Western Ag Life Magazine - Winter Issue 2018

WINTER 2018

a southwestern point of pride a hereford matriarch lighting the way

JOIN US AT THE 71ST ANNUAL

ARIZONA NATIONAL LIVESTOCK SHOW DECEMBER 29TH IS OUR CATTLEMEN’S DAY WHERE WE WILL HAVE: Replacement Heifer Show and Sale

Ranch Horse Competition and Sale

The quality of your herd depends on your next set of Heifers!

December 29, 2018

Bull Sale

Come see Arizona’s top ranchers demonstrate what their most trusted partner can do!

December 29, 2018

at the arizona state fairgrounds

at the arizona state fairgrounds

Only the top heifers in Arizona and New Mexico!

Only top horses receive premiums and are eligible to sell.

In 2017...

Total Premiums: $3400 Top PEN OF 3 SOld For: $3,800

In 2017...

Total Premiums: $4310 Top horse sold for: $15,250

EDITORIAL

2410 N. Willow Ranch Rd. Tucson, AZ 85749 info@westernaglife.com www.westernaglife.com 520-808-1229

Western Ag Life Paul Ramirez, Sales Director Paul@westernaglife.com

Dean Fish, Ph.D., Sales Consultant Dean@westernaglife.com Heidi Crnkovic, New Mexico Rep hscrnkovic@gmail.com Renée Bidegain, Creative info@westernaglife.com SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE 2018 WINTER ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS ARTICLES

~ Paul Ramirez Heidi Crnkovic Kate Sanchez Amanda Zamudio Aaron Downey Ed Ashurst Joel Johnson Tina Mead - Ramirez Patina Thompson Dean Fish, Ph.D. Shannon Shultz Tiffany Selchow Janice Bryson Reagan Kimpton Joel Judge Tamra Kelly PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATIONS

~ Tina Mead - Ramirez Heidi Crnkovic Kate Sanchez Renée Bidegain Amanda Zamudio Rocking P Photography Guy Atchley Katina Costerisan Lauren Maehling LTL Photography Samuel Bierne Donaldson Paul Ramirez Shelly Jacobs © WESTERN AG LIFE MEDIA LLC

While every effort has been made for the accuracy of content, those listed above are not responsible for any errors or omissions appearing within the pages of this issue.

Why did you want to start a magazine Paul? This is the most asked question about our new endeavor, Western Ag Life Media. I will not be able to answer all of the reasons in just one article. I will make it part of my editorials going forward. I have been actively involved in agriculture since I was 14 years old. The changes that I have seen in 40 years are truly astonishing.

The world and our country have also changed considerably. As a young man growing up in Tucson Arizona, I can remember Tucson having 5 dairy farms, 2 large poultry facilities, 3 animal processing facilities, 2 livestock auction markets, the states largest feed mill, fields of alfalfa and cotton growing in the city limits. None of these agriculture endeavors exist today in Tucson. The only exception is The University of Arizona has an experimental agriculture facility within the city limits. What astonished me is food production agriculture is basically nonexistent in a city of over 1 million people! In 2011 the average person consumed 1,996 pounds of food per year. I am willing to guess the food consumption numbers

are greater today. Using 2011 numbers, Tucson had approximately 1,000,000 people. Simple math would state the Tucsonans consumed 1,996,000,000 pounds of food! That is almost 2,000,000,000 (billion) pounds of food on an annual basis and almost none is grown or raised in Tucson!

The vast majority of our food will be acquired at grocery stores and restaurants. As a consumer of food in this country, the average American does not sow or reap the food they consume on a daily basis. Most statistics state that less than 2% of the United States population is involved in the production of food and fiber. The efficiencies of the American Farmer and Rancher are unmatched in the world! We look forward to educate, share, and celebrate their amazing stories through Western Ag Life Magazine. As we reap the harvest through Fall and Winter, let us all be thankful that we live in the country with the safest and most abundant food on the planet. We are grateful and thankful for our Farmers and Ranchers.

Happy Holidays,

Paul Ramirez

IN THIS ISSUE A SOUTHWESTERN POINT OF PRIDE :: THE SALOPEK FAMILY......................................4 A DAY IN THE LIFE :: RANCH WIFE WISDOM.........................................................................8 AGRICULTURE BUSINESS :: DIAMOND Z FARMS................................................................. 10 LIGHTING THE WAY :: LITTLE LIGHTS...................................................................................... 14 FROM THE KITCHEN :: COCONUT CAKE............................................................................... 16 A HEREFORD MATRIARCH :: GRACE WYSTRACH................................................................ 18 READING SHOW PIGS :: THE CHAMPION SHOW PIG EQUATION............................ 20 PATIENCE :: A STORY OF LESSONS LEARNED BY WILD HORSES & WILD MEN.... 24 WINNING WAYS :: KIM WILLIAMSON..................................................................................... 26 WINTER STYLE GUIDE :: WITH KEMPTON REAGAN......................................................... 28 TOOLS OF THE TRADE :: SLINGING SALT............................................................................... 30

I LIVE THE WESTERN LIFESTYLE :: JOEL JUDGE....................................................................32 SELLING YOUR RANCH :: AG LANDS SOUTHWEST........................................................... 34

WESTERN AG LIFE MARKETPLACE .............................................................................................35

SPRING 2019 ISSUE AVAILABLE MID-MARCH advertising reservation deadline :: FEBRUARY 1ST email us us! info@westernaglife.com COVER: Desert Snow, Tucson, AZ ©Tina Mead - Ramirez 3

A SOUTHWESTERN POINT OF PRIDE FEATURE PHOTOS AND ARTICLE BY HEIDI CRNKOVIC ~

Although “red or green” is the question of choice when dining in the Land of Enchantment, pecans surpass chile as one of New Mexico’s top-dollar agricultural crops. It’s no surprise that these crunchy delights come paired with a green or red chile powder in ready-to-go containers at novelty shops along the state’s well-traveled highways. In fact, you’ll often find your red or green chile enchiladas followed by a slice of pecan pie especially when visiting Doña Ana County, where 70 percent of the state’s industry acreage lies. The more temperate climate of Southern New Mexico coupled with enough below freezing days, a helpful factor in the harvest process, makes this area of the state an ideal candidate for raising North America’s only native tree nut. In fact, New Mexico ranks second only to Georgia in pecan production, but has the distinct advantage of a dryer climate that spares the trees from the fungus that Georgia pecan farmers combat.

The Mesilla Valley is home to such commodities as chile, cotton, alfalfa, onion and lettuce, but as you travel through the valley, passing tidy rows of pecan trees, it is obvious that yet another crop is a point of pride.

Following the Rio Grande, you’ll find a set of orchards heavy-laden

with a bountiful harvest. There, hauling “chile trash,” (a high protein chile byproduct that can be fed to cattle) to his herd of commercial Angus who forage near their home and orchard, you’ll find Michael Salopek, owner of Five Friends Farms, third-generation pecan farmer and agronomist. Michael resides in the first Earthship home built in this Southern New Mexico county. His picturesque house took nearly four years to build and speaks volumes of Michael’s thrifty, yet effective nature. The home boasts exterior walls crafted from repurposed tires and aluminum cans and the interior decorated and structured with lumber recycled from livestock handling facilities. Michael’s wife, Charlene is responsible for the pecan farm’s accounting, but also has adorned their beautiful home with historical and unique décor, which almost always has a story and sometimes incorporates pecans.

The name Salopek is synonymous with pecan farming and true to tradition, Michael’s daughter, Karajane now manages the majority of her father’s acreage and is the family’s fourth generation to raise pecans in the area. Originating from Croatia, the Salopeks migrated to the United States to work in the coal mines. Much like many of the 4

families who relocated to the arid Southwest region during this time, the original Salopeks moved West hoping the dry air would help relieve some of the symptoms of Black Lung and Tuberculosis which were common at the time in mine employees.

Michael’s great uncle relocated to the area and began farming pecans. As his health deteriorated, he encouraged other family members to move to the area and take over the orchards thereby acting as the catalyst for the Salopek’s passion for growing pecans.

True to his heritage, Michael recounts, “My life depends on production and people love pecans. Doña Ana is the best producing county in the country and I’m fortunate to live in this beautiful place.” Despite a lineage of pecan farming, Michael stresses the importance of “sending kids away from the farm for a while to develop skills and a broader understanding.” Upon graduating, Michael found his way to Denver, Colorado beginning his career in a lawn care business and eventually stepped into a management role with a separate company. Later, he returned to New Mexico to sell fertilizer and credits his experiences traveling across the state for showing him different management methods he could use on his family’s pecan farming operations.

New Mexico fails to escape water challenges much like the rest of the Southwest. Those who cross the Rio Grande are often stunned by the lack of water in the river and because of lower levels of ditch or pump water available for more traditional irrigation strategies, Michael has begun converting his pecan tree watering arrangement to sprinklers from the original flood irrigation system. Focusing on soil quality, the fatherdaughter duo also utilizes a minimum till method in their orchards, putting an emphasis on mowing rather than Roundup use thereby saving the soil microbiology allowing it to naturally aggregate while also avoiding the compaction of the soil by heavy machinery traffic.

“The soil looks healthy, it smells good and we’re saving the tree’s roots by allowing water to filter through this healthy soil that’s not compacted,” says Michael.

Again, crediting his exposure to different pruning methods while traveling throughout the state consulting growers as a

THE SALOPEK FAMILY HAS A PASSION FOR GROWING PECANS

fertilizer salesman, Michael chooses to utilize less-traditional, selective pruning strategies. He works to keep branches as close to the ground as possible, trees under 30 feet tall and the interior and limbs viable.

Pruning is a method critical to maintaining spacing, size of tree and the ability of sunlight to penetrate through the orchards thereby keeping production up. “You’d better prune, because If you don’t, you’re on limited spacing…you’d also better be out looking at your trees,” Michael passionately recommends.

