Welcome to the Ranch!

Some of my favorite Christmas memories as a child involved combing the ranch for the perfect Christmas tree. In Grimes County, we have thick piney woods sprinkled with cedars. Unless you are going for a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, cedars are your best bet. They not only naturally grow in a conical shape; they smell wonderful, too.

It is funny how childhood memories work. One of my favorite stories about Christmas tree finding on the ranch occurred without me. I was at school, but my mom and little brother decided to surprise the family by decorating for Christmas in our absence.

They set out together armed with a saw across the pasture and into the woods keeping their eyes peeled for the perfect tree. Their trek took them through two dry creeks bottoms with steep banks, but finally after hours of searching they found the perfect tree.

I imagine like the Griswold family in the movie,National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, my mom and brother saw a spotlight from the heavens casting a beautiful glow around the cedar tree. They immediately agreed that their long search was over. They fell to the ground beneath the full, aromatic boughs and began cutting the tree down.

Finally, they heard the crack of the wood splintering, a brief pause, and the victorious thud as the tree hit the ground. Taking a few minutes to catch their breath, they leaned against a nearby pine tree.

Now was time for the real work. They had to retrace their route back home, but this time their passage was encumbered by the bulk and weight of the tree. What they would have given for some help! Crossing the creeks proved to be the most difficult obstacle, especially the last one. Fatigue set in as sweat dampened their skin despite the cold weather.

Fueled by the Christmas spirit and a good dose of stubbornness, my mom set her mind to completing the task before her. She wrapped a rope around the base of the trunk and with my brother’s help pulled the tree up the side of the bank. Now just a short walk across an open pasture lay between them and home.

It was the longest recorded crossing of that field in the history of the ranch. The tree was dropped several times despite the fact that their hands were covered with sticky sap. Finally they went through the last gate and plopped it down in the front yard.

They were tired and hungry. The last thing they wanted to do was decorate for Christmas. All they wanted to do was take a shower, put on their pajamas, and sit before a fire, but it was only the afternoon. After they ate a very late lunch, they felt more up to the task.

My mom cut off the bottom of the trunk and some of the bottom boughs. She tried to put on the tree stand, but it would not fit. So she cut off more of the trunk and more branches. Tired from cutting, she decided to just go with it and tried to carry the tree into the living room. Drug is a more fitting description. It barely squeezed in the doorway. In the struggle to pull it through, many needles were knocked off. With one huge tug, the tree gave way and my mom struggled to keep her balance.

She managed to set the tree up. The tree swallowed the living room and its top bent against the ceiling. Out of frustration my mom dragged it back out into the front yard and left it while she tried to clean herself up.

About this time, I walked up. Seeing a huge felled tree in the yard, I enthusiastically shouted, “Yeah, we have a Christmas tree! We have a big, beautiful tree!” Then I asked, “Where is it going to go this year?”

Needless to say, it never did become our Christmas tree. It never fit in our house. Despite this fact and the fact that I was not present for the tree cutting, it is by far one of my favorite family holiday stories.

I cannot prove it, but I think the scene in the Christmas Vacation movie is loosely based on my mom and brother’s adventure. What kind of Christmas tree memories do you have?

A number of horse trailers parked along the rocky road in the front pasture of Cross Creek Cattle Company made for an interesting sight for passersby Sunday afternoon. We were hosting the 2012 Fall Trail Ride for the Grimes County Jr. Deputy Sheriff Mounted Posse.

This is the third consecutive year we have had the pleasure of hosting such a fun day for the youth of our community. We had a wide range of ages and horsemanship abilities. From young beginning riders to older retired cowboys, the trail ride was enjoyed by all.

It was a beautiful, clear day. Our ranch manager, Lane, along with Kyla and Jake, who are also members of the Posse, spent several hours choosing a trail and clearing a path. They wanted to make it challenging and interesting. The trail ride crossed pastures, opened and closed several gates, went through heavily wooded areas, through deep, dry creeks, and up hills. They rode at the home ranch, which is our original place, for two hours.

Once every one dismounted and cared for their horses, we ate turkey legs and corn on the cob. The food was donated and greatly appreciated. Kyla baked four batches of brownies for dessert. Needless to say, nobody went home hungry.

