When we were kids, how many times did we hear, “Don’t go outside in your socks! You’ll wear them out.”
Or, “Put your bike in the shed before it rains, so it lasts!”
Or, “Throw on different clothes before going outside after school! You’ll wear out your school clothes!”
Truly, I’ve said similar things as a parent. It’s necessary as we grow and mature to learn how to take care of things. It helps us appreciate what we have and understand the value of the things we own.
Responsibility begins with smaller things – like a pair of boots – and it grows with proper stewardship. Maybe we get a dog, then a horse, then some cows …
A while ago, I was talking to someone unfamiliar with ranching. She ate up my words, finding my daily life fascinating. (And remember, I’m not a “cowgirl.” Meaning, many of you have skills beyond mine that she would’ve swooned over.) After our talk, she commented that she could “never take care of all of that.”
My husband and I consider ourselves privileged to ranch because neither of us grew up on one. His grandpa farmed in Georgia, but he was young when the farm sold – yet old enough to get a taste of what he wanted. His mom said since they lived in town, my hubby would saddle the arm of the couch at age 3 to practice riding. He was born for it.
I’ve shared before how we started: five unwanted cows and a Kmart corral. It was nothing to write home about, but we grew slowly on rented ground. It wasn’t easy.
But do you know what the hardest part of the journey was? Breaking into the agricultural community as newbies.
Sure, we had to convince someone to rent us a small pasture. Sure, we had to borrow money to buy cows. Sure, we had to do it in addition to other jobs. Many of us have done this.
But that hardest hurdle was being welcomed.
How can we create space for newcomers while protecting the health of agriculture?
We’ve all heard the statistics about the future of agriculture. The average age of a rancher is currently 59 and continues to get older. Not many young people want to pursue it as a career. Why is that?
Some statistics say it’s because of income. Some say the hours. These are factors, but they are often factors that can be improved. Yes, there are long days, but it doesn’t have to be every day. Income fluctuates depending on market prices, but a good income can be made.
There are universities that offer internship programs for ag students. They are placed on ranches to learn a menagerie of skills. Most of these students know little, if any, skills coming in. And let’s face it, they aren’t going to learn hands-on skills at the university.
Guess what’s happening, though. Many of them are hearing the same things we did when we started out almost 30 years ago:
- You must work seven days a week, 12 to 15 hours a day, to be a “real rancher.”
- If you didn’t grow up doing this, you have no business doing it now.
- I’ll make this as hard as possible to see if you’re worth anything.
- If you don’t do this the way I do, then you’re wrong.
- You can’t ride with us … yet.
- AHHHHHHH! ROAR!!! CUSS! GROAN! (They get yelled at.)
Is it possible that our judgments and mindsets as a broader community could be improved? I know even though we went through it, we’ve made mistakes and can get better.
There is truth to the notion that you must be tough. Ranching isn’t for the faint of heart. However, if someone didn’t grow up doing it but wants to learn, how else are they going to learn if we aren’t welcoming and patient? We are so grateful to the people who helped us and welcomed us along the way.
I understand there are folks streaming into the ranch life after watching a certain TV show, and they might not make it for the long haul. I understand annoying traits may come with these newcomers, like overconfidence and limited knowledge. It seems to me that we all started somewhere – even those who grew up on a ranch. Plus, none of us are perfect. We can’t welcome them all, but even if each of us welcomed one person, what would that do?
People are watching. How will we treat them? Will we embrace them into our community? Will we allow them to slow us down so they can learn? Who is considered “good enough”? Hopefully, it’s the one with the passionate heart.
There will be some separating the wheat from the tares as well, as a need for newcomers to earn trust. That’s part of the process. But I hope we can come alongside the good ones and help them learn so they can take care of a pair of boots, then a dog, then a horse and cows, and then … the ranch.
The longevity of agriculture depends on it.
