Welcome to the Ranch!

Kenton Holliday

This week the owner of Cross Creek Cattle Company celebrates his birthday.  If it was not for Kenton Holliday, our grass fed beef customers would have to buy beef elsewhere.  4-Hers and members of FFA would have to look for winning show heifers in other places.  My immediate family would live and work somewhere else.  I don’t know about you, but I am grateful that Kenton was born.

Kenton Holliday is living his dream.  As a young boy, he wanted to be a cowboy when he grew up.  This dream never faded.  Instead as Kenton grew closer and closer to his grandfather, the desire only strengthened.  His grandfather was a great man and played a big role in Kenton’s life.

Kenton’s grandfather was born in the late 1800’s and was raised in the Texas Hill Country.  Being a cowboy was second-nature to him.  He began riding horses and working cows as soon as he was physically able.  And, he was a natural.  When duty called during World War I, the United States government ironically put him to work as an infantryman.  He was never even considered to be part of the cavalry.

After the war, he returned to Texas and settled near Houston with his wife.  Together they raised three boys on their working farm.  Many years later Kenton was born.  Kenton is the oldest child of four.  Anytime his family visited the grandparents, he spent the majority of his time with his grandfather.  They had a very special bond.

Kenton learned to shoot guns, to ride and train horses, to grow vegetables, to raise animals, and countless other skills.  His desire to be a rancher and cowboy continued as he went to college.  He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Farm and Ranch Management.

Sadly both his grandparents died.  Kenton was starting his own family at the time and moved into his grandparents farmhouse.  After my brother and I were born, Kenton began teaching us the same skills he had acquired from his grandfather.  We tended a humongous vegetable garden, trained horses, raised livestock, etc.

Kenton bought some land in Grimes County.  From this parcel of land, Cross Creek Cattle Company was created.  As real estate became available, Kenton expanded the ranch.  He switched from crossbred cattle to raising the Beefmaster breed.  He left “traditional” ranching.  He goes against the norm by not feeding his herd grain or by giving his cattle antibiotics, hormones, etc.  Like our ancestors, he believes that cattle do best on grass as nature intended.

Under his guidance, Cross Creek Cattle Company offers grass fed beef to the public.  Our business is growing as word of mouth spreads.  Kenton is a rancher and a cowboy in the 21st century.  Through hard work and perseverance, he built and grew a successful cattle ranch.  He never let his dream of becoming a rancher die.

So, here is to Kenton Holliday.  And, here is to following your heart and making your dream come true.  From everyone at Cross Creek Cattle Company, have a very Happy Birthday!!

John Travolta starred in a popular movie called “Urban Cowboy.”  It showed a sharp contrast between a working cowboy and one who liked the country look.  Now let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with urban cowboys.  They do exist as do urban ranchers.

Recently our county has been flooded with new arrivals from the city of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States.  Our close proximity to the city and our relatively cheap land make Grimes County very desirable.  They are used to paying tens of thousands of dollars for a lot in the city and think nothing of paying high prices for the land in our county.  Therefore, the price per acre in our county has skyrocketed.  This is great for locals who want to sell, but those who want to expand their existing property find themselves incapable of competing with the new, inflated prices.

We have several neighbors who moved up here fairly recently to enjoy the country life.  One of the first things they do is install huge floodlights to illuminate their property all night.  This really mars the nightscape I had become accustomed to enjoying.  I personally like the fact that the sun sets and the moon and stars reflect back a small portion of that light at night.  I do not appreciate the new light pattern cropping up all over the county.

The next step for urban ranchers is to buy livestock.  Some immediately buy cows, some goats, some donkeys or chickens, and some a menagerie of all kinds.  We now have signs hanging on our county road that read, “Lost: Red heifer.”  Of course when you talk to your neighbor about his lost heifer, he reveals that she has no markings, no brands, no eartags, no type of identification except for the fact that she is a red heifer.  Good luck finding and proving she is yours!

A few years ago one urban rancher purchased a bred cow from Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We had no idea that the man, who shall remain nameless, was completely clueless about ranch life and cows.  He was in constant communication with my father asking him everything from feeding, fencing, and other aspects of caring for the cow.  My dad was shocked by how little this man knew, but was more than happy to help for the cow’s sake.

Finally, the cow delivered her calf.  The man called all excited because it was a bull calf.  “What are the chances of that, Mr. Holliday?”  “What are the chances of having a bull calf?” “We are so lucky!”

My dad thought, “What is he talking about? The chances are 50/50.”

My dad said, “Mr. Rancher, I guess I am not understanding your question.”

The man happily replied, “When I drive down the road, there is only one bull per pasture.  Since my cow had a bull calf, I must have something pretty special!”

What can you say to that?

For anyone who thinks they might want to live in the country, welcome.  Please learn all you can about ranching, farming, and country life.  Then leave the city behind, literally.