Cow Camp, Cattle, and Recognizing Growth

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This week I got the opportunity to stay up on the mountain at my host family’s cow camp. It was an amazing experience. Throughout the couple of days we stayed at the cabin, we moved cows, fixed some fences, and put up trail cameras to try and get photos of elk. I was very glad I got another opportunity to work on my horsemanship and livestock handling skills.

One of the most memorable learning experiences from my time on the mountain was while moving livestock. On our first morning of work, we split up into two groups to gather cows and bring them to a different pasture. After a long while of not locating any cows, we ran across two bulls in the thick timber. We had to maneuver and find the best path to get to these bulls, which was a challenge and tested my ability to be patient with my horse and make smart and effective movements through the unforgiving terrain. We eventually located the bulls, and they also tested my patience and ability to read an animal’s movements. This is still something I am working on as I have only moved cows a handful of times, but the more I do it, the more comfortable I feel.

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After coming off the mountain it was time to irrigate. One of the ditches my host family irrigates out of is on a rotation, and it was our turn with the water. Overall, being able to go up and stay on the mountain at my host family’s cow camp was a great experience. Getting to see a place that holds so much history not just in their family, but over the last century opened my eyes to the importance of tradition and keeping some things the same as the years go on.

The big lesson I learned this week was about recognizing our progress and achievements. Entering the last week of my internship has challenged me to look back and compare where I started to where I am now. An important aspect to this is recognizing what achievements I have made and reflecting on what got me to this point.

What prompted me to write about this was my experiences on the mountain this week, more specifically when riding and moving cattle. I noticed how much I improved in my horsemanship and riding skills compared to the first time I rode on the mountain. Everything went very smoothly and my knowledge of knowing where to be at certain times and in certain situations was much better. I was very glad to feel this way and it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I think realizing and knowing when and where we have made improvements is extremely important, and remaining humble in doing so is just as important.

When we acknowledge these milestones, it feeds our desire to try other new things, even if we have no or little previous experience, pushing us to keep learning and expanding the knowledge we have in various subjects. Lastly, we must look around and show appreciation for those who aid you in your improvement. Thanking those that helped you in the process shows them that these lessons learned wouldn’t be possible without them. In the end, recognizing our progress in learning is what will keep us going, and being surrounded by great people to help you and celebrate with you is an amazing feeling.

Submitted by: Jonah Verhoef
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team

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