By Staff Writer: Natalie Deleon
My brother’s birthday was anything but ordinary—just like any other day for someone deeply involved in the world of ranching. He started his day bright and early, ready to work.
His first stop was at the farm to feed and sort the animals. While sorting, things got a little chaotic—a bull and a cow nearly ran him over, but luckily, he dodged them. He spent most of the morning preparing animals to take to the sale barn, loading them up across two trips. The animals included Holsteins, Angus cows, Angus steers, and regular steers.
Once those loads were handled, he turned his attention to the sheep, feeding them and cleaning their pens. With the animals sorted and cared for, he made his way to the auction. After a while, he picked up his girlfriend, who surprised him with a birthday gift—two bantam chickens.
They took a break from the busy day to grab some pizza for lunch before heading back to the auction. There, my brother bought three more steers, adding to his growing herd. The next part of his day was very different: he went to pick up our nephews, only to realize just how hectic life with kids can be. He managed to drop off the animals he had bought earlier and helped feed the rest of the herd. In the process, the nephews barely got away being trampled by the goats— which is fun talking about now.
As the day came to a close, he took 35 sheep to the sale barn to prepare for tomorrow’s auction. Finally, after a long day of working, he made his way to our mom’s house, where we celebrated his birthday with a small cookout. Hot dogs, cake, and ice cream provided the perfect end to his eventful day.
For my brother, it was just another day doing what he loves—caring for animals, spending time with family, and embracing the unpredictable nature of life on the ranch. Even on his birthday, the animals came first, but we still managed to make room for celebration.