That Glorious Wind~

My Grandma always said that I liked the wind.  I don’t know if she was at her wits end with me one day or just had a job to accomplish when she took me outside and set me down in the grass.  It was a windy Nebraska day and she was just certain it was …

An Ode to the Ranch Horse~

Gathering bulls for turn out to start the breeding season. I beg your pardon, I apologize.  Please excuse my oversight, I completely went on without introducing you.  You probably have been wondering.  Wondering who those sorrel ears at the bottom of all the pictures belong too.  Well, let me introduce you.  Franklin is his name.  …

Moving Forward~

The first time you climb on a young horse your goal, besides not getting bucked off, is to get them to walk out. You want them to feel comfortable with the movement and the weight on their back. They are green, so they have never experienced this before. Their direction will be unfocused, but that …

Listen Closely~

Whenever Jesus repeats himself, such as in John 6:47“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” it is time for you to pay close attention. He is making a strong claim to truth, as in “I know this is true firsthand.” The Holy Spirit works with repetition in the same way. …

It Feels Like Home~

I rode through the Sandhills the other day, and I never even left Hayes County. For all but a few years of my life, the Sandhills were what I called home. I grew up in the raw beauty of those grass covered sand dunes. Living in them and learning from them is what formed my …

Being Neighborly~

When working large numbers of cattle, a crew of cowboys is surely needed to get the job done. Whether it is running them through a chute to vaccinate them or moving them on a cattle drive that spans many miles it just makes things easier and attainable if you have several people helping out to …

Weaning~

Now that the calves have been completely weaned from their mommas for a couple of weeks our job is to keep them healthy and growing. Ideally, they will take weaning in stride, by staying healthy and continuing to grow well, which does happen to most calves. However, weaning is a stressful time for a calf, …

A Change in the Weather~

Rain is in the forecast…. actually, even better, it is tapping on my window as I type. The weatherman says there is a change in the weather pattern for maybe the next month. Instead of the forecasted hot and dry, it is maybe pointing toward normal. Normal? What is normal? It seems in our little …

Fall~

Like the seasons of the year, coming and going like clockwork, it can be said the same for ranching. Calving season, feeding season, branding season, fencing season, haying season, they may not be marked by an equinox or solstice but they all surely have their allotted times. For most ranchers, fall ushers in the season …

A Connection~

If you are going to make a living from the land you have to gain an understanding of it. The understanding that the prairie is its own complexity. An understanding that it is wild and primeval. That it is extraordinarily resilient yet fragile. You must carry a deep appreciation for it. It calls for your …