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Monthly Archives: November 2017

Lambs on feed

Hampshire-Rambouillet crossbred lambs

Our lambs are happily ensconced at Harper’s Feedlot near Greeley. They are eating corn and growing every day. Pat, Tiarnan and I went to visit them recently. The weather is warm–too warm for this time of year–so all the lambs on the feedlot are doing really well.

lambs enjoying the sunshine

Tiarnan surveying the lambs

 
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Posted by on November 25, 2017 in Animals, Family, Folks, Sheep

 

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Puppies for sale!

It was hard to keep Cora’s puppies in focus!

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2017 in Animals, Dogs

 

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Snow Day

Maeve, Rhen and Tiarnan building the first snowman of the season

 

 

Rhen and Maeve making snow angels

Tiarnan’s snow angel

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2017 in Events, Family, Folks, Nature and Wildlife

 

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Pregnant!

Dr. Warner McFarland making a life-altering determination

It’s the time of year when we pregnancy check the cows. Dr. McFarland uses a combination of ultra-modern ultrasound goggles and old-fashioned palpation to determine if the cow is pregnant (the best option), open (the worst option) or late. He calls out his judgement, one after another, as the cows step into the chute for their pregnancy test. The pregnant cows will spend the winter in Laramie, eating hay and gestating. The open cows will be sold–either to become hamburgers or to be given another chance to breed. The lates are sold to someone who likes the cows, and likes to calve later. Our calendar for calving is fixed by the seasons and by our grazing permit on and off dates. We can’t calve too early, or we will surely meet with cold and snow (still a possibility). We can’t calve too late, or the cows will already be on the National Forest permit. If the calf survives predators, it will still be young and small when we ship in the fall. The calves were sorted and shipped a few days ago, so now it is time to start the cycle anew.

Brittany, bringing up the cows on Fancy, an adopted wild horse.

Eamon

Pat and Warner, talking cattle

the dogs think they could be helpful…if only

Brittany

Pat and Jeff in a stare down with a cow

and pregnant!

 

 

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In the Sage

Guillermo’s ewes

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2017 in Animals, Sheep

 

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the calf at the end of the rainbow

Eamon sorting calves for shipping

 
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Posted by on November 6, 2017 in Animals, Cattle, Family, Folks

 

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