Grieb Ranch rain

by

When it Rains

Rain changes plans on the ranch

Getting the train outRecently Stan and Little P went to work in the shop, out of the rain. When they didn’t return for lunch, Connie went to check on them. She was looking to see how clean the shop was and what projects were getting done. Upon entering the shop, Connie was greeted with two big grins and not the sound of rain but the sound of trains in the shop. Trains! A hinged platform was unearthed and brought back to its use of holding the HO train track rails. The train engineers resurrected life from the trains in the rain.

Rain changes work conditions

muddyThe weather forecast was for 51% chance of showers. 300 head of cattle, a three and a half hour drive away were on the schedule to be worked. The weather forecast didn’t deter. Connie got up at 4am to go help her niece get the cattle worked. Well that 51% chance happened and the cattle were worked in the mud. The cowboys had to struggle as the mud stuck to their ropes adding a different challenge to the day. In the end, it turned out to be a fun and safe day that gave even the experienced cowboys a time to remember – working 300 head of cattle in the rain.

wrangling in the mud

by

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.