Shady Shelter

The one thing about ranching in Worland, is that there is no shade. Generally, guys go to the mountains in the summer, because there is grass, water, and cooler temperatures. With irrigated pasture, we are able to stay down low, but we still have the heat to deal with. So we supplement with a little shady shelter. 

With the herd growing, we had to kick them out of the shed on the north 40. It took a bit, but eventually we were able to get them a little replacement shade. 

When the temperatures got into the triple digits this summer, the cows were looking for every inch of shade they could find. Not only was this little sliver insufficient, it was also hard on the barn, having cattle huddled up around it like that. 

So I picked up a large shade net/tarp. They use these things in the feedlots of the midwest. Not sure how any of it was going to go, I tried to make a little hoophouse for the girls.

Built out of sucker rod, it folded like a limp noodle when we went to raise it up, just like Dad said it would. Note to self, listen to Dad.

But we didn't stop there. Dragging down some old pipe from projects gone by, we constructed a new set of plans. 

Welding 2 7/8" receivers onto the fence rail, we were then able to shoot 2 3/8" stingers out into the corral without needing additional support. 

Though we did put a gusset down to help stabilize the flex. 

While my buddy Tom was around, we welded on some sucker rod to the end so we had something to tie the tarp to. 

Him and Simon rolled out the 50' x 30' 90% shade tarp. 

Then we worked at getting it spread out over the braces. 

Once stretched out, we tied it on with some twine. 

Then brought the fly dust bags over for a one stop, shady shop. 

It took the cows a bit to get comfortable with the new shade, but eventually they took advantage of it.

I'm not the best at it, but I try to exercise a little cow compassion. I wouldn't want to be standing out in the sun during 100°+ days while wearing a black coat. Consequently, the need to put up a shady shelter arose in my heart. Of course, once the smoke this summer rolled in, it cut the sun enough that the cows weren't looking for shade as much. Regardless, they have somewhere to go if they want it. Fun stuff. The cows looking good, in general. We'll probably look at weening the calves in October or so. It's fun to take on the different ranching needs as the seasons in Wyoming unfold. Today it is shade from the sun. Tomorrow it will be heat for the freezing water. Sun or snow, we ranch as we go. 

Welding Leads

Keeping the welding leads in good shape on your portable arc welding is a constant concern. Poor leads make for a poor welding experience. Before we got to work today, we took time to repair the leads on our Lincoln SA 200. 

The ground cable has been hit the hardest, for whatever reason. These leads are old, but good. When we first got this welder over 10 years ago, we worked over the leads. Now it's time to do it again. 

Here's an example of a spot we fixed back then. Still holding strong. 

What happens is that the insulation breaks on them. If left unattended, they can ground out and melt the copper, which is what is happening here. I think it is all still salvageable. 

First, disconnect the ground cable from the ground clamp. 

Heat-shrink is our product of choice. Black tape is just not durable enough for the abuse these guys take around the ranch. These sticks of heat-shrink we've had sitting around for years. Work great for a job like this. 

Just cut a section, longer than the need. 

Slip it onto the cable. 

And over the break.

Then get to heating. I find a heat-gun to work the best. In time, it just melts down to the cable and sucks up, tight. 

Should work. We had about three of these breaks to fix, today. 

The best thing for lead care, is keeping them coiled up good and orderly. 

Back to work.

Good deal. This has been needing to be done for quite a while. If you don't tend to these breaks, you are going to compromise your leads, at best. They can also ground-out on other metal, shock you, or just make the welding experience frustrating. Better deal with the insulation breaks as they happen. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Ranch on. 

The Bannings

Catholic Country! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A7cWmI0maY&list=PLlerzPRygWYJ54Z44nrju1n3_xDJKz0wt

Hypocrite

Is an actor.

           https://youtu.be/c6FjO95eLU4         

Tom Across America

Check it out.

watch

Leader

Lead by example.

           https://youtu.be/ytndcoRfHvw         

St. Bartholomew

Pray for us!

           https://youtu.be/TCCGjENHwoU         

 

Catch Pen

With fall riding coming around the corner, grabbing the horses and going will be a thing. In this big pasture at the VO, we definitely need a catch pen for an easy grab and go. We've had something that worked, but as I stoped by today, a new idea came to mind. 

My horses live most of their days wild and free. They need to be confined before they remember they are a horse and have work to do. Catch pens are a necessary ingredient to making that transition happen. 

It dawned on me today, if I add one more panel, and swing this gate the other way, I got a ready made tap to catch a horse. 

Just grab some oats from the barn if I didn't bring my own.

Close the gate behind you. 

Open the gate to the pasture and holler for the horses.

They'll come running if they smell oats but no work. Then just close the gate behind them. If you do this enough when you don't need them, then the day you do need them, they'll know no difference. 

Jeremy's sorrel is looking good. 

Chief always stands lean and mean. I notice his tail is getting shorter. Believe it or not, he is a full blood appaloosa. Maybe he is starting to show his true colors. 

