Ranch life
Thought I would share a bit of my journey into ranch life with you.. I was not born or raised into farming. I lived in a "ranch style" house in Hillsboro, OR as a child if that counts... I worked on a commercial fishing boat off of the Oregon coast as a child as well. I got the "egg money and 10% of the catch - not bad since it was way better then picking strawberries or cucumbers"..(something kids now days know nothing about) Part of the Pacific City Dory fleet 40 plus years ago. Sadly a lost but not forgotten history...
My love of animals and the ocean remains consistent. I wanted to be a marine biologist.. I did not have the means for college and never saw that dream.. BUT I did however turn my love and passion of animals into a DREAM and a homestead that is almost completely self sustaining after 10 years of hard work. My love of marine life still remains but my means and goals turned to farming/ranching. This goal has not been reached without many bumps, crazy things, and the most unheard of people wanting you to fail. I have never wished anyone to fail yet I have overcome obstacles I never should have had to because of peoples ill wishes, horrid scrutiny, advantages taken and just obstacles I never should have had to endure along side all the NORMAL obstacles on running a ranch. Hard to digest .. AND you have to have a hard skin. I do.. AND if wished to fail I will succeed!.....
My first farm animals 2009 two lovely mini donkeys of which still reside at the ranch. Peanut and Jelly.. I'd never raised any farm animals prior in my life. I also adopted two rescue horses from a fairly sketchy rescue.. (go figure!)... AND lets not forget the other one I adopted from them as well that was so extremely aggressive he'd been returned twice and attacked me more than once. HE went back .. the two horses I did my best .. Luka.... a rejected racetrack horse who ended up injuring my trainer.. THEN another trainer.. I never rode him.. ;my Other we had many adventures.. then things went sideways.. AND he ended up giving his new owner a bronc rider a Concussion. Giving me the sign that It was a good thing I sold him as if a bronc rider cant ride him I did pretty well!... HE did buck me off more than once. AND to this day I do still miss my Buster Brown.. With Buster Brown I was taken in by some kind peeps wanting to help me and adopted Chico... "what do you mean you dont have to sack out or do anything after months of not putting a saddle on"...... I was in awe! AND it proved to be true!.. Chico was the finest and amazing! HE did break my finger though when I trailered him to a new facility and so many mares! (he'd been a stud for a long time before he was castrated)... needless to say he pulled my hand thru the tie ring.. snapping my finger in half. My vet took me to the emergency room.. Mike Putnum at the time. AS my husband at the time didn't have the time nor care.......
Then along comes CAT..... Mercedes..... and then Butter..... How many horses does one need? All beautifully trained (something I should have started out on)... and Beautiful bloodlines. Highbrow cat, steel dust and others., I did the rodeo circuit for a bit - Reno, Kalispell, a few local... BUT I dont have a competitive bone in my body.. NOT for me... All three of these mares beautiful inside and out.... kept them.. rode them on trail.. offered them to others for riding in hopes to keep them.. No one seemed interested and it came down to their interactions with people and quite frankly their upkeep. With a heartbreaking decision I sold them. THE most beautiful thing is all three went to the same family...... Chico was also gifted back to the original owner I purchased him from for her granddaughter.,
OH my gosh.. OK.. SO this is getting long..... Going to end it here and continue later..... Heres a first look at the beginning of my life change.....