Well I am having a little challenge with getting things the way I want on this web-site.  Didn’t know where yesterday’s post went, and it just showed up.

Munstah didn’t buck me off. Cattle gathered, sorted, and loaded real nice and the crew worked as a real team. We did all that and had the 600 plus calves loaded and hauled to the weaning pens by 1:00 pm.

Klem Kaniho told me he has worked on the Ranch 28 years come this summer.  He is a real good hand that works very hard and takes a lot of pride in what he does.  I really admire him and the pride and skills he has.  He has weaned and branded a whole bunch of calves in all those years, and works with some very good stockman.  I didn’t really like being around him at first, but now I do and learn by watching him.   He even smiled a couple of times today.  I wonder what right I have in telling him how to do something?

All the guys are real good to Tammy and Me.  We have fun and try to do our work better.  I realize how difficult it is for them sometimes with my ideas, but they sure are doing some real good work.

When we finished loading we had a “Bento Box” lunch from Earls, thanked Manny who’s herd it was for the good work and effort, and the we went to settle the calves we just weaned.  They had lots of movement and it was difficult to get them checked up, but it was nice work in the rain and a good place to think about animal behavior.

Ill let you know how it went tomorrow.  We start processing first thing in the morning.

I enjoyed the day riding Munstah and working working with Wife Tammy.

We are very thankful for the opportunity to work on the Great Parker Ranch.

Gathered “Manny’s” herd to wean calves tomorrow.  Nice big country and the cows moved pretty easy.  Worked well to have me horseback and the rest on 4 wheelers.  They are real good at turning away from the cattle, and going against the flow to create movement.

After we finished went back to breaking pens and rode some horses.  It was raining pretty good all day so it was nice to get inside.  I got a horse called “Munstah” from “Auntie DeeDee” to ride and he is a real big good looking horse.

Early start in the morning.  We need to be at pens by 6 am.  I want to ride Munstah in the pen so he doesn’t buck me off in front of crew so I will saddle him at about 4:30 so we aren’t late.   I think you will enjoy the video we get tomorrow on the weaning process here at Parker.

Really had a nice day working with a good crew, good cattle and some real nice horses.  I can’t wait to see how good tomorrow will be here in paradise.

Loaded horse and headed to “Dairy Fence” pens to move calves that were weaned last week to grass traps.  Kaawa and I let heifers out first.  They came out of pen right into the paddock and we drew them out and then used the hooking them on I had been working on in the settling I did, and then stopped their feet and they went right to grazing before they got to much movement going making it difficult to shut down.  They grazed their way out of the pen and we stayed in front and kept them checked up.  The only setback was one stepped in a empty mineral rub and it spooked em, but we took ahold of them and they settled down and grazed pretty quick.

I took these photos after about an hour and one half after we left them to move the steers.  The grass was pretty short but they kept their heads down and grazed and did not walk the fences.

Taking the steers out was a little more challenging.  We had to go out through the different pens, cross a road and take them up an alley to a little holding lot and then take them out to paddock.  The steers really responded to the right kind of pressure and there was no panic movement.  It all worked real nice and I got some real nice opportunities to share some thoughts with Kaawa on creating movement from the back of the cattle to go up alley without pushing fence down or having calves jumping out or over.  I then drifted them out of the trap and Kaawa took ahold of them and settled them on his real nice young horse.  Everyone, calves, horse and Kaawa were all better when we finished.

This was very rewarding.  To see how little stress these calves had through the whole process of weaning, processing, and then getting them on grass is what I have been dreaming about after the first time I saw how wild the calves were 2 years ago.

I am amazed at the change in the calves and the pride in stockmanship that Kaawa and all the Parker Ranch crew are displaying.

I headed down the mountain, took care of my horse and we went to Nancy Jones place and we all went to the Manna-Lani resort, had a great brunch and then much to Wife Tammy’s pleasure went to the beach.

Even though I didn’t get to church, it was a very spiritual Easter for me.  I feel working with animals with compassion and being in, and appreciating Natures glory is getting pretty close to Jesus, and sitting on the beach with nothing to do gives you an opportunity to think and reflect.

I am very thankful I got to spend the day with the living things I shared it with.