Aboard my buckskin mare, I broke the crest of the high ridge and surveyed the scene below from the promontory. The herd of 250 head were scattered like pepper across the broad plateau below, under the capable hands of Melanie and Linnaea. I jumped off, tied my mare's mecate and lead rope end to a …
Intern at Alderspring Ranch
We are looking for a few people with grit, character, and a passion for learning to intern at Alderspring Ranch, a certified organic producer of 100% grass fed Angus beef in the Rocky Mountains of Central Idaho. Internships are supported by the Central Idaho Rangelands Network. Applications will …
All is Safely Gathered In
The fall colors on the Range had waxed and waned; the cold began to seep in, first imperceptibly, then, with abandon to where it was hard to keep warm in the saddle. An Arctic breeze would snake its way down from the rocky tundras of the highest part of our summer Range. Every so often, when we …
The Real Cost of Organic
Gwen desired an in-depth tour of the 70 square mile piece of Idaho wilderness to see where our cattle grazed this past summer; she wanted to ensure that it was still 100% certifiable as organic. There are a few old two track gravel roads that journey up and through the rugged mountains and forests …
Back Home Again
It was like Sherwood Forest down there. As far as the eye could see, tall cottonwood trunks stood with rustling leaves above, providing continuous shade over the thick grasses below. An occasional 100 year old and failed homestead log cabin, now rotting into the ground provided the only break in the …
Cats and Cattle
Erik was right. He described the tracks he had seen and hazarded a guess as to their maker. Those tracks were the business card left by a mountain lion, the solitary and fearsome host of the forests and canyons we lived and worked in. The big cat had his eyes on the easy mark of a wayward …