Umm.. so who hasn’t seen the fuzzy cows on social media?!?! You know which ones we mean. The ones with the long hair and horns hopping through the fields, being pet happily, and modelling flowers in their hair.
Well, we have seen them and we instantly fell in love with them (like most of the internet). So when the opportunity to not only see them in real life but also feed and pet them- we were doing it!
Enter Longhorn Guest Cattle Ranch!
Longhorn is a cattle ranch in Cascade, Idaho that serves as a Harvest Host placement. They are a 214-acre venue with an abundance of nature across its land. There are many activities that guests can partake in during their time at Longhorn Guest Ranch. These include the outdoor fire pit, game corral, and the great outdoors. There is a large back deck at the lodge that overlooks the entire valley, perfect for a relaxing glass of wine, spirited game of cornhole, or just soaking in the serenity!
While we were at the ranch, there was wedding prep and a wedding occurring, but honestly we didn’t feel it affected our experience at all. It changed where we parked our Rv as we ended up more off to the side, but it was a nice, quiet secluded spot and we enjoyed being near the wildflowers. The hosts worked with us to accommodate a tour of the grounds to meet the cattle despite being very busy with the wedding prep. We met Jason as soon as we arrived at the gate and he helped us set up the RV and gave us some brief information about the farm. Later we went down to the ranch house and met Victoria, who helped set us up with a time to stop in for snacks, a drink, and a tour.
We ended up stopping in after the wedding rehearsal dinner there and they even gave us an AMAZING warm cobbler topped with ice cream while they entertained Dave’s many questions about how the farm was self sustained and off grid.
Then the next morning, we texted Victoria and easily set up a time to come down and take a tour. We all loaded into the 4×4 where she told us about the farm, how they got started, about the cattle, and more. The whole time we were driving through the backcountry, her farm dogs were chasing us and leaping over ponds and puddles. It was amazing to watch. When we finally got to the cattle field, they gave us some instructions on interacting with cattle for our safety. Then she handed us each treats and the cattle began to approach.
We stayed seated in the 4×4 as the longhorn and highland cattle approached us looking for treats and the occasional pets. We were able to take pictures, feed the cattle, ask questions, learn more about caring for cattle, and pet any cattle who would let us. There were big bulls all the way to little babies. It was really a unique experience to interact with longhorn and highland cattle. At times, it could be a little scary given the size of the longhorn cattle’s horns and their lack of realization of their size, but Victoria was great at making us feel safe and keeping us well informed if any cattle were sneaking up for snacks.
I would highly recommend staying at Longhorn Guest Ranch as a Harvest Host, a guest, for a tour, or even as a wedding. Dave and I discussed how this would be a place we would have loved to get married (I mean wedding photos with a cow), if our families wouldn’t have killed us for making them fly to Idaho. Haha. Whatever your reason for visiting, Victoria and Jason will make your stay a once-in-a-lifetime experience filled with laughter, good food, good company, and their passion for the farm.
To check out Longhorn Cattle Farms: https://longhornguestranch.com/
To join Harvest Host, use our link: https://www.harvest-hosts.com/26XSRWK/2CTPL/
*Full disclosure: we do make a small portion of money when you sign up.
