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Where Heaven is Breaking Through

Sunrise 2016

Happy Easter from the Grieb Ranch!

“In the midst of the busyness and stresses of our days, there are patches of beauty all around us, glimpses of God’s goodness that we catch here and there along the way. These are the places in the walls of the universe where heaven is breaking through—if only we will take the time to stop and to reflect upon God’s love for us . . . Sometimes in life we must hurry. But overall, life should be less hurrying and more noticing. Life is the present. Life is being aware; it is seeing God’s love breaking through. It is turning aside to the miracle of something like a sunrise. Something transitory, yet symbolic of the eternity that awaits us.” Taken from  “Sunrise”  David Roper/Our Daily Bread

2016 Grieb Ranch Spring 2016-03-12 004For us here at Grieb Ranch, it is turning aside to the miracle of a beautiful sunrise over the ranch, appreciating the grass and mustard covered hills after several years of drought, caring for a new healthy grandchild, and enjoying the distraction of little chicks hatching as I type.

Logan babyMost of all though, it is taking time to celebrate the miracle of our risen Savior.  May we take to heart Ps. 119:18

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

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Enjoy Liver, Onions and Bacon

liver onions bacon

We process the entire beef cow. Each carcass provides about 27 lbs of variety meat: liver, heart, tongue, tripe, sweetbreads & brains.

We, at Grieb Ranch, keep these special variety meats – heart, tongue and liver – for that once a year special treat.  Because liver has a texture and flavor all its own we always cook it with bacon and onions and serve it with mashed potatoes, and green peas.

Recipe for: Liver, Onions and Bacon

From the Kitchen of: Connie Grieb Willems                   Servings: 5

Ingredients:

6 strips of bacon
1 lb thin Sliced liver ½ inch thick or less
½ onion thinly sliced
Flour
Salt & pepper

Instructions:

  1. Cook Bacon in pan until half done.
  2. As the bacon is cooking coat each piece of liver with flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the thin liver slices under the bacon.
  4. Add thin onion slices to pan and cook to carmelize.
  5. Cook on medium high heat until the liver is cooked through. When the juices in the liver slices rise to the top on one side flip to the other side.*

*Avoid over cooking, which toughens liver.

Serve with mashed potatoes and peas.

 

 

 

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Spring Comes Early

Little P eating fruit (1024x765)

First fruit of the season

The first signs of spring are here and activity at Grieb Ranch continues to swell. Besides caring for the cattle, early spring is when the orchard needs extra care.
3 generations - Copy

Due to the drought we did not plant new trees last winter, which left room for four new trees to fill vacant spaces in the family orchard.  We planted an Italian Prune, Fantasia (nectarine),  Harcot (apricot), and a Elberta (peach) tree. We got everyone involved in digging the initial hole for the new bare-root trees. Each tree has a family memory and many are dedicated to family members, extended family and some friends.

Two strange weather-related events have caused unusual happenings in the orchard this year.  The first is that it’s February and we are picking mini apples (perfect for full-hands eating for a 3 year old boy) that were created from the freak July rain last summer.  Recently, record high temperatures have produced an early spring so we are busy pruning the older trees and tilling the orchard.

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The Hills Are Green!

We have been managing our land in order to maintain it for the generations to come. These years of drought have challenged us in new ways, yet in these past few months we have enjoyed rain falling. The rain reminds us of Noah and the Ark, Genesis 8:1 says “And God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark . . .” Genesis 8:8 – 12 goes on to say, “Then he (Noah) sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot and she returned unto him to the ark; . . . and he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came in to him toward evening, and lo, in her mouth an olive-leaf plucked . . . and he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more.”

December 2015 (1024x345)
Here at Grieb Ranch we love to see the hills green by November. However this season, the hills were still brown so we had to have the cattle in close to feed.  Rain fell in December and in January so with green hills surrounding us at last, we finally were able to open the gates for the cattle to head back to the hills.  It took a while for all the cattle to leave and head back to the hills, but one day when we went to feed they had all left!!!!  Yeah!!!

January 2016 (1024x244)

Ranchers manage the range so the ranch will be healthy for more generations to enjoy and use the land.

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Cowboy Calendar with Daniel on the Cover

cowboy calendar cover 2016

Yes, Daniel of Grieb Ranch is the featured cowboy on the front of the 2016 Cowboy Engagement Calendar. Daniel is pictured riding Dee with a ranch dog running happily by his side.  Get yourself a calendar here >.

But that’s not all, he also appears in another 2016 Cowboy calendar. He is the March Cowboy riding his horse Tex and throwing a loop.

Daniel March Cowboy (1024x1017)

Both pictures were taken and submitted by Londy Garcia of San Luis Obispo.

 

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Mud, Mud, Mud

Ranch help in the mud (1024x765)The recent flash rains caused a lot of work for us as the dry, crisp vegetation left on the hills washed and the soil that had turned to powder, flowed.  washout along the road (1024x765)All year we work at maintaining our mountain ranch roads so they will hold up when the rain comes. We don’t need them to get wiped out. The recent rains, and the manner in which they came, challenged all we have done during the past years of drought. Ethan in washout (1024x765)

Our soil is called clay or adobe so even after days of no rain vehicles are not allowed on them. The roads stay very slick and dangerous.

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The mud accumulated up the canyon where dead trees had fallen and blocked water passage. This year there was more dead wood because of the years of drought. So we sent Papa, along with some help, to clear the passage. They were able to get a tractor up there and do the job. Who knew there was so much dead wood to wash down?

Riders in the mud (1024x768)

Since the roads were impassable, riders had to be sent out to maintain some remote equipment on the ranch. They rode and worked as the rain came down.

The cows have been kept in off the hills for months to give the hills a rest so we will have a place to ranch for generations to come.  As the hills are greening the cows will gradually follow their noses to find the grass and move out.  We are thankful for the rain, but the mud is still an everyday challenge. Well for most of us anyway!

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