A herd mentality
Lodi teen featured in new book on the ranching lifestyle
Rose McPhee is a fourth-generation rancher who lives and works on her grandmother’s ranch east of Lodi.
She and her grandmother spend each day caring for cattle on the McPhee Ranch, one of the largest in the nation that produces Red Angus beef.
When not working on the ranch, McPhee cares for a small herd of her own that is part of her Linden FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience project.
While McPhee said her life is just an average day for a rancher, she was surprised to learn earlier this year she had been chosen to appear in a book about youth ranchers.
“I really felt honored,” McPhee said. “Just having the opportunity to tell (the authors) how I felt about being on the ranch and everything I do there was amazing.”
McPhee was one of 66 young adults from 27 California ranches to be featured in “California Ranch Raised Kids” by Seth Joel and Charlie Holland.
The 100-page hardcover book gives readers a glimpse into the lives of children and families that live and work on ranches throughout the state through stories, images and interviews.
Joel, the photographer, and Holland, the writer, approached the California CattleWomen to create a way to tell the story of today’s children being raised to care for and preserve open spaces.
“I just showed (Joel and Holland) how I feed and herd cattle,”
McPhee said. “I also showed them my rodeo horse, and what I do to care for it, either feeding, grooming, or taking it out for a ride for exercise.”
The 1,800-member CattleWomen organization agreed to the project if the creators could showcase the wide diversity of environments in the state, and share the things CattleWomen care about — family, the land, and the cattle.
The book not only shares the lives of young ranchers, but presents the different climates and landscapes of the state that families endure and navigate while tending to livestock throughout the year.
Linda Stiehr, a member of the
San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen, said McPhee has been at the forefront of promoting and raising awareness about the organization and industry.
“We just love anything that calls attention to what the CattleWomen do,” She said. “And Rose has really been active in putting our name out there. She’s not only the daughter or granddaughter of members, she’s a member too. She carries our flag during the opening ceremonies of rodeos and has shown such spirit. It’s a great thing for us when one of our members is featured in any kind of profile.”
What makes the book special, Stiehr said, is that the stories and biographies are told in the subjects’ own words. Since the book’s publication last year, the California CattleWomen have sold about 150 copies, she said.
Stiehr said it was unclear how
the children featured in the book were selected.
“The family is very well-known in the area, and they’re the only ranch in the western states that produces Red Angus,” Stiehr said.
California Ranch Raised Kids is the second in a series of books Joel and Holland are creating to showcase the lives of young ranchers throughout the country.
The couple’s first book, Arizona Ranch Raised Kids, was published in 2018 and featured 50 youngsters living on 23 ranches in the nation’s 48th state.
McPhee said she is proud of her ranching heritage, and hopes to continue running the family business in the years to come.
“I want to continue to keep the ranch going,” she said. “I don’t want it to go down or end operations in the future, and I want to keep caring for, and selling animals. I’m just glad I can be here on the ranch, and be a part of California ranching history.”
California Ranch Raised Kids can be purchased for $50 online at cattlewomen.org or sjscattlewoman.org.
For more information about Joel and Holland, visit www.ranchraisedkids.org.