Cattle Drive to Diamond~Day 2

~I think love is the answer to a lot of things.

Like feeling lonely.~

~Lessa Kurry 1882~

Day two of the drive starts early again; on the road by 7 AM. It's my turn to drive (sharing fuel costs), so Pat drove over, and we put his horse in my trailer with Colt, and we head down to the hay lot where the cows and calves spent the night.

We knew that there would be at least one newborn. As soon as we got to the hay lot the day before, one cow headed for a corner and proceeded to have her calf. We checked all the other cows and calves, and she was the only one that had calved.

The lil' guy got put into the trailer to ride for the day. Momma was concerned, but she went back to the herd and out the gate we headed...in the right direction again...that's always good!

The weather wasn't nearly as nice as the day before, but it wasn't too cold...just threatening rain clouds. After about 2 miles we got a pretty good soaking, but after that the rain held off for the rest of the trip! When we got into the Diamond Valley the wind whipped up pretty good, and the cows at the back of the line got ornery, but that only lasted for about a mile and a half, and they lined back out again.

Just like the day before, any of the calves that were getting tired got heeled and put into the trailer. Remember the newborn? Well, he turned out to be a sneaky lil' feller...while the next calf that got put into the trailer, he saw daylight out the back of the trailer door and made a run for it!

And run he did...in the opposite direction of the herd! I kept the herd going while Pat and Bossman Dan went after the lil' runaway. He had shot through the fence along the road and took off over the lava beds. I had the herd about two miles down the road by the time they got caught back up. The lil' feller was unharmed and safely locked into the front section of the trailer with the middle divider closed!

The last half hour of the journey...comin' home to McCoy Creek.

These meadows will produce chest high meadow grass hay this summer.

Checkin' the head count...yep...we got 'um all!

Calves are let out of the trailer to mother up...everyone's happy!

Checkin' the herd...makin' sure everyone's mothered up.

Well, that's it...the end of the story, but not the end of the work. Branding comes up next, then moving the herds onto summer pastures, gathering them up in the fall again...the wheel keeps turning.

I'm so lucky to be able to help neighbors. I learn something every time I go out...as does Colt!

Thanks for comin' along for the ride!

Farm Photo Friday

~Let no man put a stop to anything we feel.~

~Elizabeth Holmes 1882~

I'm going to play along with Farmchick's meme on Fridays...it should be fun!

"If you like looking at photos taken on the farm, ranch, garden or out in the country please join in on the fun with Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday!"

Today's photo is pretty much self explanatory:
Don't Mess With Momma Cow!!! The sweet lil' calf had scours, so Dan and My Man roped it and were doctoring it.

I wonder what exactly those two cowboys are each thinkin' as momma cow is givin' 'um the evil cow eye!?!?





Happy Friday...enjoy the weekend!!

Cattle Drive to Diamond~Day 1

~If you live past birth, you'll make mistakes.~

~Rebecca Travis 1901~

Sometimes there just isn't a lot of time to make a plan and then work the plan. Farming and ranching are a very "spur of the moment" type of occupation. My Man and I get a phone call Friday night, and we help work cow/calf pairs out of the herd for two days. Then he has to go to the "real job" and I get to help drive the remaining single mother cows and pairs for two days going approx 27 miles. So, it's been busy to say the least!

With the weather being wet, I used my old Fuji camera, so the photos are not what I like, but it sure is a lot easier taking photos one-handed!

Monday morning came early to get Colt fed and myself ready. My friend and farrier, Pat, picked me and Colt up at 7 AM. We met "Bossman" as Pat calls him (the ranch owner) down by the Round Barn where we will be driving the cows to that day, and load our horses into Bossman's trailer and head back up to where the cows are at Princeton.

There were three cows with newborn's and a lame cow that we kicked out of the herd and got everyone else gathered up at the gate to go south. The air was cool and crisp with a lil' bit of wind...but the sun was shining! The gate opens up and the cows take off down the two-track at a brisk pace...in the right direction...it's starting out to be a GREAT day!!

Crossing the desert.

At the end of the two-track we cross a gravel county road and cut across the desert. With the snow and rain we've been having, the ground was thick and deep...mud. Colt did NOT like that feeling at all. I think he thought he was going to get sucked in, but he did a good job like the good boy he is.

Then we got back onto a paved county road and continue south. By then, some of the calves were getting tired. They were carefully caught and put into the trailer to ride the rest of the way.

Pat throws the loop.

Nice catch of the heels.

Momma cow gets quite concerned as you can well imagine.

The trailer is brought up and the calf is loaded to ride the rest of the way.

Momma cow runs back up to the herd looking for her calf! Pretty soon, she just falls in line with the others and occasionally looks for her calf...but she knows she needs to keep going.

One of my favorite parts of the ride is along Dry Lake. My Wordless Wednesday post has a nice view of the lake and the Round Barn.

The cows and calves are nicely lined out down the county road.

The cows know exactly where to go. They've made this trip (back and forth) for many years. It's nice when they line out and set a good pace. It's really hard when the cows spin in circles and won't go forward...good lead cows keep the rest of the cows coming along.

Traffic? Well, yes, there was some...maybe a dozen cars/pickups the whole day. The thing you don't want to do is plan a drive on a holiday weekend...then you have a mess!

Happy cows! Hay is waiting for them when they arrive at the overnight lot.

Another wonderful rancher has a lot with water that's located about half way. I guess everyone uses it, and it's greatly appreciated.

Even happier calves are very glad to see their mommas!

Then the big moment...the calves are let out of the trailer...it's so cute to see them mother up again.

We went about 14 miles this day (Monday)...the weather couldn't have been better!!! Tuesday, we finish bringin' 'um on home (of course another post).