By Martha Crump

You might just qualify as a “Cattlewoman” if the local veterinarian’s office is the first number on your speed dial and your family members are listed after. Or if your email list is populated with CattleWomen Local, CattleWomen State, or Texas Beef Board contacts in numbers greater than your personal/family email list. Just who are cattlewomen? Look around-they are members of your community. Some live and work on ranches, some have retired from the actual work of the ranch to leave their legacies to be carried on by their children and grandchildren, and some have never worked cattle or lived on a ranch at all. They are educators, bankers, photographers, business owners, artists, writers, wives, moms, grandmothers, Sunday school teachers, 4-H and FFA moms, VFD members, ranch managers, nutritionists, nurses, young professionals and retirees, the list could go on forever. The point is you are living in a community surrounded by these ladies.

Boy, do they stay busy. You see, the main requirement for being a member of the CattleWomen organization is to have a love of and desire to promote beef and the beef production industry. It really is as simple as that. One of our very active members, Cindy Dunn Thornhill, has a great line for recruitment: “Do you like eating beef? If you do then you qualify to be a CattleWoman!” Quite often we have ladies say that they would consider joining, but that they don’t have cattle. Problem solved thanks to Cindy’s quick and always joyful response! I can’t help but notice just how many of us have adopted Cindy’s saying during recruitment opportunities.

As October is officially the recruitment and sign-up month for both new members as well as currently enrolled members, it seemed timely to revisit the origins of this organization locally as well as through the State level and up to the National level.

To read more, pick up a copy of the October issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

By Martha Crump

Towards the last of July, we started our vacation by driving up to Garden City, Kan., to attend a producer’s weekend at Pokey Feedyard. I was amazed during our trip from Clay County, Texas, northward, everything, and I do mean everything, was green. I am not sure I have ever seen such verdant countryside all the way through North Texas to the Oklahoma panhandle, straight on into Kansas. All we have heard is the word “drought,” and it is moving our way.

Yes, we left temperatures that had been consistently into the 100-plus degree range, but we had experienced just enough rainfall to keep the grass green. After being gone for two weeks and coming back to the continuation of 100-plus degree weather, things were not quite so green, but still better than our neighbors to the west. However, we are Texans, and we are no strangers to excessive summertime head and lo rainfall totals.

To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

James Beard award-winning Perini Ranch Steakhouse, in Buffalo Gap, TX, is excited to announce the celebration of its 40th Anniversary in 2023 with a lineup of celebratory moments, beginning in May 2023. With several elements and pop-up events, The Perini Ranch Steakhouse will celebrate 40 years of “real Texas food.”

Starting September 28th – October 28th 2023, Lisa and Tom Perini will champion the anniversary events with a photo collection reflecting on the history of Buffalo Gap and celebrating the evolution of Perini Ranch Steakhouse curated by Michael Grauer and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Grauer has been a curator for 40 years, has written three books, and has contributed to numerous publications about the art and culture of the American West. This outdoor exhibit will be open to the public from September 28 to October 29.

Earlier this year, The Perinis kicked off the anniversary celebration with the launch of their new podcast titled, Meet Me At The Wagon, which also coincides with the launch of their fourth book, A Celebration of 40 Years, which celebrates the ranch and steakhouse’s rich history.

The podcast titled, Meet Me At The Wagon, highlights the tradition and romance of West Central Texas. Tom Perini and legendary guests – including music superstar Reba McEntire, actor Rex Linn, celebrity chef Dean Fearing, and more – take listeners through the timeline of how Perini Ranch Steakhouse became what it is today, the impact of the beef and cattle industry on rural communities, and more firsthand commentary. The podcast is the perfect culmination of storytelling that brings Perini Ranch and the American West to life.

Tom Perini shares, “It has been my honor to share my love of the American Cowboy, chuckwagon cooking, the beef industry and Texas history with friends from all over the world. It is a rare gift to be able to take your passion and convert this into a career. The last four decades have been an amazing experience and Lisa and I look forward to continuing this adventure for years to come.”

Along with the podcast debut, Lisa and Tom debut their fourth book titled, A Celebration of 40 Years, a curated art book containing photography from Tom Perini’s private collection. The book gives readers a chance to catch a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Perini Ranch events and its private moments. This follows two earlier best-selling cookbooks, Texas Cowboy Cooking and Perini Ranch Steakhouse: Stories and Recipes for Real Texas Food, which brings the legendary tastes and hospitality of this quintessential Texas restaurant to reader’s homes.

The Perinis have also published a children’s book titled, Tails of Perini Ranch, which is a tour of Perini Ranch from the point of view of Lisa and Tom’s beloved late basset hound, Gus Perini.
The Perinis are thrilled to celebrate the American West and 40 years of business. A tribute can be found HERE. Art Experience imagery to follow.

For more information, please contact Kelle Knight, Droese Public Relations ([email protected];713-299-4906)

WHAT: Perini Ranch Steakhouse celebrates 40 years in business in Buffalo Gap, Texas with
an outdoor art exhibit, book launch, and podcast. The numerous activities highlight
the rich history of Buffalo Gap, and how Perini Ranch Steakhouse came to be.
WHERE: Perini Ranch Steakhouse; 3002 FM 89, Buffalo Gap, TX 79508

ABOUT PERINI RANCH STEAKHOUSE
Established in 1983 and known for its authentic “cowboy cuisine,” the world-famous Perini Ranch Steakhouse began as a chuck wagon catering company founded by Tom Perini, who is still at the helm of the brand today. Located in the small West Texas town of Buffalo Gap, the destination restaurant sits on the ranch that has been in the Perini family since 1952. Over the years, Perini Ranch has gained a worldwide following for its celebrated, “real Texas food” and authentic dining experience, complete with abundant Texas hospitality for all the ranch’s local and traveled guests. As a result, Perini Ranch Steakhouse received the coveted James Beard America’s Classics Award in 2014.

The Perini Ranch brand has grown solely by word of mouth and continues to develop
additional concepts to complement the steakhouse. This includes private catering for U.S.
Presidents, Heads of State and foreign dignitaries, athletes, actors, musicians and everyone in
between. Perini Ranch Steakhouse has an impressive online retail featuring their crown jewel, the Perini Ranch Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin. Lodging is available on the ranch at the Perini Ranch Guest Quarters. Shopping and dining are available in Buffalo Gap at the Perini Ranch Country Market and The Gap Café by Perini Ranch. Perini Ranch Steakhouse has also published two successful cookbooks (2000 and 2019). For more information, visit periniranch.com.