No lean and mean here, but Mollie is definitely ready for work.

After I fed them and looked them all over, I just open the gate and let them back out. Thinking they are getting away, it's a dead sprint.

Mollie is one horse I wouldn't stand in the way of. 

Chief darts at any opening he can find.

Gone with the wind. 

Good stuff. You've got to know your horses. Catching mine out in the open is risky business. Best set yourself up for success by setting up a catch pen. This guy should do. All I have to do is stop and throw them a little grain on my way home from celebrating Mass in Clearmont. Then the day I do need them, I'll just put a halter on instead of letting them loose. Ranchin'.

Pope

Participates in the Fatherhood of God.

           https://youtu.be/JQ-1RaOix8w         

 

 

Train Bell Repair II

The kids around town are having fun seeing if they can stick our train bell in the upside down position. Kind of cute the first time. But now it's become personal!

Turns out, if you get the ole bell rocking enough, it will try and flip over and get stuck wrong side up.

We got up there once to see what we could do to put a stop on it. In between these two arms is where it wedges itself against the upright going down. I have been chewing on an idea for the past week of how to put something in here to stop it from getting in a bind, with no avail. On a bright side, our bolt repair is holding strong. 

Today I drove by and it was upside down again. No more! With it in this position, I devised a plan. 

Drilled a hole through the bottom of the clapper.

And wired it to the frame work with a little slack to still dong. Maybe someday I'll exchange it with some para cord or something. But for now, this should do the job.

Back in business. 

I'm a little sympathetic to punk kids horsing around. I was once one. But we always had some old man trying to run us off. That's me today. Roles have changed, but the same old cat and mouse games continue. I will make it my mission to ensure that this train bell is in working condition for the good hearted person that wants to hear it ring. If tomorrow something else goes haywire, then tomorrow I come up with another way to fix it. Game on!

Re-stacking Hay

There's not a level piece of ground on our ranch. Consequently, the stack of round bales that Dad put-up three high this spring, started to tip. Catching it before it fell into the fence, he pulled the stack apart. Then, wanting to escape the heat, he headed for the mountains and left the hay for me to deal with. 

No problemo. These 21 grass round bales came off our irrigated pasture back in June. We'll feed them up this winter.

For stacking round bales, the tractor of choice is always the 4010. When it's a light job, we just chain the bale-spear onto the front of the bucket so we don't have to change the head. 

The first row of bales were sitting on end. This is a good way to make a stack, but only if the ground is level, turns out. First step was to get all the bales back on the round so we could stab them with the spear. 

I was just getting the hang of it when I lost my steering. It can be easy to ram and jam when stacking hay, but I was taking it easy. Especially in this sandy ground, a man has to becareful turning with a bale on the font of the loader. Regardless, the bolts on the hydraulic turning motor must have been coming loose for a while. I was just the unfortunate cowboy for them to fall out on. 

So I walked back up the hill and found some new bolts. A little long, but with a lock washer, we should be just fine. 

White Horse to the rescue. 

No hurry here. Get all your ducks in a row and tackle the problem. 

Thankfully, one bolt was still in place, allowing the others to start back in without much trouble. 

Tightening them up worked pretty well too. 

Alls well that ends well. 

4010s are good stackers. Their gear selectors are a bit confusing. But if you get the hang of it, it is pretty handy. I like to keep it in the second range and go from 2nd reverse to 5th forward when situations are easy. If I'm in a tight predicament, I have 2nd forward right there. 

I like to ponder the steering wheel of this tractor. Dad's dad bought this John Deere new in the early 60s. It was a staple on the farm until the late 90s when the transmission got bound up. In the early 2000s, Dad brought it out to our place and fixed the grinding gears. It has been our main tractor ever since. There have been a lot of Lungren hands grabbing this steering wheel over the years. So much so, that it is worn down to the metal. When I grip this wheel, I'm hanging on to history.  

Just as I start to sing her praises, though, she keeps showing her age. We've had trouble with the battery staying charged, so we often have to jump it when she dies. I was putzing at an idle with the sand and killed the engine before I could get the clutch pushed in. Lo and behold, the battery wouldn't fire it back up. White Horse to the rescue once again. 

With all the quarks worked out, we were back to work. The simple triangle stack was our new method of choice. I like to put all three fronts flush with each other. Why? Just cause. 

You can never put a stack of hay too far away from a fence that has cows behind it. If they can get a whiff, and think they can touch it with their tongue, they'll push through a fence and graze on the greener other-side. Unfortunately, I've been on the backside of that disaster a couple times. Not going back. 

Should work. Two on the bottom and one on top is always a safe stack. The one on top actually makes the two on bottom roll into each other, making for a tight-knit scenario. Should hold on this hillside. 

Another well job done. 

Fun stuff. I always enjoy a good crisis or two. They test a man's perseverance and help him grow in confidence. No man ranches alone. God is always present, helping us work through the good, bad, and ugly in life. With His grace, and a good John Deere tractor, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). On to the next one!