Big News

Well folks, I've been putting off telling the 'big news' for quite some time now, but as the take over date has come and gone, I may as well let the cat out of the bag.  

Eli and I have purchased Five Mile Ranch, also known as the Lehman Ranch. 

Phew.  

The ranch is basically in between our current place and my parents place, and ties everything together.  It produces massive amounts of good quality hay and has excellent range.  (Capacity up to 320 pairs, plus bulls etc.)   The house and buildings are decent for the most part, but certainly need lots of work, and there is a staggering amount of clean up to be done!  And I don't want to mention the fences.....  

It is also one of the most beautiful ranches in the area.  I'll get some better photos.    

Don't ask me what our plans are as of yet, we are still getting to that part.  Going to be a bit to get over the initial shock I think.   

Meanwhile, the crew is haying like crazy and near to finishing at Six Mile.  We are off to Five Mile next and that will be a whole lot slower as of course we don't know the meadow.  The previous owner was excellent about picking rocks, but not so great about filling the holes!  The hay is impressive though, and everyone is looking forward to getting started.  Our hay crew this year is Justin (a young local whose been working with us for several years) and Paul and Chloe (two very capable Australians who have slipped right in to the routine.)  Plus of course, Dad and Eli and occasionally mum.  I haven't even been on a tractor this year!  Lucky me hey?  No one has volunteered to give their tractor up and take over shoeing horses instead.  Weird.  

We are headed out on another trail ride this weekend and I'm really looking forward to getting in to the Ilgatchuz this time.  It has been many years since I've had a chance to explore around in there.  Our crew is myself and mum with Olivia (back for her fourth round), Cody (Justins younger brother who much prefers a horse to a tractor) and our new Swiss/German friend Magalie.  I just finished shoeing the last of the horses for the ride today.

Of course there is still the cows to take care of.  The previous owner of Five Mile has the rights to keep his cattle on the range until fall.  And conveniently for him, to keep those cows off of our new meadows (with terrible fences), 

it is my job to keep them up on the range.  And they are JERKS!  They scatter like cockroaches when you try and move them.  It takes an experienced crew and good dogs to do anything with them.  We will have them well trained by the time they leave.....  Argh.  

We just finished our summer cattle drive as well (what nice cows we have!), taking a large group up to the Corkscrew Basin.  It's a lot of work, but a social time as well.  Good horses, good food, good friends.     

Take care folks!
Punky