Greater

Jesus is fullness.

           https://youtu.be/tOgyKQEVuUQ         

Christocentric

Christological/Christocentric... close enough. 

           https://youtu.be/htqYCY7OhgI         

Reconciliation

To share the perspective of the son toward ourselves, God, and others.

           https://youtu.be/ywK8Wmhhjgk         

Neiber Ranch

With our field now in pasture, we decided to pick up some replacement heifers and run them on the ranch. Neiber was the last name of Mom's great grandfather who homesteaded the place we now live on. And this area where the Gooseberry Creek dumps into the Big Horn River is still known as Neiber. Sheep have been the main critter of choice around here for years. But with the pasture and set up we have now, it's time to see how well she run cows. 

Luke has been running our red calf Andi for the past year. So we picked up a few matching calves from him and hauled them out to the house. 

Different colors, but similar in size and disposition. 

Welcome home. 

It's good to make the working pen a friendly place. So we ran them down the alley and through the chute with no pressure before kicking them into the corral. The next time around they shouldn't hesitate because the first time was a good experience. We'll see. 

Later we trailed them back into the pen. No problem. 

Then we ran them in and branded them. The squeeze chute works good. Small calves are always a challenge with a big chute. Alls well that ends well. 

Reverse L Drawknife was my great grandfather Adam Lungren's brand. Grandpa Lloyd then gave it to Dad. 

We also re-tagged them. 

Andi has fared well over the past year. 

They'll spend the next few weeks hanging in the corral, nibbling on hay until the pasture is ready. 

The grass we planted last year is coming along!

Let the fun begin. Our place has been a good farm, now we'll see how she runs as a ranch. Watching corn and barley grow is fun. But I think Mom will equally enjoy keeping an eye on cattle. Let's ranch! 

Old School

My brother Luke picked up this 1975 beauty off the auction block. There's something about stock racks that take a guy back to the good ole days. Let's see if this truck can still ranch. 

50 years old this year and running strong. 20' box that can be used for grain, beets, or cows. We all cut our teeth on trucks of this vintage growing up. 

Wood deck, which helps with cows. But can still get slick. 

Especially when loading up, you don't want to leave a gap. Can break a leg in a hurry. Just fill the gap in with some lumber. 

Black open cows going to the barn. 

Up the chute and in the truck.

Fit nice.

To town we go. Trucks like this are a five speed with a four gear brownie. 

Big Horn Basin sale barn has been active for the past 6 or 8 years. Nice to have a sales ring so close. 

The boys at the barn were impressed with the old rig. 

No problem coming out. 

The slop makes it slick. If you were going to use this set up much, you'd put either dirt or straw down before loading. 

Giddy up.

Fun stuff. I'm a stock rack guy. The old trucks still have a place. That was no harder than using a pickup and trailer. And, with this outfit, you don't have to back up a trailer or try to get kicked jumping them in. Good purchase, John. Keep that truck ranchin. 

New Plates

Every so often, the State of Wyoming kicks out new license plates. Today, we updated the status of our cow hauler.

The far left numbers are the county. Washakie County, back home, is 20. This plate has been out for a while. I think the scene is over by the Green River. 

Change never comes easy. This new plate looks to be a replica of the State flag. 

Should be good for another year of ranching. 

Giddy up. 

The main feature that all State plates retain, is Steamboat, the iconic bucking horse. As long as it’s prominent, I guess the can live with whatever else is on the plate. Let’s ranch! 

Obedience

To listen to the Father.

           https://youtu.be/KQNMMpnn99E         

Incarnation

The Incarnation is the fruit of Mary's Annunciation. 

           https://youtu.be/QNS6Z1i-IOw         

Window of Mercy

God's mercy is right around the corner. 

           https://youtu.be/viU3JDN49XA         

Ranch Ready

It's been a few years in the making, but our cattle facility is now ranch ready. I'm all about working smarter, not harder. However, sometimes getting to that place of smarter takes a lot of work. We've got a few man hours into this rusty work of art. But it's all been a labor of love. Let's take a looksee. 