Kenton and Cathey Holliday, the owners of Cross Creek Cattle Company, are proud sponsors of the Grimes County Posse. We are thrilled that our ranch provided a fun and safe day for horses and riders.

When we first acquired our new property as we expanded Cross Creek Cattle Company, we were impressed by the amount of wildlife on the land. Deer, hogs, and dove call it home in large populations. For the first time in our ranch’s history, we considered branching out into a different business: day dove hunts.

In some ways, both businesses are similar. We are offering an opportunity for people to bring home food to their families. According to American Wild Game, domesticated dove or farm-raised dove are higher in fat and calories with less protein compared to dove found in their natural environments. Wild dove is almost 23% protein with less than 2% fat. Dove is also delicious.

I grew up eating dove as my dad’s family were big hunters. The family still talks about how I would eat them like candy. I just could not get enough. Last year, my older sons and their uncles went hunting and came home with their catch. After a simple preparation, I realized that I have not outgrown my liking for dove. What a treat!

In order to prepare for dove hunting, we specifically chose a spot between three stock ponds to ensure good, fresh water for the birds. My husband also planted acres of land in Milo, a.k.a. sorghum, to give the dove what they need food-wise. It is protected by strands of hot wire to keep out cattle, hogs, etc.

As luck would have it, a good friend, who is an experienced hunting guide, just moved into our area. He immediately agreed to serve as our hunting guide for these day hunts. If you are interested in setting up a day dove hunt or have questions, you will need to contact Bill Adams at (830)591-6116.

We are charging $75.00 a day. The hunting ground is located in Grimes County just north of Plantersville on CR 208 off of FM 1774.

Please help us get the word out. If you know a hunter, a father/son wanting to spend the day together, or someone like myself who loves to eat dove, please tell them about the Cross Creek Cattle Company Day Dove Hunts.

When the owners of Cross Creek Cattle Company purchased additional land in order to expand our ranch and the provide room for business expansion, we knew the property would require many hours of physical labor in order to be ready for our herd.

Our primary concern is fencing. Without proper fencing, you cannot contain your cattle nor can you keep out neighboring herds. After years of neglect, the perimeter fencing was in bad repair. Trees had fallen in some places like a game of pick up sticks. My husband and some hired men worked long, hard days removing the trees and limbs, clearing the fence lines, and repairing the fences. In many places, it was easier to completely rebuild the fence from scratch.

I am pleased to announce that the perimeter fencing is complete. Our borders are secure. Now my husband’s focus has been the cross-fencing. Pasture rotation requires good cross-fencing whether it is a sturdy 5 string barbed wire fence or a fence made with hot-wire. My husband reports that the cross-fencing is now 95% done.

Unfortunately, this new property has a infestation of feral hogs. We have them on our home ranch, but not near to the extent of the new ranch. In some places, the hogs have disked up the earth. Weeds then come up instead of grass; therefore, the wild hogs are posing a threat to our livelihood in the grass fed beef business. Cattle have to have grass in order to survive without grain.

I have written before about this problem and how my husband built a hog trap. The trap has been very effective. In the last three weeks, we have killed 37 hogs. Monday alone we trapped and killed 21 wild hogs. Not only are we feeding the local community and filling our own freezers with wild pork, but we are making a small dent in the feral hog population.

Now that the pastures are being taken care of with the removal of wild hogs and with the sturdy fencing, our next concern is water. There are many lakes and ponds on the property. One pond’s dam had broken. It has since been repaired with a bulldozer. Now all the waterways are accessible and full to the brim thanks to all the rain we have been receiving.

The next project that my husband must tackle is repairing the existing cattle pens. Once we take our herd of mama cows and the bulls to the new ranch, we will have to have a way to work and pen them up. Our plan is to use our home ranch for the sole purpose of finishing out our grass fed beef.

We are not quite ready to move our main herd just yet, but we are laying the groundwork. When we do eventually move the herd, this will not affect our customers at all. The grass fed animals will still be at the home ranch and you will still pick up your orders from the home ranch as well.

