Musings of a Badlands Ranch Wife

I am a rancher’s wife and a rancher’s mom. For some, that might not mean a lot, but for those who have walked in the shoes behind a rancher, you know where I am coming from. Now, do not get me wrong, I love being a rancher’s wife as much as I love teaching. Really, I find both careers very similar. Let me explain-

1. Chasing cows is like herding students. They all have a mind of their own and know where they want to be.
2. Ranchers need their neighbors- some jobs are just too big to do alone. Teachers need each for the very same reason.
3. There are just some things out of our control- in nature and in our students’ lives. Mother nature will always win in ranching, I can promise you that. In the classroom, we do our best with the time that we have our kids, hoping that it is enough.
4. Ranchers are the toughest people I know. Forty below and a blizzard and you will find them walking the pens, checking for new calves, making sure the cows are bedded down, and sacrificing their own well-being for the love of their livestock. Teachers are also some of the toughest people I know- giving their hearts to every student in the classroom, sacrificing many hours to make sure each student receives the very best education, while providing a safe space to thrive and grow.
5. Rancher’s wives are in a perpetual state of learning- I can now AI cows, pull a calf, run a swather, bale hay, vaccinate calves, and feed 50 hungry men in one sitting. I do not need to tell you, as teachers, about the desire for continual learning.

With all of this in mind, I think the number one thing that they both have in common is the ability to persevere- persevering through weather, sickness, emotional roller coasters, and state mandates- the list is long. We are tough and we can withstand most storms that come our way. Stay strong, stay true to what you love, and most of all, support each other- we got this.