Branding season is upon us
We have made it into April, and I hope your world is showing signs of warming and springtime. Renewal of the land. What a great time of the year. I have mentioned before that I love the changing of the seasons. Fall may be my favorite but spring ranks in the top four.
The turkey gobblers are a strutting trying to catch a hen’s eye. Songbirds are returning and their joyous notes fill the air. The blossom and leaf buds on bushes and trees are beginning to swell. Some early blossoms are already bloomed out playing a game of chance with Old Jack Frost. Their perfume is sweet smelling, and their color is a welcome sight on a landscape just beginning to awaken from the winter’s harsh cold.
Meanwhile back on the ranch, the calves have taken off growing nourished by mother’s milk. And so, the branding season is upon us. The ranchers want to work the calves as soon as they can before the calves grow too large and hard to handle.
The schedule for different ranches to plan their branding can get complicated with every ranch wanting to help each other to get this ritual completed. And just when it looks like everyone has a good date selected and the hands lined up that they need, Mother Nature will join in the mix with some springtime weather. But somehow it comes together and gets accomplished along with all the other spring works.
Come ride along with me as we join an early branding.
Cowboying
Get up in the dark tug boots on your feet
You’ll be miles in the saddle before sunup you’ll greet.
Coffee up and grab a quick bite,
Pull on your hat, cinch your spurs and chaps tight.
Out to the saddle shed, and grab some catch gear,
Catch your favorite mount, scratch him ‘hind the ear.
Get him under saddle he’s doing fine,
Pull him round in a circle. Find your place in line.
To help out the neighbors means a whole lot,
Sit quiet on your pony who stands there hip shot.
In the early morning light shapes begin to fill in,
Another morning in the saddle, you can’t help but grin.
Draw the outside circle so you strikes a long trot,
There will be pairs on the ridge likely as not
The trail up to the ridge is steep, rocky and rough.
Your horse is sure-footed, trustworthy and tough.
Coyote calls to his mate, you hear their talk.
See the cows as you top out above the rimrock.
You push the flat quickly, spill the pairs off the top,
Calves are growthy and fat, looks to be a good crop.
One old hide balks not liking the trail,
There’s always one, it seems without fail.
Your gather strings out single file.
Far below you see the others and you can’t help but smile.
You chouse along your group, they want to move slow,
You don’t want them late, to join the others below.
You breathe in the clean air, thank the Good Lord above.
That He made you a cowboy, with this life you love.
Near the bottom the cows give escape a good try,
The boys there are ready and don’t let ’em get by.
They are soon in the corral hands quick close the gate,
Now it’s coffee and a sweet roll you don’t want to be late.
Jobs get lined out everyone knows what to do,
Roundup complete, you’re now a branding crew.
Saddle and rope, good hoss ‘tween your knees,
Your thankful you get to live it, love the feeling it leaves.
The cows get sorted off calves pushed on in,
Called to rope with the first group, get your horse and ride in.
Of this job you never will tire,
It’s two below the hocks and drag them to the fire.
The warm sunshine feels good on your back
You throw a good loop and jerk up your slack.
You rein round your pony and head on your way
It is another great cowboying day.
