Week 24

The Gathering

We had friends over last night for supper and I forgot to take any photos of them or the wonderful, golden light of our sunset jeep tour to the falls.  Oh well.  I did take some photos of the lovely flowers they brought. 

*Thanks Bill and Lauri

*Thanks Dave and Char



We are always very happy to have friends go over the mountain and through the woods to come and see us. 

Apparently, our cattle are willing to go over the mountain and through the woods for us as well.  I always worry too much when it is time to gather.  Will I find them?  Will they follow?   This year I had a bit of a hard time finding them in the beginning of the week and when I did they were in little small groups here and there in the woods.  I slowly drew groups together with the bribery of hay and yesterday morning we led most of the west ridge herd into our middle barn corral area.

Today, we caught our front herds.  They are quite gentle and don't take much coaxing to follow us in.  They actually seem quite happy to follow. 

 

There is still the small contingent of cattle up on top of the ranch in the brush.  We call it the vortex because cattle and people seem to get lost here.  These cows and their calves will come out of the brush for a snack of hay, but they won't follow me the many miles down to the corrals.  In previous years, we've hauled panels up and made a temporary catch pen.  This year we are going to skip catching them altogether. It is a lot of wear and tear on our truck, trailer and panels to go up to the top of the mountain on our rutted, overgrown, ranch road for 4 animals that will be just the right size to sell as  freezer beef next year.  Hopefully, they find themselves back on the lower regions of the ranch by then.   And their mamas will just have to skip their annual pelvic exam.   So we are officially done gathering.


Tuesday we will sort out the weanlings that we decide to sell and then haul them in for Wednesday's auction. Thursday we will get our cows checked for pregnancy.  Wish us luck.   


*I have no idea why these photos have dates, let alone dates that are wrong.  I must have pushed some button.....