Today we kicked the cows out to their new pasture in the badlands. This is Bureau of Land Management land… meaning that it is “public” land. We pay a grazing lease on it. People can come out and hunt on it, or walk around and enjoy nature… but we’re the ones that pay. We also do lots of pipeline and/or reservoir work in cooperation with the BLM. We are allowed to leave the cows out there until the fifteenth of January, but sometimes, due to the weather, we have to bring the cows in and start feeding them hay.
Since I was in the side by side, and it’s not quite as handy as a four wheeler, and I’m a very cautious driver… I didn’t gather the pasture and I missed the hard, trickier part of gathering the cows. I just drove out, brought lunch, and then helped the rest of the way out.
No. We do not normally use only ATVs. We usually ride horses, but with the snow and cold and slippery conditions, Vernon voted for the wheeled horses.
It was a pretty day, with the temps in the 30’s, sunshine, and just enough of a breeze to keep you cold!
Bravo and Eden got to go along, Eden actually working, and Bravo watching… and napping right next to me while the work was going on!
And before I forget…
Here are Harry Potter, Cinderella, a Broncos quarterback, Broncos cheerleader… and someone had to be the football!
Time for a Q&A????? Post your questions in the comment section! I haven’t done this for a while, let’s see what you come up with!
Find me here!
1. Do you get cell phone service in the badlands? If not, how do you communicate if something goes wrong?
2. I didn’t see any fences. Do other people have cattle in the badlands that could mingle with yours? If you have to be out by mid January, what’s the value in spending only 2 months out there? It doesn’t look like plush grazing.
3. Does Bravo learn from watching Eden or is it instinctive?
Oh for cute!! Love the costumes, and that’s the cutest little football I’ve ever seen!!
I never get tired of seeing Halloween costumes – homemade or store-bought! These are all very cute. Our weather turned very bad for all the kids at about 6:30 – one huge downpour
and very heavy winds. So, like you and Bravo there, Sandy and I stayed “side by side” and warm
for most of the evening! Mother Nature is certainly giving you an early taste of winter.
Wise dog Bravo. Lovely photo of the kids.
Cute Kids & Cold cow gathers! The BLM lease issue use to puzzle me when I would read sale ads for ranches & that land was included in the ranch description & total asking price, then it was explained to me, if you have a BLM lease & take good care of it, follow all the rules, ect. it’s yours for a long time, am I close to understanding it? Ranching out there now sure makes the way we farmed & raised livestock here in Iowa when I was growing up seem a lot easier- keep those cows fat & sassy- got young’ens on the way!