Consider the statement that many issues affecting ranchers are decided by urban populations who really don't understand the way things are in rural areas. Compare and contrast issues affecting populations in urban and rural areas. How are decisions made? What steps would you take to increase understanding between urban and rural populations?

Track technological innovations while viewing the video, and discuss their impacts on the industry. Note that the basic means of ranching (including the use of horses and dogs) haven't changed much over the years.

Emphasize the importance of water rights and grazing permits to ranchers. How are they granted?

Review the statement that old ewes are a simple factory. Discuss renewable resources and activities, such as overgrazing, that can render such resources less renewable.

Skye Krebs' quote "ewes are simple factories"

Replay the birth scene, and the Its all part of life attitude expressed regarding bummer lambs. Consider your personal relationship to life and death. Have you ever witnessed a birth before? How would you deal with a bummer lamb? With taking cattle or sheep you've raised to market?

Jessica Krebs' quote about life and death

Focus on values that can be learned from the family ranching lifestyle. Consider, for example, care of animals, care of the land, responsibility, resiliency, optimism, working with people of all ages, and appreciation of nature. Are there particular values you want to enhance in your life?

Create a list of ways in which ranch kids act maturely. In what ways do you act responsibly?

Skye Krebs' quote about maturity

Consider the difference between branding sheep and branding cattle. Why is branding necessary?

Dan Wither's quote about cattle branding

Locate the areas settled by sheepherders, e.g., the Basques in southeast Oregon, the Irish in Lake County, and the English and Scottish in Morrow County. What evidence would you expect to find of the influence of these cultures in the regions today?

Describe a typical year in a cattle or sheep ranchers life.

Consider the daily life of a sheepherder. What do you think draws people to want to be a sheepherder? Would you be interested in being a sheepherder? Why?

Provide a summary of how women are involved in ranching operations.

Waynette DeBraga's quote about women on the ranch

Discuss the statement that corporations can be a little kinder to the land. What reasons are given for this? How is the corporate ranch shown to treat the land? Does this differ from the stereotypical corporate image? If so, in what ways?

Identify changes in the location of major areas of sheep and cattle ranching since the time of European settlement. How have markets contributed to these changes? Legislation? Other industries?

Describe the kinds of connections that are made with the land when several generations have been doing the same work on the same land, sometimes for over 100 years. Consider your own ties to the land. In what ways do you feel connected? In what ways can and do you foster your relationship with land, water, and other organisms?

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