Although some trees in the county have reached 80 plus years old, most of Michael and Karajane’s orchards include trees that are 16 years old with younger trees ranging from 9-10 years. Battling the original tight spacing in some of his orchards, they have transplanted nearly 1,000 trees in the past few years to provide a more adequate 20x40’ row spacing. Unlike annual crops, progress is more slowly measured in the pecan industry, but through these strategic management methods and focusing on the best yields with the least impact, the family is reaching their goals. Michael has also recently purchased pecan and pistachio orchards in Tularosa where he looks to expand and increase tree production within the next 3-4 years. These trees are managed by his stepson, Mac Griffin, a Tularosa native who also owns Griffin Brothers Construction and the Copper Penny Ranch in Alamogordo. Looking forward, this multi-generational agriculture family is always working to improve how they raise their pecans so that the fifth generation can continue the family business here in New Mexico.

Enjoy the toils of our Southwest lands with a time-honored Pecan Jubilee Cookie recipe from author Heidi Crnkovic on page seven!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: With an innate fondness for Western heritage and a lifelong passion for the ag industry, Heidi Crnkovic spent much of her later childhood on the Pecos River Ranch in Northern NM. After graduating from New Mexico State University with her B.S. in Agricultural Science, she went on to co-manage a commercial Angus ranch in central Montana. Returning to the Southwest, Heidi continued to work for ranchers with the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association and as an ambassador for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Today, she is a consultant for AC Nutrition, helping build customized nutritional programs for AZ and NM ranchers. She and her husband live in Tularosa, NM with their daughter Abigail where they raise a few horses and also farm pecans and cattle for a local grower.

PECAN JUBILEE COOKIES A TIME-HONORED RECIPE FROM HEIDI CRNKOVIC

My grandma, Mary Eleanor Pretzel used to make these cookies for our family. She was born in Kent County, Michigan in 1917, but married and raised her three children in Los Alamos, NM. She passed away at the age of 94 in 2011, but these cookies are still a favorite holiday memory for many of the grandchildren.

INGREDIENTS: 1 ½ cups flour 1-2 tsp instant coffee 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar ½ cup butter 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans Solid chocolate kisses or semi-sweet chocolate chips

GET COOKING: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except nuts and chocolate and blend at a low speed 3. Stir in a ½ cup of nuts and mix well 4. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes for easier handling 5. Shape into balls using a rounded tsp 6. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes 7. Remove from oven and press a candy kiss or 5 chocolate chips into center of each hot cookie 8. When chocolate has softened, spread as if frosting cookies and sprinkle remaining nuts on top

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RANCH WIFE WISDOM ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KATE SANCHEZ

If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to spend a day with a ranch wife, you’ll understand what a rare breed they are. You see, when you marry a cowboy, you quickly come to terms with the fact that you no longer choose your profession. You’re now part of a group of women who live a life of humble blessings and marginal wages, and part of something that will impact your life in a way nothing else has, or ever will again. You’re a ranch wife, and as great as it sounds, make no mistake, there will be bumpy roads ahead (pun intended). But for every trying situation you’ll face; every first-calf heifer that leaves you with another mouth to feed, or bull who refuses to be penned when you have no help; there will be twice as many things that make you thankful for this job. It’s not easy, but it certainly is rewarding.

For years, women have been considered equal counterparts on ranches.

Never have cowboys made them feel any less important because they’re female. And because women on the ranch have historically been as important in day-to-day operations as the men, it’s those ladies who deserve the credit for much of the “behind the scenes” work. While I’m lacking in years of marriage compared to some ranch wives I know, there are numerous things I’ve learned from these west Texas women in a fairly short amount of time.

There are also things that I’d want to share with any young lady thinking of choosing the same path in life.

We’ll call it ranch-wife-wisdom, and it’s something the rest of the world could use a little more of!

Danielle Peters and her husband, Zack now reside

on the legendary King Ranch in south Texas, but the couple has also worked on some of the biggest ranches in west Texas. Peters’ words of wisdom are simple: “always be willing to help”. From maintaining a plentiful pantry when you’re asked to cook for the crew, to making sure you have formula on hand for a new calf your husband might bring home, she says that offering help is one of the biggest ranch wife roles there is. “No, you most likely won’t get paid”, she shares, “but take pride in knowing you’re just as much of an asset in helping keep the ranch running smoothly…remember marriage is a partnership and you are your husband’s right-hand man.”

Deana Washington is a ranch wife to husband Tim, lead camp man and horse manager at The Matador Ranch, in Matador, TX. In sitting down with her, Washington expresses her biggest advice to any women in this situation: keeping God at the center of your marriage and life.

Like many ranch wives, Washington feels the need to keep God as the third part of her marriage, and adds that when in doubt, get on your knees and pray about it.

Kassie Flake’s husband, Skyler, is a camp man on the Triangle Ranch in Crowell, TX. Her biggest piece of advice is to avoid coming into the ranch wife role with misguided ideas about the life and the occupation. Flake has learned through experience that being a ranch wife isn’t nearly as “romantic” as everyone thinks it sounds, as there is a certain ebb and flow that comes with living it. “You get to see beauty each and every day,

but you will also see the not so beautiful”, she shares, “There will be beautiful life witnessed and unfortunate death. You will experience the joy of wet years with plenty of grass and fat cows and then the sorrow of drought and having to ship cows because there is no water and no grass. It’s an inevitable cycle that you have to try to stay positive through.”

And, like the rest of these women, I also have several things that I’d like for a younger generation of ranch wives to know, but I’ll just share a few of the most important here.

Don’t expect to stay on a schedule! In other words, don’t get too attached to plans. Though it may overwhelm some people, a hectic schedule is somewhat of a norm for ranch wives and cowboys alike. Ranch folk are true chameleons, as their day-to-day jobs differ greatly, and the good Lord laughs when they even start to think of a full day planned out to the minute. If you think you’re starting to get “into the swing of things” in terms of a daily routine, just wait… it won’t last.

And along those same lines, learn patience. The lack of a set schedule leads to times when sitting in the pickup for hours on end or waiting for the crew to show up to eat becomes a norm. Firstcalf heifers calve at their own pace and if they need help, you may have to play the waiting game until the right time to come to one’s aid.

Patience isn’t my strong suit by any means, but in taking on the role as a ranch wife, it’s something I’ve had to work on, because often, the best things in life take a great deal of time.

And finally, realize how lucky you truly are. In this role, we get to experience some of the greatest things this life has to offer. We see air that breathes the life into every promising sunrise. We work hand-in-hand with men who truly respect us and appreciate the efforts we put forth in all our duties. Many of us are blessed to raise children who mimic the actions and words of their elders, cowboys and cowgirls alike, and there’s nothing better than that. My biggest pearl of ranch wife wisdom to anyone younger than myself is simple: appreciate this life, it’s truly rare, remarkably special, and something very few people will ever be lucky enough to have a hand in!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kate Sanchez is a freelance journalist based out of Matador, TX. She writes for several publications, most which are equine-related. She and her husband, Ben, have lived on the Matador Ranch for almost 4 years, where he holds a camp man position.

The couple has one daughter, Haven, who is one year old. Kate graduated from Eastern NM University with a degree in Journalism and minor in Agriculture in 2009.

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FREE RANGE EGGS ARTICLE BY AMANDA ZAMUDIO, PHOTOS BY JESSICA ZAMUDIO

The Zamudio family has owned chickens since 1983 and kept enough to supply their family stocked with fresh eggs. In 2010, their daughter Amanda started helping out a colleague selling pork at the Heirloom Farmers Market in Tucson. She thought it would be a great idea to sell the eggs her parents had at the family farm to accompany the breakfast bacon. What started out to be a small side gig for a college student turned into Diamond Z Farms Eggs that includes several more chickens and a lot more product. Dee Ann has always dedicated her life to raising her children on the farm and helping out with the daily duties while her husband Gilbert was away. He worked as a high school agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor for 39 years and has recently retired and helps with the operation. They also raise Boer goats and other livestock animals that keep them busy with day to day duties. Their children Michael, Joseph, Amanda and Jessica all enjoy the same lifestyle and help out when they are home. Michael, Amanda, and Jessica have

followed in their father’s footsteps and are also agricultural science teachers and FFA advisors.

Each day the couple has several things they must accomplish in order to keep the 800 laying hen operation running smoothly. First they start with feeding and watering the 200 chicks and young pullets they are raising to be laying hens. In the late morning, the hens are let out to range after they have laid for the day. At this time, you can find Dee collecting eggs while Gilbert is replenishing the feeders with about 250 pounds of feed and cleaning out the birds’ automatic watering system. After the eggs are collected they are taken into the Egg Room where they are washed, sanitized, rinsed, dried, classified, and refrigerated. Food safety is extremely important and all the steps are followed to ensure their product is safe and wholesome. The Arizona Department of Agriculture comes bimonthly to inspect the facility and to ensure the couple is following all the rules and regulations set forth by the state.

The free range eggs that Diamond Z Farms offer are mostly sold at the Heirloom Farmers 10

Market on Sunday at Rillito Park. The business also sells eggs to the popular breakfast restaurants Prep & Pastry and Feast in Tucson.

The eggs are known for their large bright yolks and fresh taste to many consumers. There is no nutritional advantage when comparing a free range egg to a commercially produced egg but a taste difference can be identified.

Dee Ann has always loved birds and she thoroughly enjoys watching them grow and lay eggs. Her hobby has grown into a full time business and she now finds joy in seeing her regular customers each week and visiting with them. Her husband and she have developed close relationships and friendships with some of their customers. Zamudio Farm Fresh Eggs will continue to grow and expand so they can fulfill the demand of their growing customer base. At this time they are not large enough to expand to other markets and hope to increase the number of their laying hens in the next year.

