So I got a little ahead of myself, which means that I didn’t share the pictures from  feeding the calves one night.  So even though the calves are long gone, I am enjoying another look at them.

The calves go out on the old alfalfa when they are first weaned.  Between their ravenous eating and the freezing temperatures, alfalfa stops growing.  Once the feed is eaten down we load up the old two ton with some bails and pitch it out to them.

On this fine occasion it is Rancher Sr. and Cowboy Pete with the pitch forks.

I told you that we sold our calves, but I didn’t get to share everything from our day.  Like that it took 5 semis to haul out all of those calves.  Oh boy it took a while.  Good thing we had some good help-the other Curlew Valley Cowboys.  I think that they come to socialize and eat the cinnamon rolls, but we will take advantage of them being out on the ranch.

Last Monday we had a big day at the ranch.  Its the day that we work all the other 364 days… yep it was sale day. 

And really it couldn’t have gone much better.  Our calf crop this year was really good, weighing in heavier than last year.  After weaning, when it seems that we have the most sickness and loss, we had a lot of good growth.  Having a great summer and fall with these calves makes this pay day so much sweeter. 

Its almost an emotional day because it is a day that we have worked so hard for, for so long.  We have camped out on the desert in the midst of feet of snow to keep alive through the winter.  We have spent long days branding and marking calves.  We have spent even LONGER days in the hot dusty sun moving the herd.  Then there were more long days with the weaning.  We have said some very earnest prayers for these calves to be healthy and to grow well. 

Now we feel the relief, the success, the tiredness, and the drive to gear up for another year.