Warmer yet. I moved bulls to next split and cows and H2s stay put. Need to move both bulls and H2s tomorrow. As grass growth slows, we may the stretch days on the crested wheat improved pasture. Where cover is thick some leaf browning occurring-just too much draw on available soil moisture. Natalie’s parents head home-a good gathering for all.
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Warming up and clear. Perfect if you want to vacation, not so good for grass. Cows move to next split. Everyone else stays put.
Perfect conditions for branding-cool, damp ground (no dust), great crew. 104 H2 pairs out of 123; 17 opens (lost calves etc. and one dead cow)
Mild day ends with a strong brief shower over part of the ranch. Cows move to next split in WG6. Mostly prep for H2 branding tomorrow.
Another mild and cool day. I open WG6 and allow cows to float out of WG2 into first split. Cows in stellar condition mostly. H2’s move onto next split (next lane) in SNG8. Eleven Lazuli Buntings at one of the bird feeders.
Continued mild and overcast. Flower Moon and super moon combined with lunar eclipse. Cows and 2’s remain where they are. During early morning check I observe flock of white pelicans circling high in the sky heading south. Natalie’s parents, Eric and Carolyn, arrive for a five-day visit on the ranch.
A mild day with strong winds at time, yet nothing like the day before. Natalie and I move most of the tail end pairs up to the main group in WG1. A day earlier we fenced off the back (west) piece of WG2, only to have the cows break through into the whole paddock. A little dismayed but best call was to let them have a couple of day there, and then move back into rotation in WG6.
Storm passes with almost gale winds. We received a little over 3 tenths while others got buried in snow. So, the winds are not being helpful for retaining in the soil what moisture we do have. No moves, other than a new split for the bulls. The invasion of yellow heads goes on. We finished the day listening to Dylan songs on Natalie’s turnstile to celebrate Dylan’s 80th birthday.
Unsettled wet conditions throughout the three days. Cows still going back and forth between WG1 and SG7 as calving continues. H2’s still in east ¼ of SNG8 having gone through 2 splits. We are enjoying the various migrant birds stopping and gorging on the feeders. We especially like the American Redstart and the 4 Lazuli Buntings. Yet, the volumes of yellow headed blackbirds have been a special treat.
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Bill Milton
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