We are so excited about the expansion of our ranch and of our business. As the demand for grass fed beef increases, we are trying to keep up with the demand. We thank our customers for making this possible.

Last Saturday, we went on a trail ride around our new ranch. We saddled up six horses and packed up a picnic lunch. Then we headed out for an adventure.

First we selected a perfect setting for a picnic lunch. We sat in the shade of a tree in a meadow that was once a hay field. The grass is just beginning to grow to the point were it slumps over by the weight of its head. The gentle breeze stirred the grasses into a swaying dance. Butterflies fluttered around, checking out the wildflowers and even landed briefly on Cathey’s arm. We sat overlooking a tree-rimmed duck pond with still water. Picturesque is the only word to describe it.

After eating a light lunch of apple slices, grapes, nuts, and cheese, we each mounted our horse. Isaac and Andrew, our youngest boys, rode in tandem saddles behind my husband and myself. We began our ride through wooded pastures, across mud, through standing water, by a large lake, down creeks, and through pastures painted with tons of wildflowers.

I personally could not get over the latter. Even so close to our home ranch, the new property held different flora than we are familiar with like red honeysuckle, Indian grass, and Texas stars. There were a few more flowers I did not recognize, but will need to consult my Texas wildflower book in order to properly identify them. The open pastures were filled with a mixture of different wildflowers. I have never in my life seen so many wine cups or such big butter cups. It was like walking through a sea of purple and pink.

We also ate our first wild dewberries of the season. Sweet and tart, the juice bursts in your mouth between your teeth. Cathey dismounted her horse, Shania, and began picking them for all of us to eat. We have one horse in particular, Cheyenne, who loves a berry or two for herself.

In addition to the flowers and berries, as we walked through the woods, wild ferns skirted the path filling the empty spaces between the trees along the ground. The bright green foliage was a beautiful contrast against the orange pine needles littering the ground.

Isaac, who rode behind me, asked me, “How does PawPaw know what everything is?” His question was sparked because my dad was a walking flower and plant guide on our ride. He easily identified most of the flora we came across. I explained to Isaac that it comes from being observant and inquisitive and that he too can learn the names of the plants and animals, too.

In fact I began pointing out plants, flowers, and trees and asking him what they were. He surprised himself when he realized that he knew a bunch of the names of the flora already. Names like pine trees, bluebonnets, wild onions, butter cups, etc.

As we finished up our ride, we climbed a high hill to survey the view. The view was breath-taking as your eyes scanned the treeline, the pastures, and the waterways from on top of the hill. You felt like you were on top of the world. My only regret of the day was not bringing along my camera, but the images I saw are forever etched in my memory. What a beautiful day!

A view of land in Izoro, Texas

Cross Creek Cattle Company is family-owned and operated.  Currently we are raising the next generation of ranchers with our children.  Ranching is in our blood.

Since 1852, the Holliday family has been ranching in Texas.  They settled first in the Texas Hill Country in Lometa and Coryell Counties.

I have heard stories passed down from my great-grandfather through my father of our family’s past.  They fascinate me.  To think that my great-grandparents rode horses to school and in the same lifetime the men landed on the moon.  Times sure do change.

The Holliday family eventually left the Hill Country and settled in Harris county where they still ranched and farmed.  This was long before Houston spread in every direction developing all the farmland.

Later my grandfather looking for a ranch out in the country and away from Houston purchased land in Grimes County, which is now the original part of Cross Creek Cattle Company.  He raised Herefords.

As he grew older, my father bought the ranch from my grandfather.  He began increasing its size by purchasing surrounding and adjoining land as it became available.  In 1994, my parents founded Cross Creek Cattle Company.

Knowing all of this, I jumped on the opportunity to visit the site of the old Holliday ranch in Izoro, Texas.  My family visited a ranch in Llano, Texas for the New Year holiday.  My husband and I decided to take extend our return trip home by one hour to try and find the place.

It was worth every minute.  My dad had given me superb verbal directions to the place.  I was honestly impressed with his memory.   When we arrived, I immediately began taking photographs.  The area was gorgeous even in the dead of winter.  I don’t think that the photos do the landscape justice; the view was spectacular.

