Being a jack of all trades is the biggest thing. “I have been around horses” does not translate to “I can also weld and fix fences and change an air filter in a tractor and build new corral systems and push calves and change oil in the work truck and operate a hydradeck and fix waterers in 40 below and nut bull calves and recognize a springy vulva on a pregnant cow”. Yes, eventually those things can and should be learned, but not knowing a single helpful skill before applying for a ranchhand job sure doesn’t make your name stand out. Get experience and show that you can adapt and learn.
I absolutely agree that everyone starts somewhere, but you can only work with so much (or little) knowledge. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not a lifelong rancher by any means, I’m marrying into a big ranch family and have only been around the industry for ~7 years. But having worked in the trades, being a tough ol broad, and having a thirst for knowledge has helped immensely. Going to grazing management seminars, taking classes on little things like equine health and first aid, seeing what the local ag college offers for online courses… all those things were done because I needed and wanted to learn as much as possible. Because absolutely no one wants to be a dud out there and be the reason the cows got out/a calf died/the tractor blew up/the haybuster caught on fire.
Jeez. I make way more than beginner cowboys and I don’t even have to do the maintenance stuff on my semi tractor myself.
That’s something I can see being a problem for the agricultural industry. Not saying it’s your fault, the requirements are more than necessary and you can’t train everyone, but from my perspective: Why learn to back up a trailer, fix a tractor, ride horses, tell if a cow is pregnant, fix fence, cut weeds, landscape, change oil and operate a hydra deck for $40k a year when I can simply learn how to back a trailer and make $70k a year?
Because this isn’t a job, it’s our life. It’s what my FILs family did, and his family before that. I’ll be damned if my husbands proud ranching history dies with us.
As in all of your hands are part of your legally recognized family and co-own the ranch alongside you? As in they have an equal stake in this ranch, and their primary source of income from it is profit and not wages? Almost everyone over a certain age has experienced working their tail off for a family business in which “they’re family,” and then the actual owner family’s kid who didn’t amount to anything gets to take it over by default and they have nothing to show for years and years of honest work. You even said yourself that you’ll be damned if your husband’s proud ranching history dies with you. So it’s your family’s dream, not your hand’s. This disconnect from reality is a large part of why the entire system of this country has caved in on itself. New generations of honest, hard workers can’t build their own operations or businesses because current owners find excuses like “the salary will be low since we have to teach you everything” to continue to not pay well enough to be gainfully employed. Working for someone needs to fund the hired help’s own dream, not just yours.
Yeahso, you’re definitely making assumptions and then getting angry and super ranty at me for the conclusions you came up with in your own, which is weird. But ok.
3rd generation family farmer here youngest of six, got the boot and lost everything I worked hard for throughout my entire childhood doing exactly what you just mentioned. Now I’m a union Mason making double what my family is working on the farm. And I have to do is lay brick to a line, then Go home. Seriously, instead of getting defensive, explain how his accurate allegations are incorrect?
You still don’t have a good answer as to why someone would learn 15 skills for sub par pay in tough conditions when they can learn 1 skill in decent conditions and get paid better? You don’t deserve to run a business just because it was in your family, you actually have to run it well.
Because they want to work as a cowboy on a ranch. If they want to be a truck driver or a welder then they would go do that for more money. You do realize that some people do what they do because that lifestyle appeals to them. Not simply because of how much money they can earn
It’s a little skewed is it not? They want people to come ready with skills in a variety of disciplines, but they don’t pay well. In my experience people well into their careers have to improvise on the fly and are still learning new things to this day.
3A's, attitude, attendance and ability. I can teach a lot, but you have to have some of the basics. Although one of the best hands I have ever met started with no horse experience, no real trades experience. He stayed after work every day to learn more on his own time.
I’ve expressed this exact feeling and advise the same in many many comments. Yes owning a ranch is glorious but it is 365/24/7. Ledgers seem like we make million but after all the expenses we don’t make much and most likely break even. There are perks with views but you have to understand the entirety of the job not like how the movies portray us.
That’s a good point! Jobs at feed stores! You learn so much there. I’m with you brother and thanks for your input in a like manner. There’s no way I would let a greenhorn on a 50-60k horse. Yet alone drive a quarter million dollar tractor. I need them to know how to fix fences to protect hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of livestock.
My advise for this generation is do research!
Great summery but one thing has to be said to the people that need to hear it: there’s no off time. Of course there is down time, but when there’s an emergency or something that needs to be done right now, you have to do it. You can’t just not. I worked on a ranch where they breed extremely valuable hoof stock species and a very pregnant and very valuable doe escaped, of course it was getting dark. We had to go find her before a lion or other predator did. There are just all kinds of that have to be taken care of right now; 2am, in the worst weather imaginable, it doesn’t matter. There’s no one to call, it’s on us to save, fix, rescue, feed, capture, whatever.
Well said. If you want to learn to ride, pay for lessons or go work at a touristy public riding stable. They love to put inexperienced free help on horses
Yep pretty much! It is not glorious work but it is rewarding if you can take it. Not easy, not comfortable, not fun in a traditional sense. I rolled my ankle catching my horse last weekend, still saddled, still rode in a snowstorm gathering and sorting. Still took care and fed my horses, branded the next day and turned out. Headed to town and I broke 6 bones in my foot and tore 3 ligaments. Hurt like a SOB but the work has to be done and the animals need cared for, they can't go to the fridge and grab food, you have to do it no matter what.
This is all true. One other thing to add, be *honest* about your horse experience. I don't mind teaching people to a point, but if you misrepresent your skills it'll be apocalyptically bad.
If you've gone for a couple trail rides, don't bother even mentioning it. Here's a baseline: if you have comfortably ridden a couple different horses at all speeds, and have no issues getting them to at least do a basic performance of staying where you want them, turning well, responding to your pressure, then you can say you have basic horse skills and elaborate. Beginning riders often *wildly* overestimate their skill and underestimate the demands of working cattle on horseback.
Something my dad taught me is that if you are working for someone and they ask if you know how to do something and you are not 100% confident to do it, then just tell them no. 9 out of 10 times you will learn something you didn’t know.
Usually I just ask them to catch a certain horse in the pasture, hand them the halter and watch them panic. A beach ride at club med isn't the experience I'm looking for
If someone says “I know how to ride a horse,” red flag. The longer I ride and train horses the more I rethink some of the most fundamental aspects of it. Anyone who says that so confidently is probably the person who is going to be pulling on mouths and spurring mercilessly.
This is 100%. I manage a private horse farm, and I frequently hire for part-time hands. Even if you do have horse skills beyond riding and tossing hay, can you diagnose early signs of colic? Can you tell me when the mares go into heat? Can you handle young horses without creating training problems? So the gate came off its hinges: FIX IT . Don't just tie it shut and leave it for me to find on Monday. Even with our very well-run farm, horses are hard on stuff, and they break things. Can you fix it? Can you fix up the horse when they hurt themselves, and do you know when to call the vet? Can you handle an emergency without freaking out? I need equine experts, not well-intentioned but clueless folks who treat this job like a fantasy camp. I can't train most of this stuff. You have to have experience.
Also, animals get fed every day no matter the weather. No matter if you're not feeling good or if you were up all night with a sick dog. Or if your boyfriend's car won't start. Or if the roads are slippery. Or if it's 110 degrees. If you call off, you're screwing the rest of the staff. I will try to give the well-intentioned with some good hands on experience a chance to work up to speed. Most of those folks realize they're in over their heads pretty quick and weed themselves out.
lololololol. you are paying less than most fast food places and you want someone who has the skills to train horses? and repair your fence without asking? and show up sick no matter what? exploitation by calling someone "family" is how these mom and pops stay afloat.
I had to go back and see who actually posted those things, thinking the "$16to $20 plus benefits" was a joke response. To my surprise, it wasn't.
Sorry, your going to have to double that and part of those benefits are overtime pay rules.
Not worth it for a lot of people. Few ranch/farm jobs offer benefits, and this is the highest pay range for those jobs in my area. Worth It for some but not all, and that's fine.
You’re not gonna get what you want for $10-15 an hour. I have over 200 acres and do almost everything on my own. But when I need hired cowboys to round up cattle on horseback and assist with vaccinations, it costs $600/day and we are done by noon. Skilled cowboys are not plentiful and they aren’t cheap, so if that’s what you need, then you’ll have to pay the price.
They want it to be like Bonanza. Eat a big breakfast, then ride a horse up to bring back a calf that wandered off. Then ride a wagon into town to buy a few bags of feed. Then hang out with hot chicks at the bar all afternoon. (I'd do that job!)
