SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi there, I'm Molly. And I'm Jamie. We're the owners of Higher Hand Software. And this is season six of our From the Pasture podcast. For more than 15 years, we've been helping breeders promote their pedigree livestock with our easy-to-use, animal management-driven website software. Each week, we bring you stories from the pasture, breeding philosophies, ranch traditions, cattle knowledge, and conversation with folks using Hired Hand to power their livestock marketing. So settle in for today's episode of From the Pasture with Hired Hand. Welcome to the From the Pasture Podcast. I'm your host, Molly Clubb, and today we're headed north to Wisconsin to visit with Ryan Bauer of Rock Bottom Ranch. Rock Bottom Ranch is a first-generation Longhorn operation, and Ryan has been open about learning the breed, building her herd, and sharing the realities of ranch life, both on the ground and online. I'm so glad to have you on. Welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

Thank you so much, Molly. I'm very grateful to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:00

How's the weather in Wisconsin today?

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Uh today it is sunny finally. Nice. Um, I feel like we're kind of in like a May Sember thing where one moment's 30 degrees, and the next moment it's 50, and then the next moment it's 70. So today we're getting on a 55. Nice.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Here in Iowa, it's been you look outside and you think, wow, it must be gorgeous out. And then you walk out there and it's still cold and windy and just not, you can't even feel the sun. And I don't like it.

SPEAKER_02 1:29

No, I'm ready for spring, like a good spring.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Well, to start us off, why don't you just tell our listeners a little bit about Rock Bottom Ranch, um, what part of Wisconsin you're located in, how everything started for you. Just give us the whole, the whole story.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Yeah, so we're located in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, hence the name. Um, we're at the bottom, our ranch is at the bottom of a hill on the Rush River in Rush River Valley. So originally we were actually just called our ranch the Bower Ranch, and then my husband hated it. And I mean, I mean, we registered it, we created LLC with it, all the things, and then he's like, I don't like that name. So I was like, okay, well, here we go. So we decided he came back with Rock Bottom Ranch, and we I fell in love with it. So that's kind of where our name originated from. Um, and we are about 45, 50 minutes east of the Twin Cities. So we're right on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Um, and the town that we live in, it's a very, very little town, but it's in the middle of where we both grew up. Um, so that's it's pretty cool. We love our location, it's beautiful. Um, we're outgrowing our property by far um when it comes to our animals now. So that's always fun. But we started in October of 2022, where um I have always loved the animals. I've thought I've wanted them for a long time. When back when I was a little girl, I always read a little book and it had Texas longhorns in it. And I just thought they were the coolest animals ever. And truthfully, I thought they only existed in Texas. And everybody up here still thinks that. Um, and then I was introduced to the owners of Painted Outlaw Ranch, um, Allie and Ammon, and had gone to a meeting there and got to see their animals, got to realize that they're not just in Texas, they're actually in Wisconsin and they don't live too far from us. So I went to a meeting there and fell in love. And my husband was on a hunting trip, and I called him and I was like, We're getting longhorns. And he's like, No, we're not. We're not set up for that. And I'm like, Well, I already confirmed that we are. So that was in October of 2022. We started with two um little heifer calves, and the rest is kind of history. We now, when all of our calves hit the ground, we'll have a total of just shy of 50. And I'm so excited. I love it. I love what it's brought to our family. I love that it's something that we can all do. Um, I'm by far probably one of the greenest people when it comes to what I know and what I don't know when it comes to the Texas Longhorn industry. Like I'm still learning as I go, and it is a trial and error type of thing. Um, I've had a lot of tears, especially this year, but we're here and I have a really big vision of where a ranch is going to be going, and I'm really excited for it.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

So you read the book when you were growing up and decided you want them. Does that mean you also pictured yourself ranching and you know, living on a ranch and raising livestock, or did you just know you like adored the Texas Longhorns?

SPEAKER_02 4:49

Um, I think so. Obviously, being from Wisconsin, it's a dairy farm area. Everybody up here is dairy, and I've been around farming, but I'm it's not in my family, and it's my husband did melt cows when he was younger, but it's not something that it's like a generational thing. Um, I just know that like a big thing for me because I didn't have it growing up, is I wanted to create some kind of a legacy and some type of thing that I could give to our kids. And all of our boys have been able to partake in this. So did I think that it was a ranching thing or the animal? Um, probably not originally, but as we got into it, it's something like I said, that it teaches my kids hard work. It teaches them something of slow living and purpose and brings purpose back into our life. And that is something that has even outweighed the beauty of these animals, um, which is hard because they're so beautiful. But I don't think that that was kind of where I was going right away. But it turned into something so much bigger.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

So you mentioned the boys. Um, how old are they and what are their kind of daily roles on the with the animals?

