Gorgeous Spring Snow

Last week the weather blessed us with a perfect spring snow.  The 8-10 inches that fell overnight created few problems on the roads and melted quickly into the ground, giving the grass a nice head start into the growing season.  The morning after the snow was incredibly beautiful to see, and with the sun back out in full force it was a pleasant morning to be outside feeding the cattle and horses.

With the approach of Easter, Murdoch’s, the local farm store, has been importing different breeds of chicks.  Jake supplemented our laying flock with three new breeds: Dark Brahma, Araucana, and Australorp.  Brahmas are known for being gentle and fun to watch as their feathers grow all the way to the ground, covering their feet.  Araucanas are also known as the Easter Egg chickens, as their eggs are generally blue or green hued.   The Australorp is known for being a good egg producer, with the world record egg producing hen being an Australorp who laid 364 eggs in 365 days!

In addition to new snow and new chicks, we also were able to add two new horses to our ranch herd last week.  Meet Zip and Jack, two American Quarter horses who will be joining our horsemanship program.  Zip is a 5 year old sorrel gelding with a flaxen mane and tail who has performed all types of ranch work, including pasture roping,  and doctoring and working cattle.  He is an experienced trail horse with a good handle and a friendly and outgoing personality that will be able to teach anyone, from a first time rider to an old hand, some new tricks.  

Jack is an 8 year old sorrel gelding that comes from a long and proud line of working ranch horses.  He is an excellent riding horse with a comfortable, easy lope who has been used extensively in the feedlots and out on the trail.  Jack is alert and inquisitive, but has a much more reserved personality than Zip.  Jack’s attitude will help to create honest and true horsemen out of our MMR riders.