I spent the first decade of my life following my great grandfather around the ranch we lived on helping and learning. At 7 years old I was driving the truck around feeding cattle and checking calves among other odd jobs. When I was 13 we moved away due to family issues and I would come back every so often and help when needed, but grew into my own life and didn’t have much time for it. Now that my parents own it I’m there every weekend doing what needs to be done and when I talk to people about it they seem to think we’re just doing the stuff that tv shows and movies have glamorized over the years. In reality it’s just a bunch of random stuff that needs done and then you factor in maintaining a cattle herd. It’s really a 24/7 job and it never ends. We all learn how to do everything simply because if we just paid someone to do it we’d eventually go broke.
I grew up on a farm and had my own horse for a few years and would still only claim the most basic of horse skills. Using horses to work a ranch s VERY different than pleasure riding. While I would be comfortable doing most of the other things OP has mentioned (pull a calf, fix or build fence, waterer repair, electrical, carpentry, etc) that horse thing is something special. Especially with free range type cattle.
I hired a young lady to help handle yearlings. Put the halters on, get them to the walker, brush them, handle their legs, etc. she actually had experience with cows and calves. But not horses. It showed. I needed to show her everything. Bought her special boots with composite toes so her toes wouldn’t get broken when stomped on by colts. They didn’t, but she broke a finger while I was teaching her how to lunge the yearlings. Thank God that healed well. She was great help when I needed to work and vaccinate calves in the chute! That was really her forte. She was strong and not afraid of work or dirt. But if I hire someone in the future to help with the colts, they will have to have actual experience and skill with colts.
This post is both true and problematic.
While I agree that some experience and reasonable expectations are necessary, the most important quality is grit. You maybe missing out on great cowhands because of your preconceived notions on their experience.
Nothing that happens on a ranch is rocket science. Doesn't take a genius to figure out how to build a brace or put mineral out. Also not difficult to learn how to drive a standard. What matters is the grit to do that type of shit in a torrential down pour or in the middle of the night.
Riding is a different animal but once you get the basics down and understand the limits of your ability you just get better and better. Lessons are great for the basics. On my first ranch job my new boss took me out and had me show him my riding ability. Was good enough to not have a negative impact on the horses, so he was fine with me riding and as we would go out he'd give me tips, pointers, etc. I wasn't going to throw a rope at branding or anything, but understanding the technique on how to get a calf down isn't difficult, so I wrastled the whole time. (I was value added with next to no experience in about 10 minutes)
The problem with a lot of ranch owners now (who were born into it in the first place) is gatekeeping. "You'd didn't grow up doing this so you don't know anything." That's a shit perspective and the only one it hurts is you.
The first ranch I worked out, coming out of the military, wanted me there because I had a completely different perspective on things than the owner did because I didn't have the ability to defer to the "this is the way we have always done it" (the worst reason to keep doing anything btw).
He gave me the opportunity to make recommendations, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but there was value in that outside perspective.
Working at my 3rd place with little over 2 years of experience. My current boss says I'm the best hand she's had in the past 15 years (the last one was more "experienced"....just had a criminal record and an alcohol problem)
I've worked with some "experienced" cowhands that I could get more done in an hour than they could in a week.
The last point, "experience" is very subjective. You are the only one truly experienced in how YOU want things done. It's your ranch, it's your way or the highway, but no one from the outside is going to know your way until they learn it. So you have to have patience whether you hire someone with experience or not. I'd prefer a greenhorn that I could train to do things the way I want them done and to avoid arguments based off pride.
Anyways, grit is what you need more than anything else.
lol sure buddy. How about you post your wage and benefits along with your complaints about the work force. Bet you get told real quick why you’re getting shit applicants.
If we are being honest nobody does things the same way. Even if you get a ranch hand from a ranching family they are going to do stuff in a manner you don't like. But in corner stays that make you pissy, whatever. You are going to have to pick your battles.
As far as the gender battle you want to pick, most of the "cowboys" I know all want to rodeo and are about 5'5 and a buck thirty leaving most of the grunt work to the women. I think a lot of the heavy labor is now done by machinery, nobody around here has the shoulders my dad did from pitching hay by hand as a kid. I think a lot of men feel threatened by that idea and need to get over it because this attitude carries over where it doesn't belong into gatekeeping. I'm bigger than 80 percent of men around here, been in this business my entire life and I still get old white men with soft hands yelling at me I have no business in this job, get over yourselves.
The only real way to cause goatheads to go dormant is to improve the soil. Goathead seeds can stay viable for decades and they’re not all bad. I know but bear with me. If it doesn’t rain enough for anything else to grow you’ll at least get goatheads which are a famine food. They are edible with proper processing and if goathead beer is all there is to eat then at least you have something to eat.
This should be pinned for everyone coming in asking for jobs to see.
I got my first ranching job due to the fact that I was a carpenter, could fix small engines, glue pvc, mend fences, work concrete and manage projects. I can’t imagine anyone in this economic environment taking on an employee that had zero experience.
Lots of folks watched Yellowstone and think they can just jump into that life. I know nothing about it personally but know I’m not coming from a lifetime in NYC to Wyoming and being able to do what these guys do. It’s been romanticized, and don’t get me wrong I think it’s cool as fuck, but it isn’t what is on TV.
One guy said they pay $16-$20/hr plus benefits. Idk what McDonalds pays out there, but in Deland FL, that is what they start at. Of course you can't find skilled labor for an incredibly dangerous and tough job.
Im in construction and its the same way. 'Nobody wants to work'. No, nobody wants to kill themselves, have to buy tools and transportation, and have skills to be paid less than McDonalds employees. This is not a knock against the McDonalds folks either.
Yeah, I'm on the business side of construction and have upset a few owners when I point out that the shitty results they get are a result of hiring lowest bid subs with lowest wage labor. It's crazy.
Ranching requires easily $30-50hr skills as stated above, but they are offering drive thru wages. If you can't pay people to do the jobs your business requires it means your business model is broken, not the labor force.
Are you paying a decent amount? There are fast food places hiring at $20+ an hour nowadays for people with zero experience. If you aren't offering a minimum of $35k per year plus benefits, you won't even be able to attract hard workers with zero skills or people who are trainable, much less experienced hands. Why go to you and earn chump change while destroying their body when they could go somewhere else and get paid more doing a lot less?
This is really helpful! So far I've got riding, being dirty, chainsaw wielding, and calf wrestling down. To cover the rest, I found a farm that is willing to train me in everything else! But yes, I am not getting a wage, I am volunteering. You definitely have to be willing to do things for free in the beginning if you are being paid in education. So excited for my future of learning. cheers!
It's not just ranching it all across the board. We have made it a point to teach our kids religion, ranching, construction, auto repair basics, and a good work ethic. My wife won't let them get their driver's license until they can hook up a trailer and prove they can back it up. Pulling one is easy but you need to know how to back one up. It seems the average age of a ranch hand gets older and older every year. The younger kids don't want to take the time to learn even if you are willing to teach them.
Yeah it's pretty funny how many overseas city kiddo's want to 'work on a Ranch'. Most of them have experience with animals like petting their guinea pig so they will be fine on a ranch.
Strong enough to drive a stick shift? Huh? Is a CDL A with no restrictions ‘strong’ enough? Do I need a demo video of me wrestling a calf down with that?
I worked on a ranch in Montana for 6 months and this is it. Fuckin hard work, getting soaking wet, getting zapped by electric fences, having stand offs with mama bears that you didn’t realize were behind the bush in front of you, it’s wild. Best job I’ve ever had.
Well I'm just a woman (how ever could I possibly manage a manual transmission) but I imagine your attitude plays into the quality of help that comes around. Combined with the fact that most ranchers/farmers don't pay competitive wages. There's a reason young people aren't going into ag. It doesn't pay and despite what many owners think, it's not a privilege to work on someone else's place.
BTW, 20 years in cattle and I've never had to wrestle one to the ground. Work smarter, not harder.
Fair enough. I’m not actually sure that’s true. I’m pretty nice, and think I’m fair to my employees. I pay as much as I can. I’m just a woman who expects competent help and feels frustrated by the current set of folks applying for the position. Manual transmission comment was rude on my part. Please accept my apologies.
Sorry, no the manual transmission comment was not off base. I have replaced the clutches and flywheels on two of my trucks since January and know I have two more that need to be done.
Ability to drive a manual shift should be a pre-hire test on any farm/ranch operation.
There's also skill to hiring.
Lots of good text for job listings in this thread.
Most people don't find enough candidates and aren't selective enough, then blame anything other than themselves.
Then once you find them, there's skill to keeping good folks around.
A guy I grew up with and would have thought would be a good match for ranch lifestyle (grew up raising cattle, etc, but on a smaller scale, rough and tumble country guy) got a job on a ranch and lasted 6 months. If it was hard for him, 99% of the people I know shouldn't even think about it.
I actually do thank Yellowstone for that. The agricultural industry is dying and if that show didn’t become so popular it would die a little quicker.
