Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

We are gathering up the yearling replacement heifers to work them. My girls were holding up the yearlings in a corner when I rode up. The picture with the so big sky was really intriguing. Taken 8/22/2007.

These yearlings were really curious at what we were up to at the fire scene. They kept wandering around getting in the way. The Hired Hand said they were wondering why they weren't invited to the barbecue. Taken 8/6/2007.

Gathered the yearlings and moved them to a different pasture yesterday. I had two bulls with foot rot with them in the past few days so I decided it was time to pull the bulls, normally I do it the first of July so I am only a few days early, and move them so I could look them all over for foot rot. I ended up taking 6 critters home and doctoring them for foot rot. Hopefully the problem will be over now. Taken 6/26/2007.

I'll never figure my critters out. With all kinds of good feed out on the flats, they decide they need to act like mountain goats and cling to the steep hill sides grazing. Go figure. Taken 5/26/2007.

The yearlings waiting for me to open a gate so they could go to the hills. Taken 4/14/2007.

I was visiting with a neighbor the other night and heard something really interesting. Many of the people on the Rosebud flat run out of hay during the recent snowstorm and had to go with no feed for their cattle since none was available. This to me shows how much some people were hurt by the storm even though all you heard in the paper was how great the moisture was.

Before the storm hit the green grass was really coming along good. The cold temperatures and snow really cooled the ground off and has slowed the grass up from what it was doing before the storm. Saturday I kicked the yearlings out and yesterday I kicked the two-year olds and their calves out mostly because I am running short on hay myself. The grass is not coming as fast as it was before the storm and the storm layed down all the old grass I was banking on to turn cattle out on. I feel kind of bad about kicking out on such little grass since the green is so slow but I don't have a lot of choice. The cows start going out today to spread them out further on what little green is coming.

At this point the only solace I have is watching the yearlings. Normally when I kick them out they try to come back home for feed again. Even on the short grass this bunch isn't doing that. They are hanging around their water, content and getting the green grass in the area. Every time I go up there they are laying around contentedly chewing their cud so they must be getting enough to eat. Hopefully the cows will be just as happy.

Now if I could just get the cows out and get some faring done. I need to get all the renovating done and one field planted down to grass. The guy I was talking to said he tried to renovate and got his tractor stuck right away. I had to laugh and told him that I was going to try the same day but once I got to the field decided that it was to wet and was going to wait a couple of days to try. Hopefully today I can at least try to renovate and get the plow set. I bout a new to me field cultivator last fall to replace the one I had so I could more efficiently renovate the fields. The old one was broke down more than it was working and I never could get all the renovating done every year so a change was in order. Trying to figure out this new fangled thing and all its adjustments might be a little difficult. We'll see.

I've also heard a little news on the calves I sold last year. The buyer is extremely happy with them ands hopes the price of fats holds for a little while longer. He should have the first 150 steers or so ready for market in about a month. That's pretty good if you ask me, the oldest any of them could be at that point is 14 1/2 months old. Last year he sold the first of them about the same time and did real well with them. Just shows I have some good genetics I guess. I hope the market stays good for the guy too. The more money he makes on them the more likely he will buy them again from me this year. I pushed him a little hard last year for the price I got and it looks like it works out for both of us.

Normally at this time of year I would be wishing for more hours in the day to get my work done. As slow as the grass is coming I can't go any faster than I am so I feel like I am falling further and further behind. I just need to keep my eye on the ball though, everything will get done in good order if I just keep pluging along and I don't get rained out to often. More coming tonight and tomorrow it looks like. I've always heard spring rains make the grass grow faster. I could stand that now so I hope it works.

Do every day or two something for no other reason than you would rather not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved and untrained to stand the test. William James

The yearling replacement heifers entering their new home, the mountain pasture. I finally decided the weather looked nice enough to take them up yesterday. There isn't as much grass as I would like to see but it is coming on fast now. They will do fine. Taken 4/14/2007.

The yearlings eating their hay on a nice morning. We had a touch of rain earlier but the sun was out now and getting nice. Taken 1/4/2007.

The yearlings, coming two-year olds, trudging in to their feed. Trudging is the word to use to. They walk all over the pasture waiting for their feed and by the time we bring it they are trudging. Note the lack of snow when this picture was taken. Taken 12/19/2006.

Let's see, what's happening around the ranch. Not much, just feeding the younger cows and caking the older cows. The warmer weather is helping and the cattle appear to be getting enough to eat and doing well. The new hired hand is here and working.

I can't say I am overly impressed with this kid. He seems a little too tentative. I was hoping he would be a little more of a self starter but you can't have everything. We did a little riding yesterday to get a few yearlings out of the cows. I can definitely say I was not impressed by his riding style. He either slouched forward in his saddle or leaned back like a saddle bronc rider in it. His posture and style were horrible. He has quite a bit to learn about cattle work a horseback too. His knowledge seemed more than a little lacking there.

I know, complain,complain, complain. I hired him knowing he was lacking in some skill, I just needed somebody to get me through feeding and hopefully he will figure that out. It will work out, I have to believe that or I will go nuts.

I had a coming two year old sluff a calf yesterday. No apparent reason why, just found the aborted fetus and then looked up the heifer. I will keep an eye on the rest of them but since they haven't been in any pine needles for over a month and a half I think it is just one of those isolated, fluke incidents. If it happens again I will have to investigate further.

Nice weather, beautiful, loving family, things are pretty good by my standards. A little more snow cover and things would be excellent.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out. Anton Chekhov

Getting up close an personal with a cold yearling heifer. Of course she was looking for a piece of cake. I gave her one when I was done taking her picture. You will note the lack of an ear tag. That's part of my problem with NAIS, ear tags don't stay in. Taken 11/29/2006.

Yearlings coming into feed on a colorful morning. Taken 12/01/2006.

Some Yearlings out grazing after all the moisture. They are really enjoying the green crested wheat grass that is growing. Taken 10/23/2006.