May 30, 2025 • 35 mins
On this week's episode of The Rural Woman Podcast™, you'll meet Sequoyah Branham.
Sequoyah Branham is passionate about sharing the beauty and heartbreak of ranching. Working on ranches across Texas gives her a wide variety of experiences to draw inspiration from for her characters and the obstacles they face. She enjoys long days in the saddle with good friends and her dog by her side as often as she can.
For full show notes, including links mentioned in the show, head over to wildrosefarmer.com/222
. . .
This week's episode is brought to you by Patreon
. . .
Let's get Social
Follow The Rural Woman Podcast on Social Media
Sign up to get email updates
Join our private Facebook group, The Rural Woman Podcast Community
Connect with Katelyn on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
. . .
Support the Show
Patreon | PayPal | Become a Show Sponsor
Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts | Take the Listener Survey
Screenshot this episode and share it on your socials!
Tag @TheRuralWomanPodcast + #TheRuralWomanPodcast
. . .
Meet the Team
Audio Editor | MixBär.
Patreon Executive Producers
Sarah R. | Happiness by The Acre
. . .
More with Katelyn
One on One Podcast Consulting | Learn More
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:52):
Hi, I'm Katelyn Duban and thisis the Rural Woman Podcast. I'm a
first generation farmer whomarried into agriculture.
Born and raised in a city, Iwas so unfamiliar with where my food
came from, but I wasdetermined to figure it out. Through
my journey into agriculture, Isaw women who were strong but humble,
(01:15):
often taking a backseat. Tome, these women were leaders who
deserved a seat at the table.I created the Rural Women Podcast
to share the voices of womenin an industry whose stories often
went untold. The ruralentrepreneurs who live and breathe
their work full of grit andpride. We come here to share our
(01:39):
stories, to be in communitywith each other, to be challenged
and inspired, but mostimportantly, importantly, to be celebrated
and to be heard. We may notall live farm, ranch or homestead
the same, but we are allconnected. We are rural women and
our stories are worthy ofbeing told. Hey everyone. Welcome
(02:09):
back to another episode of theReal Woman Podcast. Today you'll
meet Sequoyah Branham, a ranchgirl storyteller and passionate advocate
for the honest beauty andheartbreak of ranch life. Raised
in a tight knit ranchingcommunity in West Texas, Sequoyah
brings her lived experiencesin the saddle and on the land into
(02:29):
the pages of her writing. Inour conversation today, she shares
how working with livestockbuilt her confidence. How an early
love of writing blossomed onan online forum, and how her education
in writing and business gaveher the tool to bring her stories
to life. We dive into thethemes in her books like courage,
(02:49):
connection and learning to askfor help, and the realities of being
a young woman navigating bothagriculture and authorship. Sequoyah's
story is a heartfelt reminderthat rural life offers not only grit
and challenge, but alsoprofound moments of growth, learning
and beauty. Whether you are afellow writer, rancher, or love a
(03:12):
good story, you this is oneyou do not want to miss. Without
further ado, my friends, let'sget to this week's interview with
Sequoyah.
Sequoyah, welcome to the RuralWoman Podcast. How are you today?
I'm doing well. Thanks so muchfor having me.
(03:33):
I am so excited to get to diveinto your story and learn more about
you and the incredible youngrural woman you are. So for the listeners
who are unfamiliar with you,give us your background, tell us
who you are, where you'refrom, and how you got your start
in agriculture.
Yeah. I'm Sequoyah Branham.I'm a ranch girl and an author. I
(03:56):
was born and raised in theranching community. My family's been
in ranching for severalgenerations, mainly Just my family
working on ranches for otherpeople. But, yeah, I was privileged
to get to grow up in that andhelp my dad and a couple of uncles
on the places they were at asI was growing up. And that varied
(04:17):
from kind of the rollingplains between Lubbock and Abilene.
It's where I grew up most ofmy years. And then further west Texas,
south of Midland, Odessa, thatdirection whenever I was helping
my uncles. So I've gotten tokind of travel around, and it's been.
It's been a lot of fun.
So growing up, being able tobe immersed in this ranching culture
(04:39):
in west Texas, to me, soundsvery dreamy. Tell us more about the
types of ranches that you wereexposed to.
Yeah. So as I was growing up,my dad had a job during the week,
and then on the weekends, hetook care of a small place. And so
that was just cow calf pears.And then my mom and sisters and I
(05:00):
would feed or check waters forhim in the middle of the week, and
then I would go with him onthe weekend. And that was when we
got horseback and did all thestuff that needed to be done in that
way. Those cattle were verycalm and quiet and easy to handle.
And so they did a lot for me,building my confidence and just helping
me get to where I got excitedabout when something ran off. They
(05:23):
were a little lessintimidating. And then as I was growing
up, my dad and I would go backto where he grew up, and his younger
brother was managing the placethat they actually all grew up on.
And so that was primarily asheep ranch. They did have some goats
and a few cattle as well. Andthat was another place that really
grew my confidence becausesheep were a lot less intimidating.
And those were long days. Bigcountry. Bigger than up here, where
(05:47):
I grew up. And definitely hassome. Personally don't call them
mountains, but some prettygood hills with some cliffs and canyons
and stuff like that. And sothat grew my. My riding confidence
a lot as well. Of just like Ican. I can go places and do things
horseback and not be souptight and worried all the time.
And then almost done with highschool when I started helping a different
(06:08):
uncle, same general area. Andhe. It was a cattle ranch. And those.
Most of those cattle were notcool, common, collected. They. They
took off at a high rate ofspeed when they saw us come in. So
the Lord sure knew what he wasdoing. That I had experiences in
other places before I gotthere, because I might have not stuck
around very long if that waswhat I first encountered but it came
(06:31):
to be where that was a lot offun to, you know, kind of get into
a little horse race with a cowand things like that.
I love that. And like yousaid, you built your confidence on
horseback because as a personwho myself, my horse experience is
taking, like, a guided trailride through mountains, which is
beautiful, but it's absolutelynothing like working on a horse and,
(06:55):
you know, wrangling animals,whether it's a cow or sheep or anything
like that.
So.
So good for you, and good foryou for building that confidence.
Growing up, like, having theseexperiences, how did this shape,
like, what you eventuallywanted to do?
Yeah, I think it definitelynarrowed down the kinds of things
(07:15):
that I wanted to do. I justlove the outdoors. And so I was like,
you know, even if I don't havea ranch job or, you know, can't work
directly with animals, likejust being outdoors, you know, that
was kind of my first criteriaof an ideal life, is being outdoors
as much as I can. And then asI began to write stories, it was
(07:35):
just very natural. Like,that's. That was the setting, you
know, on a ranch and working,you know, working livestock. And
I always kind of like, had atheme of this is what I want my characters
to. To learn and kind ofunderstand by the end of the story.