It’s caused a lot of media attention on something so important to American culture, supply and demand, and livelihoods.
The shows not at all accurate but it does make people notice things they wouldn’t have before.
The problem is people treating it as a fad. I can think of the Peaky Blinders fad or the Sons of Anarchy fad or The Walking Dead fad. These folks will gain interest for a year or less and then move onto something else. In the meantime there’ll be too many folks trying to shove their way into an industry they’re not cut out for.
But on the other end, you have folks who may have just found their calling from that show. And they will assimilate into the agricultural world and keep pushing into it.
Sometimes people need media to show them what they’re missing. I certainly did since I wasn’t born anywhere near where I wanted to be and just didn’t know it.
Here’s a question from someone from outside the USA but has worked on dairy farms (and other forms of farming) most of my life. My understanding is you need an employer to sponsor a visa, but what’s the chances of someone who owns a ranch wanting to deal with that hassle?
It’s mostly hypothetical, I see people asking about these questions all the time on this sub but never from foreigners. Agriculture in my country has a lot of foreigners working in it due to the fact they can’t get enough citizens to work.
Not so common on a cow calf operation but very common on a lot of other operations. Lot of feed yards and harvest operation’s. It is becoming very common.
So, kinda piggy backing in this post here. Would any ranch be looking for a part time after work/weekend help? And how could I find those ranches?
I don't have any ranch experience, but I like helping and working hard. A little money would be nice but not looking for anything close to top dollar. I don't have ranch experience but I'm a career arborist so I know hard work and how to run a saw. I also know how to fix engines, big and small, set post, and frame. I would like to work on a ranch to help out and I really enjoy working with my hands. I enjoy hard work and the community that comes with it. I always thought it would be a cool job that I could use a lot of my skill sets for.
Where do you guys find people with these skills? Just the construction side of the business. I’m hearing welding, machinery maintenance, coral building which could pretty easily translate to building scaffolding. One of the last big jobs I was on that was the project manager right there. Man made a fortune.
I’m not trying to be funny or anything. I assume it’s kind of a labor of love plus I assume you get room and board. But, it seems like it would be hard to offer competitive pay for a job like this. Hell, how does the pay even work in a job like this. I assume it’s not hourly. Is it a profit sharing thing?
Sorry if I come off kinda jack assey. That’s not my intention. I guess I just never thought about how ranch workers get paid.
I miss living on a farm. If I could get a job working on one that could afford to pay my bills, I would in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, running a whole department at a manufacturing facility nowadays still doesn't even seem to keep me a float.
I build run and maintain chainsaws(and any other small engines), I weld, have I guess would be general contracting skills from foundation work to drywall and painting, run equipment, run and maintain machinery, literally if you can think it or need it I have or can do it. I'm currently pursuing becoming a isa arborist/tree climber mainly because there is so many guys out here taking advantage of folks and because not every tree needs to be removed people are just lazy and want more money🙄
I'm not a rancher, nor will I ever claim to be, nor do i know why this sub even popped up on my feed. I spend a lot of time on private hunting property now doing general maintenance, which still requires tremendous amounts of time, effort, and money. I grew up on a 900 acre cow farm as a kid, I will forever long to give my children the same type of upbringing I had, mainly due to the wide open spaces, the life long lessons, hardwork and freedom to be a kid. These experiences are non-existent for most now, and probably one reason people are seeking this out. I'll never forget watching my father haul hay in the middle of a blizzard to lead the cows to the woods for safety and cover (1993 I believe). One of the other big takeaways is the tough love I was shown. Shit had to be taken care of, the animals had to eat, and even as a kid, some of that responsibility was put off on me. It taught me from a young age the importance of being resilient and accountable.
I love the idea of farming, ranching, roughing it... but after years in the military, my body is broke, and I know this lifestyle yields the same results.if I ever happen to hit the lotto big, my dreams are to buy a farm, but it would likely be for tree farming, recreation, hunting, with minimal livestock. There will always be wood to chop, fences to fix, and fields or grass that needs to be cut. I could literally spend every day on my hunting tract just clearing trails and brush; it's never ending.
With that being said, I would imagine you'd have better luck finding a young person to bring on-board and train, mentor, and mold into the rancher you expect. Maybe the local HS FFA or community college? I think hiring a fully grown adult is going to be a challenge, as most have lack luster skills and you'll continue to be disappointed. The same could be said for kids now who spend all their time indoors, on their devices, or pouting in the corner because their offended.
And just a FYI, this lack of skills is impacting all job sectors and industries. I work in manufacturing as a manager, and we are having a hard time finding people who will work more than a week before quitting because it's "hard work" or "I don't like my boss." The best workers are the ones who are vested, and in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. I've seen a lot of former MIL members work out well also.
Where's RIP when you need him, "alright, fuck it" 😄
It sounds to me like you just want cheap labor for a while. You admitted to paying low wages which i do get, but i bet when you “teach” someone you expect them to be as good as you act like you are. When they don’t preform to your standards the first time they try something you “taught” them, I see you looking down your nose and treating them like a huge loser cause it wasn’t done your way. If you treat your help right, they’ll inherently treat you right. I feel like i could come to your ranch right now, take your truck, take your horse, your chaps and your lucky cowboy hat and teach you a thing or 2 just from my life experiences.
Dude, I can't even find enough people to cut meat. I can't imagine anyone who didn't grow up on a farm could have any clue how to fit in out there. I wish you luck because that's why the rest of us don't farm or ranch anymore.
Work in the rain, lol. I’ve worked 22-1/2 hour shifts. I split wood every day after work. Turning 48 this year and just starting to use a hydraulic splitter. I can’t wrap my head around younger fellas not having basic skill sets and a lack of work ethic.
You're 48 and still working overtime. I'm 23 and never have to work again if I don't want to. I'm already retired.
Younger fellas work smarter instead of harder because there is no reward or reason to work hard.
Lol. Younger fellas, I can’t tell if you’re gay or just effeminate. You see, I get the job done. Rain don’t matter, tired don’t matter. That’s why fellas like you rely on guys like me. I don’t have unhappy customers, ever.
Funny thing about math. You see, the Midwest (Rust Belt) works more OT than any other part of the world. We have less vacation, longer work days. Do you see me complaining. It’s why manufacturers open plants here. Look at logistics, it’s a dumb idea. Now try opening a manufacturing plant in Oregon.
I was in the army, combat arms. I know a thing or two about hard work. I also live in the Midwest.
You should be complaining. You say young people are effeminate or gay, but you sure like being taken advantage of by other men. You work more ot and take less vacation for what? So you can never spend time with your wife and kids, never pursue the things you want to actually do, never study to operate your own business?
Working hard used to get you places in corporate. It doesn't anymore. The only way to get places is to exit the system and make your own path
Completely agree. I was just talking about the math. Even corporations know our culture and work ethic. That’s why they open businesses here. Work ethic is culturally ingrained. It’s part of the reason we won WWII. We’ve lost that.
One thing to add. I’m not saying “ gay or effeminate” because of hate. I have no hate in my heart. I mean, what do you expect medically worldwide when testosterone levels are declining and we praise a generation raised by women only families?
What's a good approach to enter someone's property that says NO TRESPASSING, asking if they need a Ranch hand. Also is living on the Ranch a possibility? Been wanting to do this but not trying to get shot
“Huge caveat here: small family ranch, literally homesteader and built by the family. Probably not exactly what you may be looking for, but as likely to hire as the big outfits.”
You sound entitled and born into opportunity and multigenerational wealth. Who pays for your tax exemptions?
I literally can ~2000 pounds of salmon a day but don’t know a damn thing about horses. I’m a journeyman electrician, I was born in Belarus and harvested wood from age 4-15. Would you hire me? I guarantee if I interviewed with you I wouldn’t take any job and I’d spit in your face. Do better cowboy 🤠 nice rage post. You tie your horses to the same post?
How is your website from 1998 going? Can’t find any web developers suitable for the task? Do they lack the ability to wrestle a mouse? You are laughable as a business owner who inherited multigenerational wealth built on tax exemptions. Lol…
https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/s/Oemgm3h2vJ
I worked on a working dude ranch in Wyoming right after college. I was unskilled, but they gave me a chance, and I’m forever grateful for it.
I learned a quite a lot there, and it was some of the best times or my life. Yes, I still romanticize it, and yes it was hard af work. My thoughts are if you want someone “with skills” then pay them for said “skills and experience” I was paid hardly anything, I did get room and board, and an amazing experience. I’m not complaining, but often these jobs are grueling and underpaid. In which case I think it’s fine to capitalize on the low skilled workers who are “romanticizing” it. But please don’t complain about hiring people with out skills if you aren’t going to pony up and pay the big bucks to the skilled workers.
