Once a holistic rancher, Laura Jean Schneider reflects on her decision to abandon the industry.
Ranch Diaries
Ranch Diaries is an hcn.org series highlighting the experiences of Laura Jean Schneider, a member of a new generation of cattle ranchers. In this series, Schneider will give us a peek into daily life during the first year of Triangle P Cattle Company, a new LLC in southcentral New Mexico. Find installments here every other Tuesday.
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My childhood cowgirl dreams and family traditions are settling in and coming to fruition.
How to use wild purslane and algerita berries, and how to not mistake death camas for wild onions.
We altered our grazing plan early in the summer to account for aridity, but now we’re rolling in forage.
It’s difficult to prioritize mental and emotional health in ranching, but vital to do so.
Whenever I leave, I miss out on big events at the ranch.
Somewhere in the midst of the business of ranching I have to figure out a way to keep writing.
On the ranch, horses help us through bad weather and barbed wire mishaps on a regular basis.
Can producers come together to find common ground and work toward common goals?
I see my 19-year-old self in our new intern, as she builds her skills and learns the ropes of ranch etiquette.
Triangle P cattle know the territory now, so our second summer shouldn’t be as demanding as the last.
How the threat of predators has fundamentally shaped my relationship with nature.
How I came to terms with my subsistence upbringing, and have started to rethink it.
I’ll soon be delivering our grass-fed beef to the processor myself, and connecting directly with customers.
I’m part of a generation of young farmers and ranchers who will struggle to ever own the land they work.
When holistic management is too land-focused, the needs of the people on the land gets lost.
The point of our company is good food but it's bittersweet to see our calves go.
Abiding by shared values helps our quality of life.
The federal grazing system doesn't support good management.
Coconut the elk, Clem the colt and big dreams for next year.