The Wisdom of Cows
Cattle trails are not necessarily aimless ruminant wanderings, but rather the materialization of purpose and intentionality.
Planting Seeds: The Beginnings of the Zapata Ranch Garden
Meet Abby, a member of a seventh-generation Colorado agricultural family who has planted our first Zapata garden
Celebrating Thanksgiving at the End of an Uncertain Year
This year holidays may be taking a different form than usual, so we asked some of our ranch staff how they would be spending Thanksgiving this year and have compiled a few of their responses here. Hope everyone stays safe and well-fed this holiday season!
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.
Apprentices: The Face of Ranchlands
Over the years, apprentices have become front and center to Ranchlands’ operations.
The MP Branding
I’m a big fan of chaos. I love trying to make sense of things that are halfway out of control. It is the engine that propels life forward, and the best example of chaos in ranching are our brandings.
Branding Season is Upon Us
Each spring, the Chico begins to see new life as flowers bloom, grasses grow, and calves are born. As spring turns to summer, our newborns and their mothers are gathered into corrals to be branded. Although somewhat misunderstood, brandings are an incredibly important event for ranchers.
Spring Musings
I was thinking today about how different spring times can be from one year to the next.
Here Comes Branding Season
As the days lengthen, drawing winter closer to spring, we begin readying ourselves for calving season, which officially starts for us April 1st and goes into June. In a normal year, eighty percent of the calves come in the first fifty days.