SPEAKER_02 6:01

So we have a yours, mine, and ours family. So I had my husband and I, we've been together now for 14 years, and we each brought a five-year-old, four-year-old into the mix. So he has a 17-year-old now, I have a 17-year-old, and then we have a soon-to-be nine-year-old together. Um my son was never around this type of lifestyle ever. His son was. Um, so it was really cool to see him get so excited, but he was also the one that was super scared of the longhorns, where my son was like, I don't, I don't know what to expect. So I'd tell him to go out and feed the cows or do something with them, and he would just go right out and do it. Didn't have a fear. Where his son was very fearful of it. So it was funny to see that. Um, our youngest is obsessed with calving season, like, thinks that he can go out and like grab the calves from mom and bring them in the house, but he can't. Luckily, he hasn't tried, he just talks about it all the time. Um, so he does the chores for all the calves, and then our older two are very much involved in doing the chores if I don't do them, because majority of the time I'm doing the chores because my husband has another business that he is very dependent, like he's out in the field all the time, and it's very demanding. So I do majority of the stuff, but the boys know that like if I'm in the house making supper or doing something, they're out feeding the cows and they get to go and everybody kind of it's like a lottery when it comes to calving season, like who's gonna calf first and what are we gonna have and all that? But it's fun to incorporate that in their in their lives too.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

So, as a first-generation rancher or cattle breeder, what surprised you the most about this type of lifestyle?

SPEAKER_02 7:46

Um, my patience. I'm not a patient person, and that it definitely taught me, um, especially when it comes to cabbing season. Um, I've also learned that I hate the term it's a part of ranching, um, because we've had, you know, we've suffered some loss of cows um very early on, which I'm grateful for because, you know, we we've had to like experience that and kind of get the lay of the land with that. But we've also had some loss in calves. And my husband's first thing that comes out of his mouth is that's just ranching. And I'm like, I don't want to hear that statement ever again. Um I wasn't expecting that. Like, I think that because we have such a small herd, it's really hard. You know, we're not a 1400-head, 1500-head dairy farm that we have around here, and maybe they're used to it. I don't know. I mean, I would hope nobody wants to be used to that. So the last that we have experienced this year has been something that's been really difficult for me to face because we've had to get the vet involved and kind of figure out what's happening and do we need to change our feed program? Do we need to, you know, are we not doing an like whatever our vaccine protocol or whatever that may be? So that's something that I've had to adjust to and just understand that like it's gonna happen. Um, another thing that we're walking into is this next breeding season after all of our calves drop, we're gonna AI. And we've never done that. Um, and so trying to figure out, you know, how do we do that, adapting to that schedule and making sure that we're picking the right cows to go or the right semen to go with the cows and all of that, it's going to be a challenge for me and it's gonna test my patience. And also, like, you know, you invest a lot in that and you're not guaranteed anything. And so that's a really hard pill for me to swallow. But as my husband says, it's a part of ranching.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Is there somewhere you go, like some resource you use, or maybe a mentor or anything when you decide to take on these things you haven't done before, like AI, um, or when you mentioned you had to have the vet out. Is there, do you have like some go-to support that you can learn from or ask questions to?

SPEAKER_02 10:07

Yeah, there are three ranches that I look to all of the time. Um, Mandy and Canon Odin, um, I always say their last name wrong, and I talk to them all the time. She's been a trooper for me. I lean on her quite a bit. And then Randy Murray and Dale Hunt, I talk to them a lot about their expertise because they've obviously been in the industry a lot longer than I have. Um, and I just want their opinions and I respect their opinions, and I respect the way that they approach somebody who's not been in it that long. Um, they've both been so helpful for Jay and I, you know, when it comes to asking questions about like this happened with this cow or what should we do with our bowl? Um, or anything like that. And I have a lot of what they've bred at their ranch in our herd. So, like I said, I just I really respect that. It's been, um I will say, just in general, the community has been really, really great in some some instances and not the greatest in other, but I'm just grateful that like we've been welcomed, like we have, for certain reasons and certain people, because you know, we don't have a clue what we're doing. And there, I mean, half the time I feel like we're throwing spaghetti noodles at the wall and hoping that it lands. And for the most part, I will say I'm very proud of where we've come in the last, you know, it'll be four years in October that we've done this because I do feel, I mean, and I don't really care what everybody else thinks, but when I look out in my field, I'm very proud of what we have out there.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 11:52

I feel like I don't have a problem putting myself out there and you know, if I look like a fool, I look like a fool. So that's something that like I don't I'm not complacent is not the word right word, but I'm not scared to like fall on my face and ask for help and get the constructive criticism. And I think that in this type of industry, you know, there's a lot of money to be made and there's a lot of, you know, that kind of thing, and we don't we don't do it for that. Um, this has started out as a hobby for us because I've loved the animals and it's still kind of very much so a hobby, but I I'm hoping that down the line, you know, we can make a little money because my husband, like when we meet with our our tax people every year, they're like, you guys need to start making money because you're spending a lot. Um, so maybe that was a little bit of a shocking thing. I don't think that we realized how expensive this industry can be. Um, but it's worth it. And it we we love what we do. Um, but the only thing that's really come easy is I don't have a problem putting myself out there. I don't have a problem talking to people that come before me and are in the industry for a long time. And even if they look at me and they're like, what are you doing? Well, I've not done this before. So that's why I'm looking for your expertise in it. And I don't have a problem doing that.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

So you mentioned that you've suffered some losses. Um, do you feel like that's attributed, like, was it related to the winter weather in Wisconsin or, you know, Longhorns not necessarily being, you know, super used to that part of the country, or was it just some freak, you know, like types of things that was just bad luck, basically?

SPEAKER_02 13:42

Unfortunately, I think one of them was the weather and um not knowing like something was wrong with her, because she had to we had she had an aborted calf after she had already cabbed just fine with her first the one that she had had prior. Um so that one I think was a little bit pertaining to the weather and some natural causes. Um the other one was an absolute like shocker. I mean, we bought her from somewhere in the Midwest. Um, she had her calf, it was her first half or calf, um, her first calf, and she had her too early. And then when we had like I did it, I can't say a narcissy or whatever the autopsy of the calf is. Um, and they said it was just an a natural cause. Um genetically, she had some uh she had ancephaly, I think, and she wouldn't have made it anyways. And so majority of them are just natural causes, but when it's more than one and you have such a small herd, it makes you guess. Like I second guess everything. And so I had the vet come out and look at everything. We had our bowl tested, everything looked good with our bowl. Like we made sure we crossed every T and dotted every I to make sure that there wasn't something going on in our herd, because we do have other, like, I mean, obviously they get checked when they they come to our ranch and um that kind of thing. But there's still like there's things that even when the vet does check them to get them over to us, like whether they're coming from Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, wherever they're coming from, um, that they might not know, like something that could be sitting dormant. And that's just, I mean, that's what the vet has explained to us. Um and you so you just never know, and you can't place blame on anybody, obviously, but things happen, just life and the site, the you know, the circle of it. But it is still hard to swallow when you only have 20 head of cattle or 25 head of cattle, and you can't afford for a cow to not have a heifer or you know, them to abort their cows, or you lose a cow, like it it's detrimental to your your herd. And so we literally had everything tested and like I said, check the bull, and everything is good. So they were just like, we're sorry, but 90% of the time it's just nine, you know, natural causes. And I had second opinions come in and they said the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

So you mentioned, you know, some of your mentors are like Randy Murray and Dale Hunt, who live in southern states. Um, so are Odins the kind of the ones that live near you that you go to when you need uh advice specifically for raising the Longhorns in Wisconsin?

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Yep. They we taught her and I talk every single day, it seems like, and we're always like, okay, what do I need to do here? And then our husbands talk. Like my husband will call him because he doesn't want to go through me. And I mean, they just had a conversation yesterday about feed and our feed, our nutritional program. And they were I was like, if you're gonna talk, you call him. So yeah, we we talk to them quite a bit. We actually have a partner bowl with him and Dale Hunt. So we're excited to see where that goes. Um he's you know, freshly to this first season of Calves on the Ground or this year, and we can't wait to see what his future brings for all of us.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

So, what sort of adaptations have they kind of talked you through having to make for you know wintering the longhorns up there?

SPEAKER_00 18:09

Honestly, I mean just making sure that you know they have the water.

SPEAKER_02 18:13

I didn't realize that well, my husband knew this, but I didn't, that water they're more apt to drink a lot more than in the wintertime than they are in the summertime, but didn't know that. Um making sure that, you know, we have enclosures for them to go into, which we do. I feel like we've added more and more and more um shelters for them. Um, we unfortunately live in an area where we have sandier soil, so that plays a part into like we don't have the best grass for them to graze. So we look to Canon for sure and Dale. Um, and Randy, even I've talked to him about like making sure that our feed program is great and that they have loose mineral at all the time and doing that so we can make sure that they're putting the weight on they need in the winter time.

SPEAKER_01 19:03

So let's say you go in town and stop at the feed store or go run an errand. Are you known as the Longhorn people? Or what do what do what do all these folks in dairy country think about your growing herd?

SPEAKER_02 19:15

Um it's not so much we go into the feed store. Um, I don't we have uh we work with Prairie Egg out of Menominee, Wisconsin, and they have they work with Canon and Mandy, and they work with Ammon and Allie um masked to out of painted outlaw. So like they are aware of people, you know, in the longhorn industry, but it is people that drive by us by our house, and they're like, they stop and stare and take pictures, and it's like a foreign object that just dropped out of the sky, and they are like constantly like I'll see people message me on my Facebook or on Instagram, and they're like, Are you you're those longhorn people, aren't you? And I'm like, Yeah, like, and I don't look at that like that because that I look at like Dale Hunt's program and Randy's program and the Styler's and them, and I'm like, oh my gosh, like those are goals right there, having that many. And my husband is like, You're nuts, that's never gonna happen. And then we have people in our area that drive by and they look at just one of our baby calves and they're like, How do they just grow horns like that? And it's so fun to have those conversations with people.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

So, like growing up in Iowa with long horns, I was used to them, like I was around them every day, right? But still, when we'd go visit my grandparents in Wisconsin, I would get so excited if I saw some on the drive or something. Cause you know, it's not like you are in Texas or Oklahoma where you see them every few miles. So I can I can relate to that for sure. Well, let's talk a little bit about your herd today. Um what, you know, if someone's gonna drive by your website, uh, what are the ones that you're really proud of that they should for sure take a look at? You know, what are you breeding towards? Just talk to me a little bit about the genetics and and all of that.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

Uh full transparency. I am still learning the genetics myself. Um, if you would have asked me that question, if I would be on this podcast a year and a half ago, I would have been like, I don't even know. One thing my husband will tell you, he's super proud. We have um our biggest cow, tip to tip is 90. She just measured at 94 and a half, and that's one of the biggest in the state of Wisconsin. So that is his like go-to. He talks about it all the time, and she's a big animal. It's not even just her horns, she's just a big bodied, beautiful animal. She's given us beautiful calves.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Um what's her what's her name?

SPEAKER_02 21:41

Uh, unpredictable. So unpredictable is her name. And so she we bought her from our Gresham sale here in Wisconsin two years ago, and she is like a puppy dog. She's so gentle around our kids, she's so gentle to work in the shoot. She is great. We brought home another uh, or we brought home our first cattle dog from Missouri, and she has like she's so great with him, and he's great with her, so that's really awesome. But she's definitely my husband's pride possession. I, when I look at my herd today, I love the diversity of it, I guess you could say, for the lack of a better word. Um, I brought two home from Randy's this fall, uh, Misty Moon and Tempting Doll, which gave us more older genetics and just different. I like uniqueness in mine. Like I know a lot of people go for the horn, which is great, but I like looking at my Rs, and they're all different. I do have like I've I didn't ever think I would have an Many white white cows as we do. Um, but we have I think four. And so I'm like, okay, we need to add a little bit more. Um, but when I look out, like we have something of everything, and that's one thing that I love. Um, we have maybe one cow that's a can be a little bit in her emotions and in her feels, but otherwise, my temperament of my cows, like that's one thing that's very important to me. I want my kids to be able to go out and not feel intimidated or not feel like they're gonna get charged or anything like that. And none of our cows do that. I mean, if you get close and you pick at them, they're gonna throw your their throw their horns back and forth. But outside of that, like, that's it. Like, I feel comfortable that my kids can come out and work our work with us with our cows. And I think a lot of people think I'm crazy for that because they are so intimidated by their horns, but they're so docile and graceful that I think it's just an outstanding thing to have. Um, again, when it comes to genetics, though I'm still learning a lot. Uh, we have a pace bull at our house um out of uh Bruce Wayne. So he's got bigger base um with his horns, but he's throwing his first uh crop calf came out last year, and he is throwing the most beautiful uh colored calves. He's hit every color this year. Um he's thrown Brindle, he's thrown black and white, he's thrown Grula, and this year he threw Dunn. I'm really excited. He's three years gonna be he's coming up on four in July, and it's just really cool to see. I mean the one that I I because I also purchased him from Randy, and then I purchased another heifer from him the same year I bought Bruce Wayne, and she has gave us a black and white last year, and then this beautiful red and white, and she's gonna brindle out just like her. And it's just so cool like to be able to have something of everything because I that's what I want.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

Well, you mentioned that you have bought some at the local uh G uh GNTLA sale. Um, have you all consigned to any sales yet, or do you participate in any fraturities? Tell me a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Um, so fraturities we participated in two years ago. Um unfortunately, that's not something that I'm I love doing. Um, it's a lot of work. And I I don't know. I just I we didn't really love the fraturity aspect. We did consign for the first time last year at the Gresham sale. Um, and we uh she went to Canada. So I I haven't heard how she's doing now, but I know she went to Canada, which was cool. Um, we haven't consigned anything yet. Uh big goal of mine is to consign some of the heifers that we get um next year, possibly even to the Texas Treasure Heifer sale. Um, and then we'll kind of go from there. We'll see what happens. But I just don't feel like, in my personal opinion, we're there quite yet. Um, I want to be really confident in the animals that I'm consigning, and that's something that I'm just not quite there right now, but it'll be in the future.

SPEAKER_01 26:14

Speaking of the future, do you kind of have a vision where maybe you want to see the ranch or see yourself or the herd in like let's say, you know, five, 10, however far out you want to go?

SPEAKER_02 26:25

Uh yes, we have a pretty big vision. Um, it's probably not like everybody else's, um, which is I feel is pretty cool. Um, a big reason why we started the ranch and what the growth of is we are turning it into a nonprofit that will be a home um for victims of human trafficking and child exploitation to come and learn the purpose of slow living and incorporate animals in that. And I have just found so much peace when I walk out into my field, and it probably sounds really cliche, but I found so much peace walking into my field and seeing these animals and how beautiful and how graceful that they are. And it's giving us so much purpose in life and giving my kids something to see. Um, my youngest has struggled with behavioral issues um for the longest time, and he is so calm when he's with these animals. And so our vision is to grow um quite significantly in the next five to ten years so we can bring these animals to uh this location of where we end up building here. Hopefully, we find the land in the next couple of years and expand it that way. And I want other people's animals there too, you know, whether it's you the females are no longer gonna reproduce, but they want to retire them or go somewhere where they can just have that purpose. And I feel like that's gonna be the vision of that, and I cannot wait for that.

SPEAKER_01 27:56

So have you started taking steps towards that already? Are there things you're doing, you know, with that in mind when you're making some of your whether it be purchasing or breeding decisions or that type of?

SPEAKER_02 28:06

Yep, absolutely. We I have right now talked about it quite a bit with other people. Um, we're looking at investors for the land right now, and then from there we'll start. There's some in our herd right now that I know will be going there, and I cannot wait for that. Um, as far as breeding goes, we haven't really looked at that yet, but I know that our some of our mid mid middle-aged cows will definitely that will be their home, and I can't wait.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

Are you planning to have other breeds as well, or are you gonna keep it strictly longhorns?

SPEAKER_02 28:45

Probably just longhorns, um, horses, probably, eventually. Um, I don't do birds, so a lot of people have talked about chickens, and I am definitely afraid of chickens. So have no problem getting in a small pen with a bowl. Doesn't bother me at all, but a chicken will absolutely scare the daylights out of me. So I don't know about that, but a long the longhorns is a big is gonna be the face of it.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

So, are you able to speak a little bit about like why that mission of the nonprofit is so important to you?

