Wyoming Catholic Cowboys come in all shapes and sizes. In fact some don't even work cows, they work buffalo. My good buddy John Flocchini invited me down to Wright to help in the annual working of their 3,000 head buffalo operation. My hat's off to you boys, well done.
The Durham name was original purchased by John's grandfather when he bought a meat packing plant in San Francisco in the 1930's. In 1965 the family ventured out into the buffalo business when they purchased the 55,000 acre ranch near Wright Wyoming.
The legacy lives on. Here are three living generations: Bud, John's dad - Erin, John's daughter & John
The operation is farm to fork. Many of the yearlings are kept on the place and fed up before being shipped to slaughter houses and then to the family packing plant, now located in Reno. From there the meat is shipped fresh to restaurants all around the United States.
It took years of refining but these boys have handling buffalo down Pat. The current working facility is fully hydraulic. You don't want to be having a standoff with one of these critters. You will loose.
From the chute, Pat can control which direction the cows go next. Today they were weening, preg-checking, and separating.
BJ's plays the fiddle in the cube. From here he can orchestrate who goes where before they even get to the chute.
I ain't scared of no buffalo.
The Durham Ranch are stewards in the truest sense. They create an environment where everybody is happy: the land, the animals, the family, and even the consumer. This is what Pope Francis would call an Integral Ecology. Keep up the good work boys (and girls). You make America and the Church proud.
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