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Thanks for making it through your holiday season and tuning back in to Ranch Raised. At this point I feel like I need congratulate all of you if you made it through the weekend without frostbite or any major cold weather complications. WhooHoo! That was a blast, I mean not so much, more of an arctic blast.

THEE Hot Barn Report! Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!

But before we slam the door the year, let’s celebrate the #1 highlight of the year! Without a doubt, it would have to be the conception of Ranch Raised!

Today I want to talk about the Annual Cabinet luncheon that we have been having for more than 40 years. It all started with President Reagan’s Cabinet in 1981. Vice President Bush led our team of twelve for our first Cabinet luncheon at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC.

Our #2 highlight of 2021 here on Ranch Raised is walking along side our girls and raising them on the ranch. Both my husband and I grew up on farms and ranches. I would not know how to raise our kids any other way.

I know that Ranch Raised is in its infancy but I thought it would be fun to round out the year with Top 3 highlights of 2021!

You picked a great day to tune in to Ranch Raised! As I’ve said before, I feed a family of big breakfast eaters! Some mornings, serving breakfast around here resembles opening a barn darn and the animals fleeing the barn to run to their grain troughs.

Just as expected we spent the holiday weekend pretty heavily engaged in the kidding barn and outside feeding cattle and making the rounds.

How could the greatest story known to man be set in the most humble of locations, surrounded by the most non-descript creatures. Yet it be a story worthy to be told for centuries and undoubtably deserving of every award coveted in Hollywood.

Thank you for faithfully tuning in to Hot Barn Report everyday. It is an honor to serve all of our listeners and sponsors providing up to date market information from the best sale barns in the nation and the most important cattle industry news.

Maybe it is because of our remote, ranch living, maybe it’s a personality flaw, or maybe it’s because for much of our parenting years, the cattle market has busted our bank accounts and there just wasn’t much left to be spent on luxury items. But I have never been drawn to the commercialized, over buying, over the top gift giving scenario that has become the mainstream way of celebrating Christmas...

School is finally out for Christmas vacation which means our child labor has returned home! Farmers and ranchers are making labor lists in their heads of what they can get done while the kids are home.

THEE Hot Barn Report! Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!

Right now all I can think about is Ozzy Osbourne’s song Crazy Train because we are all aboard, full steam ahead on the goat kidding crazy train! We were in the barn until after 11 pm last night. My husband made the rounds at 4 am. My two younger girls ran down to the barn for a quick check at 6:30 am before the bus came and all was quiet, but when my husband went out to start his tractor a short t...

And just like the song says, “it’s the hap-happiest season of all.” It is officially kidding season at our house, I mean barn. I was going to announce my maternity leave today, but I didn’t want to confuse listeners with what kind of kids I was welcoming.

Hope you had a great weekend and got your Christmas shopping all wrapped up... pun intended... at your hometown main street USA businesses. Ventured into the megamart this weekend to pick up my new glasses at their vision center. I was debating making a run to pick up some coffee in the bowels of the packed store. The feller at the vision center wisely advised me, “Dont go in there dude!” Nuff sai...

It is Snickerdoodle season! Actually, this classic never goes out of season.

Announcing the winner of the contest “Who Imported the Most Brazilian Beef in November?” Survey says, “The UNITED STATES is your winner!!!” What do we get for playing along, Johnny?????

Here I am looking at a full-page picture of damage and destruction delivered by deadly tornadoes. Hog barns, grain elevators, family homes, churches, everything destroyed. Kentucky was hit the worst, but a number of other states were not spared. Our support and prayers must reach out to the suffering families.

Price Discovery Edition of the Hot Barn Report! Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!

Candy, fudge or cut out sugar cookies? Peanut clusters, no bake cookies or buckeyes? Chocolate crinkles or thumbprint cookies? Monster cookies or the good ole fashioned chocolate chip seem to always be crowd favorites! But, yesterday I broke a recipe I had not used in awhile and I don’t know why. I guess with my girls baking so much now, they tend to steer towards chocolate. So, I rarely have to b...

Did you actually think I would skate through this holiday season with out talking about Christmas cookies?!?! Is there anything more flattering than receiving something homemade by someone. I mean truly, in my world it is the ultimate gift to give and receive. My love language is totally “acts of service.”

The days are ticking and flying by. The holiday hustle and bustle has dust flying and wrapping paper rolling, or anyway that is what they tell me. I tend to keep it pretty simple. I look around at what is available to me in my rural area and make my gift giving lists based on what I can get locally.

BIG Monday Price Discovery Edition of the Hot Barn Report! Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!

I am in the middle of doing a little inventory around my mud room. You see, I have a STRONG philosophy about only buying Christmas gifts that are useful. Is that called being a “utilitarian”?