Well folks, the first real chill of winter has come upon us, catching us not completely unaware; but the first night that the temperature dropped to about 4°F, the previous day had been in the low 70’s. Yes, around here it happens like that. We really try to stay ahead of the onset of winter by readying everything for freezing temperatures. What that means in practical terms for this ranch is fairly simple. Erney puts in his winter supply of firewood. His stove helps to heat my apartment, which is above his; so he gets all the help from me that he needs.
We then go around to the water tanks that we will not be using and turn off the water and drain the tanks. On the Cheyenne River Ranch that translates to summer pasture watering locations for the horses as well as the buffalo, as the buffalo are on the U.S. Forest Service pastures for the winter; and the horses have access to a year round supply of spring water in the corral. They can come and go at will. At the Broken Heart Ranch, where we have the harvestable herd, the water supply is a little more complicated and harder to keep open. The situation is ameliorated if we have a good snow cover, but without that, watