck yes!
Haha there’s no better life that’s for sure. It has its days sometimes though.
As a livestock producer…it’s a 24/7…. But the life of a farmer is such a great life….God Bless you…. Have a great day..
It’s is non stop some days and it does wear on you. But as you said it’s hard to find a better life. The lows are low and the highs are high
I used to use a rubber truck mat in my bed of my truck. I think you should put one in that shed for the calfs(calves?). It may help them stand in place of that concrete.
Hardest work when one is so tired. Stay strong.
Luv these vids. Keep 'em commin'.
Thanks for the comment! That’s a great idea to throw down on the concrete floor I was brainstorming on something they would work there.
Farming surely does get in your blood. I don know how you make it work and do your job. I really enjoy your channel. It's really one of the most interesting and realistic ones on UA-cam. Thanks for sharing your day to day life
Thanks for the comment! I love hearing when people enjoy our channel! It gives me motivation to keep making the videos.
Star Valley winters are pretty bad, probably worse than Teton Valley (my home). I start calving mid April. I feel for you. You’re doing great, keep it up, Spring will come.
Always love hearing from our neighbors! You guys seem to be in the same situation as us with Jackson spreading out and people looking for more places to buy up farmland to put in subdivisions. Good luck with your calving season!
I remember the days of four hours of sleep out of 24 - that was rough then, and I was warm inside my house with a baby I could pick up easily! Mad respect for y'all that do this work.
Did you ever find the abandoned calf's mother?
Thanks for the comment! I never did find the mother to the abandoned calf
Those rows of bales bring back memories 😂😂
That's just one of the 1001 reason why that bombardier was such a great addition for the farmer or rancher.
Had to remove snow from the sides so the loader would fit. Plus clean area for a semi to pick up loads of hay.
Pulled out lots of skid steers for farmers that git stuck in the snow
You have to send me a picture of this bombardier! I’m not exactly sure what it looks like. Is it like a snow cat?
It's all part of the game Bryan the ups and downs It's perfectly natural to feel that way from time to time. I remember an old timer told me once " The Big Man only gives ya what he thinks you can handle" but I've had times it felt like I was chasing my tale. Looking back now at my cow milking years we did win production awards for a few years and it's the pressure you put on yourself to succeed and it sure sez a lot about your work ethic. Winters hanging on out your way that's a fact once things warm up and you get by mud season things will move right along 99% of people can't or won't push themselves like farmers and ranchers do, well I've go on long enough. Great video stay safe. PS how's the Elk situation
Thanks for the comment George! I always appreciate your advice and experience that you share with me! It’s nice having that stretch of calving season behind us! We are getting towards the tail end of things now. Still no elk showing up which I am not complaining about. Hope you and your family are doing great!
Caring for animals and going the extra mile to do everything you can for them takes a lot of empathy, and it’s really hard to access that when you are exhausted. Hopefully sun comes out and you get some rest.
It’s interesting the effects lack of sleep can have on you emotionally. While I was editing this video I could tell how out of it I was, almost delirious. Glad to be on the other side of it now. Thanks for the comment!
Morning Bryan! I had a feeling this calving season would give you a test but your really doing a good job keeping all these calves alive, and that my friend is a success!! I think we all have dealt with the fatigue demons and a little shut eye will help! Great video, and yes you are showing the viewers what reality really is!!
Thanks Bob! I like that “the fatigue demons” because that what they are. It’s amazing what a good night sleep can fix. Glad you enjoyed the video. I’m glad to have that stretch of calving season behind us! How are things going for you and your operation?
All is good out here. Still raining, water turns on the 15th of April. Get some rest!!@@LuthiRanchWY
Great video Bryan
Thanks 👍
Good luck calving Bryan
Thank you!
Morning, definitely cold there
What sucks is that , calf's are the most helpless creatures in the world. I lost a bottle baby after 2 months. Called him blue cuz he was so unhappy. He would suck like crazy but didn't swallow, I had to tube him all the time and he eventually died , terrible. So sad . , farming sucks but is the most rewarding thing, your making / giving life really, they are all dependent on ya . Great job. 5 weeks ago we lost 11 piglets and the sow but have one in our house , sleeping like a baby right now. Great job doing what u do .
