South Dakota Ranch is Way of Life for the Dagley Family

Hi, I’m Susanna Dagley!

My husband David manages a cattle ranch in South Dakota, where we are raising our three children.

We also train Hangin Tree Cowdogs. Our cowdogs help us move the different cattle groups through their pastures.

By dividing the ranch into small pastures, we can move cattle to a new pasture every few days. That way the cattle not only eat their fill of fresh grass, but they also trample the grass creating a mat to protect and feed the soil.

Our cowdogs have made it easier to move the cattle more often, which improves both the nutrition and weight gain of the cattle.

But it doesn’t just benefit the cattle! Intensive grazing also allows the land to rest most of the year, which improves the soil and encourages the growth of native grasses.

To accomplish this, we spend a bit of time fencing. Because, we use a combination of permanent fences that need mending, and temporary fences that we are always moving.

Since we have winter in South Dakota, we also put up hay for the winter. Then, when the grass is covered with snow, we feed the cattle.

Our children enjoy helping me milk our goats and collect fresh eggs. Together we garden, take care of our cowdogs, and help David with ranch work.

This South Dakota ranch is an ideal place to homeschool our three children. And, we are raising them to enjoy nature, honor God, and learn the art of ranching.

We hope you enjoy joining us for a glimpse of ranch life!

-Susanna Dagley

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