Ranching Life

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Happy Easter From Grieb Ranch

Sunrise1

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.’ ” Matthew 28:5-7

After a Sunrise Service to celebrate “He is risen!” on Easter morning, we serve our guests fresh-squeezed Orange Juice from our own trees and a Western Omelette.

Orange Juice Squeezer
Western Omelette

This Western Omelette recipe is a big hit for a branding breakfast or as early nourishment for the hands on shipping day. It is also a favorite breakfast dish enjoyed by the guests at Grieb Farmhouse Inn (Bed and Breakfast).

 

Recipe for: Western Omelette

From the Kitchen of: Margie Grieb Runels                     Servings:2

Need: Iron Skillet

Ingredients:

4 pieces of bacon
1 medium potato
Dash of salt and pepper
1 tsp dry minced onions
4 eggs
½ Cup grated Cheese
1 piece of bread

Instructions:

  • Fry bacon in frying pan(set aside)
  • Pour grease out of pan, but leave a tiny bit.
  • Put one medium size grated raw potato into pan on medium to low heat.
  • Season with salt & pepper and minced onion.
  • Cover potato and 4 beaten eggs.
  • Cover eggs with grated cheese.
  • Crumble two pieces of bacon on top.
  • Cover pan and cook on low for approx. 10 minutes until gelled and firm.
  • Cut in half and serve with remaining bacon and toast.

**For more people just increase ingredients, and cut like a pie.

Even better when served with salsa!

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Baby Chick Rescue Kit

In between feeding the livestock, moving the temporary fencing, checking the permanent fencing, fixing water pipes and other chores, caring for the chickens is a fun challenge for Connie at Grieb Ranch.
Hen and chick

Connie especially enjoys finding the wild chicken hen’s hidden nests. She also comes across wild duck nests.

Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek

Connie switches out the unfertilized eggs for golf balls so that predators do not get the eggs.  golf balls keep the hens laying
She then waits for the hen to “go broody” – where the hen does not leave her nest even at night. Usually wild hens lay about 16 eggs before they “go broody”. Once about 12 eggs are laid, Connie arranges to place only fertilized eggs in the nest. She gets the fertilized eggs from her neighbor and uses the unfertilized eggs at home. If she is unsure she just guesses that the Rooster did his job.

Connie tries to reset the nest in a safe location that is well-ventilated, free from extreme temperature, and sheltered from the wind and rain the first night the hen “goes broody”. To help transition the hen and her nest with the fertilized eggs Connie encloses them in a box or drapes an old horse blanket over an open box for 24 hours. This helps the hen feel secure in her new location. The next day the hen and her fertile eggs are left uncovered. Connie then marks the calendar for 21 days and waits for the results. If the hen does not settle well in her new location the chicks will hatch out after 21 days and the hen may not be sitting on the nest anymore.

The results are lots of little chicks or ducklings pecking their way out of their shell enclosures and entering the big world.

Make Way for Ducklings.

Make Way for Ducklings

Baby Chick Rescue – upcoming: pictures of a real chick hatching out –

This year some chicks have had difficulties getting out of their shells (no idea why) so Connie has her Baby Chick Rescue Kit on hand at all times.

The Baby Chick Rescue Kit Contains:

Medium-size “ER” Box (Connie likes filing boxes as the handles make moving it easy)
Heating Lamp
Cage Thermometer
Heating pad
Linen Towel
Bottle caps for feed and water

Connie helps chicks who are stuck in their shells by getting them out and placing them in the ER box. Also chicks that are kicked out early as the hen waits for more eggs to hatch need to be placed in the ER box. She has a heat lamp and a heating pad for the chicks as maintaining proper temperature of 90-95 degrees is vital. Draping a linen towel in tunnel-like shapes allows the chicks to find the warmth or coolness they need to keep their proper temperature.

Chick stuck in shell.
Chick hatching.
Chick hatched. Yes it lived.
All fuzzy now.

Chicks revived by the ER box are then placed back in the nest under the cover of night. Usually the time in the ER is until night of the day they hatch, but sometimes it is as long as 36 hours. It is a joy to see new life spring from the nest and watch the chicks grow.

Chicken hen with "her" duck chick. A duck egg was placed by Connie in the Chicken's nest.

Chicken hen with “her” duck chick.

A duck egg was placed in a chicken’s nest because the duck gave up her nest.

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Winter Round-up at Grieb Ranch

Riding the Ranches
In late winter here on the California Central Coast ranchers traditionally gather often to “ride the ranches”. They help each other out with the big chore of rounding up the cattle and working the Fall calves.