Farming definitely has its ups and downs and a few days in between that make you question if you really want to do it haha. Sorry to hear about your pig and piglets. People don’t realize how much we really do care for our animals and we take it to heart when we lose them. Thanks for the comment! Good luck with everything else you have going on!
@@LuthiRanchWY ditto on the ups and downs along with questioning your sanity. Sell the milk tank and get more calf warmer's is my suggestion lol 🤪
Haha thanks
You put out good content. You definitely keep it real and authentic. I hope to the folks that arent in agriculture see what ranchers and farmers go through everyday to supply food to peoples tables. The most important thing is for folks to see how much care goes into every single animal. How do you stand dealing with all that snow though?
Thanks for the comment! I try to show things as they really are. The snow does wear on my a little bit, especially this time of year when it’s April and there still a foot and a half of it left to melt. I guess it just makes me enjoy summer and fall that much more haha
Very nice job of showing the life that many will never know in modern times. Just keep telling yourself how lucky you are to work 3 times as hard for 1/3 the pay. When you take them to the high country it will seem worth it.
Haha I love that “work 3 times as hard for a 1/3 of the pay,” never been truer words! I will be excited for them to be up on the range this summer. I love what I do, ranching and farming brings a lot more joy into my life that what it takes away. It has its days though. Thanks for the comment! Hope you are doing well!
Nice looking cows and calves Bryan
Thanks!
Thanks Bryan!
Thank you!
We’re farming here in Ireland. I completely understand, we say the same thing every year after calving and lambing, but every year we put the cows back in calf and the sheep back in lamb. I suppose us farmers are just hard wired and that’s it. I’ve had the phantom calf thing a couple of times, I wonder was it a twin…?
If I’ve asked you this before sorry but what part of Ireland? We visited Ireland just over a year ago to visit my sister and her husband and we had a chance to drive around part of your country. Very beautiful there! It seems like a common theme with everyone saying it’s not worth it sometimes but then we go and do the exact same thing the next year haha. Thanks for the comment!
@LuthiRanchWY We’re just outside Tullamore in County Offaly. Midlands.
Just found your channel and I admire your tenacity in caring for the young calves. With the cold weather and being sleep deprived your doing an excellent job on mother's and baby's. Where do live in USA or Canada? God bless.
Thanks! It’s been a busy calving season. I live in the USA in western Wyoming. Where are you from?
Australia.🙂
I’d love to make it there for a visit one day! I spent a month in New Zealand when I was in my early twenties but that’s as close as I’ve gotten so far. Hope you have a great week!
Remember watching where the elks were coming down at night eating your round bails are they still doing that? I couldn't handle all that snow...but love ranching..Nelson from Woodbine Texas.
Luckily we have had a much milder winter this year so we haven’t had the elk problem like last year. We also put up an elk fence too not sure if you saw that video or not.
Company hired me to pu in a 1/2 mile of fence. They had a track skid steer pulling a post pounder. He was getting stuck all the time.
Came there to pull him out. He's waving his hands for me to stop. The told me I was going to get stuck. Told nope. He wanted to unhook pounder from his machine so I could pull him. No again. He couldn't believe I pulled out both at once. My experience skid steers are useless in mud and snow. A guy on a lease was stuck and the tracks just sat there and spun. Wasn't really nothing at all. Luckily my truck pulled him out. My kinetic rope saved the day. No more stories please😂😂
Haha seems like it’s a very handy piece of equipment! I’d love to see a picture of it.
I noticed that you have some barns and sheds on your place . Is there any way to build some pens in them to bring in new pairs to mother up. Then in a few days turn them out with the main herd?
Also , just wanted to say that you are doing a great job. Hang in there, get your rest when you can .
When I first started my herd I actually calved them in that big quonset hut but I only had 10 head then. I have thought along the same lines as your thinking though. Shuttling them through the Quonset hut when they first calve then kicking them out as pairs on the Idaho side and if my Dads herd of cows weren’t over there that’s probably what I would do. I’m wanting to build or buy some bigger calf sheds like the ones you’ve seen in the video and have them out there in the pasture for that purpose, put the newborn and mom in there for a day or two then just kick them out. That way I don’t have to try and move the new born and calf so far and I don’t have the mess in the Quonset to try and keep cleaned up through the winter. But I agree with your thinking! Always trying to think of ways to do things better!
