WE RANCH

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

While out checking on the maternity ward, I walked up and saw this beautiful Charolais heifer laid completely flat with her eyes closed. In that split second, your whole heart drops.

The very first thought that races through your mind is:
“Is she dead?”

If you ranch, you know that feeling all too well. One moment you’re smiling, talking cattle with friends, enjoying the quiet rhythm of the pasture… and the next your stomach is in knots preparing for heartbreak.

Some people think ranchers only see dollar signs when something happens to livestock. But it’s so much deeper than that. These animals are cared for day in and day out. They depend on us completely. Every feeding, every check, every cold morning and late night — it all matters because THEY matter.

I didn’t have the privilege of raising this sweet girl from the beginning, but I know the rancher who poured time, care, feed, hope, and pride into her entire life. She was raised to be a show heifer. Just barely over a year old with so much future ahead of her.

And when something goes wrong, the questions come fast and heavy:
🤷🏻‍♀️ What did I miss?
🤨 What could I have done differently?
😢 Did I fail her somehow?

That weight sits hard on a rancher’s heart. 💔

Because you don’t just see an animal.
💕You see the calves she would’ve raised.
💚The potential she carried.
💜The evenings she’d come looking for feed and head rubs.
🩷The life that was supposed to keep unfolding.

Thankfully, this story didn’t end the way my heart feared in that moment. But the fear itself is enough to remind you just how much love exists behind this lifestyle people often only see from the outside. 🤍

She was just sleeping really hard 🩵

05/20/2026

NATIONAL DOG RESCUE DAY!

Some days change your life when you least expect it. 🤍

Back in August of 2022, Ben and I headed out to the ranch for what we thought would be just another normal evening feeding cattle. But sitting right at the entrance of the barn was a little white dog waiting on us like he already knew we were coming.

Before I could even get out of the truck, he came trotting straight to my door with the happiest little tail wag. He was covered in fleas, clearly hungry, and yet somehow still full of joy and love. It’s amazing how resilient animals can be.

The only food I had with me was leftovers from my lunch — some chicken salad, lettuce, and fruit. We sat it down for him and he gobbled every bite up like it was the best meal he’d ever had.

We drove around to nearby houses asking if anyone recognized him, but no one claimed him. Truthfully, the last thing I thought I needed at that time was another animal to care for… but sometimes God places exactly what you need right in front of you, even when you don’t realize it yet.

We took him home, cleaned him up, and loved him from that day forward. And let me tell you… this little ranch pup has lived a pretty cushy life ever since. 🐾

Looking back now, I’m so grateful he found us that day. What started as a random evening at the ranch became one of the sweetest unexpected blessings in our lives. ❤️ the first pictures are when he found us. Stacie Carroll Eisenbise

05/19/2026

5/18/26. Today #51 gave birth to this lil soul. Don’t know if it’s a bull or heifer yet. She had just had the baby and I wasn’t intruding on their time. Just gave her some cubes and snapped whatever pics I could. More tomorrow 🩵

05/17/2026

⚠️ Warning: If you aren’t a rancher or familiar with the realities of farm life, this may be hard to watch.

May 13th was a heavy day on our hearts. It marked 5 years since Ben lost his Dad — a quiet, somber anniversary filled with memories, grief, and reflection. We never imagined the day would end with another heartbreaking loss here on the ranch.

Ben and I went out to check on a calf we had treated the day before. As we pulled in, all of the cows, bulls, and calves came walking toward us… except one. Immediately, something felt wrong.

We drove around searching and eventually found this sweet little girl lying peacefully in the brush, forever asleep. Beside her stood her mama, #296, moaning in a way I’ll never forget. She wasn’t alone either. Several other cows had gathered around them, standing watch, vocalizing, pacing, and looking toward us as if they were begging us to fix it.