This 30' x 80' processing pen has been a work in progress. After all that trial and error, I think she's now ready for business. 

It sits in a nice little niche by the water tank. So it shouldn't be too hard of a push to get the cows to nestle up there. 

The main gate acts as a wing, and if need be, we can open the second pen and then move them over to the crowding alley side. 

Here's where the fun begins. If you set your gates right before hand, it should be a nice walk up this 14' wide alley. 

With a panel closing off the shed, and the tub gate cocked, the cows will have no choice but to turn left. 

Then grab the tub gate and swing it around. 

And, depending on how many you are cycling through, just keep bumping it up. 

The beauty of a working tub is that you make it their decision to run up the alleyway by putting encouraging pressure on them. 

Down the alleyway they go. You can adjust the width of this guy to fit the size of critter you are working with. Looks like a clean get-away to a cow. 

Until you get to the head catch. This is a self latching head catch. Their head fits through, but not their shoulders. When they press in, thinking they can get out, it gently latches on them. 

This is a big addition to the ranch that we picked up over the summer. Pearson Original. 

If you have a reluctant cow, you can open the head catch wider and then help swing the gate closed with your arm and the lever. 

Once she's in, lower the rear gate with a rope. 

The squeeze part will be new to me. Most chutes pivot at the bottom, like a V, and put pressure on a cow, holding her tight. With a pull of another rope, this chute presses in equally on top and bottom, and from both sides at the same time. 

One thing about it, you don't have to adjust it before hand based on the size of animal you are working. It'll go as big or small as you need it, with one pull of the rope. 

If need be, a guy can use the palpation cage to work on the back of a cow for whatever reason. Just open the walk in gate and latch it on the opposite side. Which, also closes the alleyway off to the next critter in line. 

Then raise the chute gate and palpate in peace. 

Once done with your doctoring, you can direct a cow out to the left or right with the swift action of the Trinity Gate. 

Bring it. 

I hope working cattle down here is as fun as getting ready to work them. We'll find out. When it comes to processing cattle, I find it best to avoid the near occasion of sin, for me and them. A good way of doing so, is to be set up properly. No system is perfect. And no two systems are alike. Each cattle processing plant has to be set up according to the ranch's layout and need. Ours is unique. It is a small space for a small herd. But if my premonition is correct, the rewards of fun will pay out with big dividends. Time will tell. But in the meantime, I thank the Lord for helping us design a cattle facility out of Grandpa's old sheep corrals. Time to ranch. 

Fire in the Hole

Power is handy in general. But an outlet next to the squeeze chute is a game changer. We had this in mind a couple years back when we went under ground with the electrical lines in the corral. Today, we brought it to life. 

There are several uses for electricity around the chute. But the main reason we put it nearby is to run an electric branding iron. 

When we buried the cable around we just found a spot close and buried the extra line. Knowing it was 10' 5" from the fifth post down, we started digging. 

First clue was the buried yellow tape that lets you know something is close. 

Under a rock, there she be. 

Then we dug a trench over to the back side of the the chute, just in front of the palpation cage. 

After a little thinking and some consolation with the old man, we decided to put the outlet up high, which required extending the wire. Burying the junction in the ground, with and under ground set up, seemed to be the cleanest bet. Around the rest of the corrals we ran buriable wire. But to the chute, we just put down some old 12/2 we had laying around the shed. It'll work.

We also blew a hole in the top and bottom of the alley's upright pipe to serve as a conduit for the above ground wire, and welded a junction box up high too. 

Heat shrink insulation is good stuff. A cutting torch works, but a heat gun is better. 

Looks good to me. 

Then Dad wired in the outlet. 

After which, we sealed it up. Should guard it from moisture, but most of all from nesting bees. 

Giddy up. 

This cattle working facility is not far from operational. Having power at the chute gate is not essential, but it sure is convenient. With this being the first day of spring, I can already smell branding smoke in the air. Let's ranch.