Welcome to the Ranch!

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.

Cross Creek Cattle Company is being featured on Dr. Ward Bond’s brand-new show, Think Natural, on Tuesday, September 13th at 11:oo a.m.  Dr. Bond is a nutritionist and television host among other things.  He and his camera crew spent a day with us on the ranch not long ago.

Kenton Holliday, the owner and my dad, was interviewed extensively about the history of our family and ranching, the transition of our family’s ranch into the grass fed business, and the difficulties and adaptations of being in the middle of the worst drought in recorded history in Texas.  I was also interviewed mainly about the health benefits of grass fed beef.

We have obviously not seen the episode, and we don’t know what made the cut on the editing floor; however, we are excited about the show.  We invite you to tune in your television to ABC’s Live Well Network on Tuesday morning at 11:00 September 13th.  The time zone is Central.  If you live in the Houston area, the Comcast channel is 315 and/or 685.  It also airs on TV Max channels 116 and 118 and En-Touch channels 661 and 662.  If you are live my family and have an antennae, the Live Well Network is on channels 13.2 and 13.3.

Dr. Bond also posts the episodes on his website, Dr. Ward Bond’s Nutritional Living.  I will post the episode on Welcome to the Ranch as well in case you cannot get the Live Well Network where you live.  So, really you don’t have an excuse to miss the Think Natural episode on grass fed beef and our ranch.

Lane and Jake DeHaven are herding some of our grass fed calves to another pen.

Shauna Lewis, reporter from The Bryan Eagle, called me last week.  She interviewed me for about one hour over the telephone.  Ms. Lewis was very interested in our grass fed business and how the drought was effecting it.

If you read “Welcome to the Ranch” very often, then you know how much the drought has affected our ranch.  I was more than happy to share this information with Ms. Lewis as well as information about grass fed beef.

The opportunity to be interviewed for The Eagle came the same week of our interview with Dr. Ward Bond for his new show, Think Natural.  Last week was an amazing week for Cross Creek Cattle Company.  I am excited that we are getting media coverage for our business.  Most importantly, I am excited that we can educate others on grass fed beef.  Maybe more ranchers will make the switch.  Maybe more families will, too.

Check out the article, “Drought Can’t Keep Pasture-Raised Beef Market Down,” by Shauna Lewis in today’s Bryan Eagle.

There are fewer and fewer full-time ranch managers anymore.  It is a job description that encompasses many skills; it requires much more than being a cowboy.  So I thought I would interview the ranch manager of Cross Creek Cattle Company to give a better idea of what his job entails as well as tell you about the ranch.

Lane DeHaven

Lane DeHaven has been working for Cross Creek Cattle Company for four years.  He brought many skills to the ranch and has acquired many more through on-the-job training.  He is a husband and the father of five children.

What is your most challenging job as ranch manager?
I think it is like most jobs where your biggest challenge is keeping the boss happy.

As ranch manager, what are your main responsibilities?
I am in charge of pasture management, equipment management, managing cattle, managing horses, fence building and repair, and wildlife management.  There is always something to do.

Why did Cross Creek Cattle Company make the switch from traditional ranching to grass fed beef?
It was a family decision.  We saw a need for more healthy beef and wanted to enter this new and exciting market.  We have always enjoyed eating our own beef, and we thought we would extend that privilege to other families.

What is the biggest change for you as ranch manager since the switch?
I spend a lot more time out in the pastures.  I really have to watch the grass and rotate the herd accordingly.

In what ways, if any, is the ranch environmentally responsible?
Well, this is something near and dear to Mr. Holliday’s heart.  We created a wildlife refuge.  As mentioned previously, I really watch the grass in the pastures to ensure proper grazing which eliminates erosion.  We keep our waterways clean and uncontaminated.  We do not use antibiotics or hormones in our cattle.  This translates into healthier food for ourselves and our customers.

What is the biggest advantage to having your family live and work on a ranch?
There are so many advantages to this lifestyle.  We are able to provide our own food.  We raise other animals, have a garden, and of course raise grass fed beef.  But the absolute biggest reason and the reason that I continue being a ranch manager is that I get to see my family throughout the day.  It is so wonderful to work and play alongside my wife and children all day.

Are there any downsides to your job?
I enjoy being outdoors and doing physical labor.  For some, these would be the downsides.  However, I guess the downside for me is knowing that I will never be retiring a multi-millionaire.  I think it is much more important though to invest ones time in the things that matter like family.

What is your vision for Cross Creek Cattle Company in the future?
A bigger tractor would be nice.  Naw, I am just giving the owners a hard time.  Seriously, I would like to see this ranch more profitable and a leader in the grass fed beef industry.  I would like to see our grass fed beef sold by the cut to families, restaurants, and grocery stores.  Most of all, I would like to see the ranch continue to be family-owned business for generations to come.

There you have it.  The words of a full-time ranch manager who obviously holds his family and its business dear to his heart.  If you want to contact Mr. Lane DeHaven, click here.  If you would like to read about or order the grass fed beef that Lane serves his own family, click here.