Seeing where my family first ranched in Texas was a great experience.  They had a beautiful piece of land.  I could easily envision cattle grazing the pastures.  Cowboys riding on horseback over the hills.  How nice it would be to own it again.

Posse in Last Year's Parade.

Cross Creek Cattle Company is a proud sponsor of the Grimes County Mounted Posse.  Lane DeHaven, the ranch manager, is the assistant drill master.  Three of our children are members of the Posse.

The Grimes County Mounted Posse is a great youth organization sponsored and supported by Sheriff Don Sowell.  The members represent the county in many events throughout the year.  The Posse is an ambassador of the Go-Texan Committee.  The members of the Posse also perform routines before our county’s rodeos and special events.  Recently the ranch hosted their annual trail ride. 

It is great to see such a variety of ages, interests, and personalities in the organization.  The one thing everyone has in common is their love of horses.  One of the main goals of the Posse is to learn to work as a team and develop other good character traits.

The Posse is in demand this month as the county gears up to celebrate Christmas.  Tonight they will be riding in Navasota, Texas in the city’s annual Christmas parade.  It begins at 6:30 p.m.  Then on Saturday morning, they will ride in the Plantersville Christmas Parade.  It begins at 9:00 a.m.  December the 18th the Posse will also ride in the Bedias Christmas Parade at 10:00 a.m.

Each town has a different feel in the way in which they organize their parades.  Navasota, the largest city in Grimes County, holds their parade in the evening.  Therefore, their floats are all about lights.  This parade has the most floats compared to the other towns.  Even in the dark, the Posse riding on horseback is a hit especially with the youth.

Plantersville’s parade is not as organized as Navasota’s.  They invite whoever wants to be a part of it to come and participate.  Families ride their horses, drive classic cars, and the Volunteer Fire Department plays a big role.  The Posse won best animal float last year.  This parade allows candy to be given out.  The Posse members have candy bags hanging from their saddle horns.  When I leave the parade with my two little boys, it looks like we have gone trick-or-treating.  Needless to say, they love this parade.

The best thing about Plantersville’s parade is that you get to see it twice.  The floats reach a certain point and turn around.  You get to see them coming and going.

Bedias has just recently begun hosting Christmas parades.  Their parade is most like the Plantersville one.  Both encourage the community to participate and not just formal organizations, clubs, and businesses.  It is also a fun parade to watch.  Last year, Santa Claus drove a pink Cadillac.  You will leave there with a lot of candy, too.

These parades are a little piece of Americana.  If you are in the mood for some down home entertainment, come out and support all the different towns in Grimes County as they put together their different parades.  Each parade takes place on the main streets of each town.  Just park alongside the road or stand on the side of the road. 

Make sure to look for the Posse riding on horseback.  They will have Santa hats on top of their cowboy hats.  Horses will be wearing sleigh bells.  After they pass by, you will be ready for Christmas.

The other evening the Grimes County Jr. Deputy Sheriff’s Mounted Posse threw its annual end of the year banquet.  A catering company served hamburgers and all the fixin’s, beans, and peach cobbler.  A guest speaker from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo informed us about the opportunities offered by the organization.  She also made us laugh by listing off the ten most important things she had learned from her horse.

Jake, Kyla, and Clayton with their medals and belt buckles.

We said goodbye to one member who is beginning the next phase of her life at Texas A&M University.  Other members were recognized and given awards for their service.  Clayton, Kyla, and Jake all received a medal for completing their first year as members.  Kyla and Jake were both recognized for being top-sellers at a plant sale fundraiser in Navasota.  Additionally, all three were awarded fancy belt buckles for perfect attendance at all Posse events.

The belt buckles are huge!  They are nice, too.  Even each child’s name is on his/her buckle.  Kyla is going to need a wider belt to hold the buckle properly.  When Jake wears his new belt buckle, he receives a lot of attention.  People remark on its size.  So, can you grow into a belt buckle?  I think, they can.

Until then, all the kids are proud of them and are looking forward to another year of Posse events.  In fact, Cross Creek Cattle Company is hosting a trail ride for the Posse in October.  We all have some work to do before the ride.  Trails need to be cleaned up.  It is going to be fun and we are all looking forward to it.