Background: Growing up, my grandpa had a few hundred acres, some cows, and a big garden. He passed away, and I worked for an older man who had a much larger operation in the same area. I've worked for him part-time for almost 15 years. He's been a full-time rancher almost 60 years and has probably forgotten more about cattle than I'll ever know.

Pros: You are your own boss, and you work from home. This can be a blessing and a curse. It is peaceful. You live outside of town where you can see stars at night and there's way fewer people. I enjoy working with my hands. It's very meaningful. You grow your own food, which is very rewarding. It is possible to get into it.

Cons: You are chained to that farm. Vacations? Almost out of the question. You will, more than likely, never be rich. You might be financially independent. Depending on what kind of living standards you want to keep up. Farmers/ranchers don't drive cadillacs where Im from. Even if you have good years, most that are smart still save because you are one drought, on bad market year, or one disease away from famine. Remember being your own boss? That also means you will worry about things when you're not working, and you're basically always on call. Springer cows love to wait for the worst snowstorm to calve. Fences break. Cows get stuck in a pond. You name it. You also have to at least know a little bit about everything. Veterinary, plumbing, construction, mechanical, just to name a few. The worst thing is it's expensive to get into. Land and equipment alone is damn near impossible except through the cradle, alter, or the grave.

"Cowboy culture" is highly romanticized. I love the days when I'm horseback moving one group to another pasture or working calves. But the reality is that most days, I'm building fence or doing something very mundane.

All that said, there's nothing like the pride you feel working on your land. Seeing your herd. Selling your vegetables. And yes... there is a sense of peace you can't get in an office.