12 minute read
ABP Spotlight - Torgerson Ranch. Lyman, Utah
by Derek Sample
Derek@ABPmag.com
photos by Derek Sample - www.DerekSample.com
I grew up in Grover, which is 20 miles SE of here. My grandparents raised my brothers and I on a small farm where we were immersed in agriculture. Wyatt and I purchased 20 acres of farm ground in Lyman the the first year we were married. Eventually we were able to purchase more land as it became available. We also lease property from the land owners in the area. Good farm land is a hot commodity around here.
No, we started farming first. After we built our home we worked to build corrals. In order to afford the materials for the feedlot pens, we purchased pole permits from the forest service and logged the poles to build fences. We saved up to buy railroad ties, gates, and other materials we needed to complete the feedlot. Wyatt found an old set of truck scales and built those into the feedlot so that we can weigh calves and cows as they come in and out of the feedlot. We also got them state certified so people who bring their calves can ship them directly from here after they are sold. The feedlot took several years to build, and is still a work in progress.
Wyatt, Tate, Bailey, Dax and Liz
Faund Images Photography
Wyatt worked as a cowboy for a local ranch while we started our family. I continued my education, but because we live in such a rural area, it took quite some time for me to finally earn the Bachelors degree I needed in order to teach school. When my youngest child was three, I finally graduated from Southern Utah University. I worked as a paraprofessional for a couple years while I finished my degree, which gave me much needed hands on experience in the classroom. I was lucky, and got a teaching job the fall after I graduated. I taught 3rd grade for 5 years, 2nd grade for 3 years, and then 5th grade for 3 years. During this time, our kids grew and so did our feedlot clientele and farming acres. Wyatt was able to resign from his job as a cowboy and stay here to run things.
Several years ago, we decided to purchase a bull wagon and flat bed semi trailer. We thought Wyatt could haul
Beautiful Sunset at the Torgerson's Ranch during our visit
photo courtesy of Derek Sample - www.DerekSample.com
cows locally as kind of a side job, and possibly haul a few local flat bed loads as well. It worked out really well for us. A few years later we met some people who buy hay in Tennessee and decided to sell our hay out there. When that happened we knew Wyatt would have to be gone quite a bit, so I decided to resign so that I could be around to take care of the feedlot and other things around our farm.
It is definitely a change from teaching, but I enjoy it. The job puts me out of my comfort zone daily. I ask a lot of questions. If Wyatt is on the road at least he is only a phone call away, and helps me through whatever tasks I may have questions about. Most of the producers we feed for bring their calves here right after they bring them home from the mountain. Then we feed them until they are ready to sell. Others bring their bull calves and heifer replacements here to be fed and get them acclimated to the elevation. They PAP well at 7,100 feet here in Lyman, so they are a good purchase for breeding stock. I worry about all of the animals we care for. I don’t know everything, so I rely on Wyatt’s advice and also ask for help from my brother in law, Kyle quite often. I’m surprised he’ll still answer the phone when I call, hahaha.
Did you ever raise your own cattle? We used to raise bred heifers. We would purchase calves from local producers because we knew they had good breeding in their cattle. Then Wyatt would AI them and we would sell them the following year as bred heifers. We had approximately 100 bred heifers and then the market just went under. We couldn’t afford to sell them for less than we had into them, so we purchased the ones we couldn’t sell for a decent price from ourselves. There was no question we were going to have to change our operation, luckily things worked out. That‘s how we got our little herd of cows.
No, not really. I’d help Wyatt when he worked at the cattle ranch from time to time, but he was the one who knew what needed to be done. It took a lot of quick planning in order to get prepared to calve that many heifers, so we designed and put together a calving barn out of storage units. It went up around the holidays and then pretty soon I started getting baby calves. I had Wyatt in my ear on the phone and we worked through it together. He had to come up with tricky little ways for me to feel better about things and be able to deal with the occasional mad heifer. The first year I worried a lot, and I still do, but it gets a little easier each year. Just like anyone who is calving heifers, I get up several times during the night and check on them. I don’t want something to die because I missed something. When Wyatt has to be gone, I’m lucky to have people who I can call on to help if there is something I can’t handle.
No way! I’m as humble as you get with this job, especially about calving. I’m more confident than that first year, but I’ll take help when I can get it. I’ll call Kyle sometimes saying, “there’s a crazy one, I need some help!” I’ve learned that if I’m scared or nervous around the heifer, they are harder to deal with. I think the way you treat a heifer after she has her first calf can shape her attitude, so I try to be as calm as I can and give her as much space as I can. If they can have their baby and have a good experience they can be trouble free after that. We also have great veterinaries around here too that are always willing to come help or give advice.
