Category Archives: Photographs

Three days ago, this second-calf heifer (9061) was fighting two coyotes off her newborn Wagyu X twins. I got a call from a neighbor who saw the action from the road, but I was 15 minutes away checking our first-calf heifers. I called Robbin who was getting ready to leave for a dentist appointment. She jumped into the Kubota and sent them packing.

Usually twin calves for a young cow is a curse, wherein most cases she abandons the weaker one. If she tries to raise them both, it typically taxes her so much that her poor shape keeps her from cycling to breed back. By themselves near the house this morning, I took out some alfalfa while the rest of the cows were still on the hill. Here the calves are playing while she has an early breakfast in our fourteenth straight day of smoke from the KNP Complex fire in Sequoia National Park and Forest.

I think they’ll make it now.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

Tagged coyotes, Drought, Fire, smoke, twins

BUCKS IN BRUSH – TWO HAIKU

Posted on September 18, 2021 by John | 1 comment

I will not say where,

but offer a photograph

of three before rut

rattling branches

of brittle Manzanita

to harden their horns.

1 Comment

Posted in Haiku 2021, Photographs, Poems 2021, Ranch Journal

First Wagyu X Calf

Posted on September 18, 2021 by John | 2 comments

Welcome to bare acres. Obviously we’re having to feed lots of hay until the new grass starts. Age and source verification requires that we record the first and last Wagyu X calf born — hours old this a.m. to cow 9049.

2 Comments

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

First Angus Calf

Posted on September 14, 2021 by John | 1 comment

We record the first Angus calf of the season as part of our Age and Source Verification process. These two are about 3 days old born to cows 3292 and 3305 on the Paregian Ranch.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

Tagged Age and Source Verification, first calf

Red Sun At Dawn

Posted on September 14, 2021 by John | 1 comment

Behind the smoke, the KNP Complex, last Thursday’s lightning strikes that sparked the Colony and Paradise Fires in Sequoia National Park threaten both the Giant Sequoias and the community of Three Rivers. #tularecountysheriff https://news.yahoo.com/knp-complex-fire-threatening-sequoia-220907319.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall