March every year brings Cowcamp. This is when all the cattle out on the desert need to be gathered and pushed the 30+ miles onto the lush ranch pastures to calve. It takes 1-2 weeks to do so, several buckaroos and is necessary to stay there, as the 30 mile road is so bad it takes roughly 1 1/2 hours to drive there in favorable conditions...which are rare during cow camp. It has all the comforts of home however, as you can see...who needs a bathroom door, anyway?
 |
| Cold morning in Cowcamp. 17 degrees, snowing and ready to ride |
 |
| Miles to go. Singing makes it shorter, even if the horses don't agree. |
 |
| Cowcamp |
 |
| Cold, windy, raining, but the work still has to be done |
 |
| Miles behind us, and more miles ahead | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Randyman and I hauled a 5th wheel camp trailer, so the girls and I could use the shower, and a real bathroom with a DOOR, as well as a heater! We made sure to brag in front of all the cowboys, who had to sleep in the drafty bunkhouses with tiny heaters, sleep in their longjohns and get dressed to slog out to the outhouse at night. However...the first day, the generator ran out of gas, which ran the heater, and the water pump...it stayed 20 degrees and below, inside the trailer for the rest of the week...with no running water. It was like sleeping in a refrigerator. Lucky cowboys!
 |
| cowcamp kitchen | | | | |
|
A semi truck and trailer are hauled out to camp for cooking and eating in. There is an old stove that has working burners hooked to a propane tank. The burner covers are welded from old horseshoes. A large, nonfunctional stove and griddle are employed as counter space. A small round table for 4, seats who ever gets there first, and accommodates card playing, while the rest stand with their plates or seat themselves on the floor. Water is heated in a large bucket for doing dishes each morning, at about 4 a.m. The cuisine, is not gourmet, but 11 to 12 hours of riding in sub freezing temperatures is pretty good seasoning for any meal, as long as its HOT!
 |
| Cowcamp cavvy. All these horses have to be pretty good 'circle horses', meaning they have to cover quite a long distance each day. |
Hi, I was reading my Hobby Farms magazine, Nov/Dec 2010 issue, and there was an article about a farm in Long Island, NY. They are called the Garden of Eve and have Maremma dogs protecting their flock of chickens! If you go to www.gardenofevenfarm.com on their home page under "Home on the Farm" you will see "Farm Animals" click on that and it will take you to their animals and Maremma dogs. They said they would love to talk to anyone who also has these dogs.
ReplyDeleteGreat Frenchie! I checked out their website, very awesome stuff! I love what they are doing, thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the pictures! That outhouse is a trip. At least the one we had at the deer lease had a door. Looking forward to more pictures. Linda
ReplyDelete