CONTACT DIAMOND Z FARMS: 4423 West Courtland Road, Elfrida, AZ 85610 gvzamudio@gmail.com (623) 695-0290

DIAMOND Z EGGS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR LARGE BRIGHT YOLKS

WESTERN READS

BY AARON DOWNEY

Before Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court and the most powerful woman in the country, she was a young girl on a family ranch in the beautiful, unforgiving high-desert country of the Arizona/New Mexico border. Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest tells the story (with her brother H. Alan Day) of her family and how ranch life made her the woman she became.

Speaking of A Cowgirl and Her Horse, Jean Ekman Adams will delight your little cowpokes with this funny, colorful, and totally charming tale of true friendship and love. Silly and heartwarming, these friends learn the real benefits of caring for one another.

And Susan Lowell’s three little javelinas are back in a Christmas tale to put at the top of your list for the young ones.

A Very Hairy Christmas, again showcasing the brilliant art of Jim Harris, finds our hairy, hilarious trio making sure that everyone, even the Santa impersonator coming down the chimney, has a happy javelina Christmas.

Winter is coming. And when the winter is here and seems to last forever, the best thing you can do is heed the advice of celebrated Lakota writer Joseph M. Marshall III. In Keep Going: The Art of Perseverance, a grandfather tells traditional stories to a young man struggling to understand the world in the face of a devastating loss. “The weakest step toward the top of the hill, toward sunrise, toward hope, is stronger than the fiercest storm.”

Meanwhile, movies are my favorite medicine. Kick back in cozy comfort and let the magic of the motion pictures take you away. (Also, there’s popcorn!) Later, you can learn all about some classic westerns and other films in Cinema Southwest: An Illustrated Guide to the Movies and their Locations by John A. Murray. There’s a reason they make so many films in our stunning western landscapes.

Stay warm, friends. Keep going. And to paraphrase Marshall, continue to defy the darkness.

Treasure Chest BOOKS

Aaron Downey is the managing editor at Rio Nuevo Publishers, a division of Treasure Chest Books. We create compelling, visually exciting, award-winning books about the people, places, and things that make the West so distinctive.

Visit us at www.rionuevo.com 12

ARIZONA COWBOY WINS 2018 NEW MEXICO-ARIZONA HILLERMAN AWARD Ed Ashurst: Biographer of the American Cowboy

Author and rancher, Ed Ashurst, and his novel Stealin’ From The Neighbors were awarded the Hillerman award at the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards banquet held November 16, 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Stealin’ From The Neighbors is a coming of age novel, set in the area around Prescott and Seligman, Arizona. Tommy Lee, not quite 18, shows up at a real cow outfit the morning after his high school graduation ceremony. He’s long on cowboy skills but short on social skills, and his job on the Cow Creek Ranch will put him in situations for which he’s not prepared.

Wanting to make a hand and be somebody, Tommy throws in with some very experienced older men who aren’t afraid to use their knowledge and expertise to gain wealth quickly.

According to Ashurst, “There’s nothing far-fetched about this story - you might even say it’s dangerously close to the truth.”

Ed Ashurst is the perfect person to write this story. Born in Wickenburg, Arizona, he is a working cowboy who has ridden and gathered cattle and horses on over seven thousand miles of the American West, while accumulating over 50 years of experience as a big ranch cowboy. He currently manages a large cattle ranch in southeastern Arizona.

Ashurst has also been involved in producing rodeos, horse shows and horse sales, and has competed in the rodeo arena for over 50 years. His books are about his life’s experiences covering different aspects and scenes that race across his vivid memory and water his

fertile imagination. All he has written originates from stories that are well worn from being told many times.

In addition to his own experience, Ashurst is also becoming well known for his biographies, written about cowboys and ranchers throughout the West, such as Warner Glenn and Charlie Gould.

Red Stegall has featured Ashurst’s books on his television program Somewhere West of Wall Street as well as his radio shows. Ashurst believes that storytelling is an art form that is no less important than painting or sculpting, and people say that his books read as if the storyteller is there. He is truly earning the title of the biographer of the American cowboy. For more information: Contact Ed Ashurst at (502) 508-2846 or email azashurst@gmail.com

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LIGHTING THE WAY

BY JOEL JOHNSON

Every December, my three older sisters and I would look forward to the evening our parents would load us into our mini-van with every blanket we owned, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a handful of Bing Crosby discs. We would wind through the streets of Tucson for hours, hitting all the old standbys—Disney Lane, Winterhaven, and any neighborhood that caught our eyes on the way.

We would ooh and ah at the holiday lights, sing Christmas songs, and whenever we passed a well-organized display of electric luminarias, my Dad would turn around from the driver’s seat. “And what are those, kids?” he would ask mischievously. “FAKERS!” we screamed at the top of our lungs.

My father is a self-described luminaria purist.

If it’s not an unattended fire hazard, it’s not Christmas. Anything more extravagant (or up to code) than a paper lunch bag filled with arroyo sand warrants vigorous condemnation.

According to some, the birth of the luminaria can be attributed to the journal pages of a Portuguese Conquistador. Gaspar Castaño de

Sosa attempted to establish an unauthorized colony in New Mexico at the end of the 16th century. In an entry dated December 3, 1590, Sosa mentions that his compatriots lit small bonfires to guide a scout into their camp.

Luminarias, or “little lights,” he called them.

The legend goes that although Sosa’s dreams of establishing a colony dissolved, the idea of a luminaria, a fire lighting a path for the wayward, stuck.

However, a deeper look at Southwestern history reveals the word was already in use well before Sosa’s ill-fated expedition.

Franciscan monk Toribio de Benavente Montolinia, known as one of the original “12 Apostles of Mexico,” describes the little lights as early as 1568.

“The Indians celebrate the feast of the Lord, of Our Lady and of the principal Patron Saints of the towns with much rejoicing and solemnity,” Montolinia notes. “The Indians place many luminarias in the patios of the churches and on the terraces of their houses. Since there are many flat-roofed houses and these extend a 14

league or two, the scene resembles the starry skies.”

In his book Christmas in old Santa Fe, the late New Mexico historian Pedro Ribera-Ortega explains that luminarias date back even further than the arrival of Montolinia and his brothers in New Spain. Some historians believe the tradition began during Roman occupation of Spain, when elaborate festivals celebrated Roman gods and goddesses with bright bonfires on hilltops.

When Santiago, or St. James the Greater— one of the original twelve disciples, brought the Christian gospel into Spain, the practice of building festival fires was given a new meaning. The fires became a reference to the hogueras, or bonfires that shepherds would light to keep themselves warm and protect their sheep from wolves—a nod to the appearance of angels on that first Noche Buena.

While some of the origin details are still up for debate, Ribera-Ortega’s writing attempts to set one thing straight: “faralitos are not

luminarias!” Depending on your geography, you might hear either of these words used to reference our cherished holiday paper bag displays (from Santa Fe north faralitos, or “little lanterns,” is used, while from Albuquerque down you will likely hear luminarias).

However, the difference is not a small one to Ribera-Ortega.

“The distinction,” he explains, is not a “vain attempt at being pedantic,” but rather “to enhance the beauty of both the farolitos and the lumarias by setting their origin in their proper historical and cultural perspectives.”

The paper bags my father loves are, according to Ribera-Ortega, farolitos. The festive ornaments made their way to the dry deserts of the Southwest through a trade connection between the Spanish Philippines and China.

There, Spanish traders first witnessed Chinese paper lanterns. Captivated by their beauty, they brought them to the Philippine Islands,

then Mexico, and eventually the American Southwest. The expensive and delicate paper lanterns were replaced with cheap, American paper bags when they became available on the Santa Fe Trail. The modern farolito was born.

But a true luminaria is a bonfire of squarely stacked wood, approximately three feet tall, and ideally covered in pine-pitch. Whether lighting the way for the holy parents, mass attendees, or a misplaced member of Sosa’s party, the open framing and sap allows the fire to burn long and bright, also giving off the quintessential scent of piñon we associate with Santa Fe at Christmas.

Regardless of their origin, farolitos and luminarias alike have engrained themselves in Southwestern culture. This December you will still see small bonfires illuminating the gates of Southwestern churches and cathedrals, or lighting the path to Christmas

Eve mass. Luminarias (or farolitos) have become a welcome addition to doorposts and rooftops during Las Posadas, a nine-day festival that culminates with a Christmas Eve walk representing Mary and Joseph’s journey to the manger.

For many, these lights are the sight and scent of the Southwest. Indeed, “No one can visit such places as Truchas, Cordova, Trampas and Chimayó and not sense the timeliness of the luminaria,” Ribera-Ortega muses, “not only as festive lighting but as the spiritual need for belongingness.”

Whether you’re a faralito fanatic, or a true, pine-pitch covered purist, Ribera-Ortega leaves us all with this Christmas thought: “on seeing these hogueras, the warmth-giving bonfires, the mind and the heart and the soul are elevated to meditation on the most important event in the history of the world, the fruitful coming of the Messiah.”

Material from Christmas in Old Santa Fe by Pedro Ribera-Ortega appears courtesy of Sunstone Press, Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321

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FROM THE KITCHEN COCONUT CAKE A FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE FROM TINA MEAD-RAMIREZ

Who doesn’t love a good Coconut Cake? I’ve found over the years, there are so many variations. There is 7 minute frosting, cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut, coconut in the cake or maybe you prefer coconut outside of the cake? You just need to like coconut to enjoy it any way! My father’s side of the family is from Alabama and my mother’s side is from Arizona. The south meets the west, and that is how I love to cook and bake. I was introduced to my first coconut cake from my southern heritage. My Great Aunts and Grandmother loved a good coconut cake, and theirs were always good! As I became an adult woman, I joined our family tribe of trading recipes and always on the hunt for a great recipe. I definitely developed my “love language” cooking and baking for the people I love. My Paternal Grandparents had an Old Fashioned Fountain inside a drug store in Tucson, Arizona (my hometown). My grandmother, Imogene not only cooked for the public, she loved to cook and bake for her family. She always had a cake or dessert waiting for the family or friend when they stopped for a visit. I started making a coconut cake about 20 years ago that my family fell in love with.

