Grandpa's ranch

Yesterday we loaded the kids in the car for a long drive to Sterling, ID. We finally made it to the ranch at close to 2. The drive was longer than we expected. Rick's ranch is bigger than I expected. He has more than 100 acres where he grows hay, wheat and alfalfa. He has a couple dozen cows and 2 horses. I have no idea how many chickens. He has a huge vegetable garden. His goal is to live just on his land, and he's doing a good job of it so far. Just this week he sold his hay and used the money to by a huge ATV that he let us ride on all day. The kids had a blast. Rick was going to sattel up the horses and let us take them for a ride, but Titan, the male, was getting spooked and Nakita, the female was just as wary. So he harnessed them up with the lead and let the kids get on his shoulders to pet them as much as they wanted. I have to say, it was an awesome day with grandpa. He even let us get pictures with him and the kids. That's saying something.

Sadly, I learned the hard way that I am still super allergic to grass. I thought I might have some issues, so before we left, I took an allivert. Stupid useless allivert. Doesn't really work. Not when you really want it to, anyway. After less than an hour I was itchy, sneezey, watery, and totally miserable.

We had dinner before we left. Beef stew. I had to compliment Rick on his beef. The roast he had in it was so tender and tasted amazing. He says he feeds his cattle only grain 90 days before taking them to slaughter. They eat only grass before that and he doesn't shoot them up with hormones or antibiotics. He will give them something if they are sick, but he doesn't just treat them unless they need it. Well, he sent us home with easily 100 pounds of meat. The back of the car was half full before we left. I think he might have sent us home with more, but we were feeling like we were taking too much. I can't wait to make something up with all that. Yumm.