Suzanne Gallagher: ‘I love the work, I love the land and I love the cattle’

Published 3:00 am Thursday, July 6, 2023

: Suzanne Gallagher has been a full-time rancher in Klamath County, Ore., since the mid-1980s. She and her husband, Casey, own and operate a cow-calf and hay operation near Beatty, Ore.

BEATTY, Ore. — From driving tractors in the fields to pulling weeds in the family’s huge garden, Suzanne Gallagher was introduced to agriculture at an early age.

She’s now living an ag lifestyle full-time, owning and operating the Whiskey Creek Ranch with her husband, Casey. They have a cow-calf operation and put up their own hay to feed the animals.

In her youth, Suzanne Gallagher heard her grandfather, Dewey Griffin, talk about buying cattle. He dealt mainly with Holstein heifers.

She heard plenty of talk from her father, Richard Griffin, about irrigation systems. He was an irrigation engineer who worked for Utah State University Extension Service and traveled to many countries to design irrigation systems.

While a 4-H club member, she didn’t raise market livestock, but learned cooking and sewing skills.

“My snickerdoodles made it to the state fair!” she exclaimed.

In early 1985, Suzanne met Casey and soon after she started working with Casey’s father, Bill Gallagher Sr., on his Whiskey Creek Ranch near Beatty in southcentral Oregon.

“I fell in love with everything about ranching, from packing irrigation handline to fixing fence and working cattle,” she said.

Casey and Suzanne eventually took over ownership of the ranch. Their daughter, Addie, and her husband, Todd, also live and work on the ranch.

“Most of our children live close, and everyone is willing to lend a hand,” said Suzanne Gallagher who has 6 children, 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. “I’m so thankful we could raise our kids here and that our grandkids love coming to grandma’s.

“It is important to share the lifestyle that I love with my grandchildren, so they learn the value of agriculture and its importance to our world’s existence,” she added. “I also want to instill in them the value of hard work and a job well done.”

Off the ranch, Gallagher attended a Klamath County Cowbelles meeting in 1986 and was asked to help in the beef booth (animal health and beef by-products) at the upcoming Farm Expo. She’s now a co-coordinator with Christy Flowers and Becky Hirschbock of the annual expo.

Gallagher is also the president of the Klamath County CattleWomen. That organization and the Klamath County Farm Bureau co-sponsor the annual Farm Expo.

“That important community event draws about 1,000 fourth-graders who are bused to the (Klamath County) fairgrounds to learn about all aspects of agriculture in the Klamath Basin,” Gallagher said.

She said she is inspired by the women in the cattlewomen organization and the ideas and passion they share for the beef industry. The group raises money for annual scholarships to help local youths who plan to attend college in an ag-related field.

Gallagher said it’s important for people in ag to take the time to educate others.

“We share info at our booths at the Farm Expo, Benefit of the Basin and Ag Fest in Salem,” she said. “We have members who are involved in legislative support activities. They keep our membership informed of the bills that could affect our industry and they travel to Salem to testify on our behalf.”

The Klamath County CattleWomen have organized a new event, the Ranchers Gala, that is scheduled for Oct. 28. The dinner-dance event with silent and live auctions will include presentations of awards to individuals and businesses involved in the livestock industry.

“This celebration and fundraiser is to benefit beef education and the Oregon Cattle Political Action Committee,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher said she has loved the ranching lifestyle since that first work experience back in the mid-1980s.

“I love the work, I love the land and I love the cattle,” she said.

A Capital Press’ annual special section that highlights the contributions women make in the agricultural sector.

Read the stories of the exceptional women featured Women in Ag 2023:

Erika Ackley: ‘I like the independence of farming’

Geri Byrne: ‘I love to organize’

Lerrina Collins: Fluent in the language of stockdogs

April England: ‘It’s not just a job, it’s a life’

Suzanne Gallagher: ‘I love the work, I love the land and I love the cattle’

Denise Godfrey: A love of plants, and for the community

Mary Hood: Shattering ceilings in ag banking