Category Archives: Photographs

April 5, 2012

Robbin & I escaped to Cambria for a couple of nights. At 4:00 a.m., we sat on the balcony and watched the moon set this morning. It should be full when it rises over the Sierras this evening at home.

Now two weeks into spring, Dry Creek canyon looks fairly normal, and though the creek isn’t running much, it’s enough for the colorful Wood Ducks to gather and discuss their futures on its banks. Skiffs of popcorn flowers and orange patches of fiddleneck claim our pastures along the road, green and growing since we moved the cattle higher-up the hill a month ago, back when the Sierra snow pack stood at 26% of normal, hoping to save whatever feed our low ground might produce until later in the season. The Blue Oaks are leafing out, the quail are pairing-up, the House Finches are making a mess beneath the rafters—it’s really spring again.

But two weeks ago, it looked pretty bleak on Dry Creek with less than 7 inches of rain since October, with sixty days of no precipitation in December and January, short grass and stressed cows. Two weeks ago we were discussing which cows or replacement heifers we might have to sell, as high-dollar alfalfa hay to carry them, for who knows how long, was well-beyond consideration. I found myself reciting ‘drought of seventy seven’ in my head as I made my rounds to check the cows, calves and grass.

                              it was dry in the fall of seventy-six
                              and the cows were a calvin’ in the dust.
                              nothin’ to see but acres of chips,
                              a drought year where cowmen went bust

                              reckon ma nature’s showed me who’s boss
                              as she’ll do some time and again,
                              but she’s never caused me half of the loss
                              that politicians create with a pen.
                                                                                          (Dry Creek Rhymes, 1989.)

Not much of a memorizer, it’s fortunate that I can’t ever remember all of the vivid stanzas, but with such real visions and memories branded indelibly in one’s brain, conditions and circumstances that look similar make the bleak look bleaker—like the opposite of ‘ignorance is bliss’. Though a nightmare with impacts to our calf crops for years after, I’ve considered myself lucky to be exposed to the Drought of 1977 early in my career, having seen some of the worst and survived it. Nevertheless, I also know how bad things can get.

But with the miracle of rain, it’s remarkable how resilient this ground is. Even with three and half inches, we’re still short of our normal precipitation, but for a week either side of the vernal equinox, it’s brought this ground back to life, and into such a heady spring fever for everything alive, we’ve nearly forgotten how tentative our future looked just two weeks ago.

Paregien Ranch, March 14, 2012

Almost a new species to us, it’s been over forty years since I’ve seen any chipmunks in this watershed. According to what I’ve garnered from the Internet, Fresno County is the southernmost point of their range. (These were found at about 2,400′)

About half the size of a ground squirrel, I jumped a bunch of 15-20 running parallel with me along a granite outcrop, playing and slightly curious of my presence. They were quick and active, in and out of cracks in the granite rock piles, up manzanita trees to get a different perspective of me, then finally escaping into the gooseberry patches. They don’t pose long.

Paregien Ranch, March 14, 2012

Checking cattle, feed conditions and to cut a Kubota load of manzanita in case it rains and cools down.

Little bunch of late calves waiting for an iron.

A slick bull calf we missed in the first gather of Sec. 17.

Heterosis=Mrnak bull.

Chemise – Greasy Creek. See ‘Wildflowers’, tab “Early Bloom 2012” for a few more.

Blossom Peak

Don Shrock

John Vincent

Russ Fisher & John Vincent - photo Earl McKee

Zach Shaver

John Dofflemyer

Earl McKee

Wayne Weller

Clay Lyons

Zach Shaver & Banjo - photo Earl McKee

Dance at the Fire - photo Earl McKee

Jaimie & Casey

Brent & Paige Huntington

Beautiful day, nice calves, good company!

Clarence Holdbrooks, Brent Huntington & Zach Shaver

Sam Avila, Ken McKee, Tony Rabb, Doug Thomason & Craig Ainley

Sam Avila & Doug Thomason

Ken McKee & Craig Ainley

Craig Ainley

Brent Huntington

Doug Thomason

Craig Ainley

Virginia McKee

Tony Rabb

Zach Shaver & Clarence Holdbrooks

Jody & Sam

Under a threat of rain or snow, cold wind and less than ideal conditions, we got the Wagyu calves branded. The Wagyu-cross are more active than our straight English calves, and a little tougher to rope in our big pen with tall grass. Lots of long ropes coming to the fire, our neighbors certainly rose to the occasion.

Afterwards, we barbecued some delicious American Kobe (Wagyu-cross) tri-tips from Snake River Farms that melted in our mouths – well-worth the premium over Angus USDA Choice. Snake River Farms