Author: ride-n-mama Sharon

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A New Beef Venture from a Product of Grieb Ranch

What is a product? “A good, idea, method, information, object or service created as a result of a process and serves a need or satisfies a want,” says the Business Dictionary.  A “product” of Grieb Ranch is Daniel Willems whose experience and cattle knowledge are part of the formula for a new venture – DD Cattle Co.

DD Cattle Co

“At DD Cattle Co we’re all about knowing where you’re beef comes from. We believe in raising our cattle in a way that is beneficial to the land and enhances the environment around us through sustainable practices. From our land to your plate plus quality you can taste, that’s … DD Cattle Co.”

This statement summarized the vision DD Cattle Co has for raising beef for your table. DD Cattle Co is raising beef, packaging cuts and delivering the product right to your front door.

The Cowboys Behind the Vision

Two different styles of cowboy hats and different backgrounds couldn’t make for better business partners.

Doug Burkett comes from southern California and spent most every weekend at his family ranch in central California. Doug provides all the sales and marketing behind DD Cattle Co. and helps maintain the herd at the family ranch.

Daniel Willems comes from a long line of cattle ranchers here on California’s central coast. A true cowboy through and through, Daniel keeps the DD Cattle Herd happy and healthy and through good management continuously growing.

Beef From Our Ranch to Your Table

As a member of the Beef Club, DD Cattle Co will deliver/ship, every 2 Months and every 4 Months right to your door.

Pick your package option when you are on our “shop” page. We’ll keep track of your subscription and also keep you informed monthly with newsletters and deals!

OR…

If you’re just too excited and need your beef right now, then choose the “Buy Now” option!

If you reside in the San Miguel to San Luis Obispo, CA area DD Cattle Co will deliver the next day!

Carl Grieb’s 90th Birthday Celebration
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Carl Grieb’s 90th Birthday Celebration

July 28th 2018 was a great day to celebrate Carl Grieb’s 90th Birthday (7/27/1928)

The day was celebrated at Biddle Park near his home in Arroyo Grande, CA. 190 of his closest friends and family came to help celebrate Carl Grieb’s 90th Birthday.

We asked people to write down fond memories memories for Carl Grieb’s 90th Birthday. Here are some of those memories . . .

“I remember hunting bobcat with hounds with Carl and my Dad Lee Collins.  We would stay out all night going up and down hills.  It was a lot of fun!” – Kirt

“Chasing cows at 166 and Stan Chasing cows down Lopez Dam.” – Cindy M.

“Carl taught me to ride and convinced me to be a cowgirl!” – T

“I met Carl through my wife Teresa.  He put me straight to work and had me grab some chickens out of the coop – I got stuck in it.”

“We’ve always appreciated you and our fond memories.  I remember the dairy in Guadalupe.”

“Carl has always been so generous and kind every time I’ve been to the ranch, sharing all his abundance.  I loved the video he did at Grace.  His legacy, family has blessed ours.” –  Andrea

“Getting my first speeding ticket driving for Papa on our way back from Visalia Livestock Market.” – Josh

“Papa-you have taught us so much over the years!  We have fond memories of Team Penning/gathering cattle/ Brush Poppers!  We loved the hours we traveled in the saddle at your place & 166.  Thank you for being such a good friend!” – Mark & Marge

“So many memories!  Gathering cattle, pack trips, branding…just don’t put the condiments on in the wrong order!” – Nancy

“Thank You for taking this city girl and teaching me about cattle, tracking, packing, cow dogs, fishing, short cuts(NOT!).  I have done more with your family then my own!  Love you all very much.” – Jo Anne

“I was riding in the truck bed when I was about 5 or 6 and Uncle Carl shot a deer and threw the dead deer in the back of the truck with me.  My mom was real impressed that he shot the deer at the top of the hill and it rolled down the hill and landed right next to the tailgate.” – Julie

“Uncle Carl, Thank you for being such a great example and Godly man and for being there for us and our family over the years.” – Randy

“The most memorable time is with Carl, JR & I gathering the longhorns.  We got all the cows up to the iron gate.  Carl and JR told me to hold the a spot next to the water trough (which was broken) & hold it while they ran the cows through to the pasture.  Anyway, the longhorn cow had decided she was not going to be held back.  She put her head down and charged at me.  I WAS supposed to make sure she stayed in , but her horns were large & I didn’t want to get horned.  I moved out of the way. Both Carl and & JR yelled, telling me not to move…..But the horns were SO BIG!”  – Vickie

“You gave my daughter her first horse.” – Sue

“When God created you, he blessed a whole lot of other people.” – Dr. Bill

“It’s not a matter of the years a man has been around, or the trail in life he chose to take…but it’s the things he does for everyone that make a man so great!” – Janice

Thank you family and friends for making Carl’s Grieb’s 90th Birthday such a special day!

