Fixing Fence

At home on the range. This past weekend was a flurry of activity fixing fence and hauling cows and calves to pasture.  Alissa and I, along with my parents, walked the fence surrounding the pasture checking for broken wires, missing staples on posts and rotted off posts to fix.  The pasture is fairly rough with very steep hills as well as a creek running through it. This means that walking the fence took all morning and was a chore in itself. 

In the afternoon we went back and fixed the broken posts that were rotted off. The first step in the process is to remove the staples that attach the wires to each post. Then the bottom of the rotting post has to be dug out and removed. This is a crucial part, because if pieces of the wood post are left in the ground, it will prematurely rot the new post that is being put in. Once the hole is dug, the fun part begins.

The new post is set in the same hole as the old post and "clean" dirt is thrown into the hole around the post. Now I know that dirt isn't "clean" but what I mean is that it is free of all organic material. This is an old tidbit that has been passed down through my family over the years. It is crucial that there is zero organic matter in the top 6 inches of soil because that is where a post will rot off and the organic matter will accelerate rotting on the new post.

The next step is my personal favorite.  It is the dreaded "tamping" of the post.  It is basically just pounding all air and empty space out of the soil around the post to ensure that it is buried securely.  We typically throw more soil in the hole and tamp  and re-tamp it down 3 or more times.  We use a large water well pipe, which has a significant amount of weight giving any operator a good workout. 

Once the post is set, the wires are then re-stapled to the new post. Checking and fixing fence made for a very busy but productive Saturday. Now that the fence is fixed it, it is ready for cows to be put into the pasture for the summer. At home on the range.

-Colin

Writing for the Brand

At home on the range. We all talk so much about "riding for the brand" in our industry. Chris LeDoux sings a song about it, we all vie for hats with cattle brands we know, and recently Colin and I acquired a brand of our very own. Now we aren't just riding for a brand, but we are riding for our brand. 

Branding cattle is important to ranch life because it is a legal form of identification for our animals. For ranch identification purposes, we put ear tags into all cows and calves. But if a legal problem should arise, a freeze or hot brand is the only form of identification recognized by the state to identify who's cows are who's. 

Although branding is important, not everyone does it. We decided that we'd like to brand our cattle  for the legal benefits and for the identification purposes. Basically, if Colin's dad's cattle and our cattle would be out on pasture together, we'd be able to tell quickly which ones were ours. 

All in all, a cattle brand is a pretty neat thing. They say a lot about where the cows come from and tell the history of the ranch. 

Colin and I are excited to begin the journey of riding for our brand, but since today we are a bit too far away to saddle up and ride, we will be writing for our brand instead. 

-Alissa 

The Plan

At home on the range. It may seem that it is impossible to raise cattle nearly 200 miles away from the farm, and to some extent that is true.  However, with the help and support of our families we are able to make this operation work.

With  a lot of help from my parents doing day to day chores, I am able to grow my herd and still be in Manhattan.  My parents, Anthony and Jane, take care of the daily tasks associated with the cattle and as often as Alissa and I can return to the farm, we also lend a hand.  We try to make it home for big events such as working cattle or anytime that more hands are needed to accomplish a large task.

Alissa and I will stay in Manhattan while we finish up our education at Kansas State University and then marry in January of 2013. Alissa plans on attending Vet school for another 4 years upon completion of her undergraduate degree and I plan on working in the agricultural finance field around the Manhattan area until she graduates.

"The Plan" is to then return home and continue our careers at home in Phillips county. We will then be able to take full control of raising and growing our cattle herd at home on the range. 

-Colin

Namesake

At home on the range. Colin and I are thrilled about the response we've gotten so far from our posts! We're so grateful that you all have taken the time to read about our passion for cattle and rural America.

First off, we'd like to give some much deserved credit to the "namer" of our blog. Thanks Holly for thinking up such a great name! If it weren't for your insights during an organic chemistry lecture we wouldn't have such a fitting name for our blog!  

Our animals truly are at home on the range. It's where they live out their lives, happy and content on the grass and grain the good Lord provides. 

We too are at home on the range....If home is where the heart is, the range definitely holds a special place in our hearts. 

Not only is the name catchy and fitting for Kansas and how we feel about the range, but the Kirchhoff farm sits about 40 miles from the site in Smith County where our state song, Home on the Range was written by Daniel E. Kelley. A coincidence...we think not. Mr.Kelley sure knew what he was taking about when he struck a chord in the hearts of all America with his simple lyrics. 

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,

Where the deer and the antelope play,

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

At home on the range: raising cattle in America's heartland.

- Alissa

Alissa's Beginning

At home on the range. My name is Alissa. I am currently a senior at Kansas State University studying Animal Sciences and Industry. Having been born and bred in the heart of the city, "at home on the range," holds a whole different meaning to me.

Prior to coming to Kansas State and meeting Colin, I'd felt a strong connection to and appreciation for agriculture. I had known for some time that I was going to attend school to become a large animal veterinarian, but I had no idea just  how quickly involved in the industry I would soon become. 

Sophomore year at Kansas State rolled around and in what seemed like the blink of an eye, I found myself seated in the passenger seat of Colin's pickup making our way to visit his family and farm for the first time. As soon as I saw the cattle in the distance I felt at home on the range. Needless to say I liked what I saw. 

One trip lead to another and as I helped Colin's family with day to day farm and ranch chores I was able to share in Colin's love for the land and gain an appreciation for the many things rural life had to offer. Having spent quite a bit of time riding along on the jump seat of the tractor asking "why this" or "why that," working futilely to master the art of the pitch fork,  and moving cows throughout the pasture I have been fortunate enough to be able to add some much needed practical agricultural "know how" to my educational ag background. 

Now, looking towards the future, we are thrilled and blessed to have the opportunity to build a herd of our own. We hope that through our weekly postings you can catch a glimpse of the life we have both come to love so much. Colin and I are excited to share our journey with you!

- Alissa 

The Beginning

At home on the range.  My name is Colin and I am currently attending Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS, majoring in Agriculture Economics and I often wish that I could be "at home on the range."  

The idea behind "At Home on the Range" is to help those who are removed from the family farm/ranch stay connected and educated about agriculture in rural America. I believe that the knowledge and understanding of how and where America's food comes from is often forgotten or misinterpreted.  By posting pictures and stories of our own lives and experiences on our Kansas cattle operation, I hope this blog will paint a more vivid picture of agriculture.  Every producer has different practices and methods that all create a similar product while maintaining a unique lifestyle.  This is how we work, dream, and live.

I have been around farming all my life being raised on a small dry-land (non-irrigated) crop and cow/calf farm.  Since going to college I have diversified my knowledge of animal production by working for both a dairy farm and a hog farm, both being enjoyable learning experiences. After living in Manhattan I realized that I missed living on the land and after graduation I would someday like to return home to work on my family's farm.  I am currently building up the number of cows in my own cow herd to help make that dream come true, while still attending college in Manhattan.

I do enjoy raising crops such as wheat, grain sorghum, and corn; however, cattle are my true passion. I love watching calves grow from birth until they are mature animals. This love led me to enroll in multiple animal science classes at Kansas State University, which is where I met my now fiance, Alissa Berger, with whom I will maintain and update this blog about the lifestyle and workings of farming and ranching in northwest Kansas.  Each week we will post about the current happenings on the farm as well as off the farm to help others stay connected to the farm as well as learn more about agriculture.

-Colin