My Grandmother said it reminded her of an old-fashioned coconut cake her grandmother used to make. That was it! I started making this cake for her birthday every year. My dad fell in love with this cake too. I have so many wonderful memories eating and sharing good food and cake together. This Coconut Cake has become my family’s traditional coconut cake. It’s not the prettiest cake, but it is oh so good with a hot beverage! Enjoy a little piece of my family with yours.

With Love and good cake toMeshaad-re,Ramirez Tina

Coconut cake:

1 cup unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 3 cups flour 4 Diamond Z Farm eggs 1 ½ cups buttermilk 1 tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp Vanilla ½ tsp salt

Filling-topping:

3 cups sugar 1 ½ cups milk 1 ½ bags sweetened coconut 1 stick unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 cake pans and line bottoms with wax paper.

Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs one at a time. Add salt and Vanilla. Stir baking soda into buttermilk. Add flour ½ cup alternately with buttermilk. Bake for 20 minutes or until done by testing with a tooth pick. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pans and allow to cool.

While cake is baking, prepare to cook the filling/topping. Add milk, sugar, and coconut to a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes or until the filling changes from white to an oyster color. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla and stir until melted. Cool to lukewarm.

Start assembly by placing 1 of the 3 layers of cake with filling and repeating.

Save half of the filling for the top of the cake. Make sure you use a cake plate with a lip to catch all the yummy drippings! I will occasionally spoon the filling over the top of the cake as it drips down to the base of the cake plate.

CENTURY PLANT AGAVE ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY PATINA THOMPSON

It’s common to refer to most spiny pokey plant species that thrive in the harsh conditions of the desert as cacti, but that’s not the case. There’s a difference between cacti and succulents. Succulents are a broad group of plants that are also widely adapted to hot and dry environments. They have diverse forms, colors and blooms. They are able to store water in their stems, leaves and roots and have a fleshy appearance. Succulents often lack leaves. Cacti belong to the family Cactaceae, and have a unique morphology.

In most cacti, leaves are modified into spines.

Their large flowers arise from areoles, which are small, cushion-like structures. Both succulents and cacti have shallow roots to collect the maximum amount of rainfall in arid environments and a tap root to access precipitation that percolates to deeper depths.

In short, all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

The agave species within the Asparagaceae family are a unique specimen of succulents.

Agave are common in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of Arizona and New Mexico at elevations between 3,000-6,000 feet. Agave thrives in dry, rocky soils and full sun. They also tolerate cold temperatures well.

Agave can be described as a large succulent with blue-green fleshy leaves that form in a rosette-style mass full of sword-like, spinetipped weapons. The leaf end is very sharp and small serrations are common along the leaf edge. Most agave species can be distinguished by their leaf size, spine shape, and the overall size of the plant. In Arizona, it’s common to see five species of agave; Palmer’s century plant (Agave palmeri), Parry’s agave (Agave parryi), Schott’s century plant (Agave schottii), Golden flowered agave (Agave chrysantha), and American agave (Agave americana).

Heights vary from two to six feet, but that doesn’t include their magnificent stalk, which starts out looking like an asparagus sprout (see family name!).

Agave bloom June through August and all species are monocarpic, meaning they flower, set seed, then die. Also called the century plant, the agave will send up a large stalk and bloom on average at 10 to 20 years of age, not 100 as its name suggests. These stalks can be huge, and produce massive flower clusters with fruit in a large capsule. The capsules start out green and flexible and mature to a dark brown/black and split open. Only the plant that blooms dies, the colony from which it 17

came, lives on through suckers at the base, or seeds from the host plant. Young agave are often called pups.

Wildlife thrive on the nectar from Agave species’ flowers, they are an important food and pollen source for hummingbirds and insects. The plants themselves can provide a protective habitat for birds and small mammals. A.palmeri is a critical source of pollen for some migratory bat species in the southwest.

The century plant was important to Native Americans. It provided food, fiber, soap, medicine and lances. The sharp tips of the leaves were used as needles for sewing. The century plant does well in cultivation. The blue agave, or Agave tequilana, is a great example of this and might be considered the more popular cousin of Agave as it is used to produce tequila. This succulent is a member of the Lily family, and grown exclusively in cultivation in several eastern states of Mexico.

Regardless of the species, the agave is an important and remarkable succulent that is well adapted to the desert, and gives quite a beautiful show of colors as it finishes its life cycle in the arid southwest. ©Rocking P Photography

GRACE WYSTRACH, A HEREFORD MATRIARCH

BY DEAN FISH, PH.D.

ŠGuy Atchley

Matriarch is defined as a woman who is the head of a family or tribe. When you meet Grace Wystrach, you soon come to realize that her family and tribe are not only widespread and strong, but that her influence reaches both far and near. It is hard to go anywhere in southern Arizona and not see some of her impact.

Grace was born to Bob and Betty Townsend in Marfa, Texas. Both Bob and Betty were from Garden City, New York and ended up out west through various reasons. Grace describes her maternal grandfather as a happy wanderer who needed an active lifestyle. He eventually bought a ranch in northern Colorado and started a dude ranch. It was at this dude ranch that Bob and Betty met. Bob had a case of blood poisoning and had come west for his health. In the meantime, Uncle Ed had bought a ranch in Marfa during the Great Depression. Bob and Betty managed this ranch, but eventually came back to the Colorado ranch.

In time, the Colorado ranch was put up for sale.

This, in combination with a huge blizzard in the winter of 1949, encouraged the Townsend family to look for another place. Bob had driven

past Rain Valley, just east of Sonoita, Arizona and inquired if it was for sale. He made a deal on it with Mr. Symington and bought it. Grace remembers that he introduced the ranch to

the family by having them watch Red River, which was primarily filmed on the ranch. The classic Howard Hawks film that starred John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, showed the family a place that was a whole lot warmer than Colorado.

Upon arrival at the ranch, Bob started working on improving the Hereford herd that was there.

Early on, Bob experienced chest pains and was taken to the Tombstone Hospital. In those days, this required a six week stay. Betty, along with 18

Grace and her two sisters, Pamela and Sally, ran the ranch. They had to grow up fast. This experience provided many of the fundamental life skills that served Grace so well her entire life. In addition, a lifelong passion for the Hereford breed was born here.

Grace attended Elgin Elementary School and was a 4-H member. In fact, she was one of the 4-H beef showmen at the first 4-H show at the Santa Cruz County Fair along with Patty Holbrook and Dick Schorr. Grace started high school at Patagonia and completed her junior and senior year at St. Joe’s Academy in Tucson.

Upon graduation she enrolled at the University of Arizona and majored in Education. Grace wanted to be a veterinarian, but that was not a career path encouraged for women at that time.

Grace was teaching school in Garden Grove, California and living it up on Balboa Avenue when she met Michael Wystrach. Michael was a U.S. Marine pilot stationed nearby at El Toro. Grace describes not being really impressed with him at their first meeting.

However, Michael pursued her through friends

and they were married seven months after they first met. Michael went to Vietnam and the family was stationed in North Carolina, Virginia and El Toro, California. After an injury in Okinawa, Michael retired from the Marines.

In the meantime, Bob needed more help at the ranch, so the family decided to move back to Sonoita in June of 1978. While Grace went to work on the ranch, Michael started pursuing a real estate development career. They also purchased the iconic Steak Out and Mercantile in Sonoita in 1978 from Gail Wingfield.

Shortly after returning to Sonoita, daughter Audrey was sent to the Arizona National Livestock Show with John Sullivan. This experience cemented Audrey’s passion for showing cattle and started a whole new chapter for the Wystrach family. Audrey fell in love with a Las Vegas Ranch heifer that Larry Stark had named Vicky. This started their family foray into the registered Hereford world.

Shortly thereafter, Grace bought 10 pairs of Line 1 registered Herefords from Harold Thompson. Added to these cows were genetics from J Bar F in Texas and Hooper Herefords in Springerville. The registered Hereford business soon became an important part of the family and they were very successful in a short time.

The family showed cattle at jackpots all over the state, Arizona Nationals, State Fair and National Junior Expos.

Grace served as a 4-H Beef Leader as well as an advisor for the Arizona Junior Hereford Association. She also helped to coach judging teams that were very successful. Her leadership during this era influenced many young people who became Ag Teachers, Extension Agents, entrepreneurs and business owners.

The Wystrach family hosted many judging workouts and Hereford Field days at their ranch. Part of Grace’s legacy is through the many young men and ladies that had the experience of being in her 4-H club, judging team or got to attend the Junior Hereford Convention in Kansas City. She still says that her best employees at the Steak Out are 4-H members. They always are hardworking and responsible.

The Hereford industry in southern Arizona has changed and become more difficult. Despite having some of the premiere genetics available to commercial cattlemen, it is challenging to sell Hereford bulls for a fair price. The Wystrach family uses leading technology like artificial insemination and embryo transfer to continue to produce high quality bulls and heifers. Their bulls generally top the grading and are the high sellers at consignment sales.

To truly understand Grace’s legacy, one must look at her children. Oldest daughter Andrea is an accomplished photographer and currently lives in the Sonoita area with her husband, Ted Walker. Audrey is a DVM in the Austin, Texas area and is revolutionizing veterinary care with her company ZippiVet. Alex Flanangan has worked with NBC and the NFL as a sportscaster.

Amie is following in her mother’s footsteps and has taken a lot of the day to day management of the cow herd over. Michael is the perpetual entrepreneur and is the CEO of Freshly, Inc. Mark is the lead singer for the wildly popular group Midland. In addition to these children, there are countless others who have been beneficiaries of their kindness and good example. That is a true matriarch.

