#117: Raising Kids, Cows, and Conversations: Paige Dulaney’s Real-Life Look at Ranching, Transition, and Family
”We're not six year olds anymore. We're not children anymore. We're adult children and we're trying to raise our families too and continue a legacy. So there has to be grace on both sides.”
Building a relationship that can handle these conversations when they need to happen is important. I enjoyed talking with Paige Dulaney for this episode of Farming on Purpose and hearing how she is putting this into practice in conversations with her son, her father in law, and her own family in different ways..
Paige lives in northeast Colorado, where she and her husband run a cow-calf operation, custom farm, harvest, truck, and sell beef directly to consumers. She’s a ranch wife, a stay-at-home mom to three, and the kind of person who doesn't sugarcoat the tough parts—but also knows how to laugh and keep going.
In our conversation, we talked about what it’s really like to be in the thick of raising young kids while helping manage a ranch, the messy middle of farm transition, and how bringing your kids along for the ride matters.
The Path to Ranch Life
Paige grew up in ag. Her dad was a cattle buyer and ran a yearling operation, so long days were already familiar. Still, joining her husband’s family farm came with changes.
“I think a lot of women in agriculture go through this,” she told me. “Even if you grew up in ag, every family does things a little differently. You’re stepping into their way of doing things and trying to figure out how your own background fits into it.”
When COVID hit, Paige was pregnant and still teaching first grade. Like many families, they had to make a decision. “It just didn’t make sense for us to keep paying for daycare and making long drives,” she said. “We actually did the math—and continuing to work would’ve cost us over $1,000 a month.”
So she stepped away from the classroom, stayed home, and started doing more with the cows.
Ranching with Kids in Tow
One thing that stuck with me was how Paige described checking cows across three counties—with an infant in tow. Checking cattle with a baby means lots of stops, bottles, and creative snack solutions. “It’s not fast, but it works,” she said. “You just learn how to roll with it.”
She keeps it simple. No big bag of toys. No Pinterest-worthy activities. Just real work and letting the kids be part of it. “Give them tools. Let them pretend to fix the fence with you. They don’t need a bunch of stuff—they need to feel included.”
And it’s paying off. Her oldest son is eight and obsessed with their cattle. “He took a bull sale catalog to school and was showing it to all his friends,” she laughed. “He’s learning the business right alongside us.”
Every kid’s different. One might want to be in the thick of it, the other might just want to ride along and watch. And that’s okay too.
Navigating Farm Transition—with Grace
Another big part of Paige’s story is farm transition. Her father-in-law is starting to step back, and that means Paige and her husband are taking on more. But like many families, there wasn’t a clear plan at the start.
“He went to the accountant one day, and when we showed up for our meeting, the accountant said, ‘Looks like you’re taking over the farm this year.’ We were like, what?!”
So they had to backtrack. Talk about what it would look like. Figure out how to value equipment fairly. What to buy, when to buy it, and how to make it doable financially without putting the next generation in a bind.
And at the same time, Paige’s dad—also a rancher—was diagnosed with dementia. That experience gave her a whole different look at transition planning.
“It’s really hard to watch someone decline who never made a plan,” she said. “If you don’t talk about it while you can, the people you love end up in a really hard spot.”
Her advice? Ask the tough questions. Talk with an accountant or lawyer. Figure out what you want your legacy to be—and don’t wait for a crisis to start planning.
Building a Future with Intention
As Paige and her husband settle into this next chapter, they’re not chasing the next big expansion. Instead, they’re focused on staying steady.
“We’ve been on an uphill climb for a while,” she said. “Now, we’re trying to hold steady. There’s so much pressure to grow, grow, grow—but we also want to enjoy what we’ve built.”
And they’re already thinking about the next generation. Her oldest son shows strong interest in the cows and ag life. “We’re not waiting until he’s 18 to talk about it,” Paige said. “We’re planting seeds now. If he wants to be part of it, we’ll find a way.”
Not every kid will want that life. But talking about the options when they are ready is what is helping them make decisions that prepare for the future.
A Final Word of Hope
When I asked Paige what gives her hope for the future of ag, she said something many don’t think of.
“There are so many folks wanting to get back to their roots—grow their own food, raise chickens, start gardens,” she said. “We need to stop thinking we’re too different. If someone’s asking about how to grow lettuce in their backyard, just talk to them. Build real relationships again.”
That’s what stuck with me most. That hope doesn’t always come from perfect plans or big wins. Sometimes it comes from a conversation. From a mom with three kids and a pickup full of snacks, checking cows across three counties—doing her best and inviting others along.
You can find Paige on TikTok for more of her story and a behind-the-scenes look at life on the ranch.
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About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:
I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.
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