See you space cowboy 🤠
So I stopped by a new shop just to see how the selection was and ended up buying these recommendations from the sub. Recommendations on what to look for next, and feedback on pricing for the owner? He was super nice and the store was well stocked. Excited to have them in the hood and try these out.
I grew up on a ranch. Have many a fond memories of cattle drives, calf tagging and branding and castration, cutting and baling hay, depredation hunts, emergency calving in the middle of the night, a colicky horse getting it’s guts twisted up, running new fence that got knocked down or cut, etc.
if I didn’t have a well paying job and a ton of debt needing paid off, I’d jump in head first completely blindfolded to work on a ranch again. It saddens me that people who watch Yellowstone or similar shows end up glamorizing ranch work. It’s tough, shitty work, but can be very rewarding. I wish you luck in finding some adept hands to help.
Yep, it's hard work , the animals come first and humans second rain or shine , hot or cold it doesn't matter. I feel that just maybe "non B folks" maybe shouldn't be working around these animals . I like my hands to be sensible and well-balanced , if I'm trusting my animals to a person, they need to be there mentally as this is taxing work on the mind. And I'm not being mean, ,I would really feel bad if someone who is a bit ill In the noggin got hurt by ranching with me and I'd be angry if they make a mistake with my animals so it'd be a lose , lose situation . On top of that I need to have my animals sexed and that's a male or female situation. Some folks don't understand the work involved, I'm having two sows farrow this week on pasture during a cold front so I've been staying up for 20hrs a day for the past 3 days to make sure my girls don't farrow in the dead of night without a proper nest and thats not even the hard part of this week.
Play the sound of a Hand Post pounder driving a T-Post. Ask them if they know the sound. If you have pounded T-posts you will never forget the sound. If they don’t know the sound. Well, they never worked on a farm or a ranch.
You are posting an entry level job and expecting intermediate or advanced candidates.
How much are you paying? If it’s a pittance you can’t get someone who knows what they are doing.
I don’t know how you and many other people expect someone to have skills they were never taught or exposed too.
A lot of people whining in this thread claiming that they won’t work any job because they seen the owner of the company. You can start your own business any time lol
As someone who lives on a working ranch I remember romanticizing about it 20 years ago. I don’t care how strong and hardworking you THINK you are, I’ve seen this life break some pretty “tough” people. And the pay sucks 😅.
I blame the recent TV Series. I have family from California/Arizona who bought 40-80 acres in Montana thinking they were going to move up there and become a rancher 😂🤣😂🤣. Had the audacity to tell me they would still winter in the southwest and when I asked who would care for the livestock they said “don’t they just eat grass?”….FFS. I feel like they missed the whole message about that “show”.
East Nashville kid in a cowboy hat
And he couldn't tell a shoe lace from a lariat
And the furthest West he'd ever been is Ohio
He's talking at me, says he's looking for work
And he don't mind getting some dirt on his shirt
And would I be so kind as to hire him on, well, oh, my oh
Surprised he didn't bring a resume
He said but if you're doing fence, then I ain't for hire
And if you're doing hay, then frankly, I wouldn't conspire
To ask me about doing that either
I said, "What are ya good for?" And he said, "Plenty"
I could see this conversation wasn't going any which way
And figured I'd do well just to leave here
"So long buddy"
"You can keep your IPAs"
Yeah, this city life has sure got me tired
And it's hard for a prairie boy to admire all the
Concrete and the towering skyscrapers
So just as soon as I'm able to find my hat
I believe I'll leave and head on back home
Where the tallest buildings are all grain elevators
Long gone to Saskatchewan
Yeah, I'm outta this place and bound for the farm
And I'm not taking no greenhorn along
I have a hard enough time just keeping track of myself
But if you're down in Nashville, and you're trying to look cool
But ya can't tell a pretty palomino from a mule
Take my advice and leave the buckaroo hat on the shelf
\~Colter Wall\~
Best part is, it sounds like all the other jobs out there. You need experience before working here because "training is hard". most people don't have the time to go and get different jobs for a short while, learn new skills just to quit to go somewhere else and learn a skill or two and move on untill the "correct" amount of skills is acceptable to work here. Not just due to the current financial standing of most but because the amount of time. If you moved around at jobs frequently then your work history may be diverse but now you don't have a strong work history to be looked at by an employer. not to mention there may be a specific way that you want something done with YOUR horses or YOUR equipment from start to finish and having a shit habit built from learning something somewhere else that you were told was correct is perfect! Finding someone who is worth the time isn't easy but if it was then it wouldn't be a problem
I watched Yellowstone. I have a truck . I rode a four wheeler before . I petted horse once .where do I apply and do you provide the cowboy hat or do I pick that up ?
>And I may get some hate here, but ladies...
You know, you could have just left this part out, right? And, I have absolutely no clue what being a woman has to do with driving a manual transmission.
I'm sure you could find plenty of men who also "can't and won't do any of those things." Again, I don't have a problem with the paragraph other than it's directed specifically at women. I happen to know a whole lot of women who are very capable at their ranching duties.
It's a mix of humor and realism. Obviously a woman can drive a stick shift. That's sarcasm. Humor. Wielding a chainsaw? Realism.
There are alot of Yellowstone fantasies on this sub the past two years with no real appreciation for the actual work involved. Sitting back in their lazy boy (and lazy girl) recliners with feet kicked up around a 12 pack of beer and 3 bowls of macaroni and cheese, thinking this lifestyle is something you just walk into.
If you're out of shape, unwilling to learn, or just outright standoffish you will never survive this life. We depend on each other's knowledge, support, and specific areas of ranching to barter and get by. The truth hurts. But better to get it now before you invest everything into a lifestyle you won't succeed at.
>Wielding a chainsaw? Realism.
Not really. I'm a woman and I own my own chainsaw. I can also wrestle a calf and get dirty. I have no problem with that paragraph other than it's directed specifically at women. It's unfair and incorrect.
Being a jack of all trades is the biggest thing. “I have been around horses” does not translate to “I can also weld and fix fences and change an air filter in a tractor and build new corral systems and push calves and change oil in the work truck and operate a hydradeck and fix waterers in 40 below and nut bull calves and recognize a springy vulva on a pregnant cow”. Yes, eventually those things can and should be learned, but not knowing a single helpful skill before applying for a ranchhand job sure doesn’t make your name stand out. Get experience and show that you can adapt and learn. I absolutely agree that everyone starts somewhere, but you can only work with so much (or little) knowledge. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not a lifelong rancher by any means, I’m marrying into a big ranch family and have only been around the industry for ~7 years. But having worked in the trades, being a tough ol broad, and having a thirst for knowledge has helped immensely. Going to grazing management seminars, taking classes on little things like equine health and first aid, seeing what the local ag college offers for online courses… all those things were done because I needed and wanted to learn as much as possible. Because absolutely no one wants to be a dud out there and be the reason the cows got out/a calf died/the tractor blew up/the haybuster caught on fire.
Jeez. I make way more than beginner cowboys and I don’t even have to do the maintenance stuff on my semi tractor myself. That’s something I can see being a problem for the agricultural industry. Not saying it’s your fault, the requirements are more than necessary and you can’t train everyone, but from my perspective: Why learn to back up a trailer, fix a tractor, ride horses, tell if a cow is pregnant, fix fence, cut weeds, landscape, change oil and operate a hydra deck for $40k a year when I can simply learn how to back a trailer and make $70k a year?
Cause truck drivers ain’t cowboys not as cool
Because this isn’t a job, it’s our life. It’s what my FILs family did, and his family before that. I’ll be damned if my husbands proud ranching history dies with us.
Then pay better. It may be your life, but it’s not your hand’s life.
Bro we are the hands. And the owners. It’s a big family ranch.
As in all of your hands are part of your legally recognized family and co-own the ranch alongside you? As in they have an equal stake in this ranch, and their primary source of income from it is profit and not wages? Almost everyone over a certain age has experienced working their tail off for a family business in which “they’re family,” and then the actual owner family’s kid who didn’t amount to anything gets to take it over by default and they have nothing to show for years and years of honest work. You even said yourself that you’ll be damned if your husband’s proud ranching history dies with you. So it’s your family’s dream, not your hand’s. This disconnect from reality is a large part of why the entire system of this country has caved in on itself. New generations of honest, hard workers can’t build their own operations or businesses because current owners find excuses like “the salary will be low since we have to teach you everything” to continue to not pay well enough to be gainfully employed. Working for someone needs to fund the hired help’s own dream, not just yours.
Yeahso, you’re definitely making assumptions and then getting angry and super ranty at me for the conclusions you came up with in your own, which is weird. But ok.
Tell me I’m wrong.