©Guy Atchley

READING SHOW PIGS

the champion show pig equation

BY SHANNON SHULTZ

Families across the Country involve themselves with junior swine projects for many different reasons with varying goals in mind. For some, the experience of just having a pig to take care of on a daily basis provides a young person with a lot of responsibility. For others, placing well at the county level is a goal. Some have the goal of winning at the state level or major livestock show and others it is competing at the national level. The feeding techniques for those individuals who have the goal In mind of doing well at all levels is key to that success.

Ultimately, the factors that distinguish one as an advanced exhibitor are the level of commitment to the show pig project and the ability to “read” show pigs. “Reading” show pigs is simply being able to analyze the structure, design, amount of body fat, and muscle score of pigs throughout the feeding process. Being skillful in evaluating these criteria enables one to make important decisions throughout the feeding process. To be successful, it takes many long hours of hard work, practice, and preparation. Five major components of the champion show pig equation must be in place to achieve a high level of success in today’s show ring:

• Genetics • Health

• Nutrition • Management

• Showmanship If just one of these components is missing or deficient, the chances of success are greatly diminished. The days of simply dumping a bag of feed in a self feeder are long gone for those that want to compete at the top end. These aren’t your Grandpa’s farm hogs anymore. They are athletes that have to be fed and trained daily to be all they can be in the end. There are a few steps to being successful in the show ring we will outline in this article.

GENETICS: The first component of the equation for success is genetics.

A show pig’s genetic potential is determined by its sire and dam. It is important to start with a pig that possesses the genetic potential to perform in the show ring. Only so much can be done with a pig possessing average genetic potential. Don’t buy into a bunch of hype and promotion. Find a breeder that has the genetics and wins to back it up along with being there to guide you along the way with your project. Showing hogs is no different than playing sports. It takes a lot of practice and a good coach. Remember in your selection process that barrows will fatten more easily and gilts tend to stay leaner and more defined in their muscle.

HEALTH: A sound, comprehensive health program, which includes routine vaccination and deworming schedules, should be developed with the assistance of a qualified veterinarian. When show pigs are purchased, the buyer should secure the health history from the seller. Knowing previous treatments and vaccinations is valuable to continuation of a sound health program. Exhibitors should implement sanitation and biosecurity procedures to help prevent disease transmission. Keeping you Showpigs warm during cold weather and cool in the heat will aid in keeping them healthy and keeping the vet bill to a minimum.

NUTRITION/MANAGEMENT: Without question, a sound nutrition program is crucial for a show pig to express its full genetic potential.

The feeding phase of show pigs can be divided into three key periods: • Phase I - purchase to ~100 lb body weight • Phase II - ~100 lb to 200 lb body weight • Phase III - ~200 lb to desired weight at the time of the targeted show PHASE I: The timing of purchasing and receiving show pigs is very critical. Young show pigs may endure and must overcome many challenges by the time they are ready to be sold and placed on feed.

They are being moved into a new home, and separated from their litter mates and stressed from hauling. This is the most critical phase where your pigs are most susceptible to problems. Pigs should be fed a higher protein receiving feed. All top end show feed companies have these feeds. One example of this is Moormans Showtec Sale Prep. You should feed this type of feed for at least a couple weeks until your pigs are eating well and have the muscle composition desired.

Follow the recommendation of your breeder and feed representative for best results.

PHASE II: Phase II begins once the show pig reaches approximately 100 lb. It is critical to weigh show pigs weekly starting early in Phase

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II. One should determine the number of days to the target show and adjust the pig’s feed intake to allow an average daily gain for each individual pig to reach its target weight. Some important decisions will need to be made early in Phase II. Hand-feeding or limit-feeding is often initiated during this phase. Many pigs are initially placed on 6 lb of feed daily, with the feeding rate adjusted up or down to achieve the desired average daily gain. There are several holding products that should be used during this phase if needed rather than simply cutting the amount of feed which will hurt the potential of your hog to look fresh and ready for show.

Show pigs should be analyzed for structural problems and muscle volume. Pigs that are becoming too heavily muscled should be placed on a lower protein higher fat diet Moormans 14560 or 15350. Pigs needing additional muscle volume and less fat cover should be placed on a high protein low fat diet such as a 18% protein 3.5 % diet like Moormans Showtec 18241. Pigs needing both muscle and fat cover should be placed on high protein and high fat diet. Such as an 18% protein and 7% fat diet Moormans Showtec 18007. In this growing phase the most common diet is the 18% high fat diet for gilts and the 18% lower fat for barrows.

PHASE III Critical decisions need to be made during Phase III (200 lb to show weight). This phase is where it can all happen. It’s time to sculpt your

hog the way you want it to be at the show. The use of Paylean®** during the final feeding phase may be considered and additional fat cover or burning of fat is done during this period. Each hog is different and should be fed individually and not one size fits all.

It is very important that your show pig has plenty of fresh cool water completely shaded pen and a place to stay out of the wind. During the winter a heat lamp at least and misters and fan or cooler in the summer.

The final component in the equation for success is showmanship. The importance of presenting one’s show pig to its potential cannot be overemphasized. If your kids need to learn more then take them to a show camp such as Next Level Show Camps. Many times a show pig is placed higher than it should, simply because the exhibitor had the ring awareness to “hide” the pig at the appropriate time. Exhibitors need to use showmanship techniques to accentuate the good qualities of their pigs.

The combination of a “good” show pig and excellent showmanship ability are critical to success.

In conclusion the important thing to always remember is that you get out of your project what you put into it. Buy a good quality animal, feed it a top quality “show feed” and learn all you can to show that animal to the beat of your ability. Remember this always “We are raising kids and using livestock as a tool to do it” See you in the show ring and always do what’s right!

The BIGGEST Night in Arizona Agriculture!

January 26, 2019 phoenix, arizona

PRESENTING SPONSOR

5 p.m. v Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING TO CELEBRATE & SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA AGRICULTURE

www.BlueAndGoldGala.org

• A R I Z O N A FA L L FA I R B A N Apache County Fair

Cochise County Fair

Navajo County Fair

Graham County Fair

Gila County Fair

Greenlee County Fair

Grand Champion Market Steer ...........Taylor White Res. Grand Market Steer .....................Clance Wiltbank Grand Champion Market Hog .............Bailee Hulsey Res. Grand Market Hog .......................Riley Bryan Grand Champion Market Lamb ..........Riley Bryan Res. Grand Market Lamb ....................Kolter Hubbell Grand Champion Market Goat ............Riley Bryan Res. Grand Market Goat ......................Kody Eagar

Grand Champion Market Steer ...........Gretchen Knox Res. Grand Market Steer .....................Kordale Despain Grand Champion Market Hog .............Channing Despain Res. Grand Market Hog .......................Kordale Despain Grand Champion Market Lamb ..........Brendon Laird Res. Grand Market Lamb ....................Kenzie Gose Grand Champion Market Goat ............Rebecca Scott Res. Grand Market Goat ......................Kenzie Gose

Grand Champion Market Steer ...........Laura Dalton Res. Grand Market Steer .....................Brenna Sexton Grand Champion Market Hog .............Clayton Fitzhugh Res. Grand Market Hog .......................Allie Roberts Grand Champion Market Lamb ..........Arielle O’Connor Res. Grand Market Lamb ....................Cali Dalton Grand Champion Market Goat ............Jace O’Connor Res. Grand Market Goat ......................Hailey Courtney

Grand Champion Market Ste Res. Grand Market Steer ......

Grand Champion Market Ho Res. Grand Market Hog ........

Grand Champion Market Lam Res. Grand Market Lamb .....

Grand Champion Market Go Res. Grand Market Goat .......

Grand Champion Market Ste Res. Grand Market Steer ......

Grand Champion Market Ho Res. Grand Market Hog ........

Grand Champion Market La Res. Grand Market Lamb .....

Grand Champion Market Ste Res. Grand Market Steer ......

Grand Champion Market Ho Res. Grand Market Hog ........

Grand Champion Market La Res. Grand Market Lamb .....

Grand Champion Market Go Res. Grand Market Goat .......

N N E R W I N N E R S 2 018 •

eer ...........Taylor Thompson ................Denton Fenn og .............Jace Mitchell ................Ethan Thompson mb ..........Mikayla Driscol ................Mikayla Driscol oat ............Tanna Webster ................Karson Shannon

eer ........... Trenton Haas ................ Ren Fite og ............. Madden Bingham ................ Brook Lunt amb .......... Laredo Willey ................ Rowdi Willey

eer ...........Delanie Claridge ................Russell Haught og .............Eli Frie ................Eli Frie amb ..........Shayanne Avant ................Wyatt Skinner oat ............Hunter Lindsey ................Brody Waters

Santa Cruz County Fair

Grand Champion Market Steer ...........Marin Tomlinson Res. Grand Market Steer .....................Addison Tomlinson Grand Champion Market Hog .............Brent Anderson Res. Grand Market Hog .......................Cole Hubbell Grand Champion Market Lamb ..........Brianna Young Res. Grand Market Lamb ....................Tyler Young Grand Champion Market Goat ............Amy Burleson Res. Grand Market Goat ......................Alexandra Pallanes

Arizona State Fair

Grand Champion Market Steer ...........Blake Norris Res. Grand Market Steer .....................Emmaline Mellon Grand Champion Market Hog .............Carson Nasser Res. Grand Market hog........................Mallory Skinner Grand Champion Market Lamb ..........Riley Bryan Res. Grand Market Lamb ....................Lauren Brim Grand Champion Market Goat ............Hannah Walker Res. Grand Market Goat ......................Shailee Ferguson

Brought to you by:

schulz farms

PATIENCE

a story of lessons learned by wild horses & wild men

BY TIFFANY SELCHOW ~ PHOTOS BY LAUREN MAEHLING

Somewhere things went wrong for every single locked up prisoner.

