While many are heading to lakes and patios this summer, life on a BC cattle ranch is in full swing — and it’s anything but a vacation. Summer is one of the busiest and most critical times of the year for ranchers, and a lot happens behind the scenes to ensure your favourite local meats make it from pasture to plate.
Grazing Season
The cattle are out on summer pasture, grazing on open range or managed fields. It’s prime time for cattle to gain healthy weight naturally on fresh grasses. Rotational grazing is often used to maintain soil health and ensure pastures stay productive and sustainable for years to come.
Hay Harvesting
It’s also haying season — and timing is everything. Ranchers are busy cutting, drying, baling, and storing hay and silage to feed livestock through the winter. Weather plays a huge role, and a few rainy days at the wrong time can set things back fast.
Calf Growth & Herd Management
By now, calves born this spring are growing steadily. Ranchers are monitoring their health, making sure they’re getting proper nutrition, and protecting the herd from heat stress, pests, and predators.
Infrastructure & Repairs
Fences, gates, water lines — summer is when ranchers tackle all the fixes they didn’t have time for in winter. It’s also when planning starts for fall processing and marketing, especially for ranches that raise and direct-sell their beef.
Community & Markets
Many local ranches are also attending farmers markets, hosting ranch tours, and engaging with their communities during the summer months — a great way to stay connected with the people they feed.
So while you’re flipping burgers and enjoying long days in the sun, remember: your local ranchers are working hard all summer to raise healthy animals, care for the land, and bring you quality, Canadian-raised meat you can feel good about.
Support local. Eat well. Know your Rancher.
