A6
AG DAY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
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The Mullins:
Working the
land with
perseverance
through
changing times
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Blue Mountain Eagle
PRAIRIE CITY — As
MoEs go, ranching is in a ¿eld
all its own.
Duties and animals beck-
on around the clock or, at
best, from before sunup to
past sundown, seven days a
week, every week of every
year. No calling in sick and
no vacations, at least not
without plenty of pre-plan-
ning and help from neighbors
and family.
So why would someone
want to pursue such a de-
manding calling?
Longtime Grant County
rancher Carolyn Mullin said,
“If you didn’t like it, you
wouldn’t do it.”
Carolyn and her husband,
Steve, like it well enough
to have been doing it for 50
years this coming June, rais-
ing purebred Black Angus
cattle on their Blue Mountain
Angus Ranch in the Prairie
City area, beneath the ma-
jestic Strawberry Mountain
Wilderness.
However, the Mullins’
ranching days date back
even further. Before settling
in Grant County, the couple,
who are both from Califor-
nia, worked on Steve’s fam-
ily’s Siskiyou County ranch
in northern California, using
a brand that had been his
great-grandfather’s.
Their sons, Allan and Dan,
are carrying on the family
business and are also Grant
County area ranchers. As
youths, both participated in
4-H and showed cattle at the
Grant County Fair for many
years, and Carolyn served on
the fair board, too.
She said ranching is a life-
style that a lot of people can’t
handle — “It’s so different
from anything else.”
It’s a 24/7 job, Carolyn
said, especially when ani-
mals are involved.
See RANCHING, Page A7
Contributed photo/Tanni Wenger Photography Studio
Carolyn and Steve Mullin have enjoyed nearly 50 years working the land on
their ranch south of Prairie City.
Proudly supporting
Eastern Oregon
agriculture.
R obbins Farm Equipment
3850 10th St.
Baker City
541-523-6377
10218 Wallowa Lake Hwy.
La Grande
541-963-6577
1160 S Egan
Burns
541-573-6377
86812 Christmas Valley Hwy.
Christmas Valley
541-523-6377
Contributed photo
Ranching and riding together, Carolyn Mullin and her son, Dan, pause their
horses at a lush spot on the family’s Blue Mountain Angus Ranch.
Contributed photo
Longtime Grant County rancher Steve Mullin tends
to one of his Black Angus cattle.
Patterson Bridge Rd.
John Day, OR
541-575-2102
.........................
Providing Grant County with
the financial support to keep
our agricultural industry
growing strong.
P ROUDLY PROVIDING
employment
opportunities
for the people of
Grant County since
1983.
129 N. Canyon Blvd, John Day • 541-575-1530
usbank.com Member FDIC
Columbia Power
Proudly Celebrating being a part of Grant County’s Agricultural
Industry since 1948
• Irrigation
• Plumbing
• Electric
311 Wilson St.
Monument
541-934-2311
Grant County
Chamber of Commerce
would like to
recognize the
hard work our
local ranchers and
farmers do for
our county this
Ag Day.
Thank you for
everything!