Working with NRCS

#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk

This past week we finally made it up to the mountain where the cows will stay for the rest of the summer and fall until they are moved back down to the low country for winter. In the middle of the week we branded the last little bunch of calves and I had the opportunity to try my hand at heeling since it was a rope and drag branding. Then, I finished off the week meeting with people from the National Resources Conservation Service fixing fence and ensuring all fencing around the pastures was in good shape for when pasture rotations begin.

This past week I found out just how difficult roping can be, but also how fun it is. I also discovered a lay down fence, which saved me so much time fixing fence. Lastly, I continued to learn more about pasture rotations. A concept that I would challenge from this week is the importance of incorporating a let down fence. My boss designed a fence that is not clipped to the steel posts; there is a piece of wood between each steel post that allows the top wire to be put on and taken off of the steel post which holds up the fence. The purpose of this is to be able to take it down during the harsh mountain winters. In doing so, the idea is to save on the fixes that are required when spring rolls around and the fences are put back up. The other concept I would challenge is the use of the NRCS. I feel that the pride of many ranchers can prevent them from using the NRCS, but the NRCS has so many benefits to it. Especially, if you are a new, up and coming rancher.

Some questions that still remain are the ins and the outs of the NRCS, just getting more familiar with their policies and how their purchasing processes go. Other questions that still remain are related to better ways to keep track of the herd and looking into how technology can aid in that process.

What I plan to do with what I learned this week is getting involved with the NRCS as heavily as possible when I first start out ranching and to continue using their resources in my career. I also plan on incorporating as many miles of the let down fence as possible to keep my fence fixing to as little as possible. Lastly, I plan on constantly working to improve my roping skills to be more efficient in times such as branding and doctoring.

Submitted by: Chloe Henderson
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team