And so it was just like, okay,what on the ranch is happening that
makes them learn that? And Ithink agriculture as a whole, I just.
(08:00):
I only have. Have experiencewith ranching, but I definitely would
say agriculture as a wholeprovides plenty of opportunities
to learn life lessons andjust, you know, character traits
and things like that.
For sure, you make my job easygoing into the books and being an
author. When did you startwriting? Is this something that you've
always done?
It began in middle school.I've always been a big reader and
(08:23):
stumbled upon a website thatwas just like, basically a forum
for people sharing theirstories. And I started reading that,
and I was kind of like, okay,if these people can do it, why can't
I? Because there's a lot ofreally unedited, like, there's not
even a period at the end ofthe sentence kind of stories on there.
So I was like, you know, ifthey can do it, why can't I? And
(08:44):
so I just started writing forfun and, yeah, set my stories on
the ranch and usually gave mycharacters courage and skills that
I didn't have, but I wanted tohave. And so just kind of went from
there and then joined acollege alternative program for novel
writing and business. And Iwould say that's when I started gaining
(09:05):
the skills and the confidencewriting wise to think about, like
not just I want to publishsomeday, but I like, I can publish
and I can do that, you know,within the next few years.
Very cool. Did you have anyinspiration or any writers that you
looked up to that theirstories were, you know, something
that you aspired to write? Like.
(09:26):
Yes, for sure. Elmer Kelton, Ithink the Western Writers of America
association named him the bestwestern writer of all time. I think
that's the title they gavehim. But I really admired the way
that he wrote westerns. Butthey weren't the classic like shoot
em up Hollywood Western. Hebrought in the characters and the
(09:48):
land to like come together andjust mesh really seamlessly. And
both of them mattered to thestory and it mattered, you know,
there was a emotional elementfor the characters. It wasn't just
I have to keep my land or youknow, whatever the story was and
just did such a good job ofmeshing those two together. And he,
all of his writing was superreal. As a, you know, someone who
(10:10):
understands that life and haslived that life, you can pick up
one of his books and know thathe understood that life very intimately.
Which is just so comfortingwhen you can pick up a story and
you know that the writer knowswhat your life is like.
(11:13):
I love that you said that. Andthe comforting part, that's a perfect
word for it because as youknow and anyone who's living rurally,
there's a lot of things thatare different than living in a major
city center or even like a midsized town. Rural living is, is a
different way of life. There'spros and cons to each side of the
(11:36):
coin here. But to find storiesthat resonate with you. Comforting.
I love that adjective for it.It's perfect. So you took this course,
the business writing course.Tell me what that was like and what
you've been able to do withthat education piece that you've.
(11:56):
That you've. What did youlearn in school?
So the author Conservatory isa three year program. The first year
focuses on craft and storystructure. And then as you get into
year two, a little bit more onthe platform and more of how do you
connect with your readersspecifically. And then year three
is, is more publishing andthat kind of thing. And so it really
(12:18):
just builds on each other. Andthen the business track of it is
all about hand. Like youlaunch your own business and you
learn how to market and whatdoes that look like? And you get
to see the real results oflike, I made money by Selling something,
which is a very, veryintimidating. Grew a lot of courage
through that too, of justlike, I can do hard things and I
(12:38):
can talk to people and I don'tdie. And so, yeah, I learned a ton
of, like, practical businessskills. I learned a ton of practical,
what does a story look like?And that kind of thing. I also just
grew so much as a person ofknowing how to connect with people
outside of a businessrelationship, you know, knowing how
to push through some of those,you know, like, this is intimidating.
(13:00):
This is scary. On anotherlevel of like, what does that actually
look like? And specificallywith people and with talking to people,
because that's definitely beenone of my big places that I think
in some ways comes with ruralliving. You don't see as many people
as often. And so when it comesto, you know, kind of those big encounters,
it's like, this isuncomfortable. But I, yeah, just
(13:21):
learned so much in all areas.And it was through them that I got
my first professional edit onmy first book in the Company of Cows.
And that was a very, like,mental unlocking section where I
was like, okay, this person isgetting paid to tell me what I'm
doing wrong. And they told methat it's worthy of publication.
Honestly, when I think of theediting piece is always the most
(13:47):
stressful part for me. Andespecially if I've put. Put my creative
prowess into something andthen to give it over to someone for
them to tell me what I didwrong is the biggest intimidation
piece for me. I always, youknow, I love a good edit. Take out
(14:08):
the words, take out the fluff.Because I'm definitely more of a
theoretical talker versusgetting to the point. So from that
editing piece then you wereable to go to publication. So talk
about your published work.
Yeah, so I have two books outnow. They are in a series together
(14:30):
called the Nora Kelly seriesIn the Company of Cows. Nora is really
facing losing her job, whichhas become her whole world, and enlists
the help of her uncle, who'svery successful in kind of everything
she wants to be. And so she'sfacing a lot of fear and exercising
a lot of courage through that.And then in between pastures, it's
(14:53):
kind of her turn to help him.He's battling cancer, and so she's
trying to keep up with herjob. The cattle that he has, and
then also just being there forhim and is really battling what does
it mean to ask for help andjust what that looks like. As people
in agriculture, we're not verygood at asking for help. And so she's
(15:15):
she's facing that down.
I'm curious with. You hadmentioned before the characters and
the stories that you havewritten in Nora. What are some of
the things that relate to yourstory and what are some of the things
that, you know, you wish youhad that were Nora's?
(15:36):
Especially in the first book,in the Company of Cows, Nora faces
a lot of social anxiety,putting herself out there. And so
that was something that I'vestruggled with, and still it circles
back, and I get hung up on itsometimes. Her confidence, as far
as in her abilities on theranch, sometimes come and go for
me. So that's probably onething that I pull from her that I'm
(16:00):
like, I wish that I could justshow up and, you know, be that confident.
And then in both stories, heruncle Ian is very heavily based on
one of my uncles that I got tospend a lot of time with. And that
really made a big impact on mylife. And so in. In between pastures,
his journey, I. I also got tosupport my uncle while he walked.
(16:23):
His cancer diagnosis. And sothere's a lot more of the personal
emotions that Nora deals withthat I. I faced during that as well.
I think she's forced to dealwith them a little bit more all right
now, whereas my. My processwas a little bit more scattered out.
And like you said, the comfortpiece of being able to talk about
(16:44):
things that you've beenthrough, and I'm sure your readers
feel the same or similar ofknowing that, you know, the author
of this book has been throughthis, so she knows what she's talking
about. She knows the triumphsof what it takes to run a cattle
herd with different hurdlesalong the way, and whether that's
(17:05):
the social anxiety piece,which my hands up to. I have social
anxiety. People don't thinkyou talk into a microphone, that
you are socially awkward. Ithink we're the most socially awkward
people. That's why we talkinto microphones. Not face to face
with people, but just knowingthat there's that piece in there
that's of you and I, and Ilove that you had mentioned that
(17:29):
the piece that a lot of peoplein agriculture struggle with is the
asking for help for you. Isthat something that you also struggle
with?