We only own approximately 50 head of our own cows. They start calving around the first of January each year. Our cows graze our fields in the fall and are in pastures in the summer. During the winter months we keep them in our field below the feedlot. They come in to eat and drink but can have their calves outside of the corral. I think this helps the calves stay healthier. We do feed our own calves for a few months after they are weaned, but the majority of the calves here are not ours. They belong to other producers who pay us to feed them for various reasons. I try to be careful about what I feed them. We’ve come up with a feed recipe that seems to be working well, and so far our clients have been happy with the results.
When our feedlot is full, we have over 450 head. It keeps us very busy. Usually the feedlot is empty by the end of March. That is when we start to do our spring work, like maintenance, planting crops, servicing equipment, fixing pipe, etc.
All of the land we own and the land we lease is located in Lyman. We farm the property below our house, but also own other properties closer to town. We lease the property near the airport and other farms in between.
It’s been too good. We need snow in a bad way. I am hoping it really kicks in and we get a lot of snow in the mountains. Our county relies on snow that is collected in reservoirs and then used for irrigation. We’ve been having really warm days and then cold nights. When that happens and calves have just been weaned, it is hard on them. We have to watch the calves extra close so we can spot them if they get sick and take care of them.
My kids have always had responsibilities and chores. They are almost grown now though. My daughter is teaching kindergarten and expecting a baby soon. We are super excited about being grandparents! Even with her busy schedule she finds time to help out after work and on her days off. My oldest son graduated high school last spring. He works for a local construction company and is often out of town during the week, but we always have plenty of jobs lined up for him on the weekends. My youngest son is still in high school. He helps daily with watering cows and feeding horses etc. We definitely couldn’t do this without them. When Wyatt and I look back at the time we’ve spent raising our kids, we can’t say we took them on many fancy vacations, but we can say we’ve tried our best to teach them to work. We all worked together and we’ve made some great memories. I know they get tired of it sometimes, and that is understandable. They don’t get much of a break on their time off, but we need their help so they do it anyway.
We aren’t big operators, but it still seems like there‘s tons of work to be done. It doesn’t matter what season, there is always more work and new challenges. We definitely are in a unique situation, especially since we started shipping our hay back east. The downfall is that Wyatt has to be gone a lot during the winter months in order to get the hay we’ve contracted back east. It takes one week per load of hay, but overall it is working out. His days home are spent helping me and catching up on farm and feedlot work. There is always work to do.
Yes I did, and I guess I’ll be serving for the next two years. I taught school for 13 years and I just loved my kids. I put a lot of work into becoming an educator, and it was a hard decision to make when I decided to resign. I hope that while serving on the school board, my teaching experience and education can be put to use in a new way. I’m excited to see a new side of the education system in my community.
Well I don’t know, I guess we will see. I hope I can help make some decisions that will be good for our kids, teachers and staff. In all districts there are those who are there for their own agendas, but that isn’t me. As a teacher, I was able to help kids everyday and I miss that. Now that our lives have turned me away from my teaching career, this is a way for me to serve my community and help kids in a different way. I‘m honored that I’ve been elected.
I wake up early. I love the early mornings and I love my coffee! I’m usually on the phone with Wyatt first thing, helping him find the cheapest fuel prices along his route, and going over whats on the agenda for the day. I also like to try to get business paperwork over with in the morning- it isn’t my favorite thing at all. Then I’m out with the cattle by daylight. I worry some nights and am eager to make sure they are all ok. I know I left them ok last night, but are they still ok? It’s always a worry. I kick up feed at the feedlot first and watch for any sick calves. If some are sick, I pull them out and doctor them. Then I tend to our cows. Right now they are in our fields. I break ice and water them. Our heifers have already calved, so I check on the babies everyday. I make sure to see each one. When we get a lot of calves, I take a list and mark them off. Sometimes the mothers are big milkers, so the calves can get the scours. If so, It’s critical to catch it quick so they don’t become dehydrated and die. This year our first baby had a hard birth, so I have to take extra time with him. He was too big for his mama, and it was too cold. I messed up and should have had them in the barn. I feel super bad that the little guy has to go through all of it. After tending him, I come back to the feedlot and it’s time to bring hay and feed up from the barns and start mixing. I am usually out until around 6 each day. Then I get to enjoy spending time with my kids that are home.
As of now, Wyatt and I feel it is important for them to do their own thing and find what they really want to do in life. They are all super independent. Of course we wouldn’t work our asses off to build this place if we weren’t hoping they would want to take over one day. Nothing has been given to any of us, and I think that is why we appreciate it. If our kids want to buy the farms from us one day, they will have first chance.
We are so lucky to live in a community that is full of such good people. There‘s always someone who is willing to help if we need it. We are not big operators, but we are always learning new things and willing to accept new challenges. We are just like the other farmers and ranchers, we all wake up and work our asses off every day.