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Learning the Cowboy Way

“The Cowboy Way might be best described as several large volumes of information, mostly tried and tested procedure and methodology, that’s accumulated through the years. The information’s origin might be obscure at times, but the many contributors span centuries, oceans and cultures. The Cowboy Way is about recognizing right from wrong, and establishing relationships with live animals that depend on the cowboy for almost everything. Working horseback is a key part of this philosophy.” – The Western Horseman – Reclaiming The Cowboy Way

Here’s to a day of Leaning the Cowboy Way

Learning the Cowboy Way | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Follow the Leader

Learning the Cowboy Way | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Learning the Cowboy Way

Like Father, Like Son

Mr. P helping in the chute

Mamma wants her boys to be Cowboys

Photo Credit: Shelby Caitlin Photography

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Thankful for Mom’s Example

Thankful for Mom's Example | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Thanks Mom for blessing our lives with your Godly example. You demonstrated the value of God’s word as you guided us to His truth. Without fail, each morning after breakfast we, “received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11.

One of the biggest highlights of my life is fitting in a quick trip to see my parents, who live in another state.  I am so blessed to still have both of my parents!

Although Mom is  getting more and more forgetful, she still loves the Lord with all her heart. For years, every morning after breakfast Mom would read her Bible and a devotional to whoever happened to be at her table.

The other day when I was visiting, Dad reminded me to “get your Mother’s Bible, so she can read to us.”

Thankful for Mom's Example | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Even though I live hours away, I love to picture in my mind my Mom and Dad sitting at the breakfast table reading God’s Word and enjoying each other’s company.

Along with the breakfast and devotions we enjoyed a table graced with fresh flowers (like one of her favorites-baby pink roses) from her yard.

– Margie Grieb Runels

Proverbs 31:28 “Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:”

Thankful for Mom's Example | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

When great grandson “A” visited Grieb Ranch he loved to sit and listen to his Great Grandma and jabber through the morning devotions.

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What is a Jersey Cow doing on the Grieb Ranch?

What is a Jersey Cow doing on the Grieb Ranch? | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Milky Way, a Jersey cow, came to live on the Grieb Ranch in February.  She belongs to the O family who come out and play and work with her to get her ready for Ag Adventure Camp. She is a bottle calf, meaning at this stage of life she is fed only from a bottle.

What is a Jersey Cow doing on the Grieb Ranch? | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

 

Raising a Bottle Calf

So what does it take to raise a bottle calf? A lot of time and energy.  The first weeks of life are the most crucial.  She was fed a bottle of milk twice a day 6am and 6pm.  The milk bottle is made with non-water-softened water (to reduce salt intake) heated to 100 degrees. Snowflake Milk Replacer (a dry milk substitute) is added to the bottle and we shake the bottle up.

To keep her warm each night, Milky Way is blanketed with the adorable pink calf blanket to reduce the loss of body heat.  On the coldest February nights a heat lamp was used to warm the environment.

At a few weeks old she was introduced to some solids including good alfalfa hay, calf manna grain and she always has free choice of fresh water.

What is a Jersey Cow doing on the Grieb Ranch? | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

The O Family Helps Take Care of Her

Tom, Jocelyn, and Levi, members of the O family, come out to help take care of her.  Milky Way loves the extra attention they give her and she especially loves when they take her on walks to get her halter broke.

She has had her first round of shots to keep her healthy and soon she will need to be de-horned.

Hopefully in 2 years she will be a milk cow, providing milk for the family.  We are enjoying having Milky Way around and the O family’s frequent visits. We will keep you posted about Milky Way’s progress.

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Grandma Grieb’s Dreamy Cream Puffs

Grandma Grieb’s Dreamy Cream Puffs

Grandma Grieb's Dreamy Cream Puffs | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Grandma Grieb’s grandchildren always looked forward to these dreamy cream puffs for dessert on special occasions.  They were generously filled with real heavy cream whipped that was made with sugar and the real vanilla.  These are great to make in the spring when the hens are laying lots of eggs.

Grandma Grieb's Dreamy Cream Puffs | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

From the Kitchen of:  Gertrude Haven Grieb

Makes 6 to 8 cream puffs

  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup of flour
  • Dash of salt
  • 4 eggs
  • Sweetened Whipped Cream
  • Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Heat water and butter in a pan, bring to a boil. Stir in flour. Stir briskly , bring to a boil over low heat about 1 minute, or until it forms a ball. Remove from heat . Beat in eggs, one at a time, continue beating until smooth, drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto an onto an un-greased baking sheet.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and  golden. Cool completely away from drafts. Cut off tops. Pull out any filaments of soft dough. Carefully fill puffs with whipped cream. Replace tops, dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving time.

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I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

As little Mr. A (6th generation Grieb) looks out Papa and Grandma Great’s picture window through the ivy frame past the avocado trees to the neighboring hills on the Grieb Ranch . . .  this passage comes to mind.

Psalm 121 NIV

I lift up my eyes to the hills – Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber;

Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life;

The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

 

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God’s Not Done With Me Yet!

“God is not done with me yet!” was the clear message I (Connie) got while on a routine horseback ride to the top of the hill for the morning cattle feeding. Rain makes our Grieb Ranch hillside roads almost impassable because they are so steep. Since rain was in the forecast (yippee), we moved the red trailer to the top of the hill to store the cattle feed. Access to the red trailer, after and during a rain storm, is via horseback.