It is. There's areas that Ican ask for help pretty easily, but
I would say specifically with,like, if I'm trying to get something
done, I have to do everythingthat I can possibly manage. And then
(17:52):
if it's still not working, I'mlike, fine, I'll call someone.
Yeah, it's the last resourcepiece of phoning for help. For me
personally, when I'm runningequipment, if there's a funny noise,
that is when I. I immediatelystop because I think to myself, if
this breaks, I don't know howto fix it. But I have to be dang
(18:13):
sure that when I make thatphone call, I can accurately depict
what noise was being made.Because if not, I'm going to be sitting
there for a long time waitingfor somebody to come listen to this
noise. That was probablynothing. But no, the asking for help
piece, I think. And it'swhether it's a physical labor job
or whether it's, you know, aninside job of, you know, if you're
(18:37):
not emotionally doing okay. Ithink that's really hard for people
in agriculture too. So I justam excited to read your books. You,
you've sold me on readingthem. I would say I'm more of a.
What kind of reader am I?Probably something that I can't say
out loud here on the podcastor people would judge me. But for
(19:00):
the listeners who would liketo know more about your books or
where they can find them, canthey find them?
I sell signed copies,paperbacks through my website, sequoiabranum.com,
but you can also find them onAmazon, Barnes and Noble and everywhere
for ebooks. And the Company ofCows is also an audiobook. Still
(19:22):
working on that for In Between Pastures.
That's amazing. Did you recordthe audiobook yourself?
I did.
That's a lot of work.
It is. My voice kind ofsounded like this just for a different
reason.
That's awesome. And I, I lovea good audiobook that's spoken by
the author because you get thepassion and what you were feeling
(19:42):
behind those words when yousaid them. So that's great. And I
will link all of those in theshow notes so people can find the
book and grab a copy forthemselves. Let's talk more about
what you do when you're notwriting now. What is your, what is
your full time job?
Well, that's a loadedquestion. I just kind of pieced my
(20:03):
life together a little bit ofthis and a little that. Yeah, so
I do a lot with my books. Iwould say that's kind of my primary
thing. I also work for theauthor conservatory that I graduated
from. So I'm working withstudents there. And then right now
I'm not anywhere steady on theranch. I get to float around and
(20:25):
help my dad and uncles andcousins and my boyfriend just wherever
they're at when they needhelp. So it's kind of the best of
both worlds.
Yeah. Having that flexibilityas a creative, I think is super important.
And it takes a while to figureout where like the happy medium is.
I know for me, when I startedthe podcast, it was very much like
(20:49):
off the side of my desk. Itwas between fields. Like I had to
figure out like when I wasgoing to sleep because I wanted to
be sitting here working. Andthen when it kind of got bigger and
it became more of my actualfull time job on top of all the speaking
and whatever else that I do,then the farming almost came, like
(21:13):
the part time job for me,which was sad because I quit my real
job so I could drive a tractorbecause it was fun. So, yeah, talk
about your experience forriding and training on the ranch.
What does that look like foryou? What have been some of the biggest
challenges for you?
(21:34):
You know, working with younghorses or working dogs is so fun
for me, I actually it worksout pretty well with my dad and I
because he really likes totake them, you know, once they kind
of learn, know the basics, youknow, that first month or so, then
he's game on. He really likesthat. Whereas I'm like, I love the
(21:56):
groundwork. I love thatinitial stage. And then once they're
ready to go outside, like put60 days on them and then I'll take
them back. There's a big jumpbetween like, okay, we've like ridden
them in the arena or the bigwater lot and now we're going outside.
And I'm like, I would be okayif I didn't do that. But those initial
(22:17):
groundwork and halter breakingand all that just I feel like you
get to see so clearly in frontof you them changing and them understanding
what you're asking of them.And they're coming around to realize
that you're their friend andthat, you know, you're, you're working
with them, not against them,and definitely for, you know, young
horses. And I think young dogsare very similar. They, when you
(22:41):
can see when it starts toclick, if they understand a command
and they, sure, they still runin there and do what they're not
supposed to, but you can alsokind of see they're like, oh, I wasn't
supposed to do that. And so Ijust like seeing them evolve.
What have been some of thebiggest challenges that you've faced
growing in this industry as ayoung woman, I would.
(23:03):
Say myself is probably thebiggest challenge. I've been very
blessed that the places I goand day work and different things
like that, nine out of tentimes. Everybody there is so accepting
that, you know, I am a girland doing what they do. And on the
off chance that they're not,it's not really that it's not. They're
not rude. It's mostly justthis kind of uncertainty, I guess,
(23:29):
of like, oh, my gosh, you're agirl. Like, I don't know if I'm supposed
to shake your hand or, like,not. It's like, what do I do with
the fact that you're a girl?And so, you know, even in that, it's
not. I've had bad experiences.It's just different. But I think
I'm probably my biggestchallenge is getting out of my own
head and not taking that oflike, oh, my gosh, I'm a girl. Like,
they don't want me here oreither falling in the ditch of I'm
(23:51):
a girl. So I have to, like,work twice as hard and do twice as
much to prove that I'm, like,capable of being here, but then also
not. Not getting in my ownhead. When there are jobs that, you
know, they're like, hey, like,we got this. Like, you know, you
go. Go do the other job. Andthat's, you know, just not. Not taking
it personally. You know, Ithink most men in agriculture, but
(24:14):
specifically cowboys, areknown to be very chivalrous and,
you know, respectful and verymuch a gentleman, which has been
my experience with them andjust everyone that I work with. And
so that's just. It doesn'thappen super often, but sometimes
they will be like, you know,sit this one out. And that's really
where it comes from is, youknow, just them. Them being a gentleman
and understanding that, youknow, of the jobs that we have to
(24:36):
do, this is probably theriskiest one. And so, you know, like,
we'll handle it and you don'thave to.
Yeah, and I agree with whatyou said. Like, a lot of it comes
down to, I would say, the oldcowboy culture of being, I'm going
to do this for you, littlelady, and you can sit this one out.
And, you know, it comes withpros and cons for each. Right. But
(25:01):
in saying that, I think thebeing in your own head is something
that a lot of women inagriculture struggle with and women
that I talk to, myselfincluded, of looking at, whether
it's on a horseback or it's ina combine or whatever it is, like,
that mental piece saying,like, this is huge. Like, should
(25:23):
I even be here doing this?That's a big barrier that a lot of
us face.
Absolutely And I think one ofthe toughest ones to overcome because
it's like you can't see it.It's inside you. So, like, how do
you even fight that sometimes?
