PREPARING THE RANCH FOR WINTER

Winter scene at our valley home

            This year we’ve had rain storms at unusual times, causing concerns about whether we would have enough feed for the cattle to see them through the winter. So in late September and early October my men were at the ranch cutting grass for hay and getting it baled. I can’t remember a time when we were cutting, raking, baling and hauling hay this late in the season. But this enabled us to have more feed for the cows, and that’s what we needed. Boyd always likes to have extra in case we have a heavy snow fall during the winter or early spring and are unable to get the cows to summer pasture as soon as we like to.

            The calves have been moved down from the ranch and weaned and the cows will be brought down between Thanksgiving and Christmas, depending on the weather. The sheds here in the valley have been scraped clean and lime spread on them, preparing for calving that starts mid-December at our place. New canvas has been put up and when it gets closer to the time we use them, straw will be spread out in the sheds.

Preparing and storing feed and getting sheds ready for winter use for the animals is not the only chores we need to do to get the ranch ready for winter. There is equipment to winterize and put up. The combine with its header is already in the shed at the ranch. After we are through cutting wheat, Doug, our oldest son, often leaves a list in the combine of things that need to be fixed the next spring. However, Doug had already left for Antarctica to work by the time we cut the wheat this year, so I don’t know if anyone else recorded things to do. That always helps come summer when no one can remember what needs to be done to get the combine running good.

We had the swather and baler in the shed at the ranch also, but the guys brought them back to the valley so we could get another cutting of hay off one of our fields. Boyd said we may store them down here this year instead of moving them back up – guess it will depend on when we are through with them and the condition of the roads. Bad roads are hard on equipment as we move it from the ranch to the valley farm and then back.

The fields have been disked and ready to work for spring planting. The plow shears have been painted black to keep them from rusting through the winter.

The waterers are checked for any problems even though it seems that cold weather always brings problems with the waterers whether they are checked or not. The panels have been put into the empty canals to keep the cows from going into the neighbors fields via of the empty water ways. The fences and gates have been checked and fixed if they need it. It won’t matter to some of the cows if the fences are tight and seem to be secure. But for the majority of our bovine friends, the fences are fixed to hold them in.

We’ve moved the camp trailer down, parked it by the garden for the winter. All of the water has been drained out of it and it has been winterized.

There are also things around the house and yard that needs pre-winter care. The garden plot has been cleared, sprayed, and tilled ready for spring. The tillers and lawn mower have been stored in the bully barn and the snow blower has been moved out into the garage. The flower beds have been weeded, spring bulbs planted, and roses covered. The dogs dug down in a spot where my washing machine drains, and so that hole was filled to prevent the drain from freezing. I’ve got all of the hoses hanging up behind the bully barn, except those needed to fill one of the water troughs that isn’t automatic.  The heater has been moved to the porch ready to turn on as the nights get colder. That keeps boots and coveralls warm as the guys spend so much time out in the cold during the winter.

There's much to be done in preparation for Mother Nature's most challenging season, but we're pretty well ready to face it and deal with whatever she throws at us. Now maybe we can all relax and enjoy the long nights and short days.