The Rittenhouse Family
To the Rittenhouse family of New Carlisle, Ohio, raising cattle isn’t a chore – it’s a way of life that they feel is the best way to raise a family.
Scott and Sasha Rittenhouse have been raising cattle together for 12 years, with Sasha managing the kids and the cows and Scott working as a facility manager for two livestock sale barns in Ohio. Alongside their three children Lara, Lexi and Rylan, they work together to care for the 130 cow-calf pairs they have on their farm.
"We appreciate the opportunity to raise our kids on a farm. To us it is the best way to raise a family." - Sasha Rittenhouse
Meet the rittenhouses:
What does it mean to you to be raising your kids on your family farm?
We love the opportunity to raise our kids on a farm. To us it is the best way to raise a family. The kids are very involved and see the good and the bad, the happy and the sad days. They are typically right there beside us and understand the long hours and the reward of doing a good job caring for livestock.
what do you find most exciting about raising cattle?
We always look forward to calving season. It can be a lot of work, but it’s also the reward of a lot of hard work and planning. Seeing healthy calves in the pasture come spring time is quite the payoff.
when do you calve and why?
We calve mostly in the late winter and early spring. For our bulls to be competitive in sales as yearlings, they must be big enough and have passed breeding soundness exams in time for breeding season. To accomplish this, we have to calve in February and March. That makes weather a challenge, but it is something we must do to meet our goals.
why is it important that you give your cattle the best care possible?
It is our obligation to ensure we provide our cattle the best care possible, regardless the situation. For our cows to do a good job for us, we must take really good care of them.
how do consumers influence your decisions about how you care for your livestock?
As millennial parents we understand the concerns many parents have when raising their children. We care about our environment, health and well-being of our family, and the health and well-being of our cattle. We take pride in our ability to produce healthy protein source for our family and consumers while being conscious of our environment and community.
the rittenhouse's
New carlisle, ohio
COW/CALF RANCH
Cows are bred and calves are born and raised every year on cow-calf farms and ranches, spending time grazing on grass pastures within sight of their mothers.