RanchHER Leads the Historic YP Ranch with Heart

RanchHER Renee Jackson is a fifth-generation cattle rancher from California’s north coast, near Ferndale. Despite holding a degree in finance, she has always preferred the ranching lifestyle. Renee and her husband, John, run his family’s legacy operation, the YP Ranch, a massive cattle operation that spans from Southern Idaho across the border into Northern Nevada. YP proudly carries the third oldest brand in continuous use in the USA.

Roots and Wings

Renee was born to be a RanchHER.

“I was always an ‘outside girl,’” she says. “This is always what I wanted to do.”

Renee’s family pushed her to find a career off the ranch. She went off to study banking and finance at CalPoly, where she met John while they were both competing in college rodeo.

“We met behind the bucking shoots at Calinga,” Renee recalls.

They fell in love and moved to the YP to start a family and continue his family legacy on the land, which the Jacksons have held since 1939. After a decade at the YP, Renee achieved her dream of joining the branding.

Over the years, Renee has also fallen in love with the ranching traditions of the Great Basin, which are very different from the customs of the coastal ranches where she grew up.

“John is amazing,” Renee says. “In Northwestern California, we don’t grow hay. His folks were shocked to learn I didn’t know how to run a tractor […] or any other haying equipment. I did know how to ride, but I didn’t know how to gather the calves—and so, it was all new to me. I just wanted someone to be patient and teach me and show me the way.”

Renee and John’s three children—Danielle, Jessica, and Russ—have all returned to work on the family ranch as adults. A fact that fills her with pride because, as Renee explains, it was never a requirement for her kids.

“You couldn’t ask for more,” she says. “We are so blessed they chose—because they didn’t need to—but they chose to come back here. It’s said, ‘You give your kids roots and wings.’ If they choose to come back? Wonderful. If they wish to flourish in another way, that’s their freedom.”

Learning the Ways of YP Ranch

Ranching the YP takes strategy and flexibility. One thing that doesn’t have roots is their cattle operation. The ranch’s footprint is so expansive that its branding season requires two to three weeks of high desert camping with teepees, a cook wagon, a cook, and a cowboy crew of 10-15.

“Many hands make light work,” Renee says.

However, their job is far from light work. Each day, they wake by 3:30 a.m., eat breakfast, and catch the horses by 5 a.m. They are ready by 6 a.m., to start searching for cows and calves, setting up pens, and branding into the afternoon.

“A good day is like 200 heads; a big day is like 300,” Renee explains. “So, we’ve had a few big days.”

From camp to camp, YP Ranch spans roughly 10 miles. However, that journey takes about an hour by car or on horseback. That’s why YP set up two base camps at strategic points across its vast expanse—a tradition that began many generations before and still holds today. Renee says camping saves their crew hours of travel time, reduces fuel consumption, and protects horses from unnecessary wear.

“Some people have said, ‘There’s nothing at that camp but a well, a hole in the ground,’” she says, tears welling in her eyes. “And I’m like, you obviously don’t see what I see because I see a wonderful crew coming together, orchestrating a beautiful operation.”

From long, hot days tracking down cattle to fighting off fierce swarms of mosquitos, Renee leads her crew of cowboys with unwavering positivity. Her quiet strength and genuine kindness remain steadfast no matter the obstacle, and she goes out of her way to make sure people are well-fed and comfortable. Not even the rain could dampen her spirits.

“I refuse to be a downer person,” Renee says. “It’s all up, all good. Bring your best effort and your happy attitude. It lifts everybody up when you stay up and up for the challenge. You have to keep going forward, and pretty soon, you’ll ride through it and find out what comes next.”

Ways to Watch

Catch this new episode of RanchHER featuring Renee Jackson when it premieres on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET only on RFD-TV. Watch encore airings on Fridays at 9:30 PM ET and Saturdays at 11:30 AM ET.

Binge all episodes and past seasons of FarmHER and RanchHER on-demand at any time with your annual RFD-TV Now subscription. To subscribe, visit https://www.watchrfdtv.com/Account/SignUp.