Right? Yeah, exactly. And it'sfunny, I had a counselor tell me
one time a long time ago, thethoughts that you're having in your
(25:43):
head, like, is that true? Didsomebody actually verbally say that
to you? Or is it justsomething that you're thinking? And
framing it that way helps meget through those. Like, I always
call it the mean girl in myhead. Like, it helps me get past
those mean girl thoughts. Soare there any funny or memorable
(26:04):
experiences that you've had onthe ranch that you're not too embarrassed
or proud to share with us?
So many. Yeah. I feel like I'mprobably part. I'm like part time.
Just humor, entertainment foreverybody else.
I feel the same way, I guess.
(26:25):
You know, somebody has to be right.
Yeah.
First thing that came to mind,it was maybe the first time that
I had went to help my UncleBrazos, which is the inspiration
for Uncle Ian in my books. Butdefinitely, I think one of the first
few times that I had, like, Iwas the only one there, it wasn't
a full crew. And so we werejust picking up some calves that
(26:48):
had hadn't been gathered thefirst time. And so we jumped a bunch
and we're driving out to thepins and a couple a pair and maybe,
you know, an extra calf orsomething turned back. And I went
with them. But because of thebrush and like the little draws and
stuff, I couldn't ever. I wasalways just like neck and neck with
(27:09):
them. I never could get infront of him and turn them. And all
I could hear in my head thewhole time that we're going is my
dad who was like, don't quit,like, don't leave them. Like you
always come back with them.And so I just kept going and going
and going and like we wentpast where we had even started with
them. And finally I was like,I'm going to lose him and not even
(27:31):
know where he and the rest ofthe cattle went, like, if I keep
going. And I was like, I have.And I did finally get them turned
a couple of times. And it justlike, they would not. They were so
bent on going the directionthey wanted to go. And so finally
I called it and I was like,you know what? If it's wrong, it's
wrong, but we're just callingit and we're doing it and we're going
back. And so I Loped up and itwasn't very far to the pins by that
(27:53):
time. And we got them pins.And he was like, what happened to
you? He was like, I thoughtyou were, like, upside down in a
ditch somewhere. And I waslike, no, I just went, like, all
the way back to the fence withthem. And he's like, you could have
called. Like, make one goodeffort. And when you first had them
turned, if they weren'tcommitted, like, you could have came
back. And I was like, okay,noted. I'll take that with me going
(28:16):
forward. But, yeah, I waslike, I don't know. It's what I've
always been told, like, stay committed.
Right, Exactly. Don't give up.Keep going. Keep going. You always
remember those, like, key,pivotal, like, first pieces of advice
for everything. My key firstpiece of advice was don't hit anything.
(28:40):
So that is what I think of allof the time. And I have to be honest
with you, this past harvestwas the first time, I quote, hit
anything. And I was soembarrassed. I was so upset because
I hit something. It literallycaused, like, a cosmetic little ding.
It wasn't a big deal. Nothinggot broken. But I will never forget
(29:03):
that I actually hit something,you know, seven years in now. And
I was just like, damn it.Like, I was number one employee for
so long for not hittinganything. Oh, man. Sequoyah, what
is next for you? What is onthe docket for you?
Yes, well, I just startedworking on another book project,
(29:26):
hopefully to come out in 2026,kind of when I'm projecting. And
then I've got a young horsethat is at that point where she needs
to go outside. So kind ofgetting intimidated with that a little
bit. But, yeah, I reallyhoping that to get to ride her a
lot this winter and get hergeared up for spring works amazing.
(29:46):
For someone that's listening,that is maybe another young creative
or a young horse lover orwannabe rancher that is listening.
What advice do you have forthem? From your lived experience,
what advice do you have for them?
I think don't be afraid to askfor help. Is. Is a big one. There's
(30:10):
so many people that are, youknow, more than happy to help you
and to explain things to you,but with that, do. Do what you can
to watch and understand justby watching. So, you know, to at
least inform your question, tohave maybe a more specific question.
My uncle Brazos was such adetailed person. One of his son's
(30:31):
friends had a joke that waslike, you can ride by a rock, and
Brazos will be like, did youknow that a snake crawled on that
like two weeks ago. And justlike he picked up on everything.
And so that was something thatI kind of learned from him. I'm not
anywhere as detail oriented ashe is, but just picked up from him
as far as like, okay, before Igo back and tell him like, this is
(30:53):
what I found when I waschecking waters, what are like two
extra things that I can noticeand tell him, you know, like, what
are things that I can check?If this isn't working, what can I
check? And so just doing thatfor your question, you know, to be
like, I noticed you did this.Why? Or you know, like things like
that. But just try to get alittle bit more specific and learn
(31:15):
what you can by just watching.But then follow up and ask questions
too.
What advice do you have forthe inspiring writer?
Ask for help too, a little bitdifferently because it is so specific.
You know, there's only so muchstudying you can do of someone else's
work before you have to reallyget feedback on your own. But I guess
that would, that wouldprobably be like my caveat to that
(31:36):
is get feedback on your ownwriting as much and as often and
as high quality as you can.While your mom loves you, because
she loves you, she's going totell you that your writing is great.
So get someone who's a littlebit more, more removed and can tell
you that it in fact is great,but these are some areas it can grow.
I love that. That's greatadvice. My last question for you
(31:59):
is what is the most rewardingpart about being a rural woman for
you?
That is a good question. Ithink the things that I learn and
appreciate that I can sharewith other people, whether they're
fellow rural people or ifthey're someone who doesn't understand
the life. But just getting toappreciate simpler things and get
(32:20):
to share the love that lovefor simpler things with other people.
That's good stuff. Simple tothe point. Love it. So good. It has
been an absolute pleasuregetting to know you. And for the
listeners who are listeningand remind us again where we can
find your books and where canthey connect with you online.
(32:41):
Yes. So best place is mywebsite, sequoiabranum.com there's
a place to shoot me an emailthere if you want to chat. I have
Instagram and Facebook, bothof them are Sequoyah Branham. I truthfully
am not very active as of thelast four months or so. So yeah,
if you want to chat, bestplace to do that is my. Through my
(33:04):
website, email me there perfect.
And I will link all of thosein the show notes so people can find
you and connect with you.
Awesome.
Thank you again Sequoyah somuch for sharing your story with
us today. I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thanks for listening to theRural Woman Podcast. The Rural Woman
(33:27):
Podcast is more than just apodcast. We are a community. A huge
thank you to the Rural WomanPodcast Team. Audio Editor Max Hofer.
A special thanks to ourPatreon Executive Producers Sarah
Riedner From Happiness by theAcre to learn how you can become
a Patreon Executive Produceror other ways to financially support
(33:50):
the show, head on over towildrosefarmer.com to learn more.
