No one could have imagined that out of the social media frenzy we find ourselves in, a whole new occupation of “influencer” would have been born.  Who would have thought that life hacks, product opinions, DIYs, and even just everyday routine life shared across Facebook or YoutTube could amount to a real job.  I’ll admit that there are some parts that are a little enticing.  Not the share-everything-your-are-eating part or the perfectly-curated-unlived-in-home pictures or those videos with super catchy tunes.  I could really do without that.  But the free products to try out, I would love that.

         In our line of work, we are hard on just about everything.  If it can cut it on the ranch, that means it must be pretty darn hardy.  So naturally, I would think we would be the perfect guinea pigs to test and review anything from western wear to lunchboxes.  If our ranch life were to be sponsored, I think these guys would be the top contenders:

• It’s no surprise that our ranch life is full of tags that say Wrangler on it.  Cowboy jeans, little cowboy jeans, button up shirts, you name it we wear it.  And they are about the only pair of affordable jeans that can withstand so much time on the knees and through barbed wire fences without falling apart.
• One fall I had the misfortune of being the landing pad for a big ol’ calf which ended up breaking my leg.  As a part of getting checked out and put back together, my Ariat cowboy boot had to come off and there was no way to do it without cutting it.  I cried in pain for cutting my boot more than the broken leg.  Don’t worry, the story has a happy ending- with a little luck and creative stitching, my brother-in-law got the boot back in working order.  That stitched up boot lasted years with worn soles, stitches and all because it really was the very best pair of boots I’ve ever had!
• These days we really should be sponsored by Muck Boots because there is no other boot we wear more than mucks.  Just lately, we have tested them out working in freezing temps, feet of snow, and sole sucking mud.  Then in the summer months we put them to work irrigating as we navigate the water and mud.
• Carhartt would have to be a contender these days as well, for as many days as I have put my Carhartt bibs through the wringer.  Not wanting to sacrifice comfort, I keep my cozy soft pants on and let my bibs take the beating when I head out to work.  They have survived slimy newborn calves, fresh cow poop, and of course all the winter snow and cold.  
• With all the stink and stains we get on our clothes, we have to have a detergent equal to the task.  Our life could easily be a Gain laundry detergent commercial with all of the grease, mud, poop, and smelliness that we have to get out of our clothes.  
• All too often the dirt, mud and dust follow us inside which means we expect a lot out of our little Shark vacuum.  With all the daily mess, I’d be happy to test out any vacuum, mop, robot, ANYTHING they have.  If only they had a maid to come with it...
• I had company over just the other day that said, “Sorta smells like calving in here..”  True enough, sometimes the smells from the barn don’t stop at the door and something like a little Febreze could go a long way keeping things smelling fresh inside.  I’m pretty sure that getting the smell of calving out of the air would be the perfect demonstration of the power of Febreze.
• For the number of sandwiches I have been sending in lunches for my cowboys, our ranch life should really be sponsored by Harper’s Bread.  In fact, I think we prove that they are a little magical.  Anytime I don’t send a sandwich with my guys because it’s supposed to be a “quick trip”, everything seems to fall apart at the seams and suddenly it  becomes an all day project.  If I do send a sandwich or two, things go as they should and they are back in time for a home cooked lunch and the sandwich goes to waste.
• Of course those sandwiches wouldn’t be near so tasty if there wasn’t a sturdy Igloo lunch box to carry it in.  We have taken all sorts of coolers, thermoses, and lunch boxes across the bumpy range for brandings, cattle drives and fence fixing adventures.  Not once have those trusty lunch boxes let me down.  They may not look as pretty as they once did, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?
• At the end of the day, it’s Chinet paper plates that help keep this ranch momma’s sanity.  I’m not too proud or ashamed to admit that with so many long days and more things on the to-do list than we have time to do, I just don’t want to add “wash dishes” to the list.  That’s when I turn to the stack of beautiful, disposable plates for our dinnerware that simply disappear when the meal is done.  

 The demands of ranch life can be pretty intense but fortunately for all these products, it might be just the perfect way to show off how tough they really can be.  Who knows, maybe one of these days this family will be the new face for some sort of magical, fast acting, greasing cutting, life changing soap because heaven knows we could use some of that!