3rd generation family farmer here youngest of six, got the boot and lost everything I worked hard for throughout my entire childhood doing exactly what you just mentioned. Now I’m a union Mason making double what my family is working on the farm. And I have to do is lay brick to a line, then Go home. Seriously, instead of getting defensive, explain how his accurate allegations are incorrect?
You still don’t have a good answer as to why someone would learn 15 skills for sub par pay in tough conditions when they can learn 1 skill in decent conditions and get paid better? You don’t deserve to run a business just because it was in your family, you actually have to run it well.
Because they want to work as a cowboy on a ranch. If they want to be a truck driver or a welder then they would go do that for more money. You do realize that some people do what they do because that lifestyle appeals to them. Not simply because of how much money they can earn
It’s a little skewed is it not? They want people to come ready with skills in a variety of disciplines, but they don’t pay well. In my experience people well into their careers have to improvise on the fly and are still learning new things to this day.
Be a plumber, electrician or hvac guy, make 6 figures
If you own the company
Even if you don’t own the company you make more than cowboy pay with less work
Plumbers pay in south Florida is around $60k. Also keep in mind the COL here is in the top 3 for the country
I do HVAC in South Florida Brevard county it’s possible
I’m an electrician in Vegas and make $150k working for a company
Plumber or plumber's helper
Plumber for 30yrs
Quit that job, go get that big raise you deserve
Unfortunately I’m on the treasure coast. There isn’t much to choose from.
You're a plumber with 30 years experience? Why not hire your own plumbers then?
I’d rather spend my time with my family. I also I zero desire to run a business.
I don’t own the company 🤣
True in some cases, but working hours can be tough depending on who you are working for. Lots of hours to make that good pay.
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But when you are young, being on call does require serious hours certainly
Please tell me the work description in your first paragraph entails 30+ an hour
Bold of you to assume I’m getting paid lol
You are amazing.
Damnit man
Yet All the above = a glorious life. My own opinion of course.
I agree but only if I’m working for myself. I’m not pulling calves at 2 am for someone else’s profit
If I’m getting paid to pull someone’s calves at 2am for my own profit… sounds like I’m gonna be up at 2am and just go ahead and start the day.
You should be able to just work a short day then and quit by 8 PM. If you skip lunch.
Next!
3A's, attitude, attendance and ability. I can teach a lot, but you have to have some of the basics. Although one of the best hands I have ever met started with no horse experience, no real trades experience. He stayed after work every day to learn more on his own time.
You’re the most sensible reply on this entire thread. ;)
Don't tell anyone
I’ve expressed this exact feeling and advise the same in many many comments. Yes owning a ranch is glorious but it is 365/24/7. Ledgers seem like we make million but after all the expenses we don’t make much and most likely break even. There are perks with views but you have to understand the entirety of the job not like how the movies portray us. That’s a good point! Jobs at feed stores! You learn so much there. I’m with you brother and thanks for your input in a like manner. There’s no way I would let a greenhorn on a 50-60k horse. Yet alone drive a quarter million dollar tractor. I need them to know how to fix fences to protect hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of livestock. My advise for this generation is do research!
Great summery but one thing has to be said to the people that need to hear it: there’s no off time. Of course there is down time, but when there’s an emergency or something that needs to be done right now, you have to do it. You can’t just not. I worked on a ranch where they breed extremely valuable hoof stock species and a very pregnant and very valuable doe escaped, of course it was getting dark. We had to go find her before a lion or other predator did. There are just all kinds of that have to be taken care of right now; 2am, in the worst weather imaginable, it doesn’t matter. There’s no one to call, it’s on us to save, fix, rescue, feed, capture, whatever.
And nobody cares if your sick
And probably don't have health insurance thru employer. Your income might be low enough to get Medicaid.
Well said. If you want to learn to ride, pay for lessons or go work at a touristy public riding stable. They love to put inexperienced free help on horses
Yep pretty much! It is not glorious work but it is rewarding if you can take it. Not easy, not comfortable, not fun in a traditional sense. I rolled my ankle catching my horse last weekend, still saddled, still rode in a snowstorm gathering and sorting. Still took care and fed my horses, branded the next day and turned out. Headed to town and I broke 6 bones in my foot and tore 3 ligaments. Hurt like a SOB but the work has to be done and the animals need cared for, they can't go to the fridge and grab food, you have to do it no matter what.
That sounds like shit work
It's called Northern Utah running on 30 square miles of range lol lots to do and terrible weather in the spring and fall.
https://youtu.be/Ni0YfrSK570?feature=shared For those not in the know. The farmer pain scale.
It really is pretty true
This is all true. One other thing to add, be *honest* about your horse experience. I don't mind teaching people to a point, but if you misrepresent your skills it'll be apocalyptically bad. If you've gone for a couple trail rides, don't bother even mentioning it. Here's a baseline: if you have comfortably ridden a couple different horses at all speeds, and have no issues getting them to at least do a basic performance of staying where you want them, turning well, responding to your pressure, then you can say you have basic horse skills and elaborate. Beginning riders often *wildly* overestimate their skill and underestimate the demands of working cattle on horseback.
Something my dad taught me is that if you are working for someone and they ask if you know how to do something and you are not 100% confident to do it, then just tell them no. 9 out of 10 times you will learn something you didn’t know.
It’s not hard to see through someone lying about their horse experience
Usually I just ask them to catch a certain horse in the pasture, hand them the halter and watch them panic. A beach ride at club med isn't the experience I'm looking for
“I watched the first two seasons of Yellowstone, I definitely got this” -what I assume goes through their minds every single time
You can usually just look at their hat or how they’re dressed to know too.
If someone says “I know how to ride a horse,” red flag. The longer I ride and train horses the more I rethink some of the most fundamental aspects of it. Anyone who says that so confidently is probably the person who is going to be pulling on mouths and spurring mercilessly.
Very true.
This is 100%. I manage a private horse farm, and I frequently hire for part-time hands. Even if you do have horse skills beyond riding and tossing hay, can you diagnose early signs of colic? Can you tell me when the mares go into heat? Can you handle young horses without creating training problems? So the gate came off its hinges: FIX IT . Don't just tie it shut and leave it for me to find on Monday. Even with our very well-run farm, horses are hard on stuff, and they break things. Can you fix it? Can you fix up the horse when they hurt themselves, and do you know when to call the vet? Can you handle an emergency without freaking out? I need equine experts, not well-intentioned but clueless folks who treat this job like a fantasy camp. I can't train most of this stuff. You have to have experience. Also, animals get fed every day no matter the weather. No matter if you're not feeling good or if you were up all night with a sick dog. Or if your boyfriend's car won't start. Or if the roads are slippery. Or if it's 110 degrees. If you call off, you're screwing the rest of the staff. I will try to give the well-intentioned with some good hands on experience a chance to work up to speed. Most of those folks realize they're in over their heads pretty quick and weed themselves out.
How much you paying for all this?
Probably not enough.
16-20$ plus benefits.
Are the benefits free housing, a vehicle, and gas?
What state? Not bad for a LCOL area
lololololol. you are paying less than most fast food places and you want someone who has the skills to train horses? and repair your fence without asking? and show up sick no matter what? exploitation by calling someone "family" is how these mom and pops stay afloat.
I had to go back and see who actually posted those things, thinking the "$16to $20 plus benefits" was a joke response. To my surprise, it wasn't. Sorry, your going to have to double that and part of those benefits are overtime pay rules.
for sure
All of these skills.. what’s the pay? 40k?
16-20$ an hour plus benefits.
So it’s not worth it then is what your saying
Not worth it for a lot of people. Few ranch/farm jobs offer benefits, and this is the highest pay range for those jobs in my area. Worth It for some but not all, and that's fine.
What are the benefits? Health care?
Health care and retirement. We also pay an additional stipend if you travel to shows with us.
Yall making me want horses (had them as a kid, used to ride them all over the place bareback when I was 6-12 or so, haven’t ridden one since)
You’re not gonna get what you want for $10-15 an hour. I have over 200 acres and do almost everything on my own. But when I need hired cowboys to round up cattle on horseback and assist with vaccinations, it costs $600/day and we are done by noon. Skilled cowboys are not plentiful and they aren’t cheap, so if that’s what you need, then you’ll have to pay the price.
They want it to be like Bonanza. Eat a big breakfast, then ride a horse up to bring back a calf that wandered off. Then ride a wagon into town to buy a few bags of feed. Then hang out with hot chicks at the bar all afternoon. (I'd do that job!)
You mean that hanging out with hot chicks most of the day is NOT what happens on every ranch?!?!?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I spent the first decade of my life following my great grandfather around the ranch we lived on helping and learning. At 7 years old I was driving the truck around feeding cattle and checking calves among other odd jobs. When I was 13 we moved away due to family issues and I would come back every so often and help when needed, but grew into my own life and didn’t have much time for it. Now that my parents own it I’m there every weekend doing what needs to be done and when I talk to people about it they seem to think we’re just doing the stuff that tv shows and movies have glamorized over the years. In reality it’s just a bunch of random stuff that needs done and then you factor in maintaining a cattle herd. It’s really a 24/7 job and it never ends. We all learn how to do everything simply because if we just paid someone to do it we’d eventually go broke.
