04/21/06 Turn out day

Turn-out Day Today was our day to enjoy the day most cattlemen look forward to. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back in one minute to tell you about it. Today was the day we got to turn the cows and calves back out on grass until next winter- feeding season. This year the grass growth coincided with the end of winter alfalfa hay perfectly, although we did have to buy some extra grain hay to have enough to get to turn-out time. This morning we fed the cows a partial feeding, saddled the horses, and loaded a packhorse with salt and a few fencing supplies and headed up the canyon to the drift fence that holds the cattle in this year's first pasture. The family has rode up that canyon hundreds of times over the years, but the first ride each spring never seems to grow old. This year's ride was especially satisfying since there is plenty of water for the cattle, the grass is way better than last year, and the trails aren't just a dust cloud  the winter moisture, yesterday's rain, and the sweetheart soaker that postponed our branding for one day last week-end probably had something to do with that. Mom, my nephew, and a friend that has been riding on the ranch since she was about six years old helped fix the fence and then rode back down the canyon to let the cows out. About a third of the cattle were drifting up toward the winter pasture fence when we got thereI guess they knew what day it was too. After the last cows and calves were through the fence, my twelve-year-old nephew said we only have about 365 days until we can do this again. I think he enjoyed himselfI know I did, I only wish all the family could have been there today. I'm Jeff Keane.