A Lesson in Farming, A Passion in Riding
#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk
This week I learned mostly irrigation techniques and practices. Although I came to the ranch primarily to learn more about livestock, I am getting some hands-on experience on the farming side of things. Specifically, digging trenches and laying pipe to irrigate corn and hay fields has been the majority of this work. I’ve learned how lay gated pipe as well, which is this ranch’s way of flood irrigating fields. As far as livestock goes, on our morning rides moving cows, the ranch owner has taught me a little about the plants and grasses that the livestock prefer to eat and what they cannot eat.
Something I would challenge is the way they move cows. There is certain amount of pressure (closeness of you on your horse to the cows) that will make them go the direction you want them to or peel around you to go any direction they want. The owners of the ranch prefer me to stay close to them and in my experience, this has sometimes caused cows to go other directions and most of the time, behind you. I feel that when you keep enough pressure at a distance a little further back, it keeps them moving and if they decide to run back, it allows you time to stop them because you have space between you and the cow.
At this point, the majority of my questions lie in the business model of this ranch. I’ve asked a few questions so far like, “Are all your enterprises separated into different budgets?”. The answer was no, but that they know what makes money and what doesn’t. Some other questions I have are about how they analyze their income to justify buying equipment that would pay for itself in time. So, if there is a tractor that sprays fertilizer that they’d like to buy and it increases the amount of crop, do they analyze how long it will take for that specific increase in crop yield to pay for the upfront cost or loan of the new tractor.
What I plan to do with what I’ve learned this week is to never get into farming irrigation. I’ve learned that riding a horse in order to work cows is where my passion still lies and that work is hard on a back with pre-existing injuries. It is very rewarding, absolutely, when you are done for the day and see all the fields getting watered and the outcome of that work in the coming weeks when the corn and hay starts growing to feed the cows. But, its just not my deal. I learned that my colt needs to be humbled and I will be riding him more on our longer trail drives as we push these cows into the forest allotments soon. I am learning more about the plants and intend on committing more rangeland conversations with the ranch owners.
Submitted by: Victor Standke
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team