@@LuthiRanchWY thanks so much for replying. I like your idea of calving sheds similar to your calf sheds. I hope that you can make it happen.
Great video. I really enjoy your videos. Do you ever get tired or the snow and cold? Not sure if I can handle it.
Thanks! Glad to hear you been enjoying our videos. The snow and cold weather definitely starts to wear on me especially this time of year where winters been going on for awhile now. I’m always happy when spring shows up!
Brian, great video, thanks.
If it was easy, a lot more people would do it. You can no more quit ranching than you can quit your family and think about what Ellis is learning.
That calf warmer seems worth its weight in gold.
Did you cut that Hereford bull calf the day he was born? If so, just curious about timing. Doesn’t that add more stress on day one?
Keep your chin up, we all go through low spots.
It definitely gets in your blood! I’m excited to keep teaching Ellis things and now Stevie also. That calf warmer has been priceless. I’ve even thought about getting a second one just for the few times it would have been handy. I do band the bulls on the day they are born. It probably does add a bit more stress to them that first day but it seems like if I wait I have a hard time catching them haha. My Dad waits to do his until we bring them in in the spring for branding. I don’t know what’s better waiting till they are bigger or just getting it done right off.
Keep up the good fight
Thank you!
I like how you found the bottle baby…. That baby knows the Maaaaaa….when you call it….
Haha it’s funny how fast they mother up to you and learn your noises
Give yourself a pat on the back fight through problems that goes with taking care of cattle. Great job if I had cattle you could care for them any time.👍
Only thing you won't have to wade through a river to fetch a calf.😂😂
Thanks! I appreciate that comment.
Do you have a bucket for the front of the tractor? It would make clearing the snow from the bales so much easier for you.
We do have a bucket for the front of the tractor. It’s kind of a pain to switch it back and forth so I don’t do it too often through the winter.
That’s MY bry guy😻
😘
How do you feel about the Game & Fish proposal to issue Type 8 tags for elk?
I’m not familiar with this.
@@LuthiRanchWY "Wyoming Game And Fish Proposes Unlimited Elk Tags To Cut Down On Gigantic Herds" on Cowboy State Daily.
I wasn’t aware they had something like that. I guess in my opinion i would do what ever is healthiest for the elk herd. Too large of herds can probably be just as detrimental to the herd as too few. Also with the large herds it seems like you can have a lot of elk/rancher/farmer conflicts. I feel like ranchers and farmers have every right to protect their crops and livelihoods from elk and other animals. Using ethical means of course
@@LuthiRanchWY I think so too. I know you spent a fair amount of time and money dealing with trying to keep them away from your hay and alfalfa. The winter wasn't kind to antelope and mule deer this year, but the elk just powered through it.
So how many calves are you up to?
Since the time I recorded this video we are up to 45
Can you have it so there is no breeding going on so no new calves to worry about?
Like not doing a cow/calf operation? Of calving a different time of year?
Keeping Bulls away from the cows so no breeding?@@LuthiRanchWY
Sorry, I'm naive on this. @@LuthiRanchWY
Well we could totally change the way we do things and not be a cow/calf operation. We could go to running yearlings, so year old calves that are no longer nursing their moms. You make money that way just by putting weight on them. There’s a different set of risks and difficulties that go with that also. I’ve thought about that also. Just run yearlings on the range in the summer sell them in the fall, not keep any animals on the ranch through the winter and just try and sell all the hay we produce. That’s an option and we might lean towards that as I get older and loose my desire to work so hard haha. I’ve tried to figure out ways to change my calving season though so I’m not calving in such harsh conditions but still utilizing our range permits to their full potential. I haven’t found a silver bullet yet though haha
I understand and thanks for your thoughts, and hope things work out for you and family.@@LuthiRanchWY
Lambing Sheep is even worse for sleep deprivation!
I’ve never done anything with sheep so I’ll have to take your word on that.
💩yy weather and calving are never good for the calfs and the farmer.
I’ve really been brainstorming ways to do things different where I don’t have to calve in the winter but still try to utilize our Range permits.