Feedlot Finale

We managed to complete our feedlot rebuild, this past week. 350 post holes, 7 strands of barbwire, 50 pounds of fencing staples and countless cedar fence stays later. Ranching is often a process of selective negligence, for lack of time. The far fence is fixed when the cows are scheduled to be moved to that pasture. The irrigation head gate is replaced when the irrigation water arrives in the spring. A well executed juggling act, constantly prioritizing the most immediate needs for the day. I truly believe that eventually, we will become caught up on projects. For now, we are just thankful to be able to stay one jump ahead of the required task. Each completed project rewards us with more labor saving improvements.

In the mean time, we enjoy the quality family time spent together. The memorable moments of conversation with the little cowboys. You can never predict what will be on their minds at any given time. One such day, Big W was on an alligator kick. He pointed out the floating sticks in a nearby irrigation ditch, noting the alligator shapes. We discussed the natural habitat of large reptiles, their prey hunting tactics, migration patterns and random bizarre stories involving alligators. After a quite lengthy conversation, Big W came to the conclusion that we need to travel to Florida, in the future. The climate here in the high desert is less than favorable for alligator safaris.

Mr. C managed to discover a small blue belly lizard, while helping build fence. Including it’s tail, the lizard measured close to 2.5 inches long. Just the right size to intrigue the littlest cowboy. We helped herd the lizard onto a stick, allowing Mr. C to safely parade his prize around. Little boys seem to have a hard time grasping the “don’t squeeze” animal holding technique. The lizard seemed content to see the world from the “walking” stick, he was clinging to. It was a hard goodbye when we took a lunch break. I’m not sure Mr. C was fully convinced that the lizard needed to have lunch, with his own family. The friendly little reptile visited us on several different days.

This time of year, the nearby irrigation ditch resembles a slow muddy puddle rather than a flowing water source. The little cowboys enjoyed gathering moss, creating mud art, and “fishing” with willow sticks. It provided hours of entertainment, always ending in a very long shower to remove dried mud. A couple occasions required a shoe recovery effort, before we could return to the house. Thank goodness Mr. C has several spares!

We had a special treat watching military fighter jets practice, while fencing. Living in a remote area, the United States Air Force often utilizes the open spaces and lack of population density. This particular day, the fighter jets did an extremely low fly over, skimming the tree tops. The sound was deafening, arriving long after the jets had flown past. The little cowboys watched excitedly, as they appeared over head. You could catch a glimpse of the pilot’s helmet, in the jet’s glass bubble cockpit. It was the highlight of our day. We are often caught by surprise while riding, when a large military aircraft appears on the nearest skyline. We watch in awe, as they effortlessly maneuver massive aircrafts over the desert. It makes me thankful we get to live here.

The freshly weaned calves are awaiting their transfer to the new feedlot facilities. The more secure corral is a safe haven for them now. The calves have been given their immunizations, having access to fresh water and meadow hay. It is a big transition for them. We enjoy walking through the calves, analyzing their health and appetite levels. The calves are curious by nature. They follow along as you make your way across the corral. Tina, our milk cow, is their adult bovine influence and elected room mother. Tina is not quite sure how a beef cow should act, having spent most her life on a commercial dairy. While the beef cows tend to move away from us, Tina comes to stand near you. Still, she is a comfort to the calves during these life changes. I am always amazed to see certain calves resemble their mothers. Their faces look the same, head shapes, color markings, fuzzy ears or attitudes. It is really awesome to watch several generations from the same maternal family, carry on the family traits. A testament to choosing your replacement heifers wisely. If the heifer’s grandmother or mother was a standout producer, she is apt to follow along in their footsteps. We love the opportunity to work with livestock. We are even more grateful for the chance to raise our children among them. These animals enrich our lives every day, in countless ways.