It is hard to explain unless you’ve witnessed it yourself, but cattle feel deeply. They are protective, intuitive, and connected to one another in ways many people never realize. When one is hurting, they come running. When there is loss, they mourn together. The entire herd felt the weight of that moment… and honestly, so did we. 💔

Moments like this make me question myself.Could I have done something differently?Did I miss a sign?Why did this happen?

Ranching comes with incredible beauty, but it also comes with heartbreak. Loving animals means sometimes carrying the pain of losing them too.

Working for many years in healthcare and hospice taught me something important though — God’s grace is often found in the middle of the hurting. Life is temporary, both for us and for the animals we care for so deeply. But purpose is found in the process… in the loving, the caring, the showing up, and even in the grieving.

As painful as this was, I still believe with all my heart that God has His hands on every part of this life. His mercy, compassion, and understanding give me hope when things don’t make sense and peace for the days ahead.

These photos and videos are simply a small glimpse into the love, loyalty, and emotion cattle are capable of showing. They are far more than “just animals” to us.

🛑 Disclaimer:Many people ask why we moved her afterward. The reason is simple — we have to protect the rest of the herd, especially the other calves. Leaving an animal in the pasture can attract coyotes and vultures into the herd’s living area, which creates danger for the others.

Others ask why ranchers don’t always bury livestock. Truthfully, this is part of the circle of life. Everything has a purpose in God’s creation. Even if we had buried her, nature would still have eventually taken its course.

Ranching is not always easy… but it teaches you deeply about love, responsibility, grief, and gratitude all at the same time. 🤍

05/12/2026

The North Dakota Stockmen's Association is inviting youth ages 3-12 to celebrate Beef Month by participating in its youth coloring contest. Entries are due May 30. Download the coloring contest sheet and the complete rules at www.ndstockmen.org.

05/05/2026

Dang heifers! 😂

05/04/2026

I love this! Who else shares this experience?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BXBuMzxgW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

First of all, let me make one thing abundantly clear.

I am not just any calf.

I am a Jersey.

This means I am approximately 42 percent tiny bovine, 58 percent espresso, and 100 percent unfiltered opinion wrapped in a caramel-colored package with lashes so dramatic they look medically enhanced.

I did not come here to simply “drink my bottle.”

I came here to make statements.

To be beautiful.

To scream unnecessarily.

To ensure my human mommy fully understands that every single inconvenience in my life, including the tragic injustice of her trying to help me eat, will absolutely be met with theatrical resistance.

Now, human mommy, bless her opposable thumbs, keeps trying to explain that when the bottle arrives, I need to OPEN my mouth at the appropriate time so the ni**le can go IN my mouth.

Interesting theory.

Counterpoint: I could instead whip my head around like a caffeinated squirrel, yell directly at the source of nourishment, attempt to suck on literally everything except the ni**le, and then act personally betrayed when milk is not immediately entering my system.

Because obviously, the problem could not possibly be me.

No.

Surely this is a design flaw on her part.

So then she does the deeply offensive thing where she manually opens my mouth and puts the ni**le where it belongs, which I would like to formally classify as an outrageous violation of my personal freedoms.

Excuse me, ma’am.

I was BUSY voicing concerns.

I had complaints.

I had dramatic sound effects to perform.

I had an entire emotional TED Talk happening.

And yet somehow, despite my fierce protests, once the milk actually starts flowing, I suddenly remember that perhaps this woman may not, in fact, be my sworn enemy.

Because milk.

Glorious, magical, warm milk.

The very substance that fuels both my survival and my continued ability to be aggressively adorable.

Truthfully, without human mommy, I would probably perish within days. Not because I lack determination, but because I would absolutely choose yelling over proper nutrition at least 80 percent of the time.

I am beauty.

I am sass.

I am tiny hooves and oversized emotions.

I am a professional level nuisance and a very cute one at that.

And while I may fight the bottle process like it is a personal attack every single day, deep down, I do understand that my survival depends heavily on a patient human willing to work around the fact that I am essentially a screaming potato with legs and exceptional bone structure.