Welcome to the Ranch!

Not only does this video by Bryan Marcel accurately show the conditions on a committed grass fed ranch operation, but he is a big proponent on eating healthier as a lifestyle.  Beyond his catchy motto, “Look Better Naked,” he has a healthy diet plan that includes grass fed beef.  For more information, check out The Bryan Marcel Healthy Diet and/or read his article, “Unhealthy Americans.”

For most of our customers, they seek out grass fed beef because of a desire to eat healthier.  They instinctively know that the more naturally an animal lives the better.  They believe the adage, “You are what you eat.”  If you eat meat filled with antibiotics and growth hormones, then it stands to reason that the meat will eventually have an adverse effect on your health.

On Cross Creek Cattle Company, we raise our beef in a natural setting in Grimes County.  The herds graze natural grasses, and they are currently enjoying planted rye grass.  They have access to fresh water and loose minerals. There is no feed-lot setting on our ranch.

To see for yourself, we invite you to tour Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Contact me for an appointment so that I can make myself available to you and your family.

A storm came early Monday morning.  It woke us up in the middle of the night with swirling winds, lightning flashes, and rumbling thunder.  Our youngest boy, Andrew, knocked on our bedroom door as he sought our parental comfort.  Our puppy was whining.  Typically this scenario would not be welcome.  I mean, I treasure my sleep.  However after the year we have had, it was a sheer joy to wake up to the sound of the downpour on our metal roof.  I did not mind the inconvenience of a whining dog and scared child.

The storm was not short lived.  It lasted most of the day, but by noon the really hard rain had left.  Instead, a soaking rain set in for a few more hours.  We watched as puddles spilled into larger ones, which then eventually led to some minor flooding as the once dry creek beds filled and spilled over.

This was not our first rain during this drought.  We have been blessed this fall and winter with occasional showers.  They have had an incredible effect on our winter grass.  These rains have provided a steady soaking of the ground.  In spite of these showers, our ponds and lakes have been lower than we have ever witnessed.  Run-off had not really begun to refill them.

We cannot say that anymore.  Just look at the before and after photos of the same lake on our ranch.  If you will recall, we built the pier this summer in the hopes that we would once again have a full lake.

Taken in late August. The lake dropped another four feet, but I failed to take a picture of it.

Water level as on January 9th.

In literature, a rain like we experienced Monday symbolizes a rebirth or fresh start.  This is exactly how we feel.  It is like we have turned a corner.  Our land is on the mend from the devastating effects of such a severe drought.  To receive 6.6 inches in one day is truly a blessing.  Cross Creek Cattle Company is looking forward to watching as God heals our land and restores it.  What a wonderful way to start this new year!

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ranch
Not a thing was stirrin’ not even a tree branch.
The boots were sittin’ by the fire with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The calves were nestled all snug near their mas,
While they awaited the arrival o’ Santa Claus.
And the horses in their stalls with plenty of hay
Were resting peacefully from their very full day.

When over the treetops there arose such a loud noise,
the animals all shuddered in place even the boys.
Away o’er the pasture the sleigh skidded past,
It tore up the dirt road; it was going so fast.

The moon on the lake and the growing rye grass
Showed the dewdrops had fallen like shiny, clean glass.
When what to our great surprise fell from the sky,
But a light dusting of snowflakes from way up high.

A White Christmas in Texas was too good to hear
I let out a “Yahoo!” and began to cheer.
More rapid than lightning the reindeer did run
They had to deliver  the gifts ’til there was none.

On, Dasher! On, Dancer! On, Prancer and Vixen!
Now, Comet! Now, Cupid! Now, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the hill!  While it is still nightfall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

The mud flew covering the bottom of the sleigh
While the hooves slipped and slid and Santa yelled, “Hey!”
“What is this?  Precipitation has arrived?”
And I thought that this trip would be an easy drive.

Santa pulled back on the reins and shouted, “Whoa!”
Even if the reindeer wanted they couldn’t go.
It would be a short hike to the very next stop,
Just a mile walk, then a jump, skip, and a hop.

He was dressed all in red from his head to his boot
In a very large and fur-trimmed Cowboy-type suit.
A bundle of gifts he had flung on his back,
And it looked as though they would burst out of the sack.

His eyes, how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like apples, his nose a dewberry!
His cherry red lips were stained with tobacco,
And his once pure white beard looked a might yellow.

He trudged up the hill and then over the road,
Struggling to carry the weight of his burdensome load.
When through the darkness, he saw a twinkling, bright light
A candle in the window was a wonderful sight.

