Believe it or not, they’re predicting snow in the western Wyoming mountains and in the high reaches of the Big Horn Mountains tonight. We’d be very happy with Cooler and Just Rain… but Wyoming wants to give us snow!
Off to your questions…
Pam: Approximately how many acres do you work on your ranch? When you move cattle, are they still on, or do they stay on your land?
Hmmm. I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “work”. How much do we farm? or how much do we own? We’re just an average sized working ranch for Wyoming with a few hundred acres of hay ground. We make it all “work” for us, though… the grass is an important part of the whole scheme! When we move cattle from pasture to pasture, we usually are NOT on our own land. We may cross BLM (Bureau of Land Management/Federal) land, or state land or private. We all have understandings with our neighbors about crossing their land, we let them know we’re coming through, they may or may not come help us through their cattle if they have any in that pasture and/or we coordinate a bit, putting our cows up before they get theirs in a pasture, etc.
Kris: Was the helicopter spraying weeds?
In that field, I’d guess they were spraying alfalfa weevil, but I don’t know for sure. The helicopter has been spraying for grasshoppers around in various places as well… they were bad last year and again this year.
Marilyn: what is your favorite season and why?
were the schools closed in WY. because of Covid-19, hence remote
learning?
Favorite season. That’s tough. I’m gonna be lame and say I really don’t think I have one! I like them all for some reasons and there’s parts of them all I don’t like! I’m kind of a “find the good in all things” type person… I look forward to changing seasons, though, and I think I’d be unhappy living somewhere “consistent”. I enjoy snow and crisp fall air and warm summer nights and the excitement of growth in spring… I would miss it terribly if the seasons didn’t change!
Yes, our schools closed and the kids did remote learning. Ten Sleep is pretty lucky with a fiber optic cable going through town and our internet is pretty good. The kids are all good students and in lower elementary, so it wasn’t like trying to learn calculus remotely! They did miss their friends since our neighborhood is sparsely populated…
JoAmy: I love your Re-Red. The stories that homestead must be keeping. I hope you have some history and will be able to share.
I’m glad you like my Re-Red videos! That homestead has quite the particular story and I will share it once I do a bit more research.
Susan: Question how many cuts of hay do you normally get in a year?
We generally can get two cuttings, though there might be a field or two we can get three off of, it all depends on the weather, of course.
Marilyn: Wondering if you are “done” with your bee-keeping?
I am. I still have my hives. I would still enjoy it. I was spending much more money on it than I had planned… the price of bees went up, the price of queens went up, stinking mice cost me a lot of money! While I loved being in that zzzzzzzzone, it’s much cheaper and easier to support our local apiary and get honey from them!
Betty: Do you carry water for the dogs?
When I’m riding, I will if I know there will be no water in that pasture at all. There are plenty of intermittent streams this time of year and the reservoirs are full, so it isn’t a concern right now. I usually pack a collapsible bowl and Vernon usually has a big water jug on his four wheeler. After Lucas’ major brush with exertional rhabdomyolysis, I also have carried doggie gatorade with me. I am currently out though, using the last of it on a friend’s dog… thanks for the reminder I need to order some!
Jean: Have their numbers (of miller moths) increased over the last few decades?
No, I don’t believe they’ve increased, like most things in nature, there are cycles. I saw a video earlier this year (maybe by the Wyoming Extension Offices?) predicting their increase, and they were correct! Interesting tidbit here… did you know bears like to eat millers?
I believe that’s it! Thanks for the questions!
Find me here!
Do the bears eat the millers, their caterpillars or what? I picture bears running around catching millers. Seems like too much work for them.
“No, I don’t believe they’ve increased, like most things in nature, there are cycles. I saw a video earlier this year (maybe by the Wyoming Extension Offices?) predicting their increase, and they were correct! Interesting tidbit here… did you know bears like to eat millers?”
It must be one heck of a good year for bears.