Working Wren

I putted around and worked on a saddle this morning and cut out some new quarter strap to fix the harness we broke yesterday. Then this afternoon, I went out and harnessed up and fed. Dean came about the time I was ready to go, so he hopped on and went along for the ride. Then after we got a bale loaded Cindy came driving in, so she got the gate and jumped on to go feed the bale. When we got done Dean and I put the horses in the barn and then went and got him a chunk of pipe to fix his bale wagon that had the reach break on  while he was feeding with his team this morning. We had a cool drink and then he went home and I went out and harnessed up Wren and drove her single in the round corral. Cindy brought the camera out and took these pictures. Wren was pretty fast paced but I just kind of stayed in the middle and directed her until she slowed down and then when she was pretty calm about it I dropped the tugs and let her drag them around her back feet. We went fast again! 🙂

She got way better and I think this is the trick, to get them both driving real good single, then hook them up with one of the older horses and drive them. Lots simpler for one guy by himself. Cindy got a good video of me unhooking her but I can’t upload on here unless i pay money and I am just too cheap to do so. I may try and put it on Youtube and if I do, I will let everyone know.

Public Land Ranching

Or as some call it, “Welfare Ranching”.

They say it is welfare as the ranchers are screwing the public by paying such a low fee for the use of the grazing privileges. Well here are some pictures of a friend who’s family ranches in Utah. They were gathering the cattle off their allotment they share with other family ranches. Yup, sure looks like they are screwing over the public, doesn’t it? Getting the use of all this highly productive grazing land for such a low fee. Bad. Bad ranchers!

I hope to have some more pictures from another guy who cowboys in Arizona, and helps work cattle on the “cheap” public land and gathers wild cattle off from it, in the near future.

Rill

I ran Cindy’s car down to Punkin Center and got the oil changed and knocked the mud off the insides of the tires so it would drive right. Ate some lunch and came home.

The little Halfie got another work out today. After I got done feeding cows this afternoon, I caught up Patches, the little ugly POA and rode her up west and gathered the other horses. She did real well considering that she hasn’t been rode for about 8 months and is not real well broke anyway. After I got the horses all gathered at the corral, I sorted off Colonel, the coming 2 year old stud colt (before he figures out he’s a stud and I get some unwanted colts next spring) and Beaver and Crackerjack and kept them in with the team and colts. Beaver and Ron should keep Colonel from breeding any of these mares he will be running with.

Then I got Rill caught and harnessed and hooked her on alongside Ron and Roz and we went around and around the corral, with me afoot, somewhat dragging and hanging on. Finally when I could get them all stopped and untangled, I hooked Rill to her older sister mate, Roz and again we went around and around while Ron looked on in interest. Roz got tired of Rill crowding her and put her in her a place a few times. Had several near catastrophes, but got them untangled and no good harness broken, just some old sorry pieces on the colt harness that evidently needed replaced. Finally they were working good so I quit. Rill had a much better attitude when I was done.  And I sure wish I had a helper!

Cindy sez I stink and I bet I do, seeing as I was walking, trotting and dragging thru’ quit a little mud and bovine and equine excrement, mixed in! Oh well, mud means spring and that is fine with me.

Happy St Paddy’s day. St Patrick must have blessed me cuz I never seen one snake all day!

Safety

Still nice weather.  50’s today with some wind. Drying the mud out.

I took the extra harness back to the neighbor. The hames were too big for my collars. Then I ran over to Punkin Center and got some lick barrels for these older cows. See if that will help put some flesh on them. They aren’t starving, but I would like to see them fatter. Problem is, they probably just won’t get too fat. But still and all, I like fatter looking cattle.

After I fed this afternoon I pulled the wagon into the shed and started working on it. Cindy came home about that time and came and lent a hand and advice. I wanted to replace and change the boards you stand on and make them safer. And also I put a side on one side so when grand children ride along there is less danger of them falling off. Not fancy, but it will work better for that now and make it even handier to climb on. Sturdier also.

Now, bring on the grand kids! 🙂

Why

Here is a short post by an intelligent young lady who was raised in the Ag lifestyle, married a buckaroo after college and has a daughter and still enjoys this lifestyle. I thought it was pretty spot on for most of us in the business of animal husbandry. Thanks Missy.

