Farm and Ranch Living

It is with a heavy heart, yet so much gratitude, that I begin this letter—my last to you. If I were simply forfeiting my seat to another editor, things would surely feel different. But this is the final issue of our beloved magazine, and I’m feeling wistful. On behalf of the entire team (past and present), it has been an honor getting to know you. There are countless more stories I wish we had time to tell. I looked forward to being a booster for farm workers, whose contributions too often go unsung and undercompensated. Indeed, there are many ways to be a farmer or rancher—so many ways to approach the production of food and fiber. I’ve done my level best to ensure broad representation, and for that—and much more—I’m…

FINDING MEMORIES I am writing to thank you for this magazine. The articles and photos are amazing, and I can’t say enough for the diaries. I truly enjoy reading each and every one of them. When a new issue arrives, the first thing I do is look for the horseshoe. I’ve found every one of them, even in issues that had two horseshoes. I also love the recipes—they remind me of when I was a young boy. I want to thank all the farmers and ranchers and their families, because I don’t know where we would be without them. ROBERT L. STEPHENSONEUHARLEE, GEORGIA WORDS WE LOVE We live in the country and have always loved this lifestyle. I enjoy the magazine very much. I’ve been a subscriber for about 10 years, and I was especially…

1. FRIEND OF THE ANIMALS My almost-three-year-old, Willa, helps feed the horses on the property I manage. She is also very fond of the hens! LEAH KELLER HARBOR SPRINGS, MICHIGAN 2. ON A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH With help from his horse, my husband, Ryan, pulls our grandson, Rynn, through the snow. COLLEEN GAUSMAN THORP, WASHINGTON 3. THE HEAT IS ON We bundle up to gather firewood so we don’t have to bundle up inside the house during the coldest months. Staying warm is a family affair! JERIANN TRUITT DAGGETT, MICHIGAN 4. MILK FOR THE CHRISTMAS CALVES Our grandchildren got in the Christmas spirit by wearing their Santa hats at chore time! We have 11 grandkids, and it’s a joy all year long to raise little ones in the country. They’ll have so many precious memories from time spent at Grandma…

My husband, Scott, and I went to see a couple of bulls that a farmer had for sale. The farmer was retiring and planning to turn his farm over to the younger generation. As the three of us walked through the barnyard, past the deteriorating buildings and out to the field where the bulls were kept, the old farmer explained what each building had been used for in its prime and told stories about when he was a young man raising pigs and cattle. We stood in the field looking at the bulls for sale and listening to him describe each one’s characteristics, and I noticed the man’s hands were arthritic from years of hard work. Scott asked the farmer if his cows had ever had any trouble delivering these bulls’ calves. He…

Homemade peanut brittle was one of our family’s Christmas traditions during the Great Depression. Mama always made it for Papa and us six children. Today’s store-bought variety doesn’t compare to Mama’s freshly made brittle. I can still picture her hefting a huge iron skillet to the cookstove, pouring in sugar and stirring gently. It never burned as she deftly moved the pan from hot to cooler places, letting the sugar slowly liquefy. Next came the peanuts, which Papa harvested from our field with the mule. He stacked the vines in circles to dry and then stored them in an empty crib. In late November, we would sit in a tiny semicircle in the cold, drafty barn, picking the nuts off the vines. Sometimes a mouse would burst into our midst, making…

BAKER, NEVADA EST. 1950s SERVICESCattle, feed,horse training LAND 30,000 acres My name is Hannah Baker. My husband, Clay Baker, and I are part of the fourth generation of Bakers to live and work on his family’s ranch in remote Baker, Nevada. The family ranch started in the 1950s with Fred Baker, who herded sheep on foot from here to Delta, Utah (95 miles), to save up enough to buy the ranch. In the ’50s the ranch was known as Fred Baker and Sons (and those sons were named Dean and Carl). Dean Baker’s sons—Dave, Tom and Craig—now own what is known as Baker Ranches Inc. Dave is Clay’s dad. He runs the cattle operation. Tom runs farming; Craig manages the ranch’s cement plant and on-site mechanics. (Craig’s wife, Gretchen, works for Great Basin National Park.)…