Texas Ranch House

from JoeUser Forums
I've been watching a program on PBS this morning caled Texas Ranch House. The premise basically is there is a group of people who have come to live on a ranch in Texas. They live and work as people did there in 1867. It's fairly interesting to see how they deal with the living conditions of a 19th century ranch.

Their objective is to get the new ranch, owned by the Cooke family, up and running. They must build a corral and then round up free roaming Longhorn cattle and sell them for a profit.

The ranch owner has a very basic set of rules for the mostly greenhorn cowboys in his employ, much as they did in 1867.

1. Don't lie. If you lie, you're fired.

2. Show respect for others. Sir and Ma'am are required.

3. No fighting. You'll be fired.

4. Show initiative. If you see something that needs doing, do it.

5. If you need help, ask for it. If you see someone needs help; help them.

A pretty simple set of rules that most anyone should be able to follow. Yet so far one man, the foreman, has been fired for fighting.

It's pretty amusing to see these 21st century people trying to cope with 1867 conditions. Amazing how soft people have become in our day and age, but it's interesting to see how they gradually toughen up as time passes. While many of us have romatic ideas about living in those times, the truth is that it was a harsh and difficult life that many of us today would be very hard pressed to cope with.

I think it would be interesting to try it.
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I love these shows. I have watched 1800 house, frontier house, colonial house. I only caught one episode of the iron age one was but it was hilarious. The mayor, a woman, I wonder how historically accurate that was, was crying buckets because she had to chop a chickens head off. Not that I would want to do that either. I'm all for freshness but I prefer my chicken already dead, plucked, butchered and wrapped cellophane at the store.

I caught maybe one episode of the Texas ranch house. It seems like there were a lot of problems between the workers and the ranch owners wife.

It really is interesting to get a peak at how these people live and yes it really does make you realize how easy we have it now. I remember in the 1900 house the mother had dry skin and had to use the preparations that were available at that time. She ended up breaking the rules and buying contraband lotion. I never really even thought about lotion but after watching that I realized what a luxury it is. I know it's kind of gross talking about this but I've never been so thankful for modern feminine hygeine products than I was after watching colonial house. I don't know that they made them use the old fashioned stuff but even just seeing it was awful. Those poor woman. No wonder no one was smiling in those old pictures.

You should check on the pbs website and see if they are taking applications for any new versions. I think that would be a great experience.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'd love to do it.. Doesn't sound too much different than the situation I'm living in now LoL.. cept no Dr. Pepper.... that might hold me back if anything...
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
While many of us have romatic ideas about living in those times, the truth is that it was a harsh and difficult life that many of us today would be very hard pressed to cope with.


I'd love to live that life. I do have romantacized notions about it, but I also know that life would be very difficult and much shorter....but it would be full of hard work (harder than I could ever imagine) and manual labor. I'd love to live off the land and work from pre-dawn to dusk and be exhausted every day. I think that's how life was meant to be. We're kinda cheating ourselves nowadays, eh? But life sure is easier.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
#1 by Locamama
Sun, July 09, 2006 11:47 AM


I hadn't seen any of these shows until today. I just don't watch much tv. They do seem quite intersting as studies of human nature when one is removed from their customary element. I'm watching one now called Manor House. Not as good as the Texas one, but interesting nonetheless.

I'd love to try something like it, but I'm afraid my physical disabilities these days would be a definate problem in a more primitive lifestyle.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
#2 by M-Post
Sun, July 09, 2006 0:16 PM




I'd love to do it.. Doesn't sound too much different than the situation I'm living in now LoL.. cept no Dr. Pepper.... that might hold me back if anything...
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
#3 by AngelaMarie88
Sun, July 09, 2006 0:20 PM



[AngelaMarie88]
While many of us have romatic ideas about living in those times, the truth is that it was a harsh and difficult life that many of us today would be very hard pressed to cope with.


I'd love to live that life. I do have romantacized notions about it, but I also know that life would be very difficult and much shorter....


They stated that the average life expectancy in Texas in 1867 was 40 years.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

I've seen the Texas Ranch House one and wasn't as fond of that one as I was the one about Colonial living.

,  I think it set off my hot buttons when the hired female worker wanted to ride on the cattle drive and there was such a fuss about it,  cause she's female and back then it would't have been allowed.

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

There is a romanticism, and a simplicity about the time.  That is why Westerns were so popular so long (and a good one can still draw a great audience).  The problem, as you point out, is that the depiction in books and movies does not match the reality.  We love the simple, but the corner drug store was unheard of - as was a fresh cooked meal most of the time.

It would be insteresting to watch, but I dont long for it.  I remember the other westerns that depicted the dirtier side.