A couple of weeks ago, I drug myself out of bed at 5 AM on a Saturday morning to frozen water pipes. We had forgotten to leave the faucet dripping and the temperature had dipped down to ten below zero. If that wasn’t bad enough, coffee hadn’t been made the night before.
I didn’t stay home and thaw out the pipes. I dressed in multiple layers and headed out to chop ice for the horses. I could get coffee in town if I hurried. Then, it was off to feed cows and make sure the rest of the livestock had water.
Many people are thinking WHY didn’t I take care of the house first, while others understand the WHY. It is the WHY of agriculture that sometimes is left out. WHY do we leave comfortable beds for frosty mornings without coffee. WHY we ruin pickups by turning them into calf and lamb warming rooms. Or WHY people in agriculture choose to produce food, fiber and pharmaceuticals knowing: the pay isn’t going to be good, the hours are going to be long, and the end result is death.
I asked several people WHY they make these choices. The overwhelming response is: what else would I do and it is in my blood. These responses are ambiguous at best.
To put things in perspective, while agriculture is deeply ingrained in my blood, it is not something that is genetic. I have one sister who gets the same look on her face in a corral of cattle, which I do when I go into her daycare. Not exactly fear but definitely some discomfort. I think it is the same look my husband gets at Wal-Mart.
There is something to be said about being involved in agriculture. It is not a job to many people but rather a way of life. The ability to have tangible goals where the end result can be seen and held is comforting. The raising of a small calf bucking across the field to a wholesome protein source while maintaining good stewardship of the land is a reality not just a dream.
Many people are involved in agriculture because of the family values associated with raising and producing food.  The respect for life, nature, and work ethic along with the various jobs associated with farming and ranching make it an ideal environment for many to raise kids.
So, WHY did I leave my warm bed to no coffee?  I could get coffee eventually but the horses couldn’t go to town to get water. I love breathing cold (and I mean COLD air) that hasn’t been run through an air conditioner. I also enjoy knowing my daughter will know how to change her own oil, run a tractor, and tell the difference between a bull and a steer.
These are the things that make the worst day ranching without coffee better than good days at other jobs

Little hands

We went in Saturday evening and met with Dusty and Lan and ate supper at Lan’s house. Chance and hope and kids came also. Hope snapped a picture of me holding Addywort. Then  I had to be in Rapid early Sunday morning to meet with Kass. She is joining the church and I am her sponsor and there was a special Mass at the cathedral for her and all others joining this spring. Tate came later and I got a picture of me holding Arri and the size of her hands.

Here’s the pictures. Arri’s on top and Addy’s below.

“The ol’ brown hills are just about bare……”

As Ian Tyson sings in his song “Springtime”.

Yup, lots of snow went off today. Water is running all over. First time  can remember feeding with my team and being in running water pretty much all the time. My little shorty overshoes got my boots wet!

Went over to a neighbors this morning and borrowed an extra set of harness so I will be able to harness all the horses at the same time. It’s made from nylon and plastic, so it’s light but the hames are really to bog for my collars, but I made them work. Lots nicer to throw on and don’t have to worry about the mud and the wet bothering it.

Then after dinner a young neighbor came over and had me cut him some straps to fix on some bronc chaps so he can ride saddle broncs this spring. After that I went out and cut some young bulls and saved all but one of the oysters. Shadow slipped in and got that one. Maybe I’ll have Rocky Montain oysters for dinner tomorrow!

After I got done with that I harnessed up with the new harness and adjusted it to fit and went and fed, but there were only a few cows there to eat. the wind is howling and the other cattle went clear out in the pasture to pick at old grass. Guess they wanted a change in their diet. Tomorrow if they are still out there I will haul some hay to them, but not in this wind! They want hay this evening they will have to come find it behind the wind break.

I unharnessed and then Cindy and I drove up and down the road looking at all the running water. Wish it was warmer and no wind I’d take the kayak out as we really have some big water.

Nice day

Way up in the 40’s. Sure made the now squishy.

Teri McT came down this morning and went with me and we tried to get some photo’s of the horses for her. She also took a bunch of the team and cattle and dogs. Hope they turned out good for her so she can do some more great art work.

Here’s what I got.

Ron's "twin".
Another view of Ron's "Twin".
"The wild bunch"

Ash Wednesday

So begins our count down to Easter Sunday.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”