Seasons On The Ranch

Spring

Springtime on the ranch means babies, babies everywhere!

We start calving in late March and finish in early May. It is the busiest time for us, but also our favourite. We monitor our cows very closely for any birthing difficulties, although they give us very few problems.

Summer

The cows and calves go out on pasture for the summer, as do the yearlings. The bulls join them in late June for some summer lovin'. As for us, it's time to make hay and silage to feed everyone in the winter.

Fall

The cattle move closer to home in the fall, grazing off the hay fields. The calves stay with their cows until late fall, then everybody bawls for three days during the weaning process.

This can be a quiet time on the ranch, except in years when a freak early snowfall catches us off guard. Often, though, we end up trying to finish replacing fences and fixing equipment before the snow arrives.

Winter

Wintertime means feeding. There's no such thing as a day off in the winter. Cows don't recognize major holidays, just the sound of their rumbling bellies. We start feeding when the snow falls (November-ish) until the grass grows (May-ish). Once the feeding is done, however, the rest of the day (if there's any left) is usually light duty.