Right On

The days seem to be passing quickly although this one has been a bit to long!  I'm inside today playing catchup on the computer.  It's beautiful weather here today but we've had a fire that has been burning up on the Beaver mountain and the valley is filled with smoke.

Saturday we moved cows on one of our BLM allotments.  The middle of the summer was great with plenty of rain and yet this last month or so has turned off very dry.  All of our ground could really use a good drink.  The cattle howeve bad r looked great.  There is a Dark Horse heifer that I'm in love with and wanted to take back to the corral so it hurt.  For lack of time, and perhaps a little patience (Dad was ready to head back to the ranch) we left her be till they come into the ranch towards the middle of the week.  The calves really are bloomy.  I had to laugh just thinking about what midwestern boys would think about our grazing allotment, I'm sure to them the feed would look scarce.  Those dry allotments are fragile, we manage them so the grazing isn't to heavy.  The feed although minimal is strong and the cattle look great.  They have to trail a mile or so back and forth to water so the calves will come in good and solid.

We pictured WLE Right On, our new herd sire.  The picturing conditions where less then ideal and I defiantly had a good exercise by the time we got him done, he had free roam of two pastures.  I was glad that Steven was there to help me.  He was luckily on Dad's favorite old mare Milly and had to cross the creek several times.  James came along for the ride yet waited patiently on the other side of Right Hand (a creek that runs into the maine fork of Asay Creek) while Steven tried to persuade the bull that he wanted to stay put.  We ended up getting him pictured in while standing in a marshy meadow with about two inches of water, my boots are getting a little worn through as the summer comes to an end but they held their own and my feet stayed moderately dry.  James was pretty dissapointed that his favorite horse Cricket wasn't there to ride but cheered up pretty fast.  Oh to have the worries of a four year old when the worst thing about your day is the horse you have to ride, of course that put's me in a sour mood once in a while to lol!  Dad thought it was just hillarious.

The cattle are coming home in larger numbers now, a few of them stop along the way in ideal little honey holes for them, the only problem is the pristine pasture thats a quick stop of a solid munch is also the front lawn of the cabins along the Mammoth and Tommy Creek.  Both the Josea's are up there today making sure the cattle keep Asay Creek as the maine goal and stay their course.

Our prayers are with all those who are suffering from the floods, we hope and pray for you in this time of trial.  I can't imagine watching a year's worth of hard work disappearing before your eyes.

Jeannie

Fall is here to stay

It's amazing just how fast summer has left us.  The water on the meadow is on it's last change before being turned off for the good.  It's rather bittersweet, a bit more bitter than sweet lol!  Although I love fall, winter follows all to soon.  

Our second crop of hay was great, we fertilized everything after first crop and our second competed for tonage.  The first frost hit hard about three weeks ago, all the cattails are now brown and the milkweed is all crinkled up.  Summer is definatly gone.  It's still warm here during the day but you better have a jacket handy in the morning.

We've got most of the hiefers for the sale in.  It's been fun getting them all gathered up.  Right now there are 18 and we've cut and added a few times in the first initial draft.  They are all done bawling and started on feed good so my nights are getting a little quieter! 

The cattle are starting to head down off of the forest, as soon as it get's to cold they head for home.  They are rather pampered, they know where the feed is a little sweeter!  I'm excited for those calves home.  Dad ordered vaccine today.

Federal WILD HORSE AND BURRO STRATEGY PROGRAM

Bureau of Land Management

Washington D.C.

RE: Federal WILD HORSE AND BURRO STRATEGY PROGRAM

To Whom It May Concern:

I am sending you my comments on how my family and I along with thousands of others in this area feel about wild horses.  There are many thousands of these horses in our county and on our ranges.  We have grown up with these horses.

The main source of income and the economy of the rural towns of the western United States is derived from livestock, both cattle and sheep.  We are dependent on these ranges for our livelihood.  Whereas, these wild horses contribute nothing to these economies of these rural towns, but are a great expense to the taxpayers of America.

These wild horses multiply and increase very rapidly.  Their numbers get far above what the ranges can handle.  Therefore the excess must be gathered and removed so that the populations can be maintained at a level to have ecological balance on the range. If these numbers aren’t kept at the ranges carrying capacity they will beat and overgraze these ranges and starve to death.  Horses eat grass off so closely that they are very hard on the range.  The BLM does a good job to gather the excess number.  Without these gathers the land suffers, wildlife suffers, livestock will suffer, and ultimately the horses will suffer. 

The ranchers in our area and a majority of the west have developed and maintained the water sources these horses use to drink and survive.  The horses run on ranges where emergency drought conditions threaten the health of the herd.  Some of these ranges are burned with wildfires and these areas must be rested to let the range revegetate. Most of these horses live on ranges with very limited moisture.  Through overstocking and overgrazing these delicate dessert plants can be killed out and it takes decades for them to reestablish.   

