I’ve given you photos throughout the years… but nothing conveys the action of a branding like a movie. I held my camera next to the branding iron, so the perspective is a bit off… but I hope you find this interesting. **** Q&A time again… post your polite questions in the comment section… and I’ll…
Adrenalin Rush
Another day of riding… These cattle we sorted into two bunches. We did it under The Big Red Rock… One bunch we trailed a couple of miles or so… the other we left in place, and later just kicked them across the fence. Lots of miscellaneous tossed in… branded the calf that was missed the…
Wordless Wednesday – “Tools of the Trade”
Thanks to Daniel for noticing, and Megan for taking this picture for me at branding… At first glance, it’s just a horsetrailer and horses… but there are more tools of the trade visible. Up close, you notice four pairs of spurs temporarily hung on the side… Once more…
Rinse and Repeat
We all feel like this tonight… Tired. Sore. Played out. Done. Many a mile was traveled today. We sorted out pairs for different pastures and put bulls in with them… Tomorrow? Rinse and repeat. **** Time for a Question and Answer Session! Leave your questions in the comment section, and I’ll get to it in…
Branding Crew
Whoooee. The girls and I made it up to the branding by 8:30, the food was ready to go, and kids fed, diapered, and organized. They were still sorting cattle. We arrived in plenty of time! The first step in branding is gathering the small pasture they’ve been held in since we’ve started riding three…
An Itch
Although all I did was babysit Jaxon and Quinlan for 2/3 of the day, I made up for it in the last third! We had just decided to eat branding dinner up here last night… in my unmowed lawn and filthy house. It’s pretty easy to figure out what I did… plus cook the hamburger…
Won’t Care
It turned out to be more like 9 hours on horseback today! It was a bigger loop, more miles covered gathering, and a longer trail back in. But, the weather was gorgeous! After a cloudy start (and Johnny telling me I didn’t need my slicker along, but I took it anyway, and he was right,…
Duh, Girls
I feel a little self conscious whining about the day when people are getting hit by huge storms and tornadoes in Oklahoma City and Saint Louis, but guess I will anyway. The day was chilly, windy, slightly rainy, and I haven’t ridden for months! As a result, I have the sore shoulders from hunching against…
The Other Day
Rain. Again! For two days it’s drizzled and rained… There’s a winter storm advisory in the Big Horn Mountains with 8″ of *SNOW* above 8000′. Rain slows down some work… like farming, but it doesn’t usually slow down work like gathering cows. Which is what I’ll be doing tomorrow. And I’ll be wearing my chaps…
Wordless Wednesday – “Spring Repose”
Lucas in spring repose…
New Hired Hand
Well, after much debate… and consideration… We’ve purchased a new hired hand… Meet the new Yamaha Rhino side by side. A little less expensive than the Honda, and hopefully, just as tough! It’ll get a workout around here, so I’m hoping it’s built to take what the ranch can dish out!
Hugelkultur Eins
I’ve finally started it… the laying out of my small hugelkultur beds. Hugelkultur, if you recall from this previous post, is where you create a berm, the base of which consists of tree stumps and limbs. Other natural litter is placed on and around it, much like lasagna gardening. The final layer of dirt becomes…