It’s been a little while since I last checked in—and there’s a reason for that.
If I’m being honest, that’s been the pattern lately. A couple weeks of consistency, then life hits, and things slip a bit. So I’ll start with this—thank you for sticking with us, and we’re getting back on track.
Life stays busy out here. And truth be told, if your rancher isn't working hard getting you amazing beef, are they really ranching?
That’s what this is all about. That’s what we’re building.
Day by day. Task by task. One step at a time.
That’s TriTails.
That’s legacy.
And we want you to be part of it.
Real Americans eating real American beef—it matters. There’s nothing better in the world, and when you support what we’re doing, you’re part of that story too.
Before we jump in, make sure you check out this week’s YouTube video. There’s a lot of action in it—honestly, some of this stuff is better seen than read. But there are a few details in here you won’t catch on video, so let’s get into it.
A Quick Introduction (or Reintroduction)
If you’re new here, my name’s Connor.
I’ve been on the ranch going on six years now. I married into this life—my wife Helen is a fifth-generation rancher, and I’ll tell you right now, I married way above my pay grade.
I didn’t grow up a rancher. Not even close.
So what you’re reading here—these newsletters, the videos—that’s all from my perspective learning this life as I go. Figuring it out, one job at a time.
And sometimes, that means things get a little chaotic. That’s why you haven’t seen a newsletter in awhile.
A few weeks back, most of the family took off on a cruise, which left me holding things together here. Then my parents came into town. On top of that, I decided it’d be a good idea to run a six-hour race.
Now—I didn’t train like I should have. But I still knocked out 28 miles. Not quite the 31 I was aiming for, but still further than most people ever run in one go. I’ll take that as a win… for now.
Alright—this week.
Cowboy Work in the Canyon
This week was about as “ranch life” as it gets.
We had Derek and Coit out, along with Aaron and Faith on horseback, and we headed into the canyon to work calves. We had some early calves hit the ground this season, so we needed to stay ahead of it before they got too big.
Started early—and right off the bat, we managed to get the horse trailer stuck.
First thing in the morning.
Had to hook up to it with another truck and pull it free. Meanwhile, the cowboys just kept going—gave them an extra mile or two to ride, but that’s just how it goes out here.
From there, four cowboys rode down Bull Trail while we sent the drone up overhead.
If you’ve been following along, you’ve heard me talk about Bull Trail before. It’s not just a trail—it’s more like a rite of passage. Steep, rough, unforgiving. Vehicles can go on it, but it’ll make you think twice. Cowboys have been going up and down that thing for a long time, and it doesn’t get any easier.
Gathering and Working Cattle
Once we got into the canyon, it was time to gather cattle.
They’re spread out everywhere, so it takes some work to push them in. Aaron was riding a younger horse—Darling—and she gave him a bit of a challenge. Wouldn’t cross a creek, no matter how much he tried.
Eventually, Faith and him had to split up—he pushed forward one way while she circled back and took the road to the pens.
That’s ranching. Nothing ever goes exactly how you plan it.
Once everything was gathered, we brought the herd into the pens and started sorting.
Same process as always, but it never gets easy:
Separate the calves from the moms.
Sounds simple—it’s not.
You’ve got pairs coming through fast, and the goal is to stop the calf while letting the cow through. Takes skill, timing, and a good hand on the gate.
From there, calves go into a holding pen, then one by one down the chute. That’s where we handle everything—health checks, treatment, ear marking.
That ear mark—it’s old school. It’s how it’s been done for generations. And out here, in country like this, there’s a reason things don’t change.
Because they work.
When Things Get Western
Some of these calves weren’t exactly small anymore.
Which meant it was time to rope.
Derek and Coit handled it like pros—roping, dragging, getting things under control. There was plenty of wrestling involved too.
I even got in there myself for the first time.
I’ll tell you this—you don’t fully understand the power of those animals until you’re right there with them. It’s not something to take lightly.
It’s real work. The kind that demands respect.
Wrapping It Up
That’s a look at this week.
Hard work. Early mornings. A little chaos mixed in—but that’s part of it.
This life isn’t polished. It’s not perfect.
But it’s real.
And that’s what we’re building here.
If you want to be part of it—if you want to feed your family the way it ought to be done—then stick with us.
Watch the videos. Follow along. And when the time comes, stock your freezer.
Because the cuts you want? They don’t sit around long.
We’ll see you next week—back on track.
—Connor
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