FAIRFIELD, Idaho — Christie and Wyatt Prescott live near Fairfield, Idaho, with their young children, Augustus, Agnes and Virgil.

They began their ranch operation by backgrounding stocker cattle on leased pasture — a good way to get started without having to purchase expensive land.

They now have a small cow-calf herd but are primarily a background and stocker operation, finishing most of the cattle in commercial feedlots.

Christie’s main job is taking care of purchased cattle as they come into the backgrounding or stocker program, making sure they are not stressed and keeping them healthy.

“We specialize in buying high-risk cattle, year round. We precondition them at our feed yard, then grow them on rangeland, irrigated pasture and cover crops,” she said.

They sell the top 25% as feeder cattle and place the rest in custom feedlots in Idaho, Kansas or Colorado, she said.

Wyatt manages the business and takes care of purchasing and marketing.

“We have a foreman who manages all the pastures and day-to-day cattle management, along with seasonal employees,” Christie said.

They also own the Gaskill Stocker Yard.

“This is where our home is, and where we precondition the cattle to go to grass or to the grow yard or feedlot,” she said. “All the young cattle we buy come here, where we precondition them for 40 to 50 days. I process them, giving them 2 rounds of shots. That’s my favorite thing — processing those cattle, with my kids,” she said.

“I am doing about 100 or so every week. They don’t always arrive in the best condition, so my job is to try to make them feel better and get them healthy,” she said. “My favorite part is getting a good look at them to evaluate what they need.”

Their Charolais cows calve on winter pasture near Glenns Ferry, Idaho, starting in February. The cattle are hauled between winter and summer pastures.

“We finally got our own truck, and our hired man can drive it very well. I’m glad I don’t have to drive it, at least not yet!” Prescott said.

In mid-May they took their cows off winter pasture, brought them home and branded calves. This was a week-long job and they were up until midnight one night, getting them home and unloaded.

“Spring is a hectic time because so many things need to be done at once!” she said.

“We had a big branding, with several women helping; we had more women than men. They were roping and processing calves, and everyone was great!” Prescott said.

Women are good at taking care of cattle because they are tuned in to mothering, taking care of health problems and keeping everyone healthy, she said.

“I always say I am the ‘top cow hand’ — a line from the Pinto Bennett song,” she said. “I grew up on our ranch near Fairfield, here on the Camas Prairie, and happy to enable my kids to grow up the same way.

“I am grateful every morning, knowing I can get outside and be in tune with my roots,” she said.

Her great-grandfather, Henry Bauscher, came from Germany to homestead.

“He couldn’t speak English when he arrived in Moscow and came to the Camas Prairie. He built the ranch and then his son, my grandfather Al Bauscher continued it,” Prescott said. “Then my dad, Larry Bauscher, took over, and my husband and I ended up here.”

“We wanted our children to grow up ranching, so we had to get creative, starting from scratch. We wanted our kids to grow up like we did, and not in Boise!” she said.

The kids are getting big enough to be good help. When Christie hauls water to the calves, 9-year-old Gus often helps, and can drive the water truck by himself. Kids learn a lot about responsibility at a young age, and her kids enjoy working with cattle.

It’s a busy life but she feels they are producing something they can be proud of.

She handles the cattle efficiently with the help of her red heeler, Chili. This cowdog is a good friend, and good help when Christie is working by herself.