Next Day

So the mountain of work is done… everything that it takes to put on a branding… the firewood cutting, the vaccine ordering, the setting up of the portable panels, the moving of cattle, the gathering of supplies, the food and drink for 30 people. It should be sweet sailing from here on out, right?

Well, yes and no. The branded calves and their moms are now headed out onto our BLM leases. Moving baby calves is never easy. Daniel and I predicted a wreck with baby calves wanting to run back *somewhere* to find momma, missing the gate, and heading down into the rough country of Buffalo Creek.

We had a good crew, though.

Five kids and four adults on horseback, three of us on machines. While adults paired out, it’s up to the kids to help hold the herd, keeping them together. Speaking from experience, simply holding the herd can be mind numbing. When you’re a kid… it’s worse. Your snacks disappear. Your drinks run empty. Every once in a while, you move your horse and turn back a cow, but then you sit there. And sit there. Starting at 9:30 and finally finishing at 3… It’s a longlong day! But like their dads before them, these kids hung in there, did their best, and learned from some marvelous role models.