The stories are endless and the crimes plentiful. A chance at happiness behind the walls of this forbidding structure in Florence, Arizona is slim. Randy Helm, manager of the Arizona Wild Horse Inmate Program, might offer that chance or at least a small glimmer of hope. A unique partnership is occurring between the Bureau of Land Management and the Arizona State Penitentiary System to utilize both the numerous wild horses and burros present on federal land and the labor of inmates.

The idea is the inmates train the horses and burros making them more adoptable. While this is a mutually beneficial relationship, it seems the inmates are the ones who gain the most happiness from this program.

But not the sort of happiness which comes from instant gratification.

No. This is the type of joy which comes from long, hard, and oftentimes, hot days of fulfilling life lesson-teaching work.

Not every inmate is allowed into this program. Before these criminals can start working with the horses, they first interview with Helm. This process, much like a job interview, allows Helm to assess the likelihood of success for an inmate in the program. It also allows him the chance to cover the ground rules. Racism is a significant issue in most prisons, but those politics aren’t allowed in the horse arena. The focus is on working as a team, despite the race of the inmate. Once an inmate is accepted into

the program, he is paired up with a convict who has been working in the program for some time and is ready to share his knowledge.

Helm grew up on a ranch and then moved to a farm where his family raised and trained thoroughbred racehorses and grew row crops. After time spent in the military, he moved on to law enforcement. In this current role, he has melded two impactful areas of his life into what is a hugely successful program in which inmates are invited into an evident atmosphere of mutual respect: respect for the animals and inmates alike. Helm said, “I know these horses come and need to learn, but I’m going to give that horse the chance to prove itself and give it every opportunity to make the right choice. What I find is if you treat these guys with respect, similar to the horses, they will work hard and prove successful.”

Helm often holds clinics in one of the many inmate-built pipe round pens. During these clinics, the inmates gather around and learn how to work their three assigned horses. Each clinic covers a different step in the process ranging from a horse who has never been touched to one who has reached the final step in their saddle breaking - the first ride. Under Helm’s training program, throwing a leg over the horse should be the next natural progression. Step by step is how these horses are trained to succeed, a parallel which Helm is quick to point out works well in the lives of 24

seen extreme success with only a few inmates returning to prison after their release since the program’s inception in 2012.

Patience. A word you might not associate with prisoners locked up at the Arizona State Prison, but one which was used by numerous inmates when asked what they would take away from the Arizona Wild Horse Inmate Program. An inmate laughed and shared, “If I had this patience a long time ago, I wouldn’t be here now.” When asked how an inmate would use this lesson of patience learned from these wild horses, one inmate stated, “I’ll use it to get back in touch with my kids. They were 2 and 3 when I was locked up. They are now 13 and 15.” Patience is a hard skill to master, but with the help of these wild horses, these wild men are learning just how valuable that skill is.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tiffany Selchow, moonlighting as a freelance writer, works for the ranchers of Arizona by educating consumers on the many benefits of including beef in a healthy lifestyle with the Arizona Beef Council. Her horse crazy tendencies began by asking for one on her Christmas list as a young child and took her to Nelson Farms in Tucson, AZ where she rode and showed horses on a national level. That passion evolved and carried her into a life revolving around production agriculture.

She lives and has taken up the role of ranch wife on the Quarter Circle U Ranch with her husband, the ranch manager, and their daughter Hayes.

these inmates. Lots of time and energy are spent with all six feet on the ground. Horses are introduced to the tack and equipment needed for riding, work in the round pen and are introduced to versatility obstacles such as teeter-tottering bridges, plastic hanging curtains, gates, and other useful equipment. The inmate’s successfully trained horses have been adopted into all equestrian disciplines including trail riding, ranch work, border patrol duties, and one special grey gelding is headed to Arlington National Cemetery to perform in the poignant riderless horse ceremonies.

Drug-related crimes contribute to most of the inmate’s prosecution, but there are other stories. Stories of one wrong decision which led a person down a completely different path. One young man was on his way to a career in the United States Marine Corps. After serving his country in Iraq, this young man and his best friend went out to celebrate, something he wasn’t often keen to do in his pre-military life.

He made a choice to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink and ended up in a canal. He survived. His best friend didn’t. And the trajectory of his life drastically changed. The emotional wounds this man must carry are massive and while these wounds may never heal completely, this program offers this prisoner a place to stay focused and work through destructive thoughts using the horses as a tool for recovery. Because horses listen. They listen in a different way than any human can. They listen to your body language, to your heart, to your soul.

Wild horses and burros and the land on which they graze is a topic of great contempt and debate in our country. Currently, there are roughly 100,000 wild horses on land which should only hold 28,000. The land can’t support the exponential growth of the population and, without common sense solutions, tragedy isn’t far off. With a program showing success like the Arizona Wild Horse Inmate Program, it might baffle a person as to why these programs don’t exist across the country. There isn’t official data on the program’s inmates’ recidivism, but Helm has

Horses and burros, trained by the inmates and untrained, are available for adoption. Untrained horses are available for an adoption fee of $125 and fully saddle trained horses are $825. An adoption event is held most Fridays at the Florence State Prison from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

More specific details can be found at www.blm.gov

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WINNING WAYS WITH KIM WILLIAMSON

BY JANICE BRYSON

After graduation from Farmington High School in 1987, Kim moved to Phoenix, Arizona to attend DeVry Institute of Technology. She graduated from DeVry in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Operations.

It was time to hit the rodeo trail hard again.

In 1995 Kim was a Finalist in Breakaway Roping for the Southwest Professional Rodeo Association. She was busy in 1996 competing in several rodeo associations becoming a finalist in Breakaway Roping in both the New Mexico Rodeo Association and the North American Rodeo Commission World. That year she was the West World Series Breakaway Champion and also won the Breakaway Championship for the Southwest Professional Rodeo Association. 1997 and 1998 found her very involved in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association; she was a Breakaway and Tie-Down Calf Roping Finalist in 1997 and Kim added Team Roping Heading and Heeling to her qualifying events as she headed to the WPRA Finals in 1998.

In 2000 Kim teamed up with her American Quarter Horse Association Breakaway Horse of the Year – Ladies Doc Desperado. They were a perfect fit; winning Breakaway Championships that year for the WPRA “Cactus Series”, the Grand Canyon Professional Rodeo Association and Reserve Champion Breakaway for the WPRA. The duo also had a finalist spot in the Tie-Down Calf Roping event. Kim became the WPRA World Champion Team Roping Heeler that year as well as winning the team roping finals average.

Kim continued her winning streak with both the WPRA and the Grand Canyon Rodeo Association. 2002 saw Kim riding the Tie-Down Calf Roping Horse of the Year, El Torro Doc, a horse Kim owned and trained herself. She set a new WPRA Breakaway arena record of 5.9 seconds on 3 calves in 2004. Between 2000 and 2008, Kim won WPRA World Championships twice each in Team Roping Heeling and Breakaway Calf Roping as well as a Team Roping Heading World Championship and a Tie-Down Calf Roping World Championship. The World Championships were in addition to being a WPRA Finals qualifier multiple times in these events through the years and being a Reserve World Champion a number of times in the events. Kim is the only women to ever win dual team roping titles. Kim has won a world title in every event she has roped in. In addition, Kim has twice won the prestigious All-Around WPRA All Women’s Rodeo World Champion title.

Kim’s outstanding roping ability in the rodeo arena has been featured in print articles in magazines such as Western Horseman, Spin to

The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) is one of the largest rodeo sanctioning bodies in the world and is open to women eighteen years of age and older. The Association, with headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, currently has over 3,000 members from all over the contiguous United States, Canada, and Australia.

In addition to the WPRA’s barrel racing events held in conjunction with Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) events, the WPRA also has an All Women’s Division which sanctions rodeos exclusively for women. These all women’s rodeos feature five events – break-away calf roping, tie-down calf roping, team roping, bareback riding and bull riding - in addition to the barrel race. The 2018 WPRA World Championships were held in October in Waco, Texas.

Arizona cowgirl Kim Williamson is an eight time World Champion WPRA Breakaway Calf Roper and Team Roper. Raised in Farmington, New Mexico, Kim’s father rode rough stock and roped a little bit so Kim grew up around horses and rodeos. Growing up, she was involved in all the NM Junior Rodeo events she could compete in; including barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, ribbon roping, breakaway calf roping and team roping.

Working hard at events in New Mexico High School Rodeo, Kim qualified to compete in the National High Rodeo Association Finals in barrel racing, team roping and breakaway calf roping. She got to travel to South Dakota and Colorado to compete in the National High School Finals.

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Win and American Horse. In 2002-2003 she was the Assistant Media coordinator of Professional Women in Rodeo. Kim produced a video “Roping to Win” teaching the do’s and don’ts of Breakaway Roping.

She was also featured in the video “On the Road – Race to the Finals” as well as giving many interviews on radio and television.

For a number of years Kim gave private roping lessons as well as clinics helping participants improve their roping skills. She has given clinics in Canada; however, one of her favorite memories is of her one month stay in Australia. She gave private lessons every day and held four clinics around the country. The president of the biggest pro-rodeo association in the country loaned her his calf horse and she won the breakaway roping at one of the rodeos.

Kim is a Realtor with Revelation Real Estate and specializes in horse properties. Check out her website www.arizonahorsepropertyforsale. com. She keeps busy with real estate and competes in team roping events in the Southwest. She also enjoys volunteering with schools in helping students with their reading.

She has two favorite students she is teaching who live right next door to her. Her niece Cassandra Rodriguez, age 12, and nephew Julian Rodriquez, age 6, both compete in the Queen Creek Junior Rodeo

Association. Kim is very proud of their progress in only their second rodeo season. They couldn’t ask for a better teacher!

