Log Removal

On our annual Sons of Mary priestly fraternal retreat in the Big Horns, we always like to do some act of community service. This year, Fr. Brian and myself decided to remove an old tree that had fallen and wedged itself in the creek. 

West Ten Sleep Creek can run wild during spring runoff. A few years back, she washed up a couple trees. This one has been an eye sore for a while. It was time to get it out. 

Being wedged between a couple other trees, we had to cut it in half before it was free to move. 

Then we chained up the front of White Horse. 

And eased her down to the creek so we could winch on the log. 

When working with timber in the creek, having long enough rigging is always an issue. Thank God for winch lines. 

A good double wrap on the trunk and we were ready to tug. 

We are running a 12,000lbs Ramsey electric winch on the front of White Horse. A good rule of thumb is to leave the engine running when operating an electric winch. It will drain your battery in no time if you don't. 

Slow but steady, the old log made it's way to the bank. 

Once arrived, it started to nose dive in the dirt and power-out the winch. 

So we just put the old mare in 4-low and backed the log up the bank. 

And pulled it out to the road. 

Then turned around and drug it to the burn pile. 

Afterward, we reclaimed our footprint. 

Muy bien. 

I'm all about the good of the community. This lodged log was bugging us all. Not any more. Fr. Brian, White Horse, and myself, made light work of it. We left the other dead trees standing to ensure logging fun for the future. Someday they'll fall down, and someday we'll pull them out. All for the Glory of God! On to the next one. 

Death Defeated

Mary's Assumption is a first fruit of Christ's victory over death. 

           https://youtu.be/fQes0s9PyZ4         

 

Mountain Run

With a free Sunday afternoon and Gerry's days winding down, we took a trip to the southern end of the Big Horns to check on my brother's cows. 

Dad dropped our Rhino off in Ten Sleep. All we had to do is hitch up and head the 35 miles south. 

We went up the Cherry Creek Stock Drive, the route we would have taken as a kid. 

We cross Cherry Creek, Lost Creek, and Deep Creek before we arrive at the head of the pasture. 

The country is on the dry side, but the grass looks good. This pasture is part of the Holland Ranch. 

Cool old cow camp cabins along the way. 

Deep Creek is in this draw. Here, they pull water out and run it in a ditch to near by hay meadows. Kind of wild to see irrigation up this high. 

At the very back of the pasture where Luke's cows are, is the southern area of the land my grandpa had when we were growing up. Good memories. 

Cows look good. 

Even found our pair. They stand out in the midst of black angus country. 

Just Ranchin'

Fun time. I love the southwest quadrant of the Big Horn Mountains. That's were I grew up, so to speak. It's familiar country and great grazing ground. I'm just thankful for the times I've had to spend around these parts, including today. On to the next one. 

Field of Dreams

For the past few years we have been chewing on the idea of putting our 30 acre field into irrigated pasture. I say we, but mostly mean me. The folks are open to the idea, though. We wouldn't have to re-farm it each year, probably take less water, and would give us the option to run critters. All that being said, we took the leap of faith and planted grass. 

Grandpa was the first to break this ground out of sage brush about 50 years ago. Since then, it's raised oats, alfalfa, barley hay, pasture grass, corn, sugar beets, and malt barley. To get a good seed bed coming out of barley, Dad plowed the stubble under. 

Then borrowed Luke's tractor and roller-harrowed it up. We were going to level it, but this made a nice seed bed. And the ground is pretty sandy, you don't want to work it more than you have to. 

Then Gerry and I came home for the planting. Started the day out with a good ranch breakfast. 

We had Co-op come out and broadcast the seed mixed with fertilizer. 

We went with Big Horn Pasture Mix #2.

With mellow ground and a pivot sprinkler, we just rolled it in with Dad's 4230. Gerry did most of the tractor work with our Blessed Mother watching over him. 

Of course we had to do some tweaks along the way. Worked in real nice, though. 

Then hit it with water right away. The idea is to keep the surface damp so the the seed has the best opportunity to germinate. When planting a perennial crop, germination and root establishment is the most crucial part. 

Let it grow.

Looks good. I'm excited to see how this crop progresses. Irrigated pasture around the Big Horn Basin is becoming more popular. The cost of planting and harvesting each year just keeps getting higher. If all we have to do from now on is irrigate and watch critters graze, we'll be jolly ranchers. Special thanks to Mom and Dad for their openness to new ag ideas. If there is one key virtue to making family farming work, it's open communication. Through good dialogue, families can discern the next right step for their operation. Without it, frustration and discord will inevitably rear up. All for the Glory of God. Who and what will run in here come spring? We'll find out. But I just keep hearing in my heart the words: if you build it, they will come.

Wool Mill

With a nice late summer rain in Buffalo, Gerry and I took a field trip to the Wool Mill. Johnson county has been renowned for running sheep and raising wool since its settlement in the late 19th century. It only makes sense that the wool produced here can be processed here too. 

The Hostetler family started the Mountain Meadow Wool Company in 2007. 

The dream began when Karen wanted to get a local arts and craft store going in downtown Buffalo. Wanting to support Mom, Ben took the project to the next level with the idea of spinning local wool rather than reselling already manufactured yarn. 

It's been years in the making, but today they are one of the biggest private wool processors in the world. Because the cleaning and spinning of wool is so involved, most wool is lumped together and processed in huge manufacturing plants in other countries. Hostetler's Wool Mill is able to take wool from local producers and knit them into works of art. 

The first step is cleaning the wool. The wool comes straight off the sheep and is stuffed into bags where it's stored for a year or better. It's dirty, but also oily.  

This step involves hot water baths with soap. After a few years of running makeshift cleaning units, Ben and crew built this four stage cleaner. 

Looks pretty good on the other end, though it still needs the debris to be removed and the fibers straightened. 

The next stage ropes the wool together and then begins to line out the strings. 

To spin it well, you need the fibers not to be wrapped around each other. This final step before spinning almost runs a comb through the rope of wool. 

Then it's hitched to the spinner. 

The product can stay in a simple spun stage, or knitted into fine products. 

Through computer programing they can now put personal designs onto producer's own wool. 

These automatic knitters make it look easy, but tons of trial and error has gone into perfecting their products. Blankets are a common request. 

So are hoodies. Wool is so interesting. Depending on the type of wool, it can really shrink. This shirt looks to be about a XXL, but after washing and drying, it will be a size medium. 

Partnering with the University of Wyoming, they have added this state of the art sock knitter. They are still working the kinks out of it. 

Dying the wool is another science that Ben is perfecting. 

Usually they will do a couple sample products and send them back to the customer to see what they think before they dye the whole batch. 

Once dyed, it's hung out to dry. 

Then shipped to the customer or hung on the shelf to sale in their store front. 

Along with beanies and other clever apparel. 

Well done.

Words and pictures hardly express the goodness of what happening on the east side of Buffalo. The effort by Ben, Karen, the rest of the Hostetler family, and all the dedicated employees at Mountain Meadow Wool to keep local sustainability alive, is impressive. This is Catholic social teaching put into action. America could use more entrepreneurship that is less focused on making money, and more aimed at providing their neighbor with quality service. Keep up the Good work, crew. The ag industry thanks you. 

Contemplate

Contemplate, and share the fruits of your contemplation.

           https://youtu.be/pJy6aymvjh4         

Sonship

We can experience our sonship by listening to the Son.

             https://youtu.be/_UcrvilXkM8