SPEAKER_02 29:23

Um, yes, absolutely. I would love to. So growing up, um we had a close family friend that was actually a victim of it. And I have just found that it's something that people don't realize how bad it actually is in the world today. Um, and then my son was also a victim of grooming. And so I have always made it my mission to like figure out how I can get more involved in it, how I can put, you know, have these uncomfortable conversations, but also like do more and not rely on other people to do it. And so about five years ago, I was able and introduced to one organization that led me to the organization that I am I'm with right now, which is called Dark Horse Benefits. And what they do is they go into local law enforcements around the United States and train their law enforcement agents on how they can um take down the criminals that are on the dark web or take down the rings that are out there, or however it may look like in that air, that realm of area. And from there, I've realized that there's so much hype on the takedowns and the operations, which obviously it's needed, but there's not as much hype or there's not as much funding to take care of these victims. And so the problem with that is when they go and they do these rescue missions, they don't have a place for these victims to go. And being a person with a childhood that I had, like I know that that that that is important. And it was frustrating to be able to witness, because I've been able to be on some of these operations. It was super frustrating to witness that, like when they're arresting women even for prostitution, or they're rescuing people from the kids and women from these trafficking rings, they don't have a bed to take them to because they don't have the money, or the beds are full, or it's just not an option for them. And I got so mad listening to this over and over again that in knowing what I know in the industry and in, you know, what we're talking about, I was just like, I can either hope and pray that somebody else is gonna take the lead on this, or I can just do it myself. And it's a big thing, you know, it's a big bite to chew right now. Um, but somebody has to do it. And so I kind of approached the founder of Dark Horse Benefits and told him that what my passion was and the aftercare of these victims and the restoration. And so we put together um an operational plan of what it's gonna look like, and he was all on board, and so now it's just a matter of finding the land and building it out.

SPEAKER_01 32:10

That's amazing. Let's talk a little bit about your hired hand-powered website. So, um, how did you find us? What made you decide to use us for the website for your growing herd?

SPEAKER_02 32:23

So I actually hate technology, especially when it comes to websites. And I started like a Canva website originally, and then I was like, no, this isn't gonna work. And then I think it was Mandy actually who was like, you just need to bite the bullet and hire hired hands because they do everything on the back end when it comes to your cows. And I literally was like, say less because I don't want no part of this, like to be able to pay what we pay and have this taken care of, best money we've ever spent. 100% the best money. And to even see it come to fruition, there's stuff that I want to add, like our newsletter and doing things like that, but we're just not there yet. I do want to be able to eventually down the road have something that because the ranch is gonna, or the nonprofit's gonna be actually called Freedom Bridge at Dark Horse. Um, but I would like to implement, you know, something like that and working with you guys and knowing that like we can do certain things is so nice. But the main reason is just how easy it is with adding cattle and asking you guys questions and you guys being able to be like, yep, we can do this, or yep, we can do that, or we'll handle this. And it's just easy, breezy, beautiful. Like it's so easy to work with.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Have you noticed a difference at all with like how you're able to engage with potential buyers or you know, folks who are maybe kicking tires on on looking at some of your herd to purchase?

SPEAKER_02 34:27

Um, I don't think we've had that quite yet, just because we haven't really had. If you ask my husband, we don't sell anything, we just buy it all. So I think that's where we're at right now. Um so we haven't really experienced that for the most part.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

So you mentioned buying. Does that mean that you're active online on hired hand live sometimes for the sales? Every sale.

SPEAKER_02 34:51

If my um internet was working last weekend, I think I would have almost accidentally bought Jaguar Laura from Randy, and I think my husband would have divorced me on the spot.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

So was your husband the reason the internet wasn't working, or was it just a little bit more?

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Well, we were just playing football for my youngest, and I was like, I think I'm gonna bid on this cow. And then he saw, like, he's like, Oh, okay. And I think he thought I took that literally because then he saw what she sold for, and he's like, Did you just spend $35,000 on a cow? And I was like, No. Oh, you're lucky.

SPEAKER_01 35:28

Do you and your husband often, like when you do want to make a serious purchase, uh, do you guys agree on, like when you're going through the sale catalog or looking at the lots online, do you agree on which one sh would look good in your herd? Do you have different tastes?

SPEAKER_02 35:44

We have definitely different tastes. It is a cackling hen type of conversation between us two, um, which is crazy because last year at Gresham we bought, I think she won the fraturity for the heifers. I can't remember, or she was in the top two or top three. And he was in the back, like working the cattle with the crew, and I was sitting in front row and I had my eyes on two cattle. And all of a sudden he's like pointing a stick at me. And Canon, I think, was sitting by me, and he's like, I think he wants you to bid on that. And I was like, No, he doesn't. And I'm like, What are you doing? And he goes, keep bidding. And we bitted it and we bought it. And I'm like, Why did you want this cow? Like, that wasn't even on our radar. Well, she was really nice to work with in the back. So I thought it would be a good thing for a ranch. I was like, whatever, okay. That's the majority of our conversations. Or I'll text him and be like, I think we really need this cow. And he's like, Okay, so I'm just gonna say yes, because once you are in that mindset, it's you're not getting out of it. And I'm just better off just saying, okay, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 36:53

Are you one of those folks that spends a lot of time looking at other people's cows and websites uh online?