“Ranchers just help each other out.”

The cowhands bring their favorite cow horse or arrange to borrow a cow horse from the rancher. Leaving as the sun breaks over the horizon, the cowhands ride out to where the cattle tend to hang out and herd them to a corral or holding area. No matter what the weather – in the heat or chill – the cowhands go to work on the calves; roping, branding, earmarking, vaccinating, de-horning and castrating the Fall calves. This is a big job that requires many experienced hands.

Amanda got the best job of looking after Little P.
Grandma Connie gets to hang out with Little P.
Warming up.

“Riding the ranches” brings the ranchers together, forging new and old friendships through the shared work of caring for the livestock. Keeping the western lifestyle alive, these rugged men and women carry on regardless of circumstances. This year at Grieb Ranch one cowboy got kicked in the chin and had to get stitches. He returned to finish the work and enjoyed the BBQ that always follows the dust, dirt, smoke and sweat of “riding the ranches”.

These calves are done being worked

“Worked” calves.

 

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Cattle Round-Up and BBQ This Weekend at Grieb Ranch

 

The dogs help round up the cattle.
Roping the heel.
Calf gets worked.

The cattle will be gathered this weekend so that we can work the new calves born in the Fall. We will go into the hills on horseback and bring our canine helpers to drive the cattle down the hill into the pen to work them. This activity takes many hands and as a thank you we provide a Santa Maria style BBQ.

Tri-Tip on the grill.

Tri-Tip on the grill.

What is a Santa Maria Style BBQ?

The meat cut originated in the Santa Maria California Valley. It is called Tri Tip due to the special cut which is a triangular bottom sirloin. Hunks of Tri Tip about 3 inches thick are cooked over a fire of red oak wood coals which are also unique to the California Central Coast. Salt, pepper and garlic salt are the only seasonings used. The fire pit grate with the meat is raised or lowered over the red hot coals to ensure the right temperature. It usually takes the meat about 45 minutes to cook. Once cooked, the meat is sliced and served in large stainless steel pans, letting each person to make their choice of doneness.

To compliment the delicious Tri-Tip, a special recipe of beans (which includes hamburger, bacon and onions) are served along with butter-drenched bread and salads that the ranchers might bring to the meal.

Grieb Ranch BBQ Beans – Here is the recipe we use at Grieb Ranch for the beans

3 lbs of Pinquito beans                                                  1 medium onions

1 lbs of hamburger                                                          1 tsp salt

1 strip of diced bacon                                                     1 Tbl chili powder

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

2 cans (8oz.) of tomato sauce

Clean beans (remove any rocks or floating bean skins) and soak in cold water overnight. If you are in a hurry and forgot to soak them, cover beans with about 2” of water in large pan, bring to a boil and turn off the burner. Let set for 1 hour and then resume cooking. Cook beans in a large kettle covered with 2” of water. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer until tender. 2-3 hours. You will have to add water from time to time. Always add hot water to keep the beans covered. When tender add 2 tsp. salt

One hour before serving (when beans are fairly tender) brown the following ingredients in a skillet: bacon, hamburger, chopped onion, chili and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

When beans are tender add the meat mixture. Simmer another ½ hour.

Happy Trails to You!

 

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Middle of Winter, With Sunshine Abounding

Middle of Winter and Sunshine Abounds
Mud means rain so we want to see more of this!

Oh where is the rain? We are thankful for what we have received yet so much more is needed. Yet here we are in the middle of winter and sunshine abounds . . .  praying for rain. Although it is beautiful here, we want to see mud like this on Mr. T because that means rain.

As we pray for rain, we still must maintain our herd and our land. So what does that mean for us presently at Grieb Ranch on a daily basis? Lots of time re-setting and fixing fences to help manage the available grass with rotational grazing on top of providing supplemental feeding. Also the bulls have been getting out and fighting with the neighbors so  . . .  yup you guessed it – more fixing of fences. We also must make sure the water troughs are working so there is an ample and steady supply of water for the cattle. So life goes on as we juggle the demands of the ranch and carry on our “regular” jobs too. We love our life and we thank God for His provision.

Fences, all a part of keeping animals contained.
More fences to fix.
And more fences.
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Rain Brings More Fun

Hills are turning green

The hills of Grieb Ranch are turning green.

 

We have prayed for rain. We have brought the cows home. Rain has come. One of the last storms of 2014 brought with it flash flood warnings and a 36 hour power outage at Grieb Ranch. Living on a hill and living outside of town makes rainstorms extra fun for Grieb Ranch.

