Katching Up With Katie – “Unsolved Mysteries: KVS Edition”

Host: Katie Van Slyke
Date: September 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and laughter-filled episode, Katie and her crew recount a wild and puzzling morning on the ranch that could rival an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries." From a newborn calf inexplicably winding up on the wrong side of a fence, to the team’s jokes, personal anecdotes, and candid chatter about the chaos of farm life, this episode showcases the heart (and humor) of Running Springs. The latter half features a quarterly catch-up with team member Lindsay, including her “big white” sweatshirt saga, adventures learning animal names, and reflections on the challenges of joining a working ranch.

Key Topics & Highlights

1. The Calf Conundrum & Farm Mysteries

Timestamps: 00:49 – 15:46

• Discovery of the Mystery Calf (00:49)

  • Katie describes the eventful morning checking on cows with Abigail and Lindsay, accompanied by a squirming Jack Russell puppy.
  • A newborn calf is found on the opposite side of the pasture fence from its mother, Lulu, leaving the crew genuinely baffled.

    “...all of a sudden you were both like, ‘there’s a baby literally right next to us!’” (01:21 – Katie)

• “How Did It Get There?” (02:14)

  • The group theorizes possibilities – the fence is too high for birthing across, and there’s nowhere obvious to crawl or roll under.
  • Katie suspects the calf rolled under a gate right after birth, before Lulu could clean it.

• Mom Instincts (05:13)

  • Lulu, a first-time mother (a "heifer"), initially shows confusion and detachment:

    “I just have to say heifers are stupid...They don’t know what’s going on.” (06:04 – Katie)

  • After some effort, the team reunites calf and mother by physically carrying the weak calf back.

• Possible Twins? (06:57)

  • Ambiguity about a second calf and maternal instincts leads the team to consider DNA testing if needed:

    “So maybe twins, and DNA will tell us.” (08:00 – Katie)

  • Discussion about cow confusion:

    “She was like, ‘oh, the baby’s out of my sight. I don’t have a baby. What baby?’” (06:09 – Katie)

• Analogies & Farm Humor (09:47)

  • Office and "Unsolved Mysteries" references lighten the confusion:

    “I think of The Office when Kevin decided that he was going to use less words… That’s how Lulu is: ‘No, baby. Eat. Eat. Oh, baby. Now other side.’” (09:47 – Katie)

  • Crew jokes about heifer mix-ups and previous calves stealing milk.

2. Real-Life “Unsolved Mysteries” & Anecdotes

Timestamps: 10:19 – 15:49

• Abigail’s Car Crash Story (10:19)

  • Abigail recounts a car accident with "miraculous" unexplainable elements, drawing parallels to the morning's calf incident.
  • Everyone jokes about the frustration of unsolved mystery stories.

    “It’s like you intentionally turn on Unsolved Mysteries and then get upset that it was never solved.” (12:52 – Matt)

• Farm Auctions & Cattle Sale Practices (13:41)

  • Katie provides insight into cattle auctions, “reserves,” and calf pairings, clarifying for listeners:

    “They’re sold as a pair. It’s a cow-calf pair; there’s no separation going on.” (15:46 – Katie)

3. Team Catch-Up with Lindsay: Wins, Woes & Nicknaming

Timestamps: 15:54 – 36:53

• Quarterly Review, Farm Style (16:11)

  • Lindsay reflects on her first three months, with playful input from the team about her learning curve, especially around animal names.

    “Some people think it’s amazing that we hire people that haven’t had prior horse experience...it’s actually hilarious how many thoughts go into it.” (16:35 – Katie)

• The “Big White” Sweatshirt Story (18:36)

  • Katie recalls cautioning Lindsay about her oversized white sweatshirt possibly spooking calves:

    “Yeah, like they’ll just see a big white—‘and then I trailed off and I never finished it…’” (20:22 – Katie & Abigail)

  • Group laughter at the phrase “big white” becoming Lindsay’s new nickname.

• Social Media Hustle & Weaning Lessons (21:15)

  • Lindsay shares about using Snapchat to learn and engage with followers, and speaks candidly about the learning curve of weaning and animal care.

    “Learning the animals’ names has been a lot of fun. I’m actually challenging myself...especially when I call them the wrong names.” (21:15 – Lindsay)

• Naming the Year’s Calves — The “N” Year (22:48)

  • Discussion around naming conventions: this year, all calves get “N” names (e.g., “Ned,” “Nate,” “Neville”).

    “So in the Simmental registry, it is an N year. So we’re going to name everything with an N.” (23:00 – Katie)

  • Listeners invited to suggest N names.

• Driving Dramas & Waze App Tangent (27:44)

  • Lindsay describes her challenging commute to the ranch, with highway traffic woes and her mom’s advice: “never take the same route to work every day.”
  • Tangent about the Waze navigation app and its various customizations adds levity.

• Horseback Plans and Team Antics (28:28 – 36:53)

  • The group preps to film Matt and Lindsay’s (possibly comedic) horseback rides.

    “Lindsay and Matt are both going to get on a horse today.” (30:40 – Katie)

  • Conversation about Ethel, a horse’s high-energy show, and mind-body preparedness for riding.

• Animal Name Quiz — Recap (32:29 – 36:53)

  • Katie quizzes Lindsay (“who’s this?”) with photos of various animals:
    • Wheezy (Katie: “I can’t believe she just got that.”), Ricky, Gracie.
    • Running joke about “people names” for animals (“What’s wrong with Megan?”).
    • Team debates about recognizing horses by looks and features.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Every week I talk about, like, calving season’s coming...all of a sudden you were both like, there’s a baby literally right next to us!” (01:08 – Katie)
• “I just have to say heifers are stupid. They make things difficult. They don’t know what’s going on.” (06:05 – Katie)
• “It’s like you intentionally turn on Unsolved Mysteries and then get upset that it was never solved.” (12:52 – Matt)
• “Some people think it’s amazing that we hire people that haven’t had prior horse experience...it’s actually hilarious how many thoughts go into it.” (16:35 – Katie)
• “Learning the animals’ names has been a lot of fun. I’m actually, like, challenging myself...especially when I call them the wrong names.” (21:15 – Lindsay)
• “So in the Simmental registry, it is an N year. So we’re going to name everything with an N.” (23:00 – Katie)
• “Did you hear what she said? Sophie?” (35:22 – Crew, during animal ID quiz)
• “Let us know some N names, since we have calves on the ground now. Stay tuned for lots of fun stuff…” (36:36 – Katie)

Top Segments with Timestamps

• The Case of the Wayward Calf: 00:49 – 04:36
• Heifer Confusion & Solution: 05:13 – 08:16
• Unsolved Mysteries & Car Crash Analogy: 10:19 – 13:25
• Behind the Scenes – Cattle Sale Insights: 13:41 – 15:46
• Lindsay’s First Quarter Review & Nickname: 16:11 – 21:44
• Naming Season & Listener Challenge: 22:48 – 24:44
• Quizzing Lindsay on Farm Animal Names: 32:29 – 36:53

Tone, Style & Takeaways

The episode maintains Katie’s signature down-to-earth, witty, and warm tone, blending real ranch-life problem solving with plenty of humor and camaraderie. Listeners get authentic farm stories, insight into the daily chaos (and joy) of animal husbandry, and a peek at team dynamics — all wrapped in relatable, often hilarious, conversations.

Listener Call-to-Action:

• Suggest “N” names for this year’s calves.
• Share thoughts or questions for the next Lindsay update.
• Drop a Waze point total in the comments (if using the app).

Next up: Stay tuned for off-property adventures, more animal stories, and perhaps Lindsay’s first real horseback ride!