Ranching Life

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Summer Time Fun and Work

Joe Cool

Oh, the lazy days of summer are just not to be had when one’s livelihood is ranching. Summer days at the Grieb Ranch are FULL and busy.

Ag Adventure Camp

bob, joe, mr t (2)

The summer started with Grieb Ranch people, horses and other animals serving at two delightful weeks of Ag Adventure Camp. 50 girls the first week and over 30 boys the second week had a great time exploring God’s creation through agriculture. The “cowgirls” and “cowboys” rode every day and four of the five horses were Grieb ranch horses. Mr. T, Bob, Joe and High Five were all enjoyed by the campers who learned how to get on, send the horses forward, turn, how to get off and a few enjoyed a little trotting. Smiles broadened the kid’s faces every day. For more pictures check out the Apela Foundation Facebook page.

Ranch Activities

Back at the ranch life continues with the gathering and weaning of calves to help reduce the need for so much water in the drought.

Ethan fair 2016

Soon Ethan will be off to the Santa Barbara County Fair. Where he will be showing and selling a Beef Replacement Heifer.

Grieb Family Reunion

Next on the Summer Calendar is the Grieb Family Reunion July 23rd. If any Grieb family members out there need more information please email us at: griebranch@gmail.com

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17
– The mission verse for Apela Foundation

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Training The Cattle Dog

Tee and Pilgrim

Pilgrim and the student Tee resting happily.

Connie does her dog training mainly by working Tee, the younger dog, with Pilgrim her older more seasoned dog.  She gives the older dog commands while the younger one follows the older one’s lead and learns the commands (we’ll cover commands in another post). Tee is fun to train because she loves treats; she is eager to earn them.  Pilgrim is happy with a simple pat on the head and actually doesn’t take treats.

Tee is a Huntaway/Border Collie cross.  The Huntaway breed a is a large, strongly built dog used for general sheep herding tasks in New Zealand.  However, Tee assists Grieb Ranch in gathering cattle here on the Central Coast.  Wikipedia describes Huntaway dogs as vocal, energetic, friendly, active, intelligent and trainable.  They are a barking herd dog so Tee is trained when to bark and when not to.   It is said that Huntaways are not just intelligent – they are extremely intelligent – so need an owner who is calm, confident and consistent, who make the rules clear and stick to them.  This is a real challenge to Connie!   Tee also is part Border Collie which are said to be the “most intelligent” of all domestic dogs. Indeed, Tee is one smart doggie!

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Happy Mother’s Day 2016

Mother's Day Poem 2016

Happy Mother’s Day to all from Grieb Ranch. This poem was written by Ms. Penny and the hand artist is our own little Mr. P who is in preschool.

This rainbow was painted especially for you
With red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple too.

Thank you for holding my little hand.
You are the best Mommy in all the land.

Be there clouds, rainbows or blue skies above,
You will forever have all my love.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

Me

Hope you have a Great Mother’s Day!

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Flowers Come and Go, But One Thing Remains

Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

With pink foreground

Spring wild flowers and green hillsides were reveled in this year as we received near-normal rainfall, bringing the Grieb Ranch hills to life. Mustard-yellow carpet covered the hillsides accenting the emerald green rolling hills.

Tea and Grieb Ranch with pink 2016-03-12 020

However the green grass now boasts brown heads and the bright and cheery poppies are becoming a remembrance . . . and we still need more rain . . . yet one thing remains – God’s word.

Poppies and purple (1024x768)

We’re standing on our God’s word forever.

Photo credit: Sharon Jantzen

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Tee – A Bundle of Puppy Joy

Tea good

The  latest addition to the Grieb Ranch is Tee, a bundle of puppy joy.

Tee is a fun-loving Border Collie/Huntaway cross. She is what we call a “Stock dog”, one who will help us gather cattle off the steep hills saving the riders and horses a lot of time. Working dog pet ownership brings with it a lot of responsibilities.

First, we take care of the puppy’s health.

Tee got her puppy shots . . .   she got her first combination vaccine when she was 7 weeks old and then got boosters once a month until she was 16 weeks. At 4 months local law says we needed to vaccinate her for Rabies and get a county license. If anyone needs more information about animal licensing they should go to www.petdata.com or call 1-866-306-7105.

Every dog’s situation is different so please consult with your veterinarian to determine which vaccinations your puppy should receive and how often.

We are enjoying taking care of and training Tee our new ranch dog. We’ll be updating you on her life and progress in the next few weeks.

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The Hills Are Green!

We have been managing our land in order to maintain it for the generations to come. These years of drought have challenged us in new ways, yet in these past few months we have enjoyed rain falling. The rain reminds us of Noah and the Ark, Genesis 8:1 says “And God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark . . .” Genesis 8:8 – 12 goes on to say, “Then he (Noah) sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot and she returned unto him to the ark; . . . and he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came in to him toward evening, and lo, in her mouth an olive-leaf plucked . . . and he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more.”

December 2015 (1024x345)
Here at Grieb Ranch we love to see the hills green by November. However this season, the hills were still brown so we had to have the cattle in close to feed.  Rain fell in December and in January so with green hills surrounding us at last, we finally were able to open the gates for the cattle to head back to the hills.  It took a while for all the cattle to leave and head back to the hills, but one day when we went to feed they had all left!!!!  Yeah!!!

January 2016 (1024x244)

Ranchers manage the range so the ranch will be healthy for more generations to enjoy and use the land.

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Cowboy Calendar with Daniel on the Cover

cowboy calendar cover 2016

Yes, Daniel of Grieb Ranch is the featured cowboy on the front of the 2016 Cowboy Engagement Calendar. Daniel is pictured riding Dee with a ranch dog running happily by his side.  Get yourself a calendar here >.

But that’s not all, he also appears in another 2016 Cowboy calendar. He is the March Cowboy riding his horse Tex and throwing a loop.

Daniel March Cowboy (1024x1017)

Both pictures were taken and submitted by Londy Garcia of San Luis Obispo.

 

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Mud, Mud, Mud

Ranch help in the mud (1024x765)The recent flash rains caused a lot of work for us as the dry, crisp vegetation left on the hills washed and the soil that had turned to powder, flowed.  washout along the road (1024x765)All year we work at maintaining our mountain ranch roads so they will hold up when the rain comes. We don’t need them to get wiped out. The recent rains, and the manner in which they came, challenged all we have done during the past years of drought. Ethan in washout (1024x765)

Our soil is called clay or adobe so even after days of no rain vehicles are not allowed on them. The roads stay very slick and dangerous.

Clearingwaterway (993x1024)

The mud accumulated up the canyon where dead trees had fallen and blocked water passage. This year there was more dead wood because of the years of drought. So we sent Papa, along with some help, to clear the passage. They were able to get a tractor up there and do the job. Who knew there was so much dead wood to wash down?

Riders in the mud (1024x768)

Since the roads were impassable, riders had to be sent out to maintain some remote equipment on the ranch. They rode and worked as the rain came down.

The cows have been kept in off the hills for months to give the hills a rest so we will have a place to ranch for generations to come.  As the hills are greening the cows will gradually follow their noses to find the grass and move out.  We are thankful for the rain, but the mud is still an everyday challenge. Well for most of us anyway!

P helps with the mud (1024x765)