A day at the Ranch pic heavy

[starmac]

I wondered where the mountain oysters were too, but to be fair we cooked a lot of them with the branding iron burner, or saved them for later.

[FISH4BUGS]

I know exactly where my burger and beef comes from: about 1 mile from here. We contract with an organic farmer for chickens (3 per month), burger (35 1.5 lb tubes at a time), a few steaks now and again and sausage (20 or so tubes each time)....all organic. Fully stocked freezer at all times.
She contracts with about 60 or so families in the area and feeds them all. She makes a living doing what she loves and we get the best food on the planet.
I know where the animals live, what they eat, how they are treated and know they are happy animals.
Great way to eat, I must say.
FYI: www.llfarm.net

[starmac]

Happy animals in the freezer. hmmm

[Iowa Fox]

Didn't see anybody roasting those mountain oysters. When it's branding time it's also castration time and the Mexicans would have those things cooking before the calf stood up. I think that I was 13 or 14 before I finally tried my first one. Uvalde,Texas.

Had a good crop of oysters here this year as the percentage of bull calves was higher than normal.

[41 mag fan]

Happy animals in the freezer. hmmm

Kobe Beef!!

[41 mag fan]

Down here, cow**** on your boots verifies how many cows you have. Up to the heel, you own a lot. Up to the ankle, you own a few. And Up to the knee you dont own any, you work for someone else for the love of it. I used to ride a little for a local cowboy here. Mainly while they took the main herd, I would just trail behind and close gates, water the dogs, etc. I got to chase a few, but not often. I wore a starched shirt once. ONCE. In Texas heat, that didn't last long.

Hey you're from TX, took me a few months to figure it out when i lived down there, but here goes.
What does.....
It's like a cow pi**sing on a flat rock mean??

[x101airborne]

Means it is going everywhere and soaking evrything. I used to milk cows in a 2x2 pit barn 125 cows twice a day every day. I can tell you on concrete it does go everywhere. In my mouth, in my face, hair, clothes etc...

[starmac]

Hey you're from TX, took me a few months to figure it out when i lived down there, but here goes.
What does.....
It's like a cow pi**sing on a flat rock mean??

It's raining BIG time. lol

[Az Rick]

MMMMM.....Beef!

P.K. it's whats for dinner!

[Az Rick]

Thanks for sharing Rick! Its great to see folks still dragging calves to the fire instead of using squeeze chutes. I used to attend a friends annual branding when I still had my heeling horse. Good times.

Thanks, Dean
They are wild but treated with respect. They get eaten in the end though.

[Az Rick]

.41Mag, A couple of the guys I work with, worked feed lots in Kansas. Good Cowboys, but they hated it.

Starmac, you're absolutely right, ours go from sale to the feed lot to be finished.

Square Butte, This place is not too far from Aravaipa, in Arizona terms. Thank you!

Edubya, The Mt. Oysters go to a dedicated cooler on ice. We sometimes even put them in baggies.

x101, notice not too much cowxxxx on my boots, even though the cattle aren't mine. I told the "Boss" that because of our age we shouldn't be wrestling calves, he agreed. It lasted about 5 minutes. Runnin' the gates is important,

Fish4bugs, you've got it made.

Iowa Fox, the Boss keeps promising to share but never does. He usually cooks up some Rattlesnake too. No kidding1

[Az Rick]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't know so many would be interested. It's nice to know that many of you have had Ranching experience. I should have known though on Cast Bullets.

It's a good life but tough. I don't do it full time but love every minute. The real Cowboys are something else, just damn good people with values. They have all worked the "Big" Ranches in the Southwest, The Gray in N.M. and for the Babbits here in Az. I enjoy spending time with them and the patience they have had with me. I'm a good "Hand" now, I'd never disrespect them by claiming to be a Cowboy. It's for them to decide when you are.

Best, Rick

[Just Duke]

Unless they have changed the laws in NM, you can't even take an unbranded calf to have it butchered without a brand on it, much less sel it.

SHEEP, I helped work four bull wagon loads of sheep one day (cut and earmark) That was enough working sheep to last a lifetime as far as I was concerned. lol

You don't have to brand in MO but most do anyway.

[Just Duke]

Thought I would post some pics for those interested. I'm the guy with the brown hat, you know it don't show dirt so bad.
Hope you enjoy knowing where that hamburger you ate yesterday came from.

Best, Rick

How many head you are you running free range Rick?
Those look like some young fellas there. Were going to go with a calf table from Prieferts. http://www.priefert.com/ProductGroup...cessories-208/ although we do have a bunch of ropes and we both like roping.
Thanks for sharing.

[starmac]

We never used a table with ranch cattle, The only place I have ever seen them used was on dairy cows, so you could trim their hooves.

[Just Duke]

We never used a table with ranch cattle, The only place I have ever seen them used was on dairy cows, so you could trim their hooves.

Understandable. Where were going they'll be fenced and cross fenced in 4-500 acres.

[Az Rick]

Duke, we're only running about 250 head now, down from 450 just a few years ago. We just don't get enough rain anymore, in the drought like the rest of the country. There just isn't much feed in the pastures. Yes, we call them pastures even though it's cactus, dirt and rocks. For a couple of guys using chutes makes a lot of sense. It takes too many hands to work cattle like we do. Ours is in no way a money making proposition, it's subsistence Ranching. Unless you can round up a small army, chutes make sense. The cattle can be worked faster, much less stress to them and you. There's nothing worse than upset cattle, it makes the job much more difficult. We mostly use chutes for bulls but I have branded and cut calves in that way and it works. It's really the easiest way for a couple of guys.

Priefert makes good stuff, we have some. I know it's expensive but it makes it possible to work cattle with just a few Guys. There is a bit of a learning curve as with everything but once you get that worked out it will be smooth sailing. If there's any way I can help let me know. I'm not an expert but I know some.

Good Luck, Duke

[helice]

Oh heck. Beef does come from the stores. Same place starch comes from.
Hey you weren't branding them critters were you? They'll be too well done.
Great pictures. Great memories.

[Just Duke]

Duke, we're only running about 250 head now, down from 450 just a few years ago. We just don't get enough rain anymore, in the drought like the rest of the country. There just isn't much feed in the pastures. Yes, we call them pastures even though it's cactus, dirt and rocks. For a couple of guys using chutes makes a lot of sense. It takes too many hands to work cattle like we do. Ours is in no way a money making proposition, it's subsistence Ranching. Unless you can round up a small army, chutes make sense. The cattle can be worked faster, much less stress to them and you. There's nothing worse than upset cattle, it makes the job much more difficult. We mostly use chutes for bulls but I have branded and cut calves in that way and it works. It's really the easiest way for a couple of guys.

Priefert makes good stuff, we have some. I know it's expensive but it makes it possible to work cattle with just a few Guys. There is a bit of a learning curve as with everything but once you get that worked out it will be smooth sailing. If there's any way I can help let me know. I'm not an expert but I know some.

Good Luck, Duke

Thanks for the offer Rick. We have some life long friends that are competitive calf ropers that come visit us during the stock show and a couple times in summer. Their in OK and said we would be down the road from them when we get relocated.
Yea water is the new gold. Hypothetically would it be a money making operation with 40 inch of rain a year?
How far are you from AJ?

[x101airborne]

The real Cowboys are something else, just damn good people with values.

You will never meet a group of hard handed men willing to take their hat off to meet a woman and introduce themselves. Or so willing to teach a newbie to do something right or take a kid on a ride on their horse. Em boys (MEN) are the salt of the Earth, no doubt. Just dont back talk em when the cows get spooked and they start ranting a little. Trust me, it is not a good idea.