Branding Mornings
A playlist for falling out of bed at 3am and catching horses in the dark, followed by several hours of gathering, roping and branding calves.
Our favorite female musicians
Celebrating our favorite songs by women for Women’s History Month.
The Life of a Ranch Horse: Caguama
The Spanish word for loggerhead sea turtle–caguama–is also Mexican slang for a 32 ounce bottle of beer, the connection being, presumably, that the further down the bottle one drinks, the more it comes to resemble its aquatic namesake. The fleabitten grey gelding who has been part of the Ranchlands remuda for over a decade seems to have earned the distinction of this same name (pronounced ca-wa-ma) as a nod to his lanky conformation and smooth disposition.
How the Dunes Were Formed
Thousands of years ago, a large plate in the Earth’s surface shifted. This rift created the San Luis Valley in Colorado, a valley roughly the size of Connecticut. As the plate rifted and rotated it pushed up a large mountain formation we refer to today as the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The San Juan mountains, which form the southwest border of the Valley, were formed due to violent volcanic activity.
Ground Beef Donation Recap
A few weeks ago, Ranchlands Foundation and Chico Basin Ranch concluded our two-month effort in donating ground beef to those in need from COVID in the greater Colorado Springs community. Below are the reflections of Anja who coordinated the project for us.
Our Summer Reading List
From epic novels about the “old West” to meditations on the natural world and humanity’s place in it, from horsemanship instructionals to our favorite cookbooks, a (non-comprehensive) list of titles recommended by the Ranchlands team.
Bird Migration Routes
Every year, bird migrate north to south following traditional migration routes, many of which pass straight through the heart of our ranches.
Urban Gardening
Living in New York City has amazing cultural advantages, but having outdoor garden space is extremely rare. In the 14 years we’ve lived here we’ve figured out creative hacks for growing delicious produce with limited space. Depending on what kind of space you have (i.e. balcony, fire escape, stoop, or just plain old window sill) you can definitely maximize your food production.
A Brief History of Chico Basin Ranch
From Native Americans to homesteaders and state ownership.