SPEAKER_02 37:01

Um, no, truthfully, not really. Um, I have my eye on like certain ones, like certain cows. Like if I see them right away, it is my gut instinct that I need to have that. Um, and so we have, like I said, I have probably one, two, three, four or five from Randy, and probably the same from Dale, and then the rest are from Gresham from the sale when we've just purchased them at the sale.

SPEAKER_01 37:41

So do you have Randy and Dale's websites booked marked that you're you're not what they have a lot?

unknown 37:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 37:49

It's too bad we can't set notifications up, so I know, and I have other some other ranches that I really like what Silas do. I really love um 3P ranch. Uh, you know, and then there's just some other ones. We had we got one from um Rock and D uh last year. I bought he had posted Adam had posted it online on Facebook actually, and I messaged him and we purchased that one from him, and she's turning into be something special. So I'm so grateful to for that because I cannot wait to see what she turns into because she's just she's very unique in her color. She's gonna twist, she's already starting to curve and curve back. Her mom is insane, um, just a beautiful cow. So I cannot wait. I just I'm very much like if I see it, I trust my instinct right away that I have to have like my gut is like, yep, you have to have that. And then I just kind of beg for it.

SPEAKER_01 38:54

What's her name if folks want to take a look at her?

SPEAKER_00 38:56

Uh RD Showstopper.

SPEAKER_01 39:00

Let's talk a little bit about social media too, because that's obviously kind of tied to the website. So I feel like you're really qualified to speak on social media. Um, it seems like you've been very consistent and intentional about sharing your ranch journey online. So, what made you decide to start sharing that through like Instagram reels and you know, instead of just photos?

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Um, because I think it's super relatable. I think that especially when it comes to like the longhorn industry, it can be a little bit intimidating for people that are just like wanting to dabble in it. Um, and then from my perspective, where I dabbled and then I jumped all in, and it's super intimidating because it's like it can be a very it's it's a very big investment. And especially like when you're talking to people who know what they're doing because they've been doing it and it's a generational thing for them. For us, obviously, it's not. Um, so I think that the ranching aspect or the lifestyle is something that people are actually more in tune to nowadays because they want to see that slower life, slower living piece of life and gaining more purpose. And that's for me, when I think of ranching, that's what I think of. You know, obviously there's so much more to it, but it's slow, it's a slow living, it's seeing something come to fruition that you've put hard, hard effort and hard work into, and knowing that like I don't have all of my ducks in a row, hardly ever, but we're still making it happen. And so if I can do it, anybody can do it. And I feel like being vulnerable and being real and authentic and sharing the fact I don't even know how this has happened, but we I posted one post on TikTok and on Instagram about my husband being a glorified ranch hand, or not even a glorified ranch and like he's just my ranch hand, and it's I've had so many conversations around it because it is true. I mean, he just does everything and does it all. Um, but I think that if I can get one person, like that is a big goal of mine because that's what it was for me, to buy and invest into a longhorn. I the mission will be just I will be so fulfilled by it because I am so grateful what it's done to my life, and so I want to give that back. And I I mean it's just it's there's so much dark stuff on social media nowadays, and I've seen it and I live it because of what I do from our you know, our nonprofit side that being able to share this kind of stuff and lighthearted and people loving to see like what's gonna drop. Did you have a heifer? Did you have a bull? And what color is it? And they get so in tune to it. Like some of the stuff that I share on other things, they don't care. But when I share my ranch stuff, everybody wants to know. And so it's just bring it's brought a lot more fun into social media for me, and I love that.

SPEAKER_01 41:59

Was there one real or TikTok besides the one you mentioned, maybe that kind of made you think, okay, this might actually be worth my time to film and put out there and everything, like this is this is worth doing?