He plodded up the walk to the Holliday’s cabin
He rang the doorbell with his hands still holdin’ and grabbin’
Onto his big bag of special presents and toys,
For all the good little cowgirls and cowboys.

He spoke not a word, when the door was flung wide,
But went straight to work while PawPaw moved to his side.
He whispered a secret into the old man’s ear,
And Santa smiled and said, “It was good to be here.”

PawPaw saw how our stockings had been filled with such care.
With his tractor, he pulled the sleigh from its muddy snare
The reindeer had enough time to lift up in flight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Cross Creek Cattle Company wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This poem was obviously inspired and is based on the classic Christmas poem by Clement C. Moore.

Alton Brown, host of Good Eats on the Food Network, prefers grass fed beef to grain fed beef.  As usual, he presents his argument in a humorous way.  Enjoy this clip as Alton explains why he loves the texture and flavor of grass fed beef.

If you have never tasted the true flavor and texture of beef, there is no time like the present.  Cross Creek Cattle Company is still harvesting beef.  Please contact Lara DeHaven, our Business Manager, today.  Her phone number is 936-870-5798 or her email address is lndehaven@aol.com.

Zorra (Cathey) and her horse, Shania

We had such a great time last Saturday!  Our trail ride was so much fun.  It was a beautiful, slightly cool afternoon.  The horses felt great and did a wonderful job crossing the creeks, cutting through the woods, and walking through open pastures.  We had experienced riders as well as beginners ride the trail and all did a great job.

Isaac is catching a ride with an Indian (Kyla) on her painted horse, Dolly. To the right is Jake as a deer hunter.

For me, the best part of the evening was seeing everyone come dressed up to the ride.  When the costume contest was first announced, I did not think that the Posse members would actually dress up.  Boy was I wrong.

Most people came in costume.  We had rodeo contestants, Indians, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, a deer hunter, a Western outlaw, and a gypsy.  Cathey Holliday came as a female Zorro.  She was my personal favorite; although, my daughter Kyla looked pretty authentic as a Native American.  Kyla researched actual symbols that Indians would paint on their horses.  She painted them on her horse, and dressed the part herself.

It was fun to see these costumed riders riding across Cross Creek Cattle Company.  After the ride, the Posse held their officer election.  We awarded two costume prizes.  One for the best dressed horse and one for the best costume.  The Sheriff judged the contest and had a hard time making his decision.  We also ate dinner and visited with one another.  All in all, we hosted a fun evening for the Posse.

Since this year’s costume contest was such a hit, it will probably occur next year, too.  They will have all year to try to top this year’s costumes.  As evidenced by the costumes this year, the members of the Posse not only ride horses well, but they are very creative.  Below are the costume contest winners.

Dorothy (Samantha Roesler) and Toto. Best Costume 2011.

Timber Thomson and her very painted horse, Patsy. Best Decorated Horse 2011.

Rye Grass is Growing!!

Last week, I so enjoyed sharing with you the blessing of rain on our newly planted winter grass seed.  Since then, I put out one more bag of seed in the smaller pens used to finish our grass fed beef calves.  Even though there was no chance of rain in the forecast, it rained that night giving us an additional 1/10 of an inch.  Early Tuesday morning, it rained again a little.  My husband and I are now in the process of watching the grass sprout and grow.  It is an exciting time for us.  Apparently we are easily entertained!

It just goes to show how important grass is for us.  Many people don’t seem to understand the implications of a drought like the one we are experiencing.  To them they just have to water their yard more often.  Grass in any form is life-sustaining for our herd, our horses, and the wild animals.   Of course, grass directly affects our livelihood of raising and selling grass fed beef.  We have to have grass.

Another form of grass that we needed was hay.  We had some already put up in the barn, but we did not have enough to make it through the winter.  We still needed to acquire over 200 round bales.

Prices on hay have gone through the roof.  Every day that passed, as my husband spent hours on the phone and internet trying to find hay, the prices kept going up.  In fact, one of the last people my husband spoke with wanted $145.00 a bale.   Yes, $145.00 a bale!  That is obscene.

Last week I asked for any tips that would allow us to find the amount of hay we needed for a reasonable price.  We had been praying about this source of grass for our herd as well.  I am happy to announce that we secured a source for all of our hay needs.  Already an 18-wheeler has brought us the first load.  The great news is that the price quoted to us before they brought out the hay was about less than half what the last person wanted.

When Lane asked for the amount owed, the driver shaved off some of the delivery fee.  Needless to say, we were thrilled with the decrease in price.  Most of all we are thrilled and thankful with God’s provision for us as winter is soon to be approaching.  After the summer we have had, it feels like nothing short of a miracle.  And, I just wanted to share this true story with you.