Be sure to hit the Follow orSubscribe button wherever you listen
to the podcast to get thelatest episodes directly on your
playlist. And if you areloving the show, please be sure to
leave a rating and review onany Apple podcast or any other platform
(34:10):
that accepts ratings andreviews. You can connect with us
on social media at theworldwoman Podcast and with me, ildrosefarmer.
One of the best ways you cansupport the show is by sharing it.
Send this episode to a friendor share on your social media. Let's
strengthen and amplify thevoices of women in agriculture together.
(34:34):
Until next time my friend.Keep sharing your story.
Hi, I'm Katelyn Duban and thisis the Rural Woman Podcast. I'm a
first generation farmer whomarried into agriculture.
Born and raised in a city, Iwas so unfamiliar with where my food
came from, but I wasdetermined to figure it out. Through
my journey into agriculture, Isaw women who were strong but humble,
(01:15):
often taking a backseat. Tome, these women were leaders who
deserved a seat at the table.I created the Rural Women Podcast
to share the voices of womenin an industry whose stories often
went untold. The ruralentrepreneurs who live and breathe
their work full of grit andpride. We come here to share our
(01:39):
stories, to be in communitywith each other, to be challenged
and inspired, but mostimportantly, importantly, to be celebrated
and to be heard. We may notall live farm, ranch or homestead
the same, but we are allconnected. We are rural women and
our stories are worthy ofbeing told. Hey everyone. Welcome
(02:09):
back to another episode of theReal Woman Podcast. Today you'll
meet Sequoyah Branham, a ranchgirl storyteller and passionate advocate
for the honest beauty andheartbreak of ranch life. Raised
in a tight knit ranchingcommunity in West Texas, Sequoyah
brings her lived experiencesin the saddle and on the land into
(02:29):
the pages of her writing. Inour conversation today, she shares
how working with livestockbuilt her confidence. How an early
love of writing blossomed onan online forum, and how her education
in writing and business gaveher the tool to bring her stories
to life. We dive into thethemes in her books like courage,
(02:49):
connection and learning to askfor help, and the realities of being
a young woman navigating bothagriculture and authorship. Sequoyah's
story is a heartfelt reminderthat rural life offers not only grit
and challenge, but alsoprofound moments of growth, learning
and beauty. Whether you are afellow writer, rancher, or love a
(03:12):
good story, you this is oneyou do not want to miss. Without
further ado, my friends, let'sget to this week's interview with
Sequoyah.
Sequoyah, welcome to the RuralWoman Podcast. How are you today?
I'm doing well. Thanks so muchfor having me.
(03:33):
I am so excited to get to diveinto your story and learn more about
you and the incredible youngrural woman you are. So for the listeners
who are unfamiliar with you,give us your background, tell us
who you are, where you'refrom, and how you got your start
in agriculture.
Yeah. I'm Sequoyah Branham.I'm a ranch girl and an author. I
(03:56):
was born and raised in theranching community. My family's been
in ranching for severalgenerations, mainly Just my family
working on ranches for otherpeople. But, yeah, I was privileged
to get to grow up in that andhelp my dad and a couple of uncles
on the places they were at asI was growing up. And that varied
(04:17):
from kind of the rollingplains between Lubbock and Abilene.
It's where I grew up most ofmy years. And then further west Texas,
south of Midland, Odessa, thatdirection whenever I was helping
my uncles. So I've gotten tokind of travel around, and it's been.
It's been a lot of fun.
So growing up, being able tobe immersed in this ranching culture
(04:39):
in west Texas, to me, soundsvery dreamy. Tell us more about the
types of ranches that you wereexposed to.
Yeah. So as I was growing up,my dad had a job during the week,
and then on the weekends, hetook care of a small place. And so
that was just cow calf pears.And then my mom and sisters and I
(05:00):
would feed or check waters forhim in the middle of the week, and
then I would go with him onthe weekend. And that was when we
got horseback and did all thestuff that needed to be done in that
way. Those cattle were verycalm and quiet and easy to handle.
And so they did a lot for me,building my confidence and just helping
me get to where I got excitedabout when something ran off. They
(05:23):
were a little lessintimidating. And then as I was growing
up, my dad and I would go backto where he grew up, and his younger
brother was managing the placethat they actually all grew up on.
And so that was primarily asheep ranch. They did have some goats
and a few cattle as well. Andthat was another place that really
grew my confidence becausesheep were a lot less intimidating.
And those were long days. Bigcountry. Bigger than up here, where
(05:47):
I grew up. And definitely hassome. Personally don't call them
mountains, but some prettygood hills with some cliffs and canyons
and stuff like that. And sothat grew my. My riding confidence
a lot as well. Of just like Ican. I can go places and do things
horseback and not be souptight and worried all the time.
And then almost done with highschool when I started helping a different
(06:08):
uncle, same general area. Andhe. It was a cattle ranch. And those.
Most of those cattle were notcool, common, collected. They. They
took off at a high rate ofspeed when they saw us come in. So
the Lord sure knew what he wasdoing. That I had experiences in
other places before I gotthere, because I might have not stuck
around very long if that waswhat I first encountered but it came
(06:31):
to be where that was a lot offun to, you know, kind of get into
a little horse race with a cowand things like that.
I love that. And like yousaid, you built your confidence on
horseback because as a personwho myself, my horse experience is
taking, like, a guided trailride through mountains, which is
beautiful, but it's absolutelynothing like working on a horse and,
(06:55):
you know, wrangling animals,whether it's a cow or sheep or anything
like that.
So.
So good for you, and good foryou for building that confidence.
Growing up, like, having theseexperiences, how did this shape,
like, what you eventuallywanted to do?
Yeah, I think it definitelynarrowed down the kinds of things
(07:15):
that I wanted to do. I justlove the outdoors. And so I was like,
you know, even if I don't havea ranch job or, you know, can't work
directly with animals, likejust being outdoors, you know, that
was kind of my first criteriaof an ideal life, is being outdoors
as much as I can. And then asI began to write stories, it was
(07:35):
just very natural. Like,that's. That was the setting, you
know, on a ranch and working,you know, working livestock. And
I always kind of like, had atheme of this is what I want my characters
to. To learn and kind ofunderstand by the end of the story.
And so it was just like, okay,what on the ranch is happening that
makes them learn that? And Ithink agriculture as a whole, I just.
(08:00):
I only have. Have experiencewith ranching, but I definitely would
say agriculture as a wholeprovides plenty of opportunities
to learn life lessons andjust, you know, character traits
and things like that.
For sure, you make my job easygoing into the books and being an
author. When did you startwriting? Is this something that you've
always done?
