A Day at the Feed Store

I don’t usually get riled up about strangers—but today? I nearly snapped. It all started at the feed store. I was picking up mineral blocks and fencing wire, wearing my usual mud-caked boots, faded jeans, and a braid tucked under a beat-up ball cap.

The guy at the counter gave me a look like I was lost.
“Will your husband be loading the truck?” he asked.

I told him my husband left five years ago—and the cows didn’t seem to care.

Running 240 Acres Alone

I run 240 acres by myself. I birth calves at 2 a.m., haul hay, fix broken water lines—but people still see my blonde hair and assume I’m “playing rancher.” Even neighbors treat me like I’m pretending. I’ve patched their water lines in snowstorms while they fussed over my safety.

That day, after all the assumptions, I came home to a letter nailed to my barn door:

“I know what you did with the west pasture.”

My heart sank. The west pasture was my pride—30 acres I’d painstakingly restored—and now someone was leaving cryptic threats.

Signs of Intrusion

The next morning, I found fresh footprints by the pond and subtle scratches on the barn door. Pepper, my Australian Shepherd, growled at the scene. I called Roy and my friend Lucia for backup. The sheriff’s department promised to investigate.

Soon, we traced the intruder to a truck belonging to a property consultant scouting land for development. They had been leaving notes and snooping, trying to scare me into selling. Once we documented the evidence and alerted neighbors and the county commissioner, the harassment stopped.

Support and Reflection

With the danger gone, the tension lifted. I realized how much support I had when I finally asked for it. At the feed store, the same clerk gave me a small nod of respect. I loaded my truck without interruption and drove off with the sun on my windshield.

People may see a “Cowgirl Barbie,” but I’m grit over glitter. I face threats, tough work, and judgment—and I keep moving forward. This ranch is my life. I haul hay, birth calves, fix fences, and manage pastures on my own terms.

I’ve learned strength isn’t about carrying every burden alone—it’s about knowing when to accept help. No one can take this life from me, and no label can define what I’m capable of.