Join me in exploring the life, animals and people found on a Canadian ranch.
Chase Season Day 3 Part 1 & 2 -2022
The Bar MW crew was on the trail in full force today. The work today actually started yesterday.
We have 110 cow calf pairs that spent the summer at the public pasture near Hirsch. The Bar MW cows shared various pastures with cows from the McNeil and Cowan ranches from May until now. Yesterday we worked together to get all these cows rounded up out of a 1600 acre area. We took them into a smaller holding pasture our friends Chad and Crystal Ross let us use overnight.
Yesterday was bright and not too windy. Gina got this cool shadow picture.Jen got this good picture of Gina.
After yesterdays prep work at and from the public pasture, which took about 3.5 hours, it was quick to get the cows on the road this morning. A few factors in our favor meant a fast chase. Before 12 noon the cows were in McNeil’s pasture, the crew was in the McNeil’s yard and lunch was just about there.
It was a cloudy day but started with a warm glow of a beautiful sunrise. Jen took this selfie.The crew left the yard at 6:05am which meant they were in the saddle already by the time the sun cracked the horizon. Jen caught this moment, sunrise glowing on Cinder’s head.Gina sent me this picture early this morning.The cows are in the distance, the crew is gathering, Jen grabbed this moment of mustering.Tenley’s perspective during the mustering. Russ says at this moment Gina had advanced ahead to the herd. Her job was to sing to the cows, wake the cows up and tell the calves to get ready for their day and have a bit of a suck.Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I started a 6x batch of chili. This veg base got split into 3 crockpots and then beans, onions and cooked ground beef added. A little ways along the trail, they were able to cut cross country and Patrick caught this cool panoramic shot.Russell took this 20 second video early on. It gives a sense of the cows and a bit of Russell’s levity.Sharon had this view which grabs alot of action.When riders are new to the trail it is hard to do the whole distance. Sharon got a chance to visit with our newest rider, Brooklyn, when it was her turn for a truck break.With the crew done early we ready had to hustle at the house. Jill was my saving grace.Packing lists and sturdy baskets are essential.While Jill and I got lunch set up in McNeils shop some pictures got taken. This one features alot of our teen riders and a couple who are just a bit older than that.I got summoned from the food table for “the old guys” picture.Some of our lunch time customers. On the left side of this picture is Griffin Currie. Part way through the morning I got a text from Tenley simply saying “I nominate Griffin for cowboy of the day.” Later she told me, Griffin was the guy who headed into a swamp to make sure cows trying to get a drink got out without having trouble. I was told he had to be decisive, effective and patient and he was all that. Tenley said she and her horse could not have done it. Gina said she was warned away from it, a possibility of sinking being real. Griffin just did it.Jen grabbed this pic of my dog customers. Gary was thrilled by the dessert options. Due to some generous cooks four different kitchens were represented and Gary sampled them with delight. Back at the house after lunch I sat down with coffee and a puffed wheat cake, made by Olivia, who at the age of 10 appears to have mastered a fine puffed wheat cake, many of us know, this is not easy to do.
Tomorrow morning starts with sorting cows, separating McNeil’s and Cowan’s cows from ours. It takes lots of help and co-operation, good horses and good management, and there are three ranch chiefs on hand! Then the Bar MW cows will walk another 11 miles or so to their autumn pasture. We are hopeful for sunnier skies and lighter winds. We will see what the day holds. Today held safety and good friend times. We are thankful for that.
As Far As The Eye Can See 