It began in middle school.I've always been a big reader and
(08:23):
stumbled upon a website thatwas just like, basically a forum
for people sharing theirstories. And I started reading that,
and I was kind of like, okay,if these people can do it, why can't
I? Because there's a lot ofreally unedited, like, there's not
even a period at the end ofthe sentence kind of stories on there.
So I was like, you know, ifthey can do it, why can't I? And
(08:44):
so I just started writing forfun and, yeah, set my stories on
the ranch and usually gave mycharacters courage and skills that
I didn't have, but I wanted tohave. And so just kind of went from
there and then joined acollege alternative program for novel
writing and business. And Iwould say that's when I started gaining
(09:05):
the skills and the confidencewriting wise to think about, like
not just I want to publishsomeday, but I like, I can publish
and I can do that, you know,within the next few years.
Very cool. Did you have anyinspiration or any writers that you
looked up to that theirstories were, you know, something
that you aspired to write? Like.
(09:26):
Yes, for sure. Elmer Kelton, Ithink the Western Writers of America
association named him the bestwestern writer of all time. I think
that's the title they gavehim. But I really admired the way
that he wrote westerns. Butthey weren't the classic like shoot
em up Hollywood Western. Hebrought in the characters and the
(09:48):
land to like come together andjust mesh really seamlessly. And
both of them mattered to thestory and it mattered, you know,
there was a emotional elementfor the characters. It wasn't just
I have to keep my land or youknow, whatever the story was and
just did such a good job ofmeshing those two together. And he,
all of his writing was superreal. As a, you know, someone who
(10:10):
understands that life and haslived that life, you can pick up
one of his books and know thathe understood that life very intimately.
Which is just so comfortingwhen you can pick up a story and
you know that the writer knowswhat your life is like.
(11:13):
I love that you said that. Andthe comforting part, that's a perfect
word for it because as youknow and anyone who's living rurally,
there's a lot of things thatare different than living in a major
city center or even like a midsized town. Rural living is, is a
different way of life. There'spros and cons to each side of the
(11:36):
coin here. But to find storiesthat resonate with you. Comforting.
I love that adjective for it.It's perfect. So you took this course,
the business writing course.Tell me what that was like and what
you've been able to do withthat education piece that you've.
(11:56):
That you've. What did youlearn in school?
So the author Conservatory isa three year program. The first year
focuses on craft and storystructure. And then as you get into
year two, a little bit more onthe platform and more of how do you
connect with your readersspecifically. And then year three
is, is more publishing andthat kind of thing. And so it really
(12:18):
just builds on each other. Andthen the business track of it is
all about hand. Like youlaunch your own business and you
learn how to market and whatdoes that look like? And you get
to see the real results oflike, I made money by Selling something,
which is a very, veryintimidating. Grew a lot of courage
through that too, of justlike, I can do hard things and I
(12:38):
can talk to people and I don'tdie. And so, yeah, I learned a ton
of, like, practical businessskills. I learned a ton of practical,
what does a story look like?And that kind of thing. I also just
grew so much as a person ofknowing how to connect with people
outside of a businessrelationship, you know, knowing how
to push through some of those,you know, like, this is intimidating.
(13:00):
This is scary. On anotherlevel of like, what does that actually
look like? And specificallywith people and with talking to people,
because that's definitely beenone of my big places that I think
in some ways comes with ruralliving. You don't see as many people
as often. And so when it comesto, you know, kind of those big encounters,
it's like, this isuncomfortable. But I, yeah, just
(13:21):
learned so much in all areas.And it was through them that I got
my first professional edit onmy first book in the Company of Cows.
And that was a very, like,mental unlocking section where I
was like, okay, this person isgetting paid to tell me what I'm
doing wrong. And they told methat it's worthy of publication.
Honestly, when I think of theediting piece is always the most
(13:47):
stressful part for me. Andespecially if I've put. Put my creative
prowess into something andthen to give it over to someone for
them to tell me what I didwrong is the biggest intimidation
piece for me. I always, youknow, I love a good edit. Take out
(14:08):
the words, take out the fluff.Because I'm definitely more of a
theoretical talker versusgetting to the point. So from that
editing piece then you wereable to go to publication. So talk
about your published work.
Yeah, so I have two books outnow. They are in a series together
(14:30):
called the Nora Kelly seriesIn the Company of Cows. Nora is really
facing losing her job, whichhas become her whole world, and enlists
the help of her uncle, who'svery successful in kind of everything
she wants to be. And so she'sfacing a lot of fear and exercising
a lot of courage through that.And then in between pastures, it's
(14:53):
kind of her turn to help him.He's battling cancer, and so she's
trying to keep up with herjob. The cattle that he has, and
then also just being there forhim and is really battling what does
it mean to ask for help andjust what that looks like. As people
in agriculture, we're not verygood at asking for help. And so she's
(15:15):
she's facing that down.
I'm curious with. You hadmentioned before the characters and
the stories that you havewritten in Nora. What are some of
the things that relate to yourstory and what are some of the things
that, you know, you wish youhad that were Nora's?
(15:36):
Especially in the first book,in the Company of Cows, Nora faces
a lot of social anxiety,putting herself out there. And so
that was something that I'vestruggled with, and still it circles
back, and I get hung up on itsometimes. Her confidence, as far
as in her abilities on theranch, sometimes come and go for
me. So that's probably onething that I pull from her that I'm
(16:00):
like, I wish that I could justshow up and, you know, be that confident.
And then in both stories, heruncle Ian is very heavily based on
one of my uncles that I got tospend a lot of time with. And that
really made a big impact on mylife. And so in. In between pastures,
his journey, I. I also got tosupport my uncle while he walked.
(16:23):
His cancer diagnosis. And sothere's a lot more of the personal
emotions that Nora deals withthat I. I faced during that as well.
I think she's forced to dealwith them a little bit more all right
now, whereas my. My processwas a little bit more scattered out.
And like you said, the comfortpiece of being able to talk about
(16:44):
things that you've beenthrough, and I'm sure your readers
feel the same or similar ofknowing that, you know, the author
of this book has been throughthis, so she knows what she's talking
about. She knows the triumphsof what it takes to run a cattle
herd with different hurdlesalong the way, and whether that's
(17:05):
the social anxiety piece,which my hands up to. I have social
anxiety. People don't thinkyou talk into a microphone, that
you are socially awkward. Ithink we're the most socially awkward
people. That's why we talkinto microphones. Not face to face
with people, but just knowingthat there's that piece in there
that's of you and I, and Ilove that you had mentioned that
(17:29):
the piece that a lot of peoplein agriculture struggle with is the
asking for help for you. Isthat something that you also struggle
with?
It is. There's areas that Ican ask for help pretty easily, but
I would say specifically with,like, if I'm trying to get something
done, I have to do everythingthat I can possibly manage. And then
(17:52):
if it's still not working, I'mlike, fine, I'll call someone.
