Over the years of individual and white elephant gifts, there are a few that rise to the top for me and some that seem to go over well each year. The following list shares gifts that at the very least will spark some other ideas to get your Christmas shopping started for those farmers and ranchers in your life. They are not segmented into his or hers gifts because let’s be real, I hope Santa brings me a new fence stretcher just as much as my husband does and self-care is important for all of us.

Aaron Thaler and her husband wear many hats as they build a quality Angus herd while teaching youth about agriculture in rural Virginia.

Keith Merritt is a true example of how you are never too old to work towards your goals and dreams. Read how he took the bull by the horns and created a life full of passion, action, learning and commitment.

This list includes some of the advice I've picked up from episode guests, mentors and just watching others.

Marli is a fifth-generation rancher in South Dakota who works alongside her father in an effort to continue a family legacy and continue improving the land they farm and ranch. She was brave enough to answer the calling to come home not only once but twice and has truly found her purpose in this way of life.

At the end of the day, Montford is grateful for what he gets to do in the beef industry and is excited about the technology and advancements that are entering the business, especially in the genetic space. Montford encourages cattle producers to get on the bus that is blazing trails and making advancements in the industry because it is going to be a fun ride.

Jon and Patty Tebelius are a prime example of what value comes from keeping an open mind and trying to continuously change and seek improvement on a cattle operation. They have embraced the value of genetics and DNA testing to create a more profitable cow herd over the past 12 years.

Longevity. That’s the word that describes the operation Steve Best grew up on and is a part of today. Located in Ohio, Best’s family operation qualifies as a century farm. In fact, they can trace back records to the year 1867 to prove how long the land has been in the family.

A lot has changed in the past 3 years but the values of CCC have remained true. Here are 3 ranching lessons I’ve picked up on from every last person that has been on my show and RancherMind events.

No matter how many layers of paint you put on an old barn, the foundation and marks from the past are still there. The same goes for our own reputations.

We are excited about the future of more quality beef for the consumer. As a Red Angus breeder, we are excited for the future of the Red Angus breed with USDA allowing the breed to be included in Angus-labeled branded beef programs.

I wish we as an industry will be able to continue to educate the consumers to understand our practices and the amount of hard work and passion we put into our animal. I hope we continue to see new ways to bridge the gap between the consumer and producer.

“I was born into the beef industry but I choose to stay in it because I don’t think it is something I could live without.”

There’s a lot of wisdom to historical practices and we’ve retained many of them, but we also acknowledge that the future looks very different and we must adapt to it.

“If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life” This quote rings true for Sam Swanson and her career in the beef industry. Sam has a big heart for the beef industry and she started chasing those dreams early in her career.

Hayley Skinner, Skinner Ranch Mama, is a true creative that can preserve any special ranch moment with her sketches. She has been a creative for her entire life and combined that with ranching when she started dating her now-husband at the age of 21.

He says, “The life I live is poetry itself.” Kelly believes that whether it’s farming, ranching or you just love the lifestyle and the feel of riding a horse; there is something poetic about who we are and what we do for a living.

Our vision is to improve the way ranches operate in the United States. From eliminating the burden of chopping ice in the winters to detecting pink eye before it spreads to the herd, we strive to solve problems through simple technology and good people.

It’s time for the next chapter of my life and here’s how that is starting out!

Kathlyn recognizes that her generation is just beginning their journey in the beef industry and is excited for the future of the industry and to do her part in helping seedstock producers improve the quality of their herds and management strategies too! She looks forward to partnering with like-minded people to make this happen!