OMAK, Wash. — Craig Vejraska grew up ranching in north central Washington and lives on the same ranch today.

He started with Angus cattle in 1960 when he was 12.

“My family had commercial Herefords and some Shorthorn crosses. I wanted to show heifers, and decided to show a black heifer,” he said.

“We bought a heifer from Bob Wagner at Wilbur, Wash., and another heifer from Donnamere Angus (Mike Lindstrom) and started my little herd.”

The ranch has grown since then.

“We used to run about 800 cows, and now run about 1,100. I call my herd a runaway 4-H project!” Craig said.

“We’re still on the old home place — though we’ve expanded it with more land — about 30 miles south of the Canadian border, on high mountain desert. Our average rainfall is about 6 to 10 inches annually,” he said.

They had their 62nd production sale this year. “It’s always the second Thursday in March,” he said.

“Our bull customers are 99% repeat buyers so we get to know them pretty well, and now we are selling to their kids and grandkids,” he said.

The cattle run on range in the summer and are brought down to the valley for winter feeding.

“We have 700 acres of cropland, raising mostly alfalfa and some corn silage on our irrigated ground. We put up three cuttings of hay and grow it back up for pasture when the cows come home in November,” he said.

“Last year, however, on November 3rd we got 46 inches of snow in the valley and it never left. That snow was still here the 15th of March. It took a lot of extra hay last winter,” Craig said.

Summer range consists Forest Service and Colville tribal leases — about 400,000 acres altogether.

“The cattle have to cover a lot of country, so we do a lot of horseback riding,” he said. “I don’t do as much riding as I used to. Things have changed now, with cell phones. I can dump the kids off in one spot to ride and I drive around in a side-by-side to look for cows, and then phone the kids and tell them where to find them,” he said. “Before, we had to ride every inch of it to find the cattle and today I can save them a few miles.”

Craig and his wife, Mary Kay, have four sons. Two of them, Todd and Scott, are still involved with the ranch.

“They do most of the work. I went from being the boss to being the go-for. They’re always saying, ‘Dad, go for this,’ or ‘go for that.’”

Scott is also a lineman for Nespelem Valley Electric and a rancher on evenings and weekends.

Katlina, Todd’s wife, works for a title company and is a busy ranch wife the rest of the time.

“Our youngest son, Ryan, owns Extreme Power Sports in Okanogan, Wash. They sell side-by- sides, 4-wheelers, and snowmobiles,” he said. “Our oldest son is a mechanic.”

Craig and Mary Kay have 9 grandchildren ranging in age from 7 to 28. Their son Todd has three daughters and they’ve always helped on the ranch.

“They ride with us in the hills and are really good help,” Craig said. “It’s fun to have family involved, and fun to watch the grandkids grow up.”

Kady Ray, the youngest, has a scholarship to South Dakota State University, so Todd and his wife are empty nesters. Their middle daughter, Kacie goes to Kansas State University, taking agricultural communications. Kelsey, the oldest, works for the American Hereford Association junior program, in Kansas City.

Craig was president of the Washington State Angus Association for several years.

“Our son Todd is now president, and his wife Katlina is president of the Washington State Angus Auxiliary,” he said.

Craig was also involved with the Western States Angus Association.

“When the association started their tours, we put on the first one and took those people across north central Washington showing them cattle and different kinds of farming,” he said. “That’s when I was president and Mary Kay was secretary treasurer.”

His wife has been involved in the Angus Auxiliary and served on the National Angus Auxiliary Board for six years.

She came from a farm/feedlot background in Nebraska.

Craig has been the president of Okanogan County Cattlemen’s association, served as a county commissioner, and helped fight for water rights the government was trying to take away from producers, he said.

He continues to be active in the cattle industry and Angus Association.

“I will be a delegate again this year to the annual meeting,” he said. “Kady Ray, our youngest granddaughter, is running for queen of the American Angus Association.

“The winner will be announced at this year’s meeting in Florida — so we’ll all be there for her!”