rock structure in Battle Creek
We have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program to improve the habitat for fish in Battle Creek. The structures, which are engineered to guide the flow of the creek through high water and low, and to prevent erosion. The structures also help with our flood irrigation system which also provides habitat for birds and other wildlife.
waterfall
Confluence of Battle Creek and the Little Snake River
Winter cows at Powder Flat
Pat and I celebrated New Year’s Day by visiting our employees, cows, horses, dogs and birds at Powder Flat (the sheep were a little father out). We could do this because we spent New Year’s Eve partying hardy with Pat’s Mom Marie, 98; Maeve, 8, McCoy, 4; and Rhen, 2. The cows are enjoying the bounty brought by last summer’s rain. They are still grazing, and looking fat and happy in spite of a couple of 30 below nights. We also admired two–count ’em two, litters of Livestock Guardian Dog puppies–seven each. That means puppies for sale! We also visited with last summer’s colts and a lot of birds who are enjoying the corn and hay.
Antonio and Tiarnan check out guardian litter number one
Four noses: Tiarnan, Antonio, guardian dog Mom, pups–litter two
Antonio, Pat, Oscar, Tiarnan and Eduardo at Powder Flat
Mother and child reunion
Future cavvy
Birds of a feather
Battle Mountain and Baker’s Peak from the west
Baker’s Peak and Mount Oliphant
Winter grazing at Powder Flat
Powder Flat headquarters with Powder Mountain to the north
And on the way home–the ones that got away, from the hunters
We never forget what a privilege it is to be raising children alongside our cows, sheep, horses, dogs, llamas, etc. Today, the three “big kids” (8, 6, and 4) went out to work with Siobhan’s 4-H steers, check the cows who are about to calve, and just play in the slush and snow.
Siobhan with Salt and Pepper (Sal y Pimiento), her 4-H steers
Salt, at rest in high value hay
Seamus, Siobhan and Maeve–checking the pregnant cows
Pregnant cows in the Big Meadow
moving the remuda
Seamus, Siobhan and Maeve in the playhouse
birds of a feather
“Grandma, listen!” Birder friends–what are these?
Bridget–ready to check to pregnant cows
happy as pigs in slop
Eamon and Pat in winter
Siobhan, Maeve and McCoy with Salt and Pepper–Siobhan’s 4-H steers
Ladder heifers
Squaw Mountain with bales
birds of a feather
almost like partridges in a pear tree
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Ladder Ranch