In addition, the first cold front of the season blew in this week.  We put on light jackets and stayed outdoors just to relish in the cold wind.  After a record-breaking summer with day after day temperatures soaring to well over 100 degrees, the gusty wind and cool temperature is completely refreshing.  Everyone was feeling good.  The horses frolicked, the dogs acted like puppies, and the calves played in the pastures.  Everything seemed to feel younger.

God is sending rain at the perfect times.  The rye grass is growing in the pastures.  Our hay needs are secured for a good price in today’s market.  We are finally getting relief from the heat.  All just in the nick of time as the first cold front blew through our area.  Praise God, who gives exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)!

Well if you missed the broadcast of our interview with Dr. Ward Bond on his new show, Think Natural, don’t worry you can still see it.  We are so excited to be a part of his show, especially in regards to grass fed beef.

The episode begins with Dr. Bond and my father, Kenton Holliday, discussing the differences between traditional ranching and the grass fed business on location at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Then there are different segments, including rare cheeses, useful herbs to have around your home, etc.  Towards the end of the broadcast is my interview with Dr. Bond.  Then it goes full circle as Dr. Bond closes his show with his thoughts on grass fed beef.

We did not have any idea what Dr. Bond was going to choose to air from our interview.  And, we are pleased with the results.  Through the course of the interview we said much more, including an explanation as to why one of our cows in particular was so thin.  She is number 16, and the camera man seemed to love her.  Since this part of the interview did not air, let me explain now.

Number 16 is a first calf heifer.  At the time of the interview she was raising a big bull calf.  She was putting everything she had into producing milk for him.  We have since weaned the calf, and she is now building up her own body condition.  Keep this fact in mind while you watch our segments on Think Natural.

As my family was watching the show play in real time Tuesday morning, the Blackwell family came to pick up their grass fed beef from our most recent harvest.  We not only enjoyed watching the interviews with Dr. Bond on television, but we also enjoyed getting to view it with customers.  We hope you enjoy watching it, too.

“Honk! Honk!” “Beep! Beep!”  Now if you live in the city, you might not understand how annoying this sound is in the early morning hours as you might be accustomed to it.  But for others who live in less populated places or even in the suburbs, the honking of a car horn is considered rude, especially when it wakes you up.

Our nearest neighbor lived three quarters of a mile from the house I grew up in as a child.  My family really enjoyed our privacy and seclusion.  Right across the front of our property was our neighbor’s pasture usually with his herd on it.  On the weekends my brother and I were allowed to sleep in more than usual.  When I say sleep in, I mean sleep until 8 o’clock.  “Sleeping in” is definitely a relative term.

Anyway, I always looked forward to sleeping in on Saturday mornings.  My brother and I could not sleep any later because we had animals to take care of and chores to do.  We lived on a ranch after all.  We lived at Cross Creek Cattle Company.

It never seemed to fail that my sweet dreams were rudely disturbed by the honking of our neighbor’s pick-up truck.  And, I mean he would lay on his horn.  Now you might be thinking, “Why would anyone get up early on a Saturday morning to drive into the middle of nowhere to lay on one’s horn?’  Well even though it doesn’t make much sense, the honest truth is that he was calling his cows up so he could count them and check on his herd.

When the herd was on its way to his truck, he continued to lay on his horn.  He was not content just tooting his horn to get their attention; he honked literally until the cows came home.  For obvious reasons, I developed a distaste for his cattle rounding up technique.

Some ranchers round up their herds with four wheelers.  Some with the sound of a sack of feed.  There are probably as many techniques to calling cattle as there are ranchers.  We all have our own ways of doing things.

At Cross Creek Cattle Company, we are interested in low-stress management of our cattle herd.  We don’t want to scare the cattle by chasing them with four wheelers.  We do not feed our herd grain so the sound of the feed sack does not work.  The honking of one’s horn is not only annoying to your neighbors, but it disturbs the peace and quiet of your ranch.

The quality of your meat depends on adrenaline not being released.  The way in which you work your cows effects the tenderness of your beef.  It is not the only factor, but it is an easy one to control.  Adopting low-stress handling methods for your cattle is easy to do.

Creating a cattle call is super simple.  First, choose a phrase that is easy to remember and easy to say.  Then using inflection in your voice make it sound pleasant.  Next you train your cows to respond to it.  This is the Cross Creek cattle call.

