Diane Stringam Tolley (Journalism ’75) was born and raised on one of the last of the large old cattle 
ranches in southern Alberta. Her life now is about writing stories – her stories.
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There is something very special about being raised on a ranch– something about being close enough to the land to breathe in the scent of baked sage on the warm summer breeze, something about witnessing renewal in the faint first blush of green in the spring and seeing the first gopher poke his timid head above the ground.
To be able to call this work? Wonderful. To do it with the people you love most? Perfection.
In its heyday, the Stringam Ranch covered over 90 sections of land along the Canada/U.S. border between Milk River and Del Bonita. It was home to several hundred head of Hereford cattle, the horses needed to work them, and the small village of people needed to keep everything running smoothly.
The organization and coordination required to direct such an operation was challenging, constant and year-round. Spring calving was a misnomer as it usually began in January, when cows had to be closely monitored. A cold calf is a dead calf.
Summer saw the family haying. The youngest person who could reach the pedals would drive the tractor, and one of the older boys would stack. Summer also brought branding, with its fever pitch of excitement as neighbours gathered to help. Fall brought more noise and confusion as the calves were weaned and the cattle returned to their respective pastures. Winter was usually quiet, consisting of hauling hay, changing and fluffing bedding, and chopping holes in the ice to facilitate watering. Then we could catch our breath for a bit until calving began and the whole cycle started over.
Working with any group of people has its challenges, but working with your parents as your boss and your siblings as your co-workers, functioning together as a smooth, cohesive unit was . . . easy.
There is a certain kind of joy when your family shares everything – a fulfilment. Work is more fun. Good times are better. Hard times are less scary.
And gathering around the table to compare experiences, laugh and simply enjoy being together while eating Mom’s wonderful food made ranch life a small slice of heaven.
Diane Stringam Tolley is the author of two books, Carving Angels and Kris Kringle’s Magic, both by Cedar Fort Publishing and available to order from Amazon. She also writes two blogs: www.dianestringamtolley.com and dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com.
