Welcome to the Ranch!

It has been a busy week here at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We have had several customers come pick up their orders of grass fed beef.  It is always nice to visit face-to-face with people.  Many times we end up showing our first-time customers around the place before giving them their beef.  Almost always, especially for young girls, our horses draw attention away from the cows or anything else to see here.

Horses are beautiful creatures.  They move powerfully and gracefully.  Their size and weight far outmatch any rider, and yet they can be controlled with a tiny bit in their mouth and/or leg pressure.  Equine therapy has proven successful for people with injuries, disabilities, and even with the rehabilitation of prisoners.  There is something magical about the relationships between horse and rider.

Teamwork is one of the greatest lessons learned when working with or riding a horse.  You and the animal have to be in sync; together you move as one and work as one.  If you are not in sync with your partner, then it is obvious.  You fall off, your horse gets injured, etc.  We encourage our children to begin riding horses as soon as they can sit and obey our commands.  Learning about teamwork at a young age is important to us.  Children gain first-hand the knowledge that they are part of something bigger than themselves.  It takes the focus off of self, which is a key character trait missing in our society.

Just as important is taking care of the horse.  Feeding, watering, haying, grooming, mucking stalls, etc. are necessary elements of horsemanship.  Children learn responsibility as they care for the needs of another.  It is not all fun and games; some of the chores are downright humbling and nasty.  If you ask me, humble service is another great lesson learned from working with horses.

Cross Creek Cattle Company is a proud sponsor of the Grimes County Sheriff’s Jr. Deputy Mounted Posse.  Sheriff Don Sowell, Coordinator Sonya Floyd, and Drillmaster Lane DeHaven in addition to countless volunteers and parents work tirelessly as they encourage the youth of our county to promote horsemanship skills, leadership, and citizenship.  The youth gain even a deeper understanding of teamwork as they learn and perform routines on horseback.  Teamwork is no longer just between horse and rider, but extends to all the horses and riders on the team.  It is much more difficult to accomplish well.

The Posse is a fine organization, which welcomes any youth interested in joining.  We are always taking new members.  To kick off this new year, Cross Creek Cattle Company is happy to host the annual trail ride on our ranch.  It is a fun time of fellowship and food.  Of course, we have a trail ride.  This year Jake, Kyla, and Rheaghan, a fellow Posse member, charted the course of the trail.

Boy, are they adventurous! My husband had to make some easier/safer alterations to their proposed plan, but all-in-all it will be fun for the riders.  To make it interesting, we kept some logs laying in the path as obstacles for the horses.  We trimmed tree limbs so people’s hats won’t get knocked off.  The trail takes riders up and down creeks, which is always challenging for new riders and exhilarating for the experienced ones.  It will be a fun ride.

We are so blessed to get to live here on the ranch.  We get to enjoy daily what the ranch has to offer.  It is not always fun and games, but there are always life skills to be learned.  We are also happy to be able to host this event and allow others to see how much our ranch has to offer.

November on the ranch.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year.  Some leaves are changing color.  Some evergreens are bearing bright red berries.  The air is crisp and cool.  The wind reminds you to put on a sweater.  Autumn is a great season to enjoy the outdoors.  The months of September, October, and November mark a busy time of year as well as several holidays.

My father’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.  Families come together to celebrate the many blessings that God has bestowed on us.  It is a holiday without the pressures of Christmas.  You don’t have to worry about buying and giving gifts.  You only have to cook and eat delicious foods prepared with loving hands.

Thanksgiving is also time of reflection.  A chance to reflect on your year and remember how blessed you are.  In the spirit of this holiday, I want to share with you some of the things that we are thankful for at Cross Creek Cattle Company.

• We are thankful for our loving and close-knit family.
• We are blessed to have so many good friends.
• We love being able to enjoy healthy,  delicious meat on our dinner table whether from our grass fed herd or from the wild boars and deer that wander in the woods.
• We are thankful to have good horses on which to ride and survey the beautiful scenery around the ranch regardless of the season.
• We have been blessed with fat cows and green grass.
• We are very thankful that health has been restored to the ranch manager after his accident.
• We are lucky to have a substantial store of hay ready to supply our animals with needed food no matter how hard the winter gets.
• We are thankful to have made it through the drought and to have finally received the much-needed rainfall.
• We are grateful that we can live our lifestyle in the 21st century.
• Last but not least, we are grateful for our customers who help support our family-owned and operated ranch.

From everyone at Cross Creek Cattle Company, we wish everyone a very “Happy Thanksgiving!”  May God continue to bless each and every one of us.