Gate Guy

I'm a gate guy. My biggest pet peeve in life is a poorly functioning gate. Gates that drag or are hard to latch and unlatch drive me crazy! Hence my emphasis on good gates around our ranch. They may not be perfect, but they work well for us.

Good gates can be functional and still have character. A secret ingredient to obtaining both virtues is used pipe and weathered corral boards. 

We've had this archway up for the past couple of years. She's just been waiting for two complimentary swinging gates. I was planing to build the gates off site and over time. But having two free days after new years, I came up with a different plan. We'll just build them on site. 

This pile of pipe has been our saving grace throughout the corral project. The Etchemendy Ranch in Douglas can't be thanked enough for contributing 60 joints of 2 7/8" to our cause. May God reward you!

We first drug our hand selected sticks over to the job site with White Horse.

Having built beforehand the same style of clamping hinges on the other gates, we hung up two for each gate. One high and one low. 

The goodness of building the gates on location, is that we could overshoot certain cuts and trim them up later. The big vertical uprights, we just sat on the ground and ran them past the top hinges. This was a big time saver rather than trying to hit the right heights while balancing heavy pipe. 

Then we welded two horizontal structures all the way across, without breaking them in the middle. Again, this saved time, but also allowed for greater accuracy between the gates. 

This gate system really is the crowning jewell of our entire corral rebuilding project. Throughout the past couple of years, we have honed our skills in working with pipe. We pretty well have saddling joints and preferred welding rod and temperatures dialed in, at least to our standards anyway. 

After the horizontals were in place, we welded two pipe verticals at the center of the structure, leaving three inches between the two. Then we welded 45s from the center of the soon-to-be individual gates and 5' up the vertical hinge posts. Saddling those to the adjoining pipe definitely took some time. 

When it was all welded in place, we cut out the center section making the one gate into two. 

By building everything in place, both gates stayed true to each other. At this time, we also cut off the extra sections on the vertical uprights, making the weight of each gate be carried by the the hinges and allowing them to now swing freely. 

Then it was time to fill in the center of each gate. This is where we were really able to get creative. Through divine providence, we had saved six rough cut 2"x12" fir boards off of Grandpa's old loading chute. After doctoring them up a bit, they were ready to be put back into action. 

After we cut the brackets and drilled the holes, we welded them onto to each gate. 

Then custom cut each board for its new place in life. 

Once we had them properly spaced, we drilled and bolted up each board. 

Attention to detail is key when working with old pipe and weathered boards. We made sure this beautiful moss was put on the top of the most used gate, so all who enter can appreciate God's goodness. 

The dog hunts. Why I go to extra lengths and use the upright posts of the archway as the pivot point, is because it allows the gate to turn in about a 300 degree radius. It also keeps the full width the of the gate opening intact. With a little grease, these gates almost sway with the wind. 

Our latching mechenism is simple yet profound. This is the chain Grandpa used to get in and out of these corrals all the years that he played around down here. Here's to you Grandps. 

Giddy up. 

Every scribe trained in the Kingdom of God brings forth from his storehouse both the old and the new (Matthew 13:52). I dig it. God is ever ancient and ever new. In Him, nothing is ever over. Everything is just beginning. This old pipe and lumber thought their better days were gone. Now they have a new and better purpose. Even the Lungren Brothers ranch name is resurrected. It's no different for us. Just when we think our better days are gone, God's Spirit enlivens us with a new mission. Of course we have to be open. Just like a gate, if we are droopy or hard to unlatch, God's grace is fairly ineffective. But if we are ready to open when He knocks (Revelation. 3:20), God can do marvelous things in our lives, no matter what stage of the game we are in.

I love life. Jesus didn't come to earth so that we can worry about the future. He came that we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). Even the priesthood is all about eternal life (John 6:54), both now and in the new world to come (Mark 10:28-30). This is ranching, Catholic style. Whether you have cows or not,  let your light shine (Matthew 5:14-16)! It gives glory to God and encourages others. Not to mention, it's fun. The Crosses in our life are real. But if weathered with Christ, they lead to the Resurrection. So, do not be afraid to follow Jesus with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). He has nothing but your best interest in mind. 

We've done a lot of work in this barnyard to get to this point. There's always more to be done, but that's the nature of ranching. Getting to a point like this is worth taking time to thank some folks. First of all, God. All good things come from Him (James 1:17). He has led this entire project. Working down here has also brought me closer to my ancestors. I'm thankful for my Great-great-grandfather Bernard Neiber, who homesteaded this place before the turn of the 20th century. I'm also thankful for my Great-grandfather William Murdoch, who picked up where Neiber left off and utilized this exact space for lambing. I'm always thankful for my Grandpa Edward Schmeltzer, who developed this land into the barnyard it is. And of course, Mom and Dad. Without your steadfast encouragement, hard to say where I'd be. Thanks for letting me play around. It keeps me grounded in the Father's love and focused on my priestly mission. Let's ranch.