We didn’t leave until about 7:30 yesterday morning. But it was so cold, it might as well have been 3:00 a.m.
I totally didn’t wear the right socks.
My boy opened the gate so his mama wouldn’t have to.
And I was very, very grateful.
One of the 45,339,498,220 reasons I’m glad he’s my boy.
Hi, Marlboro Man. I like you. Will you go with me?
Does anyone say that anymore?
Something tells me they don’t.
Anyway, here’s what happened next: We went through the gate, then pulled over a bit and parked. Then the kids and Cowboy Josh took off on their horses to gather a pasture of pairs while Marlboro Man led the way in Josh’s feed truck. I followed to the right of the herd in Marlboro Man’s truck, which was pulling a trailer, which was hauling our horses.
Which, which, which.
Which!
Within ten minutes, all the pairs were gather to the corner and Marlboro Man and his brother Tim started sorting them.
Cowboy Josh, my oldest child, and my nephew were on my left…
And the rest of the kids were on my right.
And the pickups and trailers acted as a barrier to keep them from running out the side.
And our primary objective was to hold the herd in place while Marlboro Man and Tim sorted off the pairs one by one.
The calves tend to test the waters more than the cows do. We have to make sure they don’t get any wild hairs and take off.
And don’t get me wrong: The cows can get wild hairs, too. If one cow figures out a way to make a break for it, a few of her friends might follow, and then you’ve got a mess on your hands. Things can go wrong in an instant and you can lose the whole herd and have to start all over.
I’ve done seen it happen, man.
It ain’t pretty!
Fortunately, the herd stayed under control for us.
It must have been because I was helping.
Or not.
I love watching the guys sort. Basically, they ride slowly around the herd, identifying the cows and calves that go together.
When they successfully identify a pair, they cut them out of the herd and send them out to go graze happily in the big pasture.
This is Snip, by the way.
I love him so.
The guys kept sorting until all the calves had been matched up and sent out with their mamas…
Then we took the remaining cows in the corner—cows that are pregnant and haven’t given birth yet—to a whole different pasture.
The reasons for doing this are largely organizational: To get all the pairs together in a pasture, then get all the bred cows together in another pasture. This way, a rancher can keep track of which calves need to be worked, which ones have already been worked…and it makes your cattle operation run more smoothly.
When we were done, we went home and unsaddled the horses!
Well, some of us unsaddled.
Others among us just watched.
It was freezing outside…but the horses were still sweaty.
They’re machines!
And as is always the case, Kitty Kitty came down to the barn to greet everyone.
It’s important to him that we all know he’s here.
Ree Drummond is the founder of The Pioneer Woman and a lover of butter, basset hounds and life on the ranch! Ree started her blog in 2006, and now millions visit ThePioneerWoman.com every month for her trusted recipes and fun family stories. Here’s what she has been up to since it all began:
New York Times Bestselling Author
Ree has written two memoirs (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and Frontier Follies) plus nine bestselling cookbooks:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (2009)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier (2012)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (2013)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime (2015)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! (2017)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier (2019)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy (2021)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready! (2023)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The Essential Recipes (2025)
Food Network Host
Since 2011, Ree has been sharing simple, family-friendly recipes—and the occasional kitchen prank!—on her award-winning show The Pioneer Woman, filmed right on Drummond Ranch. Ree is also a regular judge on Food Network competitions, including Christmas Cookie Challenge.
Founder, The Pioneer Woman Collection
Ree has been creating and selling kitchen and home products at Walmart since 2015 and she’s involved in designing every piece and pattern. The line now includes best-selling appliances (you have to see the floral blender!), plus hundreds of pieces of cookware, tableware, and more. Ree doesn’t like to play favorites but the Agatha print has a special place in her heart.
Restaurant and Hotel Owner
Together with her husband Ladd, Ree has opened several bustling businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, including The Pioneer Woman Mercantile—a bakery, restaurant, and general store that draws visitors from across the country (many come for the biscuits alone!), P-Town Pizza, Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop, and The Boarding House, a charming hotel with eight different rooms decorated by Ree and Ladd.
Media Personality
Ree appears regularly on national TV shows like Today, Good Morning America and more—all while managing to keep flour off her shirt.
Wife, Mom and…Grandma!
Ree’s kids (daughters Alex and Paige and sons Bryce and Todd) are all grown up, and as of December 2024, Ree is the proud grandma of the cutest baby ever, Sofia Scott, born to Alex and her husband Mauricio. Ree still cooks for Ladd (and the kids when they’re home), and she also looks after a few mischievous ranch dogs.
