He seemed to think it was part of his big-sky-cow-horse persona to buck; even at his ripe old age of 26
Tag: agriculture
Cowboy in Training
One of the most valuable aspects of rodeo is how skills are passed down from one generation to another. Oftentimes moms, dads, uncles, aunts, and grandparents are competing right alongside their children, nieces and nephews, or grandkids. Even if they aren’t competing on the same team, they are traveling together to events. Another asset of…
Shades of Yellow
We have had one of the wettest springs I can remember in a long time. Nice little rains keep coming- almost daily. It’s always interesting to see how the spring weather pattern determines which plants will dominate the landscape. This year it seems to be the annual mustards (members of the Brassicaceae family) and Yellow…
Boys in the Hood
With low light, a zoom lens, and no tripod there wasn’t much chance of a stellar shot, but I thought you might enjoy the “boys” I’ve been seeing every morning. For those unfamiliar with agriculture in the Rocky Mountain West, it’s worth mentioning that it is estimated 80% of Wyoming’s native animals depend on private…
Imitating Nature
There are many considerations regarding when a rancher wants his/her cows to start calving. In the winter time, the native range just can’t supply the necessary nutrients for a cow, let alone a cow growing a calf inside her, so most ranches in the Northern Rockies feed hay through the winter months. Feed is the…
An Unusual Sight- Even in Wyoming
I’m used to seeing any number of animals on early morning backroads, and it’s not unusual to see the occasional cow or horse on the road since many of the smaller backroads are not fenced off. It’s what’s known as open range. But this morning I had to take a second look and make sure…
Old Farmall Still Farming
My mother’s father was a farmer. My mother couldn’t wait to get off the farm and experience the city lights. She says I got the farmer gene, which often skips a generation. This old tractor still runs, and we use it to cut hay. It’s a simple machine. When I drive it I feel the…
Gotta Be Tough
Spring time in Wyoming is defined by rapid changes in weather. The sun may shine, or it might rain or snow, or rain AND snow, all in the same day. Wet spring snows usually melt quickly into the warming ground. They may be inconvenient, but it’s good to know the earth is getting watered after…
The Pollinators are Here
The cherry trees are abuzz with insect activity. As one of the earliest flowers around my house, the cherry trees offer an early source of nectar to pollinating insects. Insects represent 80% of the world’s species. There are over 900,000 species of insects. Worldwide, many scientists agree there are more unnamed insects than named. There…
Perhaps the Cutest Sign of Spring
All baby animals are cute, but it’s hard to beat the cuteness factor of newborn lambs.
Warm, Dry March
It seemed like March was really dry, but I’m in a new place, so I don’t have years of personal experience regarding March weather in this location. According to the maps below, my impression was correct. We had good snow cover all winter, then it was as if someone just turned the clouds off. Almost…
Real Food
I didn’t actually know there’s such a thing as a “real food” movement. It’s just a term I use for homegrown food or food I know is free of processing. You know, food where the ingredient label isn’t 100 items long. I don’t consider myself a homesteader, but living on a ranch, it just seems…
Wyoming Life 