Sunday, June 28, 2026

Grass Chewing

June is a great month for chewing on grass. Though many parts of Wyoming are dry, where there is irrigation, the grass is growing tall. Making it ideal conditions for grass chewing. 


I'm a grass chewer. During the summer, if there's not a toothpick in my mouth, there's a piece of grass. I have many favorites. So, I thought I'd take time to give an evaluation of what I like most about the different varieties of grass I come across. 


Timothy is an easy grass to find and chew on. Long stem and think stock, a guy can chew on a piece of Timothy for a long time.


The long fluffy head is the give away. Usually found in damp areas. Good grass, but cattle walk away from it when it gets tall.


Not me. Timothy is a go-to whenever I find it.


Orchard grass is another fan favorite. This actually looks like a brome at first glance, which it may be.


But the green and purple branches suggest to me that it is Orchard.


Orchard grass is good for horses. I find it to be easy chewing, but doesn't last long as the woodier Timothy. Better flavor, though.


I'm going to call this a Perennial Ryegrass. Tall, with a sage green color. It is not as common in fields of grass, but is often on the side of the road.


The woven, needle-like head makes me lean toward a Ryegrass.


Easy chewer. I like some Ryegrass when I'm driving because its lack of fluffiness doesn't get in the way of watching the road. 


Hands down, my favorite grass to chew on is Smooth Brome. Very common around Wyoming.


The branches of the head are very thin, making it light weight to carry in your mouth. When mature, it has a yellow pollen to it, which can color your clerics, though. 


Happy camper. 

Good stuff. Grass chewing is a summer pastime that many Wyoming cowboys are fond of. Not sure what all the attraction is, but chewing on a stem of grass keeps you from talking. That way you can think about life. While chewing on grass, ideas emerge and problems get solved. The optimum window for grass chewing in Wyoming is short, so a man has to take advantage of it when he can. If I'm not at the church or in the office, I'll probably be on the north-forty chewing on a stem of grass. Ranchin. 

6 comments:

  1. Pax et Bonum, Lux et Veritas. Find your north forty and get to some ranchin during interesting times. Makes sense in light of Magnifica Humanitas! Appreciate it Father, I'm off in the woods figuring things out but when time's right I'd love to chat. Paul Pena's album with Kaigal-ool Ondar is some of my favorite "ranchin" music, as long as no one else is around to hear it. ;) Thanks for some good words, praying for you!

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    1. Good stuff, brother. Thanks for the encouragement. Keep on ranchin' in a free world!

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  2. There’s a verse somewhere about grass, and how it flourishes and then is gone. Great subject matter for priestly reflection.

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    1. If you happen upon it I'm pretty awful with the Bible but have gotten some pretty amazing recommendations recently. Be well brother, dark days.

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    2. Psalm 90:5-6. Good recollection.

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    3. Appreciate it Padre!

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