About Jan Swan Wood

Born and raised on a ranch near Newell, South Dakota, I have spent my lifetime in the cattle and horse business. I've cowboyed in Wyoming, Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota before settling down in my home country, where my husband and I bought a place of our own. I have slowed down on cowboying for others, though I still day work now and then. I use my homegrown horses here on our place to take care of the mother cows while my husband leaves each day to shoe horses, which he's done exclusively for almost 20 years. I have a grown son and two grandsons who are the sun, the moon and the stars to me. From my childhood I have drawn horses, cattle and other ranch subjects and started drawing cartoons when I was about eight years old. My "Outtagrass Cattle Company" cartoons are a fun outlet for my art and twisted sense of humor and appear weekly in Tri-State Livestock News. I have compiled two books, so far, of my cartoons and am planning a third. I am also a freelance writer for livestock publications and strive to write so that it feels as though I am having a conversation with the reader. I also enjoy photography, which goes nicely with the writing. My goal is to help to entertain, educate, and give food for thought to the reader.