Searching for energy

The exploration for uranium is underway once again, The drillers have dug 12 of the planned 25 test holes at this time.  The test holes are all concentrated near one canyon in the SW corner of the ranch.  The geologists are looking for seams of a formation they call Chadron Sand that has a high probability of containing uranium ore, They hope to find 15 feet or more thickness of this formation.  The drillers pull out a sample of the earth at every 5 foot level.  They tell me that so far the holes have shown 0 to 7 foot thickness of this formation and they don't have the analysis done to tell if there is uranium ore in it.  This driller is pointing to the small sample that indicates 7' of Chadron formation from this well.

growing up

We have 375 calves weaned and started on an independent life without their mama.  A few have developed respiratory infections created by the extreme dry and dusty conditions due to the most severe drought in over 50 years.  Fortunately they have  responded very well to the treatment that we have implemented at an early stage of the disease. The calves have learned to eat a new ration that is 16% protein for 1/2 of their diet while still spending most of the day in the pasture eating grass that they have been familiar with the first 5 months of their life.

identified the culprits

We arrived at the ranch house yard this morning to find the thieves that have been conducting garden raids munching away.  We jumped from the pickup to apprehend them, but as you can see they escaped by exiting through the back.  If we ever see their rear again we should be able to identify them.  Considering the raccoon, the deer and the cows all gaining access to the garden in recent weeks there won't be any vegetable canning done this year.    

corral improvements

The corrals at the ranch have been solid board fences that gave cattle protection when the calving season was in the winter and early spring.  Our calving season has been moved to late spring and the cows are not brought into the corrals. These corrals are now 35 to 70 years old and needing to be replaced. We are weaning calves at the ranch this year instead of taking them to a feedlot, so we have started replacing corrals so we can make the calves more secure as they adapt to new surroundings.  As you can see the fence design is more open and less expensive, but still a lot of work to build.

fire near ranch

This past week has been bad for lightning caused fires north of the ranch.  The West Ash Creek fire in the photo is burning within 15 miles of us. The 3 fires have burned 135,000 acres at this time and are still not under control.  The second photo is smoke in our valley--you couldn't see more than 1/2 mile.  Currently the wind has changed and we can now see, the fire is not coming towards us at this time.  The National Guard with helicopters, the Forest Service with tanker planes and many fire departments are at the scene.   Our neighbors that have tanker trucks are hauling water to the fire fighters.

accidental injury

While standing in line waiting inoculation for protection against disease this steer calf caught his leg in the facility and fractured his left front canon bone.  He was anesthetized and a fiberglass cast applied.  This uncomplicated fracture should be healed in 4 weeks and the cast can then be removed.  He is currently doing well.

beaver forecast end of drought

The Niobrara River is dry for miles through and near the ranch.  However beaver are working hard preparing logs for building a dam to impound water once flows return.  They have more optimism than I do at this time.  Blake and Arden walked up and down the river bed for several hundred yards, but could not find where the beaver's home could be.  The beaver family and the Wohlers family are hoping
this hard work will pay off soon.