Feeding the Cattle In the Rain via Horseback

It is my job to feed the cattle in the early morning hours so I saddled up good ol’ Joe the horse and encouraged him up the hill, while rain fell. Our morning routine changed in a split second as on our way up the hill, Joe slipped and the ground gave way. We ended with Joe falling to the ground with me on his back.

Fortunately, this was not my first rodeo and I was able to quickly slip my mud-covered rubber boots from the stirrups and slide off his back and out of the way, but I did not land on my feet! Thankfully, I was off before he struggled back onto his feet. Once standing, Joe was off back down the hill – free from the control of a rider. In the meantime, I struggled to a standing position and trudged through the mud to get him so we could head back up the hill to feed the cattle.

Where we slipped and the ground gave way.

I lead him for some time to both steady my nerves and to find a steep bank that would make mounting easier. Once back up in the saddle we made our way to the red trailer at the top of the hill. I dragged hay from the trailer to the feed bunks and headed for home, mounted.

Home and Off Again

Once home, unsaddled, rid of the rain-soaked clothes then on my way to my “real job” in town, I was hit with what had just transpired and became a limp noodle. My mind was filled with the recent memory of watching the Louis L’amour movie, Conagher which depicted a scene where a cowboy and his horse both slipped, fell and died. This similar event of my day caused a mild shock to my system.

So the day closes with the knowledge of “God is Good” and I am grateful for one more day.  I even  planned to take the evening horseback trip up the hill before the expected rain storm the next morning.  Papa, who is 89, said I could saddle a horse for him to feed.  He is just that kind of amazing man to offer.  I thanked him and said, “I will do it.”

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February 2018 Grieb Ranch Experiences so Many Firsts it Feels Like Whiplash!

Is it Spring, Summer or Winter?

Here on the Central Coast ranchers count on the hills being green by Thanksgiving. Getting the green helps us push off the feed year until February.  Well this year, a first, we didn’t even get rain before Thanksgiving, so the hills were brown and we set ourselves up for completing our supplemental feeding by February 10.  However February brought record heat and no rain followed by freezing wind, where we bundled up to feed at the end of the month! Another crazy first.

Friends help us brand
broken legged steer
Mr. L learns the branding ropes

Friends, Family and More Firsts

We did enjoy our friends helping with our branding, lots of baby chicks being born, casting a broken legged steer, lots of feeding, and fighting the ever-persistent rodent population on their damaging rampage.

The back hills are without cattle for the first time ever in a February.  Instead, the cattle are in the holding field ready to ship if the rains do not come.

Yet, at the end of each day we count our Blessings and are grateful for another FULL day.

Fishing Trip Fiasco, Fun and Friends
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Fishing Trip Fiasco, Fun and Friends

What could be better than a fishing trip with grandson and grandpa horse packing in the beautiful Sierra National Forest? Nothing . . . except when something goes wrong.

Fishing Trip Fiasco, Fun and Friends | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Carl leading pack horses across the creek, John Muir Wilderness, Sierra National Forest, on the west side of the Sierra Nevada, California.

Last Fall Daniel and Papa and friends packed in with their horses in the Sierra National Forest to get away and enjoy some freshwater fishing. They packed into John Muir Wilderness in the Sierra National Forest and set up base camp. Daniel and Papa Carl (Carl 89 riding his trusty 23 old horse, Reese) took their own horses and rode out of the base camp to fishing spots.

As they were passing through a rocky granite crevice on the granite western slopes of the Sierra Nevada  two accidents occurred, one involved Papa.  Carl and Reese negotiated through a crevice in the rocks involving jumping up a two-foot ledge. As Reese tackled this challenge his back feet slipped  . . . down went the rider and the horse.  All Carl could think of in that split second was, “I’ve GOT TO GET my feet and legs clear”, BUT HE COULD NOT.  One of Carl’s feet ended up wedged between the horse and crevice wall. The thousand pound horse laid nearly motionless in one place.

Kevin and Daniel came to the rescue and lifted Papa off, unsaddled the horse, then rolled the horse backward. Reese, the horse, landed upside down and they had to roll him again.  Reese just lay there lifeless as though dead.  The men rolled him over one more time before he had room to stand up safely.  Finally, after a period of time he stood up.  What a relief!

Papa’s foot really hurt at first, but as he has always said, ”it is a long way from my heart”.  So he began walking the mile back down the mountain to base camp holding onto Joey’s backpack for balance. When Papa was a few hundred yards from camp they got a horse to take him the rest of the way. Reese gimped his way back to camp using only three legs.  Fortunately Reese improved and in a few days was able to carry Papa out to the trail head. The rest of the adventure went well and everyone had a GREAT TRIP after all.

Fishing Trip Fiasco, Fun and Friends | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Carl at the campfire, John Muir Wilderness, Sierra National Forest, on the west side of the Sierra Nevada, California.

Fishing Trip Fiasco, Fun and Friends | The Story of Ranching at Grieb Ranch

Daniel with his morning catch at Post Corral Creek, John Muir Wilderness, Sierra National Forest, on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, California.

Photos: Londie G. Padelsky