We feel very strongly that there needs to be a greater increase in the use of fertility control to slow down population growth.  Castration and spaying of mares is by far the best method.  Emmimo contraceptives and other hormones also help.  We also are in favor of introducing biological sterile male mules to reduce the number of mares foaling on the range.

We think that any unadopted wild horses should sell without limitation.  The horse market is now very bad.  BLM needs to sell these horses for $50.00 or even $25.00 in order to get a bunch of them sold so that the government can get rid of some of them and cut down expenses.  We also favor selling them to other countries in North and South America and overseas.

We love and have grown up with horses, but there comes a time when horses get old, sick, or lame that it is better to slaughter them than to let them starve and suffer.  We strongly feel that we need some horse slaughter plants in this country.  When the ones we had where closed down it has just killed the horse market on all types of horses.  The wild horse and Burro Act of 1971 requires the BLM to humanly euthanize any unadoptable wild horses or burros. The Europeans and Asians like horse meat.  It is a very profitable market.  We need to take advantage of this because it will greatly increase the income of rural America and again make the horse market much more profitable.

WE AND EVERYONE THAT I HAVE EVER TALKED TO ARE VERY STRONGLY OPPOSED TO PUTTING THESE HORSES ON AREAS WHERE THEY CURRENTLY DON’T AND HAVE NOT EXISTED.  The Federal government owns over 75% of the land in Utah, more in Nevada, and almost as much in the other 10 Western States.  We do not want you acquiring any more land. 

I haven’t found anyone else in my area that even knew about this comment period or that you want to implement a new Wild horse plan.  I saw an article in a paper that was published 105 miles from here and it told about the 60 day comment period, but it failed to say when it began or when it ended and it didn’t say where to send it to.  I have had to make 20 phone calls to find this information.  YOU HAVE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB INFORMING PEOPLE ABOUT THESE CHANGES AND MAKE SRUE THAT THE DATES ARE IN THE ARTICLE AND WHERE THEY ARE TO BE SENT.

Please give our comments your most serious consideration.  Thank you.

Respectfully

Gilbert T. Yardley & Family

P.O. Box 288

Beaver, Utah 84713

Phone: 435-438-2424

       435-310-0041

Summer Days

The last week or so has been extremely busy but also very rewarding.
Friday we were headed over to the ranch and all the sudden you could tell something was up in the trailer the horses were having a fit.  We hurried to pull over and Emily went to inspect, as soon as she was back there she said we've got go to the vet.  Somehow a four wheeler tie down had slipped just far enough that the hook was accessible to a very curious two year old blue filly we've been riding.  We have no idea how it happened but somehow she got it up into her nose and completely tore out one side.  Evan (our vet) said he had never seen anything like it.  She got all sewed up and it looks like it's healing nicely and she should be fine.  We spent the rest of the day riding pastures here at home.  Picked out a great Dubia heifer for the sale.
We spent Saturday sorting cattle to go to a BLM permit.  Dad helped all day and really enjoyed it the cattle looked great we really couldn't have asked for a better summer.  We sorted out about nine or ten sale potentials, that's when fall starts to look exciting.  The calves are all starting to hair up and their all bloomy looking.  I love this time of year when the cows are fat and sassy and they've got a nice calf by their side.  Don't ask me how but for some reason all us girls forgot sunscreen, Tawnya was a little fried tomato. It was a beautiful day though.
Yesterday we moved the cows to the BLM.  As you can see from the pics it not exactly irrigated pasture but the cattle will do great on it, the calves will come home the heaviest set we wean.  There has been a lot of rain and although the grass isn't real tall it's green.  The day was about eighty with a breeze and it made it perfect for moving the cattle they wen't great.  We always put a set of Angus cows up and they new where they were going.  It always amazes me how cows remember so well.  They new right where they where going.
It was just Emily, Tawnya and I riding, it really was a great day.  We talked like crazy, laughed a ton, even found a horny toad but to Tawnya's dismay he never turned into her prince.  Brad maybe you'll have to come back!! Lol!  You'd think in our twenty's the thrill of catching lizards and horny toads would be over for some reason every once in awhile you'll look over to see someone crouched down ready to spring.
We're headed to Salina today with a load of cull cows.  It's always rather sad to see the old girls you've grown so accustomed to leaving.  It makes you realize your age increases the same as theirs does.  Life goes by so fast.

Jeannie

Catalog, catalog, catalog

Yes it is that time of year when advertisement and catalog all start to come into play, it seems like we just got done with all this.  We've decided on all of our setup all the girls have been in the office looking at fonts and moving things to and fro.  Heifer names are starting to brew, Lipstick Stain we were informed is a bit risque, we don't really think in that manner we actually thought it was pretty cute but I guess we will not have a Lipstick stain lol!  We do have an image to maintain:)
Last week was Cache County Fair, there was a lot of great cattle and kids.  The quality ran deep the whole way through and it sure made me proud of my home state.  I still think I like the pee wee class the best, everyone gets to be a winner with no placings and no hurt feelings.
Emily and Tawnya moved cows on the forrest yesterday, they stayed dry but it rained pretty hard here.

