Fall Training with the youngster of the Crew & A Sweet Remembrance

Fall is starting to enrich us with some splashes of colour on the ranch. I am a huge fan of fall and wish it could last forever. My "Rookie" in the crew has been working hard with more ranch chores. I have been working on slowing his pace down when asked to do some of the chores that he can get too eager about and cause a bit of stress on the stock. Teamwork is essential. As a youngster in the crew, he is progressing like our seasons and I can't imagine working with any other "Rookie".

Some pics of fall training and memories of the past of Rook's sire "Macc" and soulmate Larry with the training of "our Crew". As I always say" many miles before we sleep." Larry would have loved to work with the Rookie of this crew:-) 

One of Master Rook's favourite ranch chores is to help me bring out the minerals to the herd. I bring them out on my quad roped in a bucket. He does his duty at keeping them at bay until I unstrap the bucket since they do like to congregate at my quad and try and push off the bucket before I can put it into their trough - thanks Rookie!

Master Rook watches over the herd while I get back on my quad.

That'll do boy! We have more work to be done. I like this pic because I can call him off nice and calm and one can see my lakes in the background. 

This is Rook heeling at my quad while I try and take a pic. I am teaching him to do this so we can work together on the rounds as a team. I am working on his pacing here asking him to slow down -  nice work here buddy!

Here I am asking him to do an easy and slow it down to a  stop - notice the footwork:-) He is looking out to his herd before we carry on to check the fencing on the west side of the quarter. 

Miss Lulu B number 13 and number 30 among the falls colours - and if you look closely there is another Lulu B behind number 30 - I did not notice it until after the photo - you have to look closely. Number 30 is definitely one of my lead bossy gals:-) 

Our bovine brigade showing off the early fall fashion - and I am hoping that all are pregnant!

Rook Loves to rodent hunt  like his crew gals Ash and Cybelle -  here he is on the hunt like an ostrich burying his  head in the ground  on his homefront. I think he caught a few for a snack before supper!

A proud Rookie with his herd

And there is nothing like Fall back in my home province of Ontario. But, no complaints on our beautiful weather in AB. I Just miss those spectacular fall colours back home. A few nostalgic pics back east on fall hikes with the Crew .

Me and my crew members "Macc" & "Cybelle" back in Ontario on a glorious fall day 

"Cybelle" with  her puppy boy "Tungsten" on the left with sire "Macc" on the right on a beautiful fall day in Ontario

"Macc", "Rook's" sire among the beautiful red fall foliage

Our good friend Gordon from Toronto on a hike with the crew members "Macc" & "Cybelle" on a fall hike in ON

Fall time "Macc" in Ontario

And in keeping with the fall training theme on this post - here are a few pics taken in fall 2006 in Ontario of Rook's sire "Macc" and Larry at sheep herding lessons. Macc is practising his pen work where he has to bring the sheep out of the pen into the large field. Macc always loved "chore" work. 

Rook's sire "Macc" waiting in line for fall sheep herding lessons in Ontario

"My boys" Gone but never Forgotten - Larry & Macc having some downtime between lessons. I am sure they are working together taking care of the sheep and cattle up above me in the ocean-wide sky.

Click Here to view a Tribute of our Rook's sire Macc

"What Makes A Good Cow Dog" (Part Two) - My Young Rookie

What would have made for a very long day was cut short when Rook was on his game for me yet again. Over the weekend, the herd had found a means of escape through the fence line which bars them from taking a tour down our long gravel road.

The road is very narrow and branches out in three directions. I raced to open the entrance to the gate as I watched in horror at the herd who decided to go out for a site-seeing venture. With me on my quad and Rook beside me, I got behind the herd in hopes of bypassing them and cutting them off before they took to the crossroads or worse yet, the main highway. There was no room for me to pass the bovine brigade, and the herd started to gallop faster toward the crossroads.  I was praying that my young Rookie would be able to take charge and run along the ditch, cut them off and drive the herd back home.

I gave him his command to move up and hopefully position himself in the ditch to the left side of the herd. Like a race horse, he gained the speed to out-run the bovine brigade and head them off  at the crossroads. Without hesitation, he moved into position to turn and drive them along the road that would lead them back to safety. My panic was starting to subside as I asked him to walk-up and maintain a steady pace with me following behind him. Along the way, the two bulls decided to stop and have a frolic in the ditch. Rook was quick to stay on them and determined to keep them moving with the heifers. Our next challenge was to ensure that the herd turned to the right at the entrance to the ranch. If we were unsuccessful, then the herd would continue to go straight to the very end of our no exit road. As the herd headed closer to our open gate, Rook managed to move up on the left side of the ditch to block and turn them toward our entrance. As he drove them through, I asked him to "look back" to pick up one miscreant who decided to hang back and snack on the grass in the ditch on the right side of the road.  Rook was quick to turn and drive her toward and through the entrance way. Holy cow! Thanks again Buddy!

