Under the Wire

A recent and very rare vacation found Sue and I wandering Western Colorado recently. When someone, years ago decided to draw a line smack dab through the middle of a Colorado map, they set many things into motion, some notable, some not so much. Most notable and not contributable to any single entity, if you don’t count God, is the fact water runs in opposite directions in each half.

This grand difference, oddly, had absolutely no effect on our trip which utilized interstates and no rivers. Other small oddities were notable and surprising. Much of the area we traveled was noted for its wine production. Sue and I do our best to support that industry east of the Continental Divide. We buy our favorites from various liquor stores, usually their less expensive varieties. And also try to support any and all “family” vineyards.

We decided to check out the offerings of several such establishments as we traveled. Our intentions were to stock pile, not consume until safely ensconced in our motel room. We decided to continue our bottom of the list selection process from what are labeled, not liquor stores but “wineries.” We quickly learned that wineries charge more than liquor stores for the same product. Since we were spending the limited income from our ranch, a disparity soon arose. “Wineries” do charge more than common liquor establishments. It’s the charm of a small family business, in many cases, that draw us in!

I guess the fancier name justifies the price increase. Then it hit me. We were spending dollars earned by ranch profits. Why not rename our cattle operation to “a ranchery?” It should be obvious a ranchery produces a product superior to a plain old ranch, commanding a higher selling price for its superior product. Oh, sure, it’s the same item but it works for a liquor store, aka, winery, why can’t our ranchery also expect premium prices?

Granted, we don’t sell our calves until October but this should give us plenty of time to introduce our superior product to the cattle world. Think we will start by painting “Hodgson Ranchery” on the doors of our pickups, maybe change the Colorado Beef Council sign out by the highway to read the same.

Could design a new logo and motto to read, “Ranch is for lettuce, Ranchery for great cattle.”

I might have to offer a few extra dollars to the auctioneers who sell our calves each fall, to keep a straight face. For all I know, they may be regular customers at a local “winery” and understand the concept already.

I can just see the big signs along the roads entering our county.

“Morgan County, birthplace of the ranchery industry!” I’m looking into the copyright angle, too.