SPEAKER_02 42:12

Um yeah, there was one on my old. So I don't even have my rock bottom Instagram got taken away. And so did my personal one got taken away because I was sharing so much about the nonprofit um that they red flagged everything. And a lot of it was a reel that I had posted was actually one of my cows, another perfect girl, which I also bought from Dale last year at their sale, had a heifer, and her color has changed so much. And so I showed it wasn't even a real, actually, it was a carousel from when she was first born to what she looks like now because she looked just like her mama, but now she's darkened up and she's roaning out quite a bit and brindling out, and now she's almost black and she was red when she was born. And or she's Parker Brown. I always get those terms mixed up, but so that one actually shared like everybody was like, holy cow! And they don't realize like the change that you see in these animals. And that one did um me walking in my flip-flops. People think that that's quite hilarious that I walk in cow manure in my flip-flops, but I just I forget that my flip-flops are on half the time and just wing it.

SPEAKER_01 43:35

Do you find like it do you find that it's hard to film your day-to-day ranch while still actually working? Or is it have you just gotten used to having your phone out as part of the process?

SPEAKER_02 43:45

Um, I that's something that I have to get better at. And it's funny that you say that because I was literally, I have I work with a business coach and a social media coach, and she's like, you seriously need to film more. Like, I want to see you filming when you're in the the Skidster putting out round bales, because that's one thing I do have to do, especially in the fall. My husband is an avid hunter, so we I do everything in the fall when he's gone. Um, so that's one thing. And they're like, like, you have so much gold content that you don't like, you don't video. So that's something that I want to get better at because I feel like I would grow a lot more if I put that stuff out there and not think that I need it to be perfect because I am a perfectionist and I like need like rules kind of almost. So I will try to do that, but I I don't do it right now as much as I should.

SPEAKER_01 44:37

So you mentioned that you would be over the moon if just one person decided to get into Longhorns. Is that your ultimate goal? Or is there are there other goals that you're hoping that your social media growth will eventually lead to?

SPEAKER_02 44:51

I think that's one of the goals. Uh another goal is just it seems kind of like very small, but I just want people to see the joy that it brings. Like it does bring a lot of joy. I mean, there's a lot of obviously things in the back end that um I like people don't know about like the hard work and the loss and all that kind of stuff, but it brings us a lot of joy. Another thing that actually a big goal of mine that was accomplished at the Texas Treasure Sale, and it's something again very small, um, is when bigger herds can look at your herd and be impressed with it, or say, like you have you're doing really good work. And I had an ad in the Texas Treasure Heifer Sale catalog, and Dale actually mentioned he's like, I'm just I think it's awesome what you're what you're growing and what you look at. And Randy has told me several times, like, you have an eye. I have an expensive eye, my husband always tells me, but he goes, You have an eye for some incredible cattle. And not knowing anything, because I literally like started this four years ago, I don't know anything about pedigrees. I don't know anything about nothing, like literally nothing. I look at a cow and I'm just like, I like that one. Let's take it home. So hearing that from people who do know so much, it's it's pretty cool and it makes you feel really, really proud. So a big goal of mine is like, yes, what you had mentioned, but obviously the growth of the ranch means the growth of the nonprofit, and that's the ultimate goal.

SPEAKER_01 46:40

Sure. Okay. So we're gonna tie this into your social media. So uh the segment we're gonna call it you don't see that on social media. So I'm gonna say a statement and then you're gonna you're gonna end the the sentence for me. Does that work?

SPEAKER_00 46:54

You don't see this on social media, but some days on the ranch are hard? You don't see this on social media, but when you're first starting out It's a shit show.

SPEAKER_01 47:11

I like it. Literally. You don't see this on social media, but building confidence as a rancher takes a lot of trial and error and a lot of tears. You also don't see this on social media, but some of the hardest moments are the most gratifying. All right, well, that's that's it for today. Thank you so much for joining me and for playing our little game. Uh, go ahead before we wrap up here and tell everyone where they can find you online, your your website, your socials, all of that.

SPEAKER_02 47:46

So our website is Rockbottom Ranch Wis WI. So Wisconsin, obviously, but it's just rockbottomranch WI.com. Um and then for right now, it's just at Mrs. R. Bauer on Instagram or Ryan Bauer or Rockbottom Ranch on Facebook because my normal stuff is gone. So we're still rebuilt, we're in the rebuild of that. So that's where they can find us. And we love new followers and new people just joining the community. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 48:18

And are you open to ranch visitors or questions like all the time? Perfect. Well, thank you again so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you for having me.