FIVE QUICK TIPS FROM KIM TO IMPROVE YOUR ROPING SKILLS 1. Get Mentally Prepared. You have to believe in yourself.

If you don’t nobody else will.

2. Establish Positive Training Sessions. Go into practice sessions with specific goals in mind. Do whatever you can to accomplish those goals & feel good about yourself when the day’s done.

3. Have Patience. This applies to both yourself & your horse.

4. Know Your Limits. Learn to recognize when you need to push yourself a little further. But also recognize when practice sessions become counterproductive.

5. Believe in Your Ability to Win. Win, lose or draw, you should always believe you are a winner in life, love & faith.

WINTER STYLE GUIDE WITH REAGAN KEMPTON

Hi amigos! I’m Reagan- the gal with a few too many creatures to tend to, an overflowing closet and a wild passion for western fashion. I grew up in the cactus covered deserts of Arizona on a small family farm that raised livestock for mine and my sibling’s county fair projects. I quickly fell in love with that portion of the industry and am currently growing my show goat operation, day by day. My mother used to tell me you can never be over-dressed.

So, no matter if I am in the goat barn, checking cattle or at an event I enjoy ‘getting all dolled up.’ Hard work has never looked better!!

I truly enjoy sharing my love for the western lifestyle & fashion world and I am excited to share a small portion of what I think you’ll see most in these upcoming winter months and at the 2018 National Finals Rodeo!! Follow along with my daily adventures and style tips on Instagram @ranchinreags.

TOP IT OFF: Although men on horseback have been wearing broad brimmed hats for many years, hats in the western fashion industry have taken an entirely new shape- literally!

Hats are a great way to ‘top off’ an outfit and are easily personalized by adding vintage turquoise pins, unexpected hat bands and unique patches! One of my very favorite hat makers is located in the great state of Arizona on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Apache Hat Co. creates one of a kind pieces for each customer and truly makes dreams come to life, the pieces created by Apache Hat Co. bring a sense of classic old west with a modern flair. The perfect complement to a wild western gal’s closet! Check them out on Instagram and Facebook @apachehatco.

THE POWER OF PENDLETON: Stay extra cozy and bundled up this winter season in all things Pendleton! Pendleton Woolen Mills is a staple in any western woman’s closet, the iconic American textile company out of Oregon is known for its great blankets and woolen clothing. Vintage or new, Pendleton is a great way to add a snug, comfortable and warm piece to your outfit while still managing to be extremely polished!

Vintage Pendleton doesn’t have to be found digging through thrift shops and searching for hours online. Instead, check out Rice and Beans Boutique for a carefully curated collection of vintage Pendleton pieces (and more)! Check them out on Instagram @rice_and_beans_boutique and on Facebook at Rice and Beans Baker.

BELL BOTTOM BABY: The 1970’s called- AND WE ANSWERED! Move over blue jean baby, bell bottoms are back and better than ever- with incredible patterns, a variety of different washes, frays & rips and detailing these trending pants have a style for each one of us! However, if a full bell bottom pant is a little too much for you, I have an option- trousers. Trouser jeans are typically a darker wash, have a wide/straight leg and have the classic wide cuff at the bottom with the simple pockets on the back. Both bell bottoms and trouser jeans are incredibly sliming for each body type and instantly can make you look taller if paired with the correct pieces (can I get an Amen?) Find a few of my favorite bell bottoms and trousers online and in-store at Casa de Bling in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Check them out on Instagram and Facebook @casadebling.

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1

2

TO OL S OF THE TR ADE ~

knot the only way to sling salt

5

6

8

9

Say goodbye to those bulky boxes and salt racks this winter and say hello to four simple tools that will save you time and money. This method of packing salt when done properly makes it nearly impossible to loose a load on the trail.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (figure 1): A pack saddle A Slinging rope (40ft of 1/2” cotton rope) A Manny a.k.a. Pack Canvas (about 4’x6’) A Lash Rope (40ft of 1/2” poly rope) 2, 3, 4 or 5 Salt/Protein Blocks

PREPARE YOUR GEAR (figure 2,3,4): Attach your sling rope with a clove hitch on front saw buck in the middle of the rope, about 20ft on each side. Lay Manny between saw bucks then wrap each side of your sling rope in a figure 8 pattern on top. Separately attach your lash rope in a figure eight fashion on top of the sling rope, or tie and hang of the side of the pack saddle then hit the trail to go pick up your salt.

ATTACH YOUR SALT (figure 5,6,7,8, 9): Sling your block snug with a figure 8 and block and cradle bottom with remaining slack. Tie off as high as possible and leave a loop for future use. Repeat for the second block. Add top block and secure with remaining slack through existing loops.

LASH IT DOWN (figure 10): Cover load with Manny and latch down with the hitch of your choice (a simple diamond will do the trick).

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3

7

10 TIPS FOR THE TRAIL: -Keep salt from chewing up your pack saddle with a small blanket or piece of canvas between sawbuck covering the bars.

-Keep blocks high and tight, never low.

-Take into consideration the distance, climb and dead weight. Make sure your pack animal is fit for the trail.

4

I LIVE THE WESTERN LIFESTYLE

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WITH JOEL JUDGE WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU? The three constants are: coffee with my wife, reading scripture, feeding our livestock, after that it’s a long solid day on the phone or visiting with clients.

IF YOU COULD BE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE, RIGHT THIS MINUTE, WHERE WOULD YOU BE? Fishing in the eastern Sierras with my son, Wyatt.

FLASHBACK TO WHEN YOU WERE 10 YEARS OLD. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Hog rancher FINISH THIS SENTENCE. ON SUNDAY MORNINGS, YOU CAN USUALLY FIND ME....

Coffee, scripture, doing chores, and an ideal Sunday includes church.

HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER YOU? As a person who always strives to help people with their goals and direction in life, and pushed others to achieve all that they can.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PERSONAL MOTTO BE? “It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll!” (courtesy of AC/DC) WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN OTHERS? Lack of follow through.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BEST SKILLS THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR JOB? Experience in every aspect of the cattle industry; ability to network, communicate, and relate to my clients and others I work with.

WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? Don Spurgin, a friend of mine who has achieved so much, coming from nothing. What I love about him most is that he is a man of his word, and his handshake is his bond.

NAME THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU? Passionate, aggressive in goals/work, compassionate

WHAT IS A QUALITY YOU MOST LIKE IN A MAN? A WOMEN? A man who stands behind his word & a strength in a women.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD DESCRIBE YOU? Always a positive attitude, pushy, possessing the ability to always make things happen

WHO/WHAT IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF YOUR LIFE? My wife, Kourtney Judge, and all of my children, Ashley, Jessica, Wyatt, and Weston who was born on Dec 5, 2018

WHAT’S A GOAL YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF THAT YOU WANT ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR? Increase my market presence within the feeder calf sector.

WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE? The ability to weld and fabricate building projects.

WHAT MAKES YOU #WESTERNLIFE? I was born and raised in the west, and the western way of life as it relates to ranching is forever encompassed in my soul. I will always have an appreciation for the traditions, heritage, and diversity of ranching life in the western United States, and enjoy sharing that with friends and clients in Oklahoma and Texas. #westernlife means to me, a desire to live this lifestyle and pass that onto others so that they may appreciate this life and traditions.

WHAT ARE YOU HAPPIEST DOING WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING? Nothing specific, but just doing simple life things with my wife.

WHAT ARE SOME CAUSES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT? Anything related to the development of youth, such as coaching basketball, teaching livestock fitting camps, and judging junior livestock shows, etc.

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For all your nutritional needs or inquiries come in for a visit or call and we will work together for a nutritionally sound tomorrow.

SELLING YOUR RANCH

BY TAMRA KELLY

Is it time to sell your ranch? Low inventory, increased prices and consumer confidence in the economy make this a good time to sell your ranch. Whether selling the historic family cattle ranch for personal reasons, selling the starter ranch in order to buy back in to a larger operation, or investors “flipping” their cattle ranch purchased several years ago – now maybe the time to sell your ranch.

Selling working cattle ranches presents unique issues not common to normal commercial or residential real estate transactions. As a result, I would suggest hiring a “ranch real estate agency” – an outfit which specializes in selling agricultural properties. A google search using terms such as “Arizona working cattle ranch for sale” will reveal several ranch real estate agencies in the southwest. A quick look at the properties they have listed for sale should readily distinguish a ranch real estate agency from a more traditional residential or commercial agency. Unique terms such as “carrying capacity,” “CYL” (cattle year-long), “AUM” (animal unit month), “headquarters,” “cow-calf,” “ephemeral grazing,” etc. distinguish the listings in a true ranch real estate agency from the numerous ranch

real estate companies that sell their acreage under the moniker “ranch.” The importance of selecting a true ranch real estate agency cannot be understated. Unlike residential or commercial properties, the ranch real estate broker may have to transfer ownership of federal and state grazing leases, surface and/or groundwater rights, livestock brands, cattle, specialized equipment, subleases, wind rights, etc. requiring specialized knowledge which a typical residential or commercial agent may find unfamiliar. Moreover, the marketing of your ranch is entirely different from typical real estate sales. A working cattle ranch is not typically place on the “MLS” – the exclusive listing service accessible only to real estate agents in a particular geographical area. A cattle ranch must be marketed nationwide through use of websites, social media and a few well-established ranch real estate marketing publications. Prospective buyers are located anywhere, both within and outside the United States. Prospective buyers have varied reasons for buying a ranch. The reasons may be to make a short or long-term investment, to subdivide, tax opportunities, to buy a hobby ranch, to actually raise cattle for a profit, or simply to buy a cattle ranch to live 34

©Paul Ramirez

and raise a family. An objective, honest look at your ranch in order to analyze the motive of prospective buyers, evaluate comparable sales and the highest and best use of the ranch will a help in determining the right listing price to ensure a sale in a reasonable time. Given the dollar amounts involved, hiring a ranch real estate appraiser is often a good idea to ensure your ranch is listed at a fair price in order to sell within a reasonable time period.

