the Unsung Heroes of Beef Production

Whether it’s the frost of an early morning or the exhaustion of a late night, a rancher always shows up for his cattle, but someone else is there, too: his wife. Whether she is physically present in the pickup or at home wondering when her spouse will finally pull into the driveway, her life is tethered to the work. Many roles are required to run a successful beef operation, but one is often overlooked.Growing up in this industry has given me a front-row seat to the women who keep these operations running. Doris Hight of Quay Valley is a prime example of a woman just as invested in the industry as her husband, Paul. 

For many years, Doris worked a job in town, as many ranch wives do. But when Paul needed her, she was there. At 4:00 am before a branding, she hosts up to 20 hungry cowboys in her small dining room. She ensures they have biscuits, bacon, and coffee before they head out to gather. By noon, she has a second meal waiting. On beautiful spring days, you can hear the parade of spurs entering the house; cowboy hats are laid carefully on every flat surface as the chatter of hungry men fills the room. Many men in Quay Valley come to help Paul simply because they know one of Doris’s meals is waiting at the finish line. With sweet tea in one hand and a paper plate buckling under a hefty serving in the other, cowboys scatter across the porch to trade stories and enjoy the breeze before heading back for dessert.

Doris and women like her are found all over New Mexico, caring for the men and the lifestyle they love. They are the unsung heroes, the sounding boards, the vaccine buyers, the branding photographers, and often, the extra set of hands in the pen when the crew is short. They are the grease that keeps the wheels turning. Beef production is a family affair; more often than not, the wives stay out of the spotlight, working behind the scenes to make everything happen. While their names may not always be on the gate, their heart is in every acre, every calf, and every meal that feeds beef producers in New Mexico.