I was able to snap a few photos from my SLR that was hanging from the post beside the gate. I was lucky my camera was still functioning since I had forgotten to bring it in the previous night.

Rook as a wee pupster with his favourite toy - a cow

Rook bringing home the Lulu who decided to languish at the ditch across from our entrance

Rook keeping an eye while I close the gate

Rook stays with the herd

This is what one of the Lulu B's had to say about her eventful day 

Lulu B number 17 decided to chuckle 

Rook stays with the herd  up at the yard while I go inspect the fencing

The bovine brigade has a rest after  their rendezvous

After addressing my fencing issue, Rook along with Crew member Ash  work to move the herd from our entrance to one of their grazing zones

The team successfully returns the herd to the  grazing zones

CLICK HERE to View Part One 

CLICK HERE to View Rook's Sire "Macc" And Crew Member Ash Performing Stock Chores in The Past

"What Makes A Good Cow Dog" (Part One) - My Young Rookie

Today My young Rookie had to stay out in the pasture from 10 am to 6pm holding off the herd while I put in  fencing for another new zone . I had to bar off an imaginary gate with rope that was curious and tempting for the herd and they were hard to keep off by myself  without a dog willing to keep them at bay. At first, I trusted my rope , which was not a good idea. They were fast and furious to squeeze through until Rook bailed me out and brought back the herd. It was a long day. I had to trek back and forth from our working area and the "Rookster" stayed maintaining a great border control yards away from where I had to work. I was also getting hungry and had to trust that he would stay in that zone while I left him and the herd - He now comfortably lays down watching over the herd ( something I did not teach him) and is quick to rise when he feels the need to restrain the herd when his "boss" is working. Thanks Buddy! 

Some random pics of the day. 

CLICK HERE to View Part Two

Yong Master Rook on a long day of duty

Rook doing border control - he had to do this for hours when the herd was continually wanting to  squeeze through the ropes

Rook remaining on duty

Rook remaining on duty

Rook staying on duty

"The young Rookie" content to watch over the herd until I am finished my job

My Rookie

Happy boy watching over the herd

watching over the herd as the sun sets while I try and finish my job 

Early September Ranch Ramblings With The Crew

Labour Day weekend graced us with beautiful weather for working outside. Young Master Rook helped out with a few ranch chores for our neighbour on our south side and was more than willing to handle one of our Bulls when he wanted to chomp down on the handlebars of my quad. 

I loved watching Rook being calm and gentle with my neighbour's calves and mustering up the attitude to deal with Bull-Jolais when I needed some assistance. 

Some rambling pics  of "The Crew" from the weekend.

"Rook" hanging out calmly with the calves

This particular baby heifer kept wanting to hang out with the Rookie - it was very sweet to watch how gentle Rook was and how the calf kept searching out for him. 

Young Miss number 109

Young Miss number 109 with her mama

The two youngsters hanging out

Rook keeping Bull-Jolais away from my quad while I checked the water

Rook stays on duty until  Bull-Jolais gets the point and moves off to join the rest of the herd

The visitors make a stretch to test out our well water

Taking care of cleanliness the bovine way

Rook enjoying some spa time after a weekend of work

Miss Ash enjoying some sunshine on the deck after a refreshing dip in the slough

"The girls" Cybelle & Ash getting ready to check on their herd

The lovely Miss Cybelle "Bibs" watching over her land

Miss Ash says she approves of another zone for the herd where I put some more electric fencing for them to graze. 

The lovely Miss Ash

Miss Ash looking poised in all she does - she makes it easy to take pics:-)

Miss Ash even looks lovely when she is rodent hunting in the pasture:-) She and Cybelle are my great "mouser and mole hunters!" In between ranch chores they are both  happy to seek out and kill some of our field rodents - who needs a cat when you have a  Canaan crew willing to try and keep the rodents at bay and out of the house

Ash looking pretty proud after killing many rodents:-)

Two memory pics of what Larry and I called "Ash" the crouching Tiger when it came to natural rodent hunting:-) 

Ash as a young pupster - "The Crouching Tiger"

Ash feasts on her first catch in the field - who needs a barn cat with this gal on the prowl:-)