Yeah, it's the last resourcepiece of phoning for help. For me
personally, when I'm runningequipment, if there's a funny noise,
that is when I. I immediatelystop because I think to myself, if
this breaks, I don't know howto fix it. But I have to be dang
(18:13):
sure that when I make thatphone call, I can accurately depict
what noise was being made.Because if not, I'm going to be sitting
there for a long time waitingfor somebody to come listen to this
noise. That was probablynothing. But no, the asking for help
piece, I think. And it'swhether it's a physical labor job
or whether it's, you know, aninside job of, you know, if you're
(18:37):
not emotionally doing okay. Ithink that's really hard for people
in agriculture too. So I justam excited to read your books. You,
you've sold me on readingthem. I would say I'm more of a.
What kind of reader am I?Probably something that I can't say
out loud here on the podcastor people would judge me. But for
(19:00):
the listeners who would liketo know more about your books or
where they can find them, canthey find them?
I sell signed copies,paperbacks through my website, sequoiabranum.com,
but you can also find them onAmazon, Barnes and Noble and everywhere
for ebooks. And the Company ofCows is also an audiobook. Still
(19:22):
working on that for In Between Pastures.
That's amazing. Did you recordthe audiobook yourself?
I did.
That's a lot of work.
It is. My voice kind ofsounded like this just for a different
reason.
That's awesome. And I, I lovea good audiobook that's spoken by
the author because you get thepassion and what you were feeling
(19:42):
behind those words when yousaid them. So that's great. And I
will link all of those in theshow notes so people can find the
book and grab a copy forthemselves. Let's talk more about
what you do when you're notwriting now. What is your, what is
your full time job?
Well, that's a loadedquestion. I just kind of pieced my
(20:03):
life together a little bit ofthis and a little that. Yeah, so
I do a lot with my books. Iwould say that's kind of my primary
thing. I also work for theauthor conservatory that I graduated
from. So I'm working withstudents there. And then right now
I'm not anywhere steady on theranch. I get to float around and
(20:25):
help my dad and uncles andcousins and my boyfriend just wherever
they're at when they needhelp. So it's kind of the best of
both worlds.
Yeah. Having that flexibilityas a creative, I think is super important.
And it takes a while to figureout where like the happy medium is.
I know for me, when I startedthe podcast, it was very much like
(20:49):
off the side of my desk. Itwas between fields. Like I had to
figure out like when I wasgoing to sleep because I wanted to
be sitting here working. Andthen when it kind of got bigger and
it became more of my actualfull time job on top of all the speaking
and whatever else that I do,then the farming almost came, like
(21:13):
the part time job for me,which was sad because I quit my real
job so I could drive a tractorbecause it was fun. So, yeah, talk
about your experience forriding and training on the ranch.
What does that look like foryou? What have been some of the biggest
challenges for you?
(21:34):
You know, working with younghorses or working dogs is so fun
for me, I actually it worksout pretty well with my dad and I
because he really likes totake them, you know, once they kind
of learn, know the basics, youknow, that first month or so, then
he's game on. He really likesthat. Whereas I'm like, I love the
(21:56):
groundwork. I love thatinitial stage. And then once they're
ready to go outside, like put60 days on them and then I'll take
them back. There's a big jumpbetween like, okay, we've like ridden
them in the arena or the bigwater lot and now we're going outside.
And I'm like, I would be okayif I didn't do that. But those initial
(22:17):
groundwork and halter breakingand all that just I feel like you
get to see so clearly in frontof you them changing and them understanding
what you're asking of them.And they're coming around to realize
that you're their friend andthat, you know, you're, you're working
with them, not against them,and definitely for, you know, young
horses. And I think young dogsare very similar. They, when you
(22:41):
can see when it starts toclick, if they understand a command
and they, sure, they still runin there and do what they're not
supposed to, but you can alsokind of see they're like, oh, I wasn't
supposed to do that. And so Ijust like seeing them evolve.
What have been some of thebiggest challenges that you've faced
growing in this industry as ayoung woman, I would.
(23:03):
Say myself is probably thebiggest challenge. I've been very
blessed that the places I goand day work and different things
like that, nine out of tentimes. Everybody there is so accepting
that, you know, I am a girland doing what they do. And on the
off chance that they're not,it's not really that it's not. They're
not rude. It's mostly justthis kind of uncertainty, I guess,
(23:29):
of like, oh, my gosh, you're agirl. Like, I don't know if I'm supposed
to shake your hand or, like,not. It's like, what do I do with
the fact that you're a girl?And so, you know, even in that, it's
not. I've had bad experiences.It's just different. But I think
I'm probably my biggestchallenge is getting out of my own
head and not taking that oflike, oh, my gosh, I'm a girl. Like,
they don't want me here oreither falling in the ditch of I'm
(23:51):
a girl. So I have to, like,work twice as hard and do twice as
much to prove that I'm, like,capable of being here, but then also
not. Not getting in my ownhead. When there are jobs that, you
know, they're like, hey, like,we got this. Like, you know, you
go. Go do the other job. Andthat's, you know, just not. Not taking
it personally. You know, Ithink most men in agriculture, but
(24:14):
specifically cowboys, areknown to be very chivalrous and,
you know, respectful and verymuch a gentleman, which has been
my experience with them andjust everyone that I work with. And
so that's just. It doesn'thappen super often, but sometimes
they will be like, you know,sit this one out. And that's really
where it comes from is, youknow, just them. Them being a gentleman
and understanding that, youknow, of the jobs that we have to
(24:36):
do, this is probably theriskiest one. And so, you know, like,
we'll handle it and you don'thave to.
Yeah, and I agree with whatyou said. Like, a lot of it comes
down to, I would say, the oldcowboy culture of being, I'm going
to do this for you, littlelady, and you can sit this one out.
And, you know, it comes withpros and cons for each. Right. But
(25:01):
in saying that, I think thebeing in your own head is something
that a lot of women inagriculture struggle with and women
that I talk to, myselfincluded, of looking at, whether
it's on a horseback or it's ina combine or whatever it is, like,
that mental piece saying,like, this is huge. Like, should
(25:23):
I even be here doing this?That's a big barrier that a lot of
us face.
Absolutely And I think one ofthe toughest ones to overcome because
it's like you can't see it.It's inside you. So, like, how do
you even fight that sometimes?
Right? Yeah, exactly. And it'sfunny, I had a counselor tell me
one time a long time ago, thethoughts that you're having in your
(25:43):
head, like, is that true? Didsomebody actually verbally say that
to you? Or is it justsomething that you're thinking? And
framing it that way helps meget through those. Like, I always
call it the mean girl in myhead. Like, it helps me get past
those mean girl thoughts. Soare there any funny or memorable
(26:04):
experiences that you've had onthe ranch that you're not too embarrassed
or proud to share with us?
