🖤Tis the season of LOVE.... And Calves🖤

February might be the month of love for most folks, but around here it also marks the start of calving season. We had our first calf hit the ground just a couple days ago, and I swear—no matter how many years we do this, seeing those brand‑new babies never gets old.  

This year has been wild. Calving in February with nearly 50‑degree days feels downright strange, but the cows aren’t complaining.

A lot of people don’t realize where leather actually comes from, or how connected it is to everyday ranch life. While we don’t tan or process our own hides, we do raise and butcher our own meat right here at home. We know exactly what our animals eat, how they’re treated, and what they’re vaccinated with. That matters to us.

The hides I use for my leatherwork come from American cattle and are processed and tanned in St. Louis, Missouri at Hermann Oak—one of the oldest and most respected tanneries in the country. Their skirting leather is my absolute favorite for saddles. It carves beautifully, burnishes like a dream, and has a temper that makes the work feel smooth and satisfying.

Every now and then, a hide shows up with a brand still on it. It’s like a little mystery—who raised this cow, what ranch did it come from, what stories does it carry. And who knows… maybe one day I’ll unroll a side of leather and find one of our brands staring back at me. It’s definitely possible.

Ranching, leatherwork, and craftsmanship all weave together in ways most people never see. February just happens to be the perfect reminder of that—new life in the pasture, new projects in the shop, and a whole lot of love for the work we get to do.