SLO CATTLEWOMEN CELEBRATED RANCHER MONTH THROUGHOUT COUNTY

by Nicole Nicholson, San Luis Obispo CattleWomen

With a New History of Cattle Ranching Exhibit, February was Proclaimed San Luis Obispo County Cattle Ranching Month in San Luis Obispo, County! On Feb. 7, in conjunction with National Meat Month, San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomen (SLOCCW) presented a resolution to their county’s board of supervisors that would designate February as San Luis Obispo County Ranching month. The politically diverse board was overwhelmingly supportive of the initiative with many of the supervisors proclaiming and recognizing the importance of ranching to the local economy.

After SLOCCW’s Cattlewoman of the Year, Sarah Kramer was recognized, the board was able to hear a bit from President Tracy Nicholson about how involved women are in ranching, not just in SLO County but across the country.

In conjunction with the new resolution, SLO CattleWomen wanted to highlight the organization’s 250 years of Cattle Ranching in San Luis Obispo County display at the Pioneer Museum in Paso Robles. The intent of the display was to showcase the impact that cattle ranching and the beef industry have had on California over the last 250 years.

Winning the prestigious Walt Rodman Award at the California Cattlemen’s Convention in December, creation of the exhibit was facilitated and chaired by long time SLOCCW member, museum board member, and cattle rancher, Kathy Loftus.

The museum exhibit walks viewers of all ages through the history of cattle ranching dating back 250 years. A timeline of ranching history highlighting key periods such as the Mission Period (1769-1832), The Golden Age of the Rancho (1833-1848), Gold Rush Brings Americans (1849-1852), The Rancho Period (1853-1884), The Railroad comes to San Luis Obispo County (1885-1901) and the Diversification of the Rancho (1901-present) are represented along with saddles, tack, and equipment from each period for patrons to see.

On the back wall of the exhibit, there are three glass display cases showcasing two of the most famous cowboys from the county. Their biographies, photos, and even their Visalia saddles are on display! Above these cases are over 70 old photos of the ranchos, cowboys and vaqueros from the county dating from 18821960. Each photo has the ranch name, cowboy or vaquero’s name, and the year printed on it.

To complement the display, San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomen have added a stand with brochures from the Beef Council. The most popular brochure is “Pairing Beef with Wine” because many visitors come to Paso Robles for its world renown wineries. For children, the cattlewomen have provided educational, beef coloring books and crayons to take home.

Both displays are so popular that restocking is now constantly needed. SLOCCW wanted to ensure that this was a display that everyone could enjoy. The exhibit was created to be inclusive and to last for decades to come. Thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds will view this exhibit at the Pioneer Museum in the coming years. Using realia and printing information on metal, making the content of the display accessible to both youth and elderly visitors. For example, the display’s large print makes the information much easier to read for those with a visual impairment. Equipment and artifacts are displayed low enough for children and those with mobility challenges to view them up close without difficulty. Lastly, the display is the only exhibit that is not roped off, allowing visitors to view it up close. This makes viewing and moving freely about the exhibit easier for all visitors but especially those who might be using a wheelchair, cane, walker or mobility scooter.

Most importantly, the exhibit’s intent was to be as educational and informative as possible. The exhibit itself addresses two different California Common Core History and Social Sciences state standards for fourth grade. This alignment of the exhibit with the state standards reinforces and adds to what fourth grade students are learning about the mission-rancho period. Hundreds of students from local schools will be able to go beyond a textbook and take a peek into what life was like during this time, while learning about the role that cattle played in our history! The presentation of information in timeline format aligns with California Common Core fourth grade language arts standards as well, making the display a cross- disciplinary learning experience. Though the display has only been completed for a few months, it has been a huge success. Some of the direct quotes from visitors include, “What an informative display!” “The display is so bright and inviting.” “This is the best!” “We had no idea the importance of cattle ranching.” “I am so glad our area still has cattle ranching.” “This should be a traveling display and go up and down the state!” “This display will be seen by visitors from all over the world!”