In our multi-generational herd, it is much easier for us because the older cows teach the younger ones to come when they hear it.  Since we do so much pasture rotation in our grass fed beef program, it does not take long for a brand-new cow to catch on.  During the weaning process, my husband tries to reinforce what the mama cows have already taught their calves.  He sings our cattle call while giving the calves hay and/or alfalfa pellets.  I think the cattle call comforts these calves because it is something constant during an already stressful situation.

In the winter months, we usually leave the herd open to several pastures.  A couple of years ago, I walked to the top of a hill and did not see the cattle anywhere.  It was cold, windy, and drizzling.  The last thing I wanted to do was traipse around looking for the herd so I could account for all the animals.  I simply began singing “Come on, cows.  Let’s go.”  I stopped after saying it three times.  I heard a “Moo.”  Then another and another.  Within three minutes all the cows were staring at me.

Having a good, sing-song cattle call not only is beneficial for you as the rancher.  But it is an example of a low-stress cattle handling technique.  It certainly does not cause a cow any stress to hear it.  And, your neighbors don’t mind it a bit.

I know that the economy is not good, and we cannot yet see the end in sight.  Families everywhere in our country are tightening up their belts and looking for ways to spend their hard-earned money more wisely.  At some point, we have to balance the health benefits of organic produce and grass fed meats with the higher cost of each.

I watched Michael Pollan being interviewed on NBC Nightly News.  It was filmed on June 24.  Michael Pollan has made the documentary, “Food Inc.”  He has also written many books on the subject of making healthier food choices.  You can read more about it on an article that I wrote also called, “Food Inc.”

In this interview, Mr. Pollan is specifically speaking about the whether or not buying organic is worth the higher cost.  He gives great advice as to on what produce we should spend our money.  Some produce is not worth spending the money on organic because we peel it before consumption.

The reason that I am showing the interview on “Welcome to the Ranch” is because Mr. Pollan spends a good time discussing organic beef versus grass fed beef.  He talks about the health benefits and the environmental benefits.  Most importantly for this article, he talks about the most economical way to enjoy grass fed beef.  I feel it is an interview worthy of your time.

If you would like either a 1/4, 1/2, or whole order of grass fed beef, please let me know.  Like I wrote last week, we are currently sold out, but have started a waiting list.  We already have many families waiting for our grass fed beef to be harvested.  Now is the time to get your name on the list, too.  To read more about the waiting list and what I need from you to be on it, read last week’s article, “A Waiting List.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A 6 lb. bass swallowed Isaac's arm.

Summer would not be complete for my family unless we went fishing.  At Cross Creek Cattle Company we have several stocked ponds.  One has catfish.  The others have bass and crappie.  With so much work to do on the ranch, it is nice to carve out time to enjoy living here.

Last weekend my boys went fishing with their dad.  They did not catch many, but what they did catch was huge.  You cannot help but get excited when you hook a big bass on your line.  This one in particular put up a fight.  Catching fish is very rewarding.

Fishing is a great way to encourage father/son bonding.  I am not saying that my daughter and I do not fish because we do.  It is fun for me to see the way that my husband teaches the little ones how to fish.  He has so much patience with them.

Once Jake hooked Lane, my husband, in the forehead with a treble hook.  Actually he hooked him twice in the forehead by casting too soon before Lane was out of the way.  Lane calmly asked me to remove the hook.  When I saw that two hooks were buried in his skin, I got sick to my stomach.  I tried to move them, but they would not budge.  Lane had to remove them himself.

I will never forget how he did not yell and scream at anyone. Jake already looked sick.  He was only five at the time.  I think Lane knew that he had learned his lesson already.  Lane just asked him to not do that again.

When my step-father takes little ones fishing, he always cuts the tips of the hooks off.  The hook still catches fish, but it does not catch him.  A great tip for anyone fishing with young children.

Multiple generations like to come out here to fish.  Grandfathers and grandsons, uncles and nephews, fathers and sons enjoy the day together.  Friends are always welcome, too.

My dad has a friend who visited here two months ago.  He is an avid fisherman.  He began fishing early in the morning and fished most of the day.  He caught over 40 fish.  My dad said he has never seen anything like it.  Almost every time his friend cast out, he pulled in a fish.

We don’t always have luck.  Sometime we catch nothing, but those days are few and far between.  I tell my kids, “That is why it is called fishing and not catching.”

I find it relaxing to sit and watch your bobber float on the surface of the water.  My children prefer fishing with lures because there is always something to do.  They can reel in and cast out as much as they want.

We usually stop fishing as soon as we have enough for dinner.  The taste of fresh fish coupled with homegrown vegetables is out of this world.  There is nothing better than eating what you raise, forage, and/or catch.  Living on or visiting Cross Creek Cattle Company enables you to experience a taste of self-sufficiency.