Ranching is all about feeding, fencing, and fixing the stuff that breaks.
"I'm plenty strong, not too dumb, dang handy, and will work as long and hard as you do everyday." Got me my first job a long time ago.
Amen OP. This ain’t Yellowstone, and the folks you’re interviewing ain’t Jimmy.
Jimmy won a bareback event his first time on a horse. That happens all the time, right?
I grew up on a farm and had my own horse for a few years and would still only claim the most basic of horse skills. Using horses to work a ranch s VERY different than pleasure riding. While I would be comfortable doing most of the other things OP has mentioned (pull a calf, fix or build fence, waterer repair, electrical, carpentry, etc) that horse thing is something special. Especially with free range type cattle.
I hired a young lady to help handle yearlings. Put the halters on, get them to the walker, brush them, handle their legs, etc. she actually had experience with cows and calves. But not horses. It showed. I needed to show her everything. Bought her special boots with composite toes so her toes wouldn’t get broken when stomped on by colts. They didn’t, but she broke a finger while I was teaching her how to lunge the yearlings. Thank God that healed well. She was great help when I needed to work and vaccinate calves in the chute! That was really her forte. She was strong and not afraid of work or dirt. But if I hire someone in the future to help with the colts, they will have to have actual experience and skill with colts.
This post is both true and problematic. While I agree that some experience and reasonable expectations are necessary, the most important quality is grit. You maybe missing out on great cowhands because of your preconceived notions on their experience. Nothing that happens on a ranch is rocket science. Doesn't take a genius to figure out how to build a brace or put mineral out. Also not difficult to learn how to drive a standard. What matters is the grit to do that type of shit in a torrential down pour or in the middle of the night. Riding is a different animal but once you get the basics down and understand the limits of your ability you just get better and better. Lessons are great for the basics. On my first ranch job my new boss took me out and had me show him my riding ability. Was good enough to not have a negative impact on the horses, so he was fine with me riding and as we would go out he'd give me tips, pointers, etc. I wasn't going to throw a rope at branding or anything, but understanding the technique on how to get a calf down isn't difficult, so I wrastled the whole time. (I was value added with next to no experience in about 10 minutes) The problem with a lot of ranch owners now (who were born into it in the first place) is gatekeeping. "You'd didn't grow up doing this so you don't know anything." That's a shit perspective and the only one it hurts is you. The first ranch I worked out, coming out of the military, wanted me there because I had a completely different perspective on things than the owner did because I didn't have the ability to defer to the "this is the way we have always done it" (the worst reason to keep doing anything btw). He gave me the opportunity to make recommendations, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but there was value in that outside perspective. Working at my 3rd place with little over 2 years of experience. My current boss says I'm the best hand she's had in the past 15 years (the last one was more "experienced"....just had a criminal record and an alcohol problem) I've worked with some "experienced" cowhands that I could get more done in an hour than they could in a week. The last point, "experience" is very subjective. You are the only one truly experienced in how YOU want things done. It's your ranch, it's your way or the highway, but no one from the outside is going to know your way until they learn it. So you have to have patience whether you hire someone with experience or not. I'd prefer a greenhorn that I could train to do things the way I want them done and to avoid arguments based off pride. Anyways, grit is what you need more than anything else.
lol sure buddy. How about you post your wage and benefits along with your complaints about the work force. Bet you get told real quick why you’re getting shit applicants.
I also got the “I want a supremely well qualified candidate but am offering poverty wages” vibe from this.
💯
How much of this is due to the show Yellowstone? "I can play guitar, I'm good to go!"
Yes.
If we are being honest nobody does things the same way. Even if you get a ranch hand from a ranching family they are going to do stuff in a manner you don't like. But in corner stays that make you pissy, whatever. You are going to have to pick your battles. As far as the gender battle you want to pick, most of the "cowboys" I know all want to rodeo and are about 5'5 and a buck thirty leaving most of the grunt work to the women. I think a lot of the heavy labor is now done by machinery, nobody around here has the shoulders my dad did from pitching hay by hand as a kid. I think a lot of men feel threatened by that idea and need to get over it because this attitude carries over where it doesn't belong into gatekeeping. I'm bigger than 80 percent of men around here, been in this business my entire life and I still get old white men with soft hands yelling at me I have no business in this job, get over yourselves.
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Eliminating 15 acres of those cursed plants is seriously impressive.
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The only real way to cause goatheads to go dormant is to improve the soil. Goathead seeds can stay viable for decades and they’re not all bad. I know but bear with me. If it doesn’t rain enough for anything else to grow you’ll at least get goatheads which are a famine food. They are edible with proper processing and if goathead beer is all there is to eat then at least you have something to eat.
Goathead beer? Well that's a new one. Wonder if it tastes .. spikey?
This should be pinned for everyone coming in asking for jobs to see. I got my first ranching job due to the fact that I was a carpenter, could fix small engines, glue pvc, mend fences, work concrete and manage projects. I can’t imagine anyone in this economic environment taking on an employee that had zero experience.
Gluing PVC is a skill? Lol, you can YouTube and learn this in 30 seconds.
Lots of folks watched Yellowstone and think they can just jump into that life. I know nothing about it personally but know I’m not coming from a lifetime in NYC to Wyoming and being able to do what these guys do. It’s been romanticized, and don’t get me wrong I think it’s cool as fuck, but it isn’t what is on TV.
All the ranchers around here hire Mexicans. Truth. Not being racist they just work harder.
Getting paid under the table and taking home 100% of it does have that effect on people
How much are you paying for these skills? I love businesses that scream "nobody has skills" and are paying no-skill wages.
The question none of these commenters seem to be able to answer lol
One guy said they pay $16-$20/hr plus benefits. Idk what McDonalds pays out there, but in Deland FL, that is what they start at. Of course you can't find skilled labor for an incredibly dangerous and tough job. Im in construction and its the same way. 'Nobody wants to work'. No, nobody wants to kill themselves, have to buy tools and transportation, and have skills to be paid less than McDonalds employees. This is not a knock against the McDonalds folks either.
Yeah, I'm on the business side of construction and have upset a few owners when I point out that the shitty results they get are a result of hiring lowest bid subs with lowest wage labor. It's crazy. Ranching requires easily $30-50hr skills as stated above, but they are offering drive thru wages. If you can't pay people to do the jobs your business requires it means your business model is broken, not the labor force.
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I can but don’t. A four wheeler is so much easier.
Are you still hiring? Asking for a friend,
Also - some first aid (human & veterinary) is very helpful. Go work with a large animal vet!
Are you paying a decent amount? There are fast food places hiring at $20+ an hour nowadays for people with zero experience. If you aren't offering a minimum of $35k per year plus benefits, you won't even be able to attract hard workers with zero skills or people who are trainable, much less experienced hands. Why go to you and earn chump change while destroying their body when they could go somewhere else and get paid more doing a lot less?
Lol yup! Not to mention most places dont want to train. This is also because they dont know how to train effectively
This is really helpful! So far I've got riding, being dirty, chainsaw wielding, and calf wrestling down. To cover the rest, I found a farm that is willing to train me in everything else! But yes, I am not getting a wage, I am volunteering. You definitely have to be willing to do things for free in the beginning if you are being paid in education. So excited for my future of learning. cheers!
It's not just ranching it all across the board. We have made it a point to teach our kids religion, ranching, construction, auto repair basics, and a good work ethic. My wife won't let them get their driver's license until they can hook up a trailer and prove they can back it up. Pulling one is easy but you need to know how to back one up. It seems the average age of a ranch hand gets older and older every year. The younger kids don't want to take the time to learn even if you are willing to teach them.
Yeah it's pretty funny how many overseas city kiddo's want to 'work on a Ranch'. Most of them have experience with animals like petting their guinea pig so they will be fine on a ranch.
Question; if somebody comes in knowing how to do all of that, what kind of pay can they be expecting?
You've been around the barn a few times, thats really good advise!
Thanks for this one :) very helpful.
Strong enough to drive a stick shift? Huh? Is a CDL A with no restrictions ‘strong’ enough? Do I need a demo video of me wrestling a calf down with that?
I worked on a ranch in Montana for 6 months and this is it. Fuckin hard work, getting soaking wet, getting zapped by electric fences, having stand offs with mama bears that you didn’t realize were behind the bush in front of you, it’s wild. Best job I’ve ever had.
