Scroll down for Glenn’s weekly story and updates from the ranch this week!

SHIPPING 2023:

Our first shipping day of the new year will be January 9th. Unfortunately UPS shipping rates will increase January 1st, meaning our shipping costs will be going up as well.

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This week on the ranch…

That’s Linnaea, accompanied by border pup Stew, loading the hay wagon up with the beautiful smell of summer on an overwhelmingly cold winter day. Much of the U.S. was hit with an arctic blast this week. Things were busy on the ranch, in preparation for the expected severely subzero temperatures with an added windchill. We are grateful to be heading for the other side of it.

For many, a tree hunt is an annual tradition. Whether you go to a “tree farm” filled with straight rows to choose from, the parking lot of a Costco, or into the mountains – the natural habitat of some of the most unique Doug Firs. Ours was complete with river crossings, deep snow, and the unmistakable sight of the “perfect tree.”

The beeves do well despite the cold, happy to receive fresh green in the midst of an icy, white covered landscape. They are well into the swing of winter now, and the especially cold temperatures only slightly phase them. Their resilient nature is undeniable.

Second oldest daughter Abby out feeding hay on a cold day. In these below-zero temps, extra hay is what keeps the cattle warm!

The horses, too, are fine despite the cold thanks to thick winter coats. Here Johnny the big 3-year old colt, stopped to say hi while we were feeding a few days ago.

Glenn does a daily ride through the ranch on his motorcycle (yes, even on Christmas) just to make sure all of the animals are doing well.

The 7 Elzinga sisters! Left to right: Abby (2nd oldest), Annie (6th), Maddy (7th), Emily (4th), Melanie (oldest), Linnaea (3rd) and Becky (5th)!

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Quote of the Week

“T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

– Clement Clarke Moore

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Dear Friends

Whew. The worst is thankfully past; it is finally warming up. A blast of pure subzero frigid settled on us this last week. Thanks to the weather folks, we were ready. We trailed the cattle and horses into one big bunch on the downwind side of our largest trees and willows on the ranch. We fed them in a “March of the Penguins” type tight array so that they would keep themselves safe from the onslaught of subzero wind. We checked waters and made certain they would be robust and wouldn’t freeze (nearly all of them are on ranch springs).

We judiciously slipped out a day or so before the blast for nearby Morse Creek and found a lovely Douglas-fir specimen for a tree. As always, it was an epic hiking and climbing adventure in deep snow, and as we got our beautiful fir loaded up on the truck, we could feel the beginnings of cold seeping into the country.

It reminded me of the first day we looked for our green quarry up there in the endless forests of the high Lemhi Range. It was probably 15 years ago now, and beautiful today as it was those years ago. I captured that a few years back in a story that follows. Come back with me to when our kids were younger, yet still adapted to life in the mountains, and another time when we found ourselves humbled and captivated by the beauty that we get to live and work in.

Merry Christmas to you all. May you all find a blessed quiet in this time of year—our harvest is in and it is a place of bounty in good food and provision, but even more importantly, in the blessing of each other and the joy we find together.

May peace be on you and yours.

Glenn

Read the story on our blog by clicking below!

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And that’s it for this week!

Thanks again for partnering in what we do!

Glenn, Caryl, cowgirls and cowboys at Alderspring.

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We’ve been crafting our pastured protein here in Idaho’s Rocky Mountains for nearly 30 years and delivering it direct to our partners for nearly as long. This is wild wellness, delivered from our ranch to your door.