So many. Yeah. I feel like I'mprobably part. I'm like part time.
Just humor, entertainment foreverybody else.
I feel the same way, I guess.
(26:25):
You know, somebody has to be right.
Yeah.
First thing that came to mind,it was maybe the first time that
I had went to help my UncleBrazos, which is the inspiration
for Uncle Ian in my books. Butdefinitely, I think one of the first
few times that I had, like, Iwas the only one there, it wasn't
a full crew. And so we werejust picking up some calves that
(26:48):
had hadn't been gathered thefirst time. And so we jumped a bunch
and we're driving out to thepins and a couple a pair and maybe,
you know, an extra calf orsomething turned back. And I went
with them. But because of thebrush and like the little draws and
stuff, I couldn't ever. I wasalways just like neck and neck with
(27:09):
them. I never could get infront of him and turn them. And all
I could hear in my head thewhole time that we're going is my
dad who was like, don't quit,like, don't leave them. Like you
always come back with them.And so I just kept going and going
and going and like we wentpast where we had even started with
them. And finally I was like,I'm going to lose him and not even
(27:31):
know where he and the rest ofthe cattle went, like, if I keep
going. And I was like, I have.And I did finally get them turned
a couple of times. And it justlike, they would not. They were so
bent on going the directionthey wanted to go. And so finally
I called it and I was like,you know what? If it's wrong, it's
wrong, but we're just callingit and we're doing it and we're going
back. And so I Loped up and itwasn't very far to the pins by that
(27:53):
time. And we got them pins.And he was like, what happened to
you? He was like, I thoughtyou were, like, upside down in a
ditch somewhere. And I waslike, no, I just went, like, all
the way back to the fence withthem. And he's like, you could have
called. Like, make one goodeffort. And when you first had them
turned, if they weren'tcommitted, like, you could have came
back. And I was like, okay,noted. I'll take that with me going
(28:16):
forward. But, yeah, I waslike, I don't know. It's what I've
always been told, like, stay committed.
Right, Exactly. Don't give up.Keep going. Keep going. You always
remember those, like, key,pivotal, like, first pieces of advice
for everything. My key firstpiece of advice was don't hit anything.
(28:40):
So that is what I think of allof the time. And I have to be honest
with you, this past harvestwas the first time, I quote, hit
anything. And I was soembarrassed. I was so upset because
I hit something. It literallycaused, like, a cosmetic little ding.
It wasn't a big deal. Nothinggot broken. But I will never forget
(29:03):
that I actually hit something,you know, seven years in now. And
I was just like, damn it.Like, I was number one employee for
so long for not hittinganything. Oh, man. Sequoyah, what
is next for you? What is onthe docket for you?
Yes, well, I just startedworking on another book project,
(29:26):
hopefully to come out in 2026,kind of when I'm projecting. And
then I've got a young horsethat is at that point where she needs
to go outside. So kind ofgetting intimidated with that a little
bit. But, yeah, I reallyhoping that to get to ride her a
lot this winter and get hergeared up for spring works amazing.
(29:46):
For someone that's listening,that is maybe another young creative
or a young horse lover orwannabe rancher that is listening.
What advice do you have forthem? From your lived experience,
what advice do you have for them?
I think don't be afraid to askfor help. Is. Is a big one. There's
(30:10):
so many people that are, youknow, more than happy to help you
and to explain things to you,but with that, do. Do what you can
to watch and understand justby watching. So, you know, to at
least inform your question, tohave maybe a more specific question.
My uncle Brazos was such adetailed person. One of his son's
(30:31):
friends had a joke that waslike, you can ride by a rock, and
Brazos will be like, did youknow that a snake crawled on that
like two weeks ago. And justlike he picked up on everything.
And so that was something thatI kind of learned from him. I'm not
anywhere as detail oriented ashe is, but just picked up from him
as far as like, okay, before Igo back and tell him like, this is
(30:53):
what I found when I waschecking waters, what are like two
extra things that I can noticeand tell him, you know, like, what
are things that I can check?If this isn't working, what can I
check? And so just doing thatfor your question, you know, to be
like, I noticed you did this.Why? Or you know, like things like
that. But just try to get alittle bit more specific and learn
(31:15):
what you can by just watching.But then follow up and ask questions
too.
What advice do you have forthe inspiring writer?
Ask for help too, a little bitdifferently because it is so specific.
You know, there's only so muchstudying you can do of someone else's
work before you have to reallyget feedback on your own. But I guess
that would, that wouldprobably be like my caveat to that
(31:36):
is get feedback on your ownwriting as much and as often and
as high quality as you can.While your mom loves you, because
she loves you, she's going totell you that your writing is great.
So get someone who's a littlebit more, more removed and can tell
you that it in fact is great,but these are some areas it can grow.
I love that. That's greatadvice. My last question for you
(31:59):
is what is the most rewardingpart about being a rural woman for
you?
That is a good question. Ithink the things that I learn and
appreciate that I can sharewith other people, whether they're
fellow rural people or ifthey're someone who doesn't understand
the life. But just getting toappreciate simpler things and get
(32:20):
to share the love that lovefor simpler things with other people.
That's good stuff. Simple tothe point. Love it. So good. It has
been an absolute pleasuregetting to know you. And for the
listeners who are listeningand remind us again where we can
find your books and where canthey connect with you online.
(32:41):
Yes. So best place is mywebsite, sequoiabranum.com there's
a place to shoot me an emailthere if you want to chat. I have
Instagram and Facebook, bothof them are Sequoyah Branham. I truthfully
am not very active as of thelast four months or so. So yeah,
if you want to chat, bestplace to do that is my. Through my
(33:04):
website, email me there perfect.
And I will link all of thosein the show notes so people can find
you and connect with you.
Awesome.
Thank you again Sequoyah somuch for sharing your story with
us today. I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thanks for listening to theRural Woman Podcast. The Rural Woman
(33:27):
Podcast is more than just apodcast. We are a community. A huge
thank you to the Rural WomanPodcast Team. Audio Editor Max Hofer.
A special thanks to ourPatreon Executive Producers Sarah
Riedner From Happiness by theAcre to learn how you can become
a Patreon Executive Produceror other ways to financially support
(33:50):
the show, head on over towildrosefarmer.com to learn more.
Be sure to hit the Follow orSubscribe button wherever you listen
to the podcast to get thelatest episodes directly on your
playlist. And if you areloving the show, please be sure to
leave a rating and review onany Apple podcast or any other platform
(34:10):
that accepts ratings andreviews. You can connect with us
on social media at theworldwoman Podcast and with me, ildrosefarmer.
One of the best ways you cansupport the show is by sharing it.
Send this episode to a friendor share on your social media. Let's
strengthen and amplify thevoices of women in agriculture together.
(34:34):
Until next time my friend.Keep sharing your story.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com