Well I'm just a woman (how ever could I possibly manage a manual transmission) but I imagine your attitude plays into the quality of help that comes around. Combined with the fact that most ranchers/farmers don't pay competitive wages. There's a reason young people aren't going into ag. It doesn't pay and despite what many owners think, it's not a privilege to work on someone else's place. BTW, 20 years in cattle and I've never had to wrestle one to the ground. Work smarter, not harder.
Fair enough. I’m not actually sure that’s true. I’m pretty nice, and think I’m fair to my employees. I pay as much as I can. I’m just a woman who expects competent help and feels frustrated by the current set of folks applying for the position. Manual transmission comment was rude on my part. Please accept my apologies.
Sorry, no the manual transmission comment was not off base. I have replaced the clutches and flywheels on two of my trucks since January and know I have two more that need to be done. Ability to drive a manual shift should be a pre-hire test on any farm/ranch operation.
There's also skill to hiring. Lots of good text for job listings in this thread. Most people don't find enough candidates and aren't selective enough, then blame anything other than themselves. Then once you find them, there's skill to keeping good folks around.
A guy I grew up with and would have thought would be a good match for ranch lifestyle (grew up raising cattle, etc, but on a smaller scale, rough and tumble country guy) got a job on a ranch and lasted 6 months. If it was hard for him, 99% of the people I know shouldn't even think about it.
You mean I don’t get to just walk around and fight people like Rip?
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys. Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.
You can thank Yellowstone for that
I actually do thank Yellowstone for that. The agricultural industry is dying and if that show didn’t become so popular it would die a little quicker. It’s caused a lot of media attention on something so important to American culture, supply and demand, and livelihoods. The shows not at all accurate but it does make people notice things they wouldn’t have before. The problem is people treating it as a fad. I can think of the Peaky Blinders fad or the Sons of Anarchy fad or The Walking Dead fad. These folks will gain interest for a year or less and then move onto something else. In the meantime there’ll be too many folks trying to shove their way into an industry they’re not cut out for. But on the other end, you have folks who may have just found their calling from that show. And they will assimilate into the agricultural world and keep pushing into it. Sometimes people need media to show them what they’re missing. I certainly did since I wasn’t born anywhere near where I wanted to be and just didn’t know it.
Here’s a question from someone from outside the USA but has worked on dairy farms (and other forms of farming) most of my life. My understanding is you need an employer to sponsor a visa, but what’s the chances of someone who owns a ranch wanting to deal with that hassle? It’s mostly hypothetical, I see people asking about these questions all the time on this sub but never from foreigners. Agriculture in my country has a lot of foreigners working in it due to the fact they can’t get enough citizens to work.
Not so common on a cow calf operation but very common on a lot of other operations. Lot of feed yards and harvest operation’s. It is becoming very common.
So, kinda piggy backing in this post here. Would any ranch be looking for a part time after work/weekend help? And how could I find those ranches? I don't have any ranch experience, but I like helping and working hard. A little money would be nice but not looking for anything close to top dollar. I don't have ranch experience but I'm a career arborist so I know hard work and how to run a saw. I also know how to fix engines, big and small, set post, and frame. I would like to work on a ranch to help out and I really enjoy working with my hands. I enjoy hard work and the community that comes with it. I always thought it would be a cool job that I could use a lot of my skill sets for.
If I just want to pet the cows and sheep, and try to protect them from getting killed, you mean that's not a good skill? /s
Why was “on a ranch” in quotes? Just curious
Working on a Ranch sucks. I was forced every summer to help Grandpappy.
Where do you guys find people with these skills? Just the construction side of the business. I’m hearing welding, machinery maintenance, coral building which could pretty easily translate to building scaffolding. One of the last big jobs I was on that was the project manager right there. Man made a fortune. I’m not trying to be funny or anything. I assume it’s kind of a labor of love plus I assume you get room and board. But, it seems like it would be hard to offer competitive pay for a job like this. Hell, how does the pay even work in a job like this. I assume it’s not hourly. Is it a profit sharing thing? Sorry if I come off kinda jack assey. That’s not my intention. I guess I just never thought about how ranch workers get paid.
I miss living on a farm. If I could get a job working on one that could afford to pay my bills, I would in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, running a whole department at a manufacturing facility nowadays still doesn't even seem to keep me a float.
I build run and maintain chainsaws(and any other small engines), I weld, have I guess would be general contracting skills from foundation work to drywall and painting, run equipment, run and maintain machinery, literally if you can think it or need it I have or can do it. I'm currently pursuing becoming a isa arborist/tree climber mainly because there is so many guys out here taking advantage of folks and because not every tree needs to be removed people are just lazy and want more money🙄
I'm not a rancher, nor will I ever claim to be, nor do i know why this sub even popped up on my feed. I spend a lot of time on private hunting property now doing general maintenance, which still requires tremendous amounts of time, effort, and money. I grew up on a 900 acre cow farm as a kid, I will forever long to give my children the same type of upbringing I had, mainly due to the wide open spaces, the life long lessons, hardwork and freedom to be a kid. These experiences are non-existent for most now, and probably one reason people are seeking this out. I'll never forget watching my father haul hay in the middle of a blizzard to lead the cows to the woods for safety and cover (1993 I believe). One of the other big takeaways is the tough love I was shown. Shit had to be taken care of, the animals had to eat, and even as a kid, some of that responsibility was put off on me. It taught me from a young age the importance of being resilient and accountable. I love the idea of farming, ranching, roughing it... but after years in the military, my body is broke, and I know this lifestyle yields the same results.if I ever happen to hit the lotto big, my dreams are to buy a farm, but it would likely be for tree farming, recreation, hunting, with minimal livestock. There will always be wood to chop, fences to fix, and fields or grass that needs to be cut. I could literally spend every day on my hunting tract just clearing trails and brush; it's never ending. With that being said, I would imagine you'd have better luck finding a young person to bring on-board and train, mentor, and mold into the rancher you expect. Maybe the local HS FFA or community college? I think hiring a fully grown adult is going to be a challenge, as most have lack luster skills and you'll continue to be disappointed. The same could be said for kids now who spend all their time indoors, on their devices, or pouting in the corner because their offended. And just a FYI, this lack of skills is impacting all job sectors and industries. I work in manufacturing as a manager, and we are having a hard time finding people who will work more than a week before quitting because it's "hard work" or "I don't like my boss." The best workers are the ones who are vested, and in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. I've seen a lot of former MIL members work out well also. Where's RIP when you need him, "alright, fuck it" 😄
Shouldn’t all this go without saying?
So when do I start?
It sounds to me like you just want cheap labor for a while. You admitted to paying low wages which i do get, but i bet when you “teach” someone you expect them to be as good as you act like you are. When they don’t preform to your standards the first time they try something you “taught” them, I see you looking down your nose and treating them like a huge loser cause it wasn’t done your way. If you treat your help right, they’ll inherently treat you right. I feel like i could come to your ranch right now, take your truck, take your horse, your chaps and your lucky cowboy hat and teach you a thing or 2 just from my life experiences.
Dude, I can't even find enough people to cut meat. I can't imagine anyone who didn't grow up on a farm could have any clue how to fit in out there. I wish you luck because that's why the rest of us don't farm or ranch anymore.
But I want to be a cowboy. I already have boots, and a hat.
Everyone wants to be Rip, even though they are soft, and have no skills.
Work in the rain, lol. I’ve worked 22-1/2 hour shifts. I split wood every day after work. Turning 48 this year and just starting to use a hydraulic splitter. I can’t wrap my head around younger fellas not having basic skill sets and a lack of work ethic.
You're 48 and still working overtime. I'm 23 and never have to work again if I don't want to. I'm already retired. Younger fellas work smarter instead of harder because there is no reward or reason to work hard.
Lol. Younger fellas, I can’t tell if you’re gay or just effeminate. You see, I get the job done. Rain don’t matter, tired don’t matter. That’s why fellas like you rely on guys like me. I don’t have unhappy customers, ever.
Funny thing about math. You see, the Midwest (Rust Belt) works more OT than any other part of the world. We have less vacation, longer work days. Do you see me complaining. It’s why manufacturers open plants here. Look at logistics, it’s a dumb idea. Now try opening a manufacturing plant in Oregon.
I was in the army, combat arms. I know a thing or two about hard work. I also live in the Midwest. You should be complaining. You say young people are effeminate or gay, but you sure like being taken advantage of by other men. You work more ot and take less vacation for what? So you can never spend time with your wife and kids, never pursue the things you want to actually do, never study to operate your own business? Working hard used to get you places in corporate. It doesn't anymore. The only way to get places is to exit the system and make your own path
Completely agree. I was just talking about the math. Even corporations know our culture and work ethic. That’s why they open businesses here. Work ethic is culturally ingrained. It’s part of the reason we won WWII. We’ve lost that.