Ranches come in all sizes and shapes and in every type of environment. In the southwestern United States the habitat, grasses, browse, flora, fauna and environmental influences on a particular ranch may vary greatly. It is not unusual for a single ranch to exhibit radical differences in feed, water, climate, and topography within its boundaries and during different seasons. As an example, the La Cienega Ranch we owned for several years in western Arizona was approximately 300 square miles in size consisting of private and public grazing lands. Elevations on the ranch ranged from 1400 feet in the Lower Township Pasture near the Colorado River up to 7,200 feet in the Hualapai Mountains. The variety of grass and browse species available for grazing was markedly different from the

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sparse desert on the low end to the pinyon/ juniper habitat in the middle, to the brush and pine forests on top. The cattle rotation was dependent upon the seasons, moisture and predators. When marketing a working cattle ranch, identifying these types of factors is critical information for a prospective buyer.

Although often overlooked, the sellers of the ranch are the best source to describe the feed production, seasonal changes and other factors influencing cattle production.

As a ranch real estate agent, gather relevant data regarding the specific ranch is critical.

Land surveys, tax information, water rights, mineral rights, public lands leases, private land leases, utilities, income/expense ledgers, environmental assessments, administrative operating instructions, etc. are critical items which must be obtained from the seller a soon as possible. Gathering this information at the outset ensures its availability to a prospective buyer enhancing the quality of the ranch showing by the ranch real estate agent. Importantly, early disclosure also helps prevent a delay in closing after escrow is opened by providing this important information upfront and prior to the buyer’s due diligence period. In addition, providing common sense information obtained from the seller such as distance to local schools, grocery stores, hardware and parts stores, airports, sale barns, etc. is important. All of this information may be summarized and included in the marketing brochure increasing the odds that qualified, interested buyers consider a particular ranch.

Maps, maps, maps. Every prospective ranch buyer wants to see the “map.” Whether allotment maps, aerial maps, hand drawn maps, road maps, USGS topographical maps – any kind of map helps sell the ranch. The more detailed and extensive the various maps are made available to buyers, the better the sales presentation by the real estate agent.

These maps help explain the location of

water sources, storage tanks, drinkers, water lines, fences, natural boundaries, distances, topography, and pasture rotation helping communication between the buyer and ranch real estate agent enhancing the quality of the ranch showing.

The marketing of a working cattle ranch is as specialized as ranch real estate brokers who sell them. Unlike residential properties, ranch real estate agents commonly do not belong to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and do not market their ranches through this geographical real estate service. Cattle ranches are commonly marketed on online websites operated by the ranch real estate broker or specific sites websites catering to the agricultural community such as Ranch World Ads. Another frequent marketing technique is through advertising in trade magazines, agricultural magazines, or ranch real estate magazines. These entities typically publish both “hard copy” and online versions. In today’s market, the pool of prospective ranch buyers is of local, national, and, sometimes, international scope. Marketing a working cattle ranch through a variety of these agricultural resources enhances the probability of sale.

The ranch showing is a critical aspect of selling the ranch. The agent should have good working knowledge of the ranch operations including such matters as pasture rotation, seasonal influences on production, governmental pressures and/or assistance, predator problems, environmental factors, weather cycles, etc. During a typical, lengthy ranch showing, buyer questions range from weaning weights, cattle breeds, stocking rates and numbers, seasonal influences on feed and water, to the personality of range con, character of the neighboring ranchers, and distance to the best sale barn. Providing authentic, honest answers to these questions is dependent upon good communication between the seller and the agent during the 36

initial ranch listing conference.

Finally, it is often equally important to consider the aesthetic aspects of showing a ranch. This is especially true for ranch family buyers. The wife and kids may have as much influence on the prospective purchase as the rancher husband. I have found that pulling up to a clean, neat presentable house, yard, and headquarters of a ranch with that feeling of “home” is often as important as working range improvements, quality fences and corrals. My belief is confirmed by the Arizona Brand Book published in 1908. Its author provides his sage advice to a stock grower as follows: “He should try to have fruit trees, vines, berries, a garden and make his cattle ranch a home which will have some attractiveness for his wife and family, and in which they may feel pride and contentment. . . . His chief pride should be in the development of an attractive home and in an intelligent, industrious and contented family. Good, intelligent and attractive women do not care to live surrounded by nothing but sagebrush, miles and miles from anything that may please the eye or gratify the sense of home comfort.” In addition to the waters working, fences up, pastures properly grazed, and cattle in good shape keeping the homes, camps, saddle house, and shops neat, clean and orderly will definitely increase its probability of sale.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tamra S. Kelly is an Associate of CPNA and head of its Ranch and Farm Division and Qualifying Broker of Ag Lands Southwest.

She sells cattle ranches and other agricultural properties in Arizona and New Mexico.

Contact: tamra@aglandssw.com

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The Avion parked at “Sheep Camp”; property owned by the Bidegain family near Greaterville, AZ

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS A VINTAGE REMODEL BY THE BIDEGAINS

When your heart is in the country but you live and work in the city you get creative! Renée Bidegain, Creative Director for Western Ag Life Magazine and her husband Aaron wanted to spend more time with their family and friends in Southern Arizona, but couldn’t decide where to land on long weekends. The solution? A 1965 Avion trailer with all the comforts of home. With a little elbow grease, and re-designing the couple were able to create a unique space that puts them closer to the family ranch and wide open spaces. The 1bd, 1ba trailer is fully equipped with updated energy efficient electric, new plumbing, laminate flooring, a full size bed and even a porcelain toilet! “The remodel was challenging and fun. We tried to keep as much original vintage charm to the project while bringing everything up-to-date.” says Aaron. Renée says, “Tiny, funky and comfy” and we couldn’t agree more! Questions about the project? email creative@adobewren.com

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© Shelly Jacobs Yellow Rose Photography

QUIRT PETERSON 3/29/2001 ~ 10/10/2018

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

MATTHEW 5:16

Following Quirt Peterson Written by Ed Ashurst I saw Quirt on several occasions riding all day in the dust and greasewood and the endless sand following trotty cattle, and by the time he was ten Ace had showed him how to get in front and stop them, for the wannabes who don’t know the difference I’ll explain that it’s not the same to be just following or being able to out think a cow and stop her.

He knew because his father had taught him.

Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it.

He knew early on the way to go and he knew when to stop.

I saw him on the Big Hatchet, he and Whip riding all day and swinging their ropes.

I would think, those darn kids’ arms are going to fall off, but then later I saw him in the short go and he wasn’t afraid because the rope had become part of him.

Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it.

That’s a tough one because now he’s gone and you can do no more training, no more coaching, no more instructing.

He was always quiet, never loud around horses, cattle or girls at the dance.

You could tell that as a man he would lead by example not word. He is a good one. He is . . . because he still is.

Train up a child in the way he would go and he will not depart from it.

Well, now that he has moved on, you have to follow him because you trained him in the way he should go.

Jesus conquered death, Hell, and the grave.

Quirt wasn’t afraid of dying because he was too busy living.

Don’t weep for Quirt but weep for yourself because you miss him.

Train up a child in the way he should go and don’t be angry when he gets there.

He was tall and getting handsome.

Now he will always be that way.

Handsome and wearing a snow white shirt, waiting at the roundup ground, and it’s springtime over there, and it has been raining.

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COWBOY PRAYER

Pastor Billy VanCamp Heart Cry Cowboy Church Queen Creek, AZ Our most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you Lord for our families, we thank you Lord for our opportunities, we thank you Lord for our western lifestyle, we thank you that we are able to live that lifestyle in a country that’s free. We pray our leaders would look to you for wisdom and guidance.

word of Jesus who took it a step further and taught us that we ought to love and pray for not only those who agree with us but also those who oppose us. ‘If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?’, and ‘If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?’

Matthew 5:46-47 NLT

We pray we would not we lose sight of how to engage with each other in a sincere pursuit of truth. We’ve worked feverishly to prove ourselves right, but please help us make an effort to understand each other. Lord we pray that our opinions will not become more important than people, so we don’t lose relationally. Lord help the church of Jesus Christ to be a force of unity, love and civility both within and without.

We know Lord that you have told us, “Love one another, just as I have loved you,” (John 13:34). Lord help us to follow the

Lord help us to remember it is never enough just to do the right thing, but we must do the right thing in the right way.

Lord we desire to see unity in America; we cannot only talk about it, but help us to live it out in our workplaces, our churches, our homes, our ranches and in our relationships.

A divided church cannot call a divided nation to unity.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Prayer written by Pastor Billy VanCamp Heart Cry Cowboy Church heartcryaz.com

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ISSUE

PUBLISHED MONTH

AD DEADLINE

Spring

March 2019

February 1, 2019

Summer

June 2019

May 1, 2019

Fall

September 2019

August 1, 2019

Winter

December 2019

November 1, 2019

Freelance writers and photographers are always welcome! Contact us today to get your work published! info@westernaglife.com

Ranchers working for Ranchers - it’s not just a business, it’s our way of life

ARIZONA Tamra Kelly Associate Broker Commercial Properties Northern Arizona Ag Lands Southwest Ranch & Farm Division 140 N. Montezuma St. Ste 300 Prescott, Arizona 86301 tamra@cp-na.com www.aglandssw.com

NEW MEXICO Tamra Kelly Designated Broker Ag Lands Southwest P.O. Box 409 Prescott, Arizona 86302 tamra@aglandssw.com www.aglandssw.com

Buying or Selling... Call Tamra Kelly Today!

(928) 830-9127