cattle farming memoir books

In our house, Christmas gifts are usually practical items, items to help with life on the cattle farm. Such gifts, though, are much appreciated and usually, requested by the gift receiver! ha!!

Gloves, boots, overall bibs, pants, socks, coats….. Clothing items are a popular gift idea for both of us. In fact, just a few days ago, I let Jer know that I want a bunch of women’s Smart Wool socks for Christmas. I have finally worn down the last of my pairs, from YEARS ago. I have not purchased new wool socks since before our oldest son was born. He will be 7 in February. That’s a testament to how well Smart Wool socks hold up to everyday use and wash! He, in return, requested more of his favorite light-weight wool socks but come to find out they were discontinued. Of course. Seems to be the pattern for us, we find something we love and then the product is discontinued.

Anyways, that conversation with Jer, plus the fact that Christmas is less than a month away (yes, it is getting close!), made me think that it would be fun to put up a post with some recommendations for clothing gifts for yourself or the cattle farmer in your life, as well as non-clothing, more unique gifts that you or the cattle farmer in your life has been pining for! (castration bander, anyone?!). I have provided direct Amazon links to each of the recommended items. Happy Shopping!

Clothes

INSULATED BIB OVERALLS

Insulated Bib Overalls for Men – Carhartt Men’s Yukon Arctic Quilt Lined Zip to Waist Bib Overalls

Insulated Bib Overalls for Women – Carhartt Women’s Zeeland Sandstone Bib Overall AND CARHARTT WOMEN’S WEATHERED DUCK WILDWOOD BIB OVERALLS .

(See my post on: Staying Warm in the Winter on a Cattle Farm: Carhartt Women’s Insulated Bib Overalls for a more detailed review)

GLOVES

Men’s RefrigiWear Fleece Lined Thinsulate Insulated Ragg Wool Gloves (Jer really likes these gloves. So much, in fact, that I bought him 4 pairs last year for his birthday. I was afraid they would stop making them!)

TrailHeads Power Stretch Convertible Mittens – Women’s Fingerless Gloves

I usually put on very thin base layer gloves first and then put these fingerless glove mittens on over. I spend a lot of time in the winter adjusting insulators and rods, working with twine, and using my leatherman. As such, this fingerless glove/mitten combo fits the bill in allowing me to have quick access to my fingers or close them up when I am not actively using them. They are a thinner glove but do a very good job at keeping your hands warm during an average cold winter day in Northern Maine. Now, when the windchill is -30 degrees F and the wind is howling, you may need something more substantial. Hard to keep the hands warm in conditions like that. For the most part, though, I am able to function just fine with these, paired with a thinner base glove. Haven’t lost a finger yet to frostbite!

HEAD Sensatec Touchscreen Ladies Digital Running Gloves

I really like the snug fit of these gloves, as well as the touch pads on the thumb and finger. These gloves are great by themselves for brisk/mild cold fall or spring days where we live. In the heart of the winter, though, I pair them with the TrailHeads Power Stretch Convertible Mittens – Women’s Fingerless Gloves (as discussed above). Makes for a great, warm combo, that I can use most days of our 6-month long winters.

TrailHeads Power Stretch Convertible Mittens – Men’s Fingerless Gloves.

Winter Boots

In my opinion, you really can’t go wrong with a pair of Muck boots. We wear our Muck boots several times a day, every day during the winter. These boots are a critical part of our winter clothing ensemble on the farm and beyond the farm as well. Whether in the snow and/or ice, strapped into shoe shoes or with ice grippers, they get us where we need to go, with WARM and DRY FEET.

I own both of the below pairs of Muck boots. The one’s specifically made for women, I call my fancier pair, as they are designed with women in mind. I wear those on the farm AND off the farm. They are a slighter lighter boot and more feminine looking, if that makes sense. More rounded in the toe and fitted. The men’s version is heavier and not as fitted. I use those solely for farm work. At the end of the day, both pairs keep my feet warm and dry and that’s all I need. Also, both types of boots have held up to having a 1200 pound cow briefly step on my toes. Great bonus!

Muck Boot Arctic Sport Rubber High Performance Men’s Winter Boot (WITH SIZE OPTIONS FOR WOMEN AS WELL)

Muck Boot Arctic Sport Ll Extreme Conditions Tall Rubber Women’s Winter Boot – (MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN)

As mentioned above, our Muck boots pair up nicely with ice grippers – Yaktrax Walk Traction Cleats – for walking on snow and ice. Nothing crazy complicated or super fancy but they get the job done and hold up well. Very reasonable price tag.

Rain Boots

Just as a good winter boot is important, so is a good, solid pair or two of rain boots. We get a good amount of rain throughout the spring, summer and fall months. Having good rain gear, that actually keeps you dry, is important.

Check out the 2 rain boot options below. While technically labeled as “men’s” boots, they have sizes small enough for women. I especially LOVE the 12″ Steel Toe Work Boot. I have a pair in men’s size 6 and I wear a women’s shoe size 8-8.5. The steel toe feature certainly comes in handy when a 1200 pound cow steps on your toes.

LaCrosse Men’s 12″ Insulated Pac Mid-Calf Boot

LaCrosse Men’s Insulated Pac 12” Steel Toe Work Boot

Rain Pants

Jer surprised me one birthday with new rain pants. Frogg Toggs Pro Action Water-Resistant Rain Pants to be exact. I am not a big fan of rain pants with buttons and zippers around the waist. I prefer an elastic waist with no extra hardware around the mid-section. I prefer all pants to be like that! Keeping that in mind, he researched and found these Frogg Toggs rain pants, which I love!

They have held up well and I have used them for a couple of years now. But with the reasonable price tag, I wouldn’t mind if I had to replace them each year.

Women’s Frogg Toggs Pro Action Water-Resistant Rain Pant

Socks

A little pricey but well-worth the cost. I just threw away my last pair, purchased over 7 years ago, as the toe region finally met it’s demise.

Smartwool Hiking Crew Socks – Women’s Medium Cushioned Wool Performance Sock

Winter Coats

I have many winter coats that I rotate through during the winter, depending on the weather conditions. I really do like my old, brown Carhartt jacket. A classic for a reason. I have had it longer than I have known Jer. So, it is at least 13 years old! Last year, I ripped a hole in the front while trying to push a rod into a stubborn hay bale, using my body as a tool. Not the smartest move on my part but I am still wearing the jacket and will have it on rotation again this winter. Unfortunately, Carhartt stopped making that particular jacket but they do have several other options. Here are a few:

Carhartt Women’s Weathered Duck Wildwood Jacket

Carhartt Women’s Lined Sandstone Active Jacket WJ130

Hats and Neck Warmers

Carhartt Acrylic Watch Hat

Classic knit cap. I wish I had a dozen of them.

Neck Warmer Thick Thermal Fleece Lined

These fleece-lined neck warmers are a must have for those bitterly cold, snowy winter days. Great price!

Castration Tools

4-Pin Castrator Bander Forceps Pliers for Newborn Calves

XL Castrating Bander (plier type) (for bulls 250-750lbs)

Callicrate SMART Bander (for bulls 300 – 3,00lbs)

Ear Tagging Supplies