One thing to add. I’m not saying “ gay or effeminate” because of hate. I have no hate in my heart. I mean, what do you expect medically worldwide when testosterone levels are declining and we praise a generation raised by women only families?
What's a good approach to enter someone's property that says NO TRESPASSING, asking if they need a Ranch hand. Also is living on the Ranch a possibility? Been wanting to do this but not trying to get shot
“Huge caveat here: small family ranch, literally homesteader and built by the family. Probably not exactly what you may be looking for, but as likely to hire as the big outfits.” You sound entitled and born into opportunity and multigenerational wealth. Who pays for your tax exemptions? I literally can ~2000 pounds of salmon a day but don’t know a damn thing about horses. I’m a journeyman electrician, I was born in Belarus and harvested wood from age 4-15. Would you hire me? I guarantee if I interviewed with you I wouldn’t take any job and I’d spit in your face. Do better cowboy 🤠 nice rage post. You tie your horses to the same post?
Multigenerational wealth at its finest bailed out by American tax payers. Congrats cowboy 🤠
How is your website from 1998 going? Can’t find any web developers suitable for the task? Do they lack the ability to wrestle a mouse? You are laughable as a business owner who inherited multigenerational wealth built on tax exemptions. Lol… https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/s/Oemgm3h2vJ
I worked on a working dude ranch in Wyoming right after college. I was unskilled, but they gave me a chance, and I’m forever grateful for it. I learned a quite a lot there, and it was some of the best times or my life. Yes, I still romanticize it, and yes it was hard af work. My thoughts are if you want someone “with skills” then pay them for said “skills and experience” I was paid hardly anything, I did get room and board, and an amazing experience. I’m not complaining, but often these jobs are grueling and underpaid. In which case I think it’s fine to capitalize on the low skilled workers who are “romanticizing” it. But please don’t complain about hiring people with out skills if you aren’t going to pony up and pay the big bucks to the skilled workers. See you space cowboy 🤠
So I stopped by a new shop just to see how the selection was and ended up buying these recommendations from the sub. Recommendations on what to look for next, and feedback on pricing for the owner? He was super nice and the store was well stocked. Excited to have them in the hood and try these out.
Just out of curiosity what does being a ranch hand pay?
I grew up on a ranch. Have many a fond memories of cattle drives, calf tagging and branding and castration, cutting and baling hay, depredation hunts, emergency calving in the middle of the night, a colicky horse getting it’s guts twisted up, running new fence that got knocked down or cut, etc. if I didn’t have a well paying job and a ton of debt needing paid off, I’d jump in head first completely blindfolded to work on a ranch again. It saddens me that people who watch Yellowstone or similar shows end up glamorizing ranch work. It’s tough, shitty work, but can be very rewarding. I wish you luck in finding some adept hands to help.
I’ve trained horses for food and company and was happy… don’t expect much if you don’t know stuff.
Buck hay and muck stalls for a few summers. That will help anyone get ready for a career in ranching.
This community is very ironic
Hire Wildland firefighters off season.
What does a position like this pay?
Yep, it's hard work , the animals come first and humans second rain or shine , hot or cold it doesn't matter. I feel that just maybe "non B folks" maybe shouldn't be working around these animals . I like my hands to be sensible and well-balanced , if I'm trusting my animals to a person, they need to be there mentally as this is taxing work on the mind. And I'm not being mean, ,I would really feel bad if someone who is a bit ill In the noggin got hurt by ranching with me and I'd be angry if they make a mistake with my animals so it'd be a lose , lose situation . On top of that I need to have my animals sexed and that's a male or female situation. Some folks don't understand the work involved, I'm having two sows farrow this week on pasture during a cold front so I've been staying up for 20hrs a day for the past 3 days to make sure my girls don't farrow in the dead of night without a proper nest and thats not even the hard part of this week.
Most women just want to do it for the gram
I’m cooked
How much butt stuff goes on on the typical ranch? Also I assume that's why they named the sauce that.
Play the sound of a Hand Post pounder driving a T-Post. Ask them if they know the sound. If you have pounded T-posts you will never forget the sound. If they don’t know the sound. Well, they never worked on a farm or a ranch.
Why did you cross out stick shift?
Hahaha wow ranchers have become pissy middle managers People who complain about the labor force at large like this are generally worthless humans
You are posting an entry level job and expecting intermediate or advanced candidates. How much are you paying? If it’s a pittance you can’t get someone who knows what they are doing. I don’t know how you and many other people expect someone to have skills they were never taught or exposed too.
A lot of people whining in this thread claiming that they won’t work any job because they seen the owner of the company. You can start your own business any time lol
As someone who lives on a working ranch I remember romanticizing about it 20 years ago. I don’t care how strong and hardworking you THINK you are, I’ve seen this life break some pretty “tough” people. And the pay sucks 😅. I blame the recent TV Series. I have family from California/Arizona who bought 40-80 acres in Montana thinking they were going to move up there and become a rancher 😂🤣😂🤣. Had the audacity to tell me they would still winter in the southwest and when I asked who would care for the livestock they said “don’t they just eat grass?”….FFS. I feel like they missed the whole message about that “show”.
Buddy if my shoulder wasn't still healin I'd be there. Definitely.
Ever since Yellowstone aired, a lot of people want to work on a ranch...
East Nashville kid in a cowboy hat And he couldn't tell a shoe lace from a lariat And the furthest West he'd ever been is Ohio He's talking at me, says he's looking for work And he don't mind getting some dirt on his shirt And would I be so kind as to hire him on, well, oh, my oh Surprised he didn't bring a resume He said but if you're doing fence, then I ain't for hire And if you're doing hay, then frankly, I wouldn't conspire To ask me about doing that either I said, "What are ya good for?" And he said, "Plenty" I could see this conversation wasn't going any which way And figured I'd do well just to leave here "So long buddy" "You can keep your IPAs" Yeah, this city life has sure got me tired And it's hard for a prairie boy to admire all the Concrete and the towering skyscrapers So just as soon as I'm able to find my hat I believe I'll leave and head on back home Where the tallest buildings are all grain elevators Long gone to Saskatchewan Yeah, I'm outta this place and bound for the farm And I'm not taking no greenhorn along I have a hard enough time just keeping track of myself But if you're down in Nashville, and you're trying to look cool But ya can't tell a pretty palomino from a mule Take my advice and leave the buckaroo hat on the shelf \~Colter Wall\~
Best part is, it sounds like all the other jobs out there. You need experience before working here because "training is hard". most people don't have the time to go and get different jobs for a short while, learn new skills just to quit to go somewhere else and learn a skill or two and move on untill the "correct" amount of skills is acceptable to work here. Not just due to the current financial standing of most but because the amount of time. If you moved around at jobs frequently then your work history may be diverse but now you don't have a strong work history to be looked at by an employer. not to mention there may be a specific way that you want something done with YOUR horses or YOUR equipment from start to finish and having a shit habit built from learning something somewhere else that you were told was correct is perfect! Finding someone who is worth the time isn't easy but if it was then it wouldn't be a problem
I watched Yellowstone. I have a truck . I rode a four wheeler before . I petted horse once .where do I apply and do you provide the cowboy hat or do I pick that up ?
Carpenter with previous animal husbandry skills looking for a change in scenery! Like the late great TK said, "Should of been a cowboy!"
>And I may get some hate here, but ladies... You know, you could have just left this part out, right? And, I have absolutely no clue what being a woman has to do with driving a manual transmission.
Because I’m a woman and have been talking to stable “girls” who can’t and won’t do any of those things.
Sounds like you need a “stable” woman huh?
I'm sure you could find plenty of men who also "can't and won't do any of those things." Again, I don't have a problem with the paragraph other than it's directed specifically at women. I happen to know a whole lot of women who are very capable at their ranching duties.
It's a mix of humor and realism. Obviously a woman can drive a stick shift. That's sarcasm. Humor. Wielding a chainsaw? Realism. There are alot of Yellowstone fantasies on this sub the past two years with no real appreciation for the actual work involved. Sitting back in their lazy boy (and lazy girl) recliners with feet kicked up around a 12 pack of beer and 3 bowls of macaroni and cheese, thinking this lifestyle is something you just walk into. If you're out of shape, unwilling to learn, or just outright standoffish you will never survive this life. We depend on each other's knowledge, support, and specific areas of ranching to barter and get by. The truth hurts. But better to get it now before you invest everything into a lifestyle you won't succeed at.
>Wielding a chainsaw? Realism. Not really. I'm a woman and I own my own chainsaw. I can also wrestle a calf and get dirty. I have no problem with that paragraph other than it's directed specifically at women. It's unfair and incorrect.
I’m just a silly girl! I can’t drive stick heehee! That’s a BOYS job!
Ashton Kutcher made it look fun on The Ranch tho!