Tomorrow we are going through the Angus cattle on Mini Creek, I'm excited to see how they've changed the past few weeks.

Little Birdy had her last first day of high school today.  Mom and Dad are well on their ways to being empty nesters.  I really wish that she could stay home all the time.  She still hasn't been school shopping for the year so of course Jeannie's Closet is her last minute shopping favorite. She's everyone's little sunshine.  She's staying busy with her steers.  Her state steer went off feed last week, we've had some drastic changes in temperature from morning to night.

Jeannie

Rising Sun, really where was the sun

Rising Sun is on his way to Tetonia, Idaho to a new set of ladies.  We really have fallen in love with his daughters they are turning into great mamma cows that are big bodied easy doing and most of all I love their neat nice little udders.
I had wanted to picture him and get a bit more up to date image of what he really looks like.  He's been with a set of cows now since the middle of May and he looks as fat as when we turned him out just a bit more toned.  We've had him in the eaten down horse pasture so he had to scrimp, dad's always afraid he's going to get to fat.  The picture pen is a swamp right now so Tawnya and I opted for the field that's been mowed, it looked pretty and plus we could walk without getting to sogggy.  Birdy had Tooele stock show and somehow managed to swipe my muck boots along with my makeup!  Rising Sun loved the field, to much, he wouldn't put his head up to save his life.  There are about a hundred pictures that would be great if he would just stick his nose in the air a bit.  Tawnya is super good help don't get me wrong but she lacks the array of sound and jumps with wild outbursts that Birdy somehow manages to make everything perk their ears to the commotion.

It's still cloudy and today almost a bit nippy here.  I am looking forward to a few more days of sunshine!  Birdy had Grand Champion steer yesterday at Tooele.  He looked really good, she's worked her little tail off with him.  He wasn't a huge fan of the people or the place and we had fits getting him to eat but he was at least drinking and looked great in the ring.  Tawnya left after pictures mid morning with Rising Sun and Brad Wetovick to head up to north, dad always seems to keep things cattle oriented lol, the girls always manage to keep them boy oriented!

Jeannie

Rain, Rain, Rain

It's amazing living in the desert how the rain can decide to come.  Through the years I've came to the realization that we like our moisture in the time and convenience when it's prayed for.  We will for sure take it whenever we can get it though:)  We moved cows from Tommy Creek to Reed Valley and up under the mountain on Monday.  Dad rode with us all day.  Tawnya and I took off and rode up through Reed Valley on a beautiful day that was really about perfect, until the rain decided to come.  You know whoever has dramatized the beauty of riding in the rain horseback hasn't ever done it for an extended period of time.  It's cold, wet, and miserable, the cows and horses dislike it as much as I do, they would much rather just be left alone.

Tawnya and I camped out under a pine tree, until lighting started popping all around us and we looked up to see the tree we where standing under had been hit some years before, you know technically lightning should never hit the same place twice but we decided to trade trees.  There was water running everywhere, and it was raining still, hard.  We were ready to tuck tail and return to the truck.  We finally got a hold of dad who was up the valley a few miles, he had yet to even get his rain coat out!  We decided we better get a little tougher and start to ride back to the cattle.
We gathered the cattle, about forty head or so where camped out in the trees including all the bulls, there is water everywhere up there and the cattle are staying in the tree's a lot better.  It rained pretty steady the rest of the day, towards the end it poured.

Brad Wetovick from Nebraska has been out here on an internship all summer.  We have really enjoyed his quick smile and happy countenance.  He get's teased unmercifully by all the girls.  Angela thinks it's her personal calling to see how bashful she can make him around Tawnya.  I think he was beginning to wonder if it ever rained in Utah, now he's wondering if it's ever going to stop.
We re-rode the bench and Tippets valley on Wednesday.  No one was super excited about going and getting wet but it was a perfect day on the forrest.  Tawnya caught three horny toads so her day was complete lol!  Beaver had a cloudburst that night and it laid down about two inches in about two hours.    There was water everywhere.  It was running down the roads and the ditches where gushing.  We turned all the ditches off.  There is a lot of hay down in the Valley, it's going to stay down for awhile it's not very good haying weather around here at the moment.
Avila's came yesterday to pick up there bulls, it sure was good to see them.  Clay came tromping into my house yesterday morning.  I heard my back door open and someone walking through, I was starting to fume quite well at whoever had the gall to walk through my house with their boots on, in pops Clay in shorts and and t-shirt holding his toothbrush!  He rode on the mountain yesterday while Jeff stayed down and caught some Z's.  The friends you make in the cattle business really are the highlight of it all.
Birdy headed up to Tooele with a steer this morning.  They just called he weighed in at 1337, he's not real happy about being there.
We're cutting thistle today, anyone who wants to help is welcome.

Jeannie