Note the ruts in the hill where the rain came down fast and hard. This scenario gave Grieb Ranch a flash flood warning.
A 36 hour power outage force studying by candlelight.

We rejoice in the rain for the grass is growing, slowly. Supplemental feeding is coming to an end. To best manage the green grass Connie has staked out pastures for rotational grazing. This is where the cattle feed in one area then the pastures are moved to another location so the grass can regenerate. One time she forgot to also fence off a faucet and the young bulls broke the faucet. Oops, now it’s a fix-it item.

Even with the rain, the grass is still very sparse . Three years of drought have minimized the re-seeding of the native grass. So careful management and more rain is necessary to help bring the green grass back at a rate that will feed the cattle.

Grieb Ranch is still praying for rain as even with around 3 inches falling in the latter part of 2014, no new storms are on the horizon for awhile.

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The Crazy, Cool, (Exasperating), Exciting Cow Rescue Story By Ethan

Daisy down.

Daisy down.

I thought that I would have a peaceful evening of Thursday, November 20 but nope, not a chance. . . I was literally a centimeter away from stuffing my face with spaghetti when my mother crashed through the door, “Ethan, we’re going to need your help!” One of our cows was in distress. We loaded up the Kubota with a cow halter and tow ropes. Daniel (my brother) took the truck with the old faithful red trailer and Papa (Grandpa) took the tractor. Off we went up into the hills in our convoy.

When we got to the cow in distress we got our answer to: “Why all this?”

Well, mom went out to feed the cows in the early dawn that morning. As she was feeding she noticed that a cow was missing so she scanned the horizon. She happened to see a strange flick up on the hillside and went to investigate. There she found Daisy, the Jersey cow, thrashing in the suicide position – lying on her side, thrashing with eyes rolling back in her head and trying to get up. With all her strength mom had to get Daisy into a sitting position. Daisy could not get up. To make matters worse, Daisy was in a place that made rescue nearly impossible. So . . . mom raced home to get feed and water for Daisy. Since no one was available back at the ranch to help rescue Daisy that morning, mom brought the feed and water to Daisy then had to leave her there. Mom had to go and do her other life responsibilities that day, praying for Daisy.

Mom finished her day of teaching and hurried home to see if Daisy made it through the day. Yikes! Daisy had fallen or rolled down the hillside to the road below.

Daisy rolled from the top near the tree down to the road below.

Daisy rolled from the top near the tree down to the road below.

She was lying with her head down hill and once again in the cow suicide position. Mom had to pull her tail and legs to get her to sit up….she was so near the edge that one wrong struggle to get up would have sent her to the point of no rescue. So mom went off to get help. That’s where I came in, just before stuffing my face.

Our convoy had to position our help past Daisy on the uphill side. I got to stand with pressure on Daisy to keep her from struggling so she wouldn’t go over the edge. Daniel lined up the trailer and we decided it would work best to try to get her in the tractor bucket then transfer her to the trailer. We were all in a precarious position; one wrong move from any of us would mean major injury to any of us, including Daisy! We put a halter on her to help control her flopping head. Yeah! Everything worked as planned. We got Daisy in the trailer and got her set up. However, she could not sit up on her own so I had to wedge myself in the trailer and sit with her to keep her upright for the bumpy trip down the hill. We made it down the hill and unloaded Daisy at the barn.

After several days and many tubes of electrolytes, four of us flipping her from side to side several times daily (so the body fluids would flow), propping her up in a sitting position with a few hay bales……………on the 9th day down she got up. Oh and her two month old heifer calf had to be roped and brought in as Daisy was not able to care for her. We put the calf on a bottle, and she is hand-fed twice a day at feeding time. The calf is in a pen near her mom is now starting to feed off Daisy. Daisy and her heifer calf will be part of the herd again soon. We thank God for His care of all His creatures.

Daisy's heifer calf.

Daisy’s heifer calf.

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Wild Turkey Thanksgiving at Grieb Ranch

It’s that time of year. Take a stroll down the meat isle of your local grocery store and you will see a bundle of plastic-wrapped and netted frozen or fresh turkey bodies as options for your Thanksgiving meal.

At Grieb Ranch the thanksgiving turkey doesn’t come from the local grocery store . . . it comes fresh from the field. A wild turkey has been the Grieb family Thanksgiving tradition for years. You can’t get any more free-range than a wild turkey plucked from your own back 40. These wild turkeys did not grow-up on antibiotics or receive any growth hormones. Talk about organic!

Turkey Hunters circa 1999

Turkey Hunters circa 1999

Turkey hunting is not a sit-and-wait-quietly experience. Turkeys do not like to be alone so communication with them is important. One can perfect a turkey call, “Kee, Kee” or a “Putt” or a “Plain Yelp” to lure, stop or scatter the turkeys. To hear these sounds and learn when to use them check out this article on Turkey Calling Tips.  Last year, our infamous Turkey hunter just had to start up the chain-saw to get some wood and the turkeys came to him!

The wild turkey is leaner and lighter than the Butterball store counterparts yet distinctively delicious. The Grieb family skins the whole turkey since the hunting event is very close to the eating event. The skinned, wild turkey is rinsed well, stuffed with a favorite stuffing and placed in an “oven bag” and cooked according to the directions on the bag. The oven bag keeps the bird moist and there is less mess and clean-up after the meal. The wild turkey is served alongside many different side options and among those is always Stan’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Gobble, Gobble.

Happy Thanksgiving from Grieb Ranch!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4

 

Stan’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Servings: 6 to 7

Ingredients:
1 1/3 C. Milk
2 Cups Water
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Rolled Oregano
2 Garlic Cloves
½ C. Butter
2 C. Betty Crocker Potato Buds

Instructions: Place milk, water and salt in a large microwavable bowl. Get Oregano and roll in hands to crush over bowl. Next get garlic press and press the cloves of garlic. Hint-Immediately rinse and dry and put away press. Cut butter into about tablespoon pats of butter. Microwave all the ingredients except the potato buds for 5 minutes-stir every couple of minutes. Measure out exactly 2 cups of potato buds in a dry measuring cup. Stir potato buds to hot mixture. Hint-As you stir the buds in vigorously the mixture will thicken. Microwave another minute Hint: If making large amounts place each batch in a crock pot to stay warm and then serve.

California Wild Turkeys

California Wild Turkeys hanging out in a parking lot.

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Replacement Heifers

Ethan’s CA Calf

Fall is the time of year when we re-evaluate our stock at Grieb Ranch. We ask ourselves questions like:

“Which ones will make great 4-H projects?”

“Which bulls should we keep for future breeding stock?”

“Which bulls need to be castrated, because they did not grow like we had hoped?”

“Which cows need to be replaced by younger heifers?”

Cows (females) make up the majority of our herd and some age-out or have other issues which cause us to cull them out of the herd. They are replaced by younger female cows called, Replacement Heifers.

The first choice of Replacement Heifers comes from the new calf-crop that is making their entrance into the herd daily on the ranch in the Fall. Once chosen to be part of the herd, several activities take place to tag and indentify each one.

All heifers have to be “banged” which means to be vaccinated against Brucellosis or Contagious abortion/Bangs disease before they turn a year old. At the time of vaccination, a tattoo is applied in the ear which identifies the animal as having received the “official vaccine”. The tattoo is in the shape of a “shield” (looks like a flower, kind of) that has a letter on one side and a number on the other side. These identify the RB51 vaccine and the year in which vaccination took place. Vaccination is an important tool in the control, management and elimination of Brucellosis.

Each heifer will also wear an ID tag and some other ear tags.

photo-5

Ethan’s 4-H project Replacement Heifer #79.

Here is #79, Ethan’s 4-H heifer for 2015. She is looking at us from inside the squeeze chute which is necessary to use when we work the animals. The blue tag is her ID tag. The large orange tag is to help reduce the flies, lice, ticks that may try to bother her. The flies and lice would reduce weight gain, and ticks carry a fatal disease called, Anaplasmosis. The little orange clip in the right ear is the bangs tag that has to be put in by a vet after the heifer has been officially vaccinated.  In addition to the “Bangs” tattoo, most cattle have a ear tag which is a long skinny metal tag of silver or orange color that is clipped to the top edge part of the ear close to the head. If the replacement heifer is missing the “bangs” ear tattoo upon arrival at the fair, then she is sent home.

A Replacement Heifer shown at the fair must be must be within approximately 75 days of calving by the day of sale. To get within that parameter fair the heifers are to be bred sometime after November 16th.

Like most years Daniel has selected a bull who exhibits a “calving ease” trait. This bull will go in with the heifers. Since the heifers are young we want calves that should be born with a frame and weight that makes them easy to calve. The term used for the bull to produce smaller calves is called, “throwing small calves.”

In Daniel’s younger years he would ask, “Won’t it hurt the calves if the bull throws them?” We would explain that the bull wasn’t going to hurt the babies; just be a daddy to smaller-size calves.