Tractor Talks

Something I’ve notice over the last 6 years of being married to a rancher, is that some of the best conversations I have had are in a tractor. A few years back, my husband Jesse and I bought a new tractor for our ranch and my only request was that it had a buddy seat. At the time, I was thinking to have it so we had a safe spot for our kids to ride with us, but I later learned that it was more than that, it was a spot for me. All year we use our tractors for everything from feeding, to plowing the mountains of snow we get here in Idaho, haying, and even pulling people out of the ditch which seems to happen a lot. Slowly, I’ve learned that if I want to spend time with my husband, I need to be willing to sit hours in a tractor with him or go out and help with all aspects of “the ranching life.” Some of our most meaningful talks and best decisions we have made have stemmed from our tractor talks.

I remember a few summers ago, we were in the middle of haying season. Jesse and I were in the process of making some HUGE decisions both personally and for the ranch businesses. At this time, we were both in separate tractors. I was turning hay to dry in one field and in another, Jesse was baling hay. We talked off and on for over 8 hours on the phone that day about everything and that is something I will cherish forever.

Another time, Jesse and I were rushing around doing all the things on the ranch, but when we both hopped in our tractor to feed our cows, Jesse just sat there. I remember asking him if he was okay and he respond was “I’m perfect, I’m just so thankful we get to do this together.” Him saying that to me led to a conversation about how blessed we are to live the lifestyle we do. It’s little things like that, that I love to look back on and at the time, I didn’t know it, but it has become one of my favorite memories.

Lately, here on the Crowfoot J Ranch, Jesse and I have been riding more in our tractor together feeding the calves. The talks we have been having are pretty interesting. Sometimes they are super serious and other times, we are being the biggest goofballs singing as loud as we can together to the radio, but right now in our lives, we are at a pretty pivotal moment. We are only 25 years old and making big decisions, but something I try to remember during this wild time is to relax and make the best of the moments we are living right now. There is fun in ranching and agriculture, you just have make it that way.

I LOVE this life I live and if I’m not chasin’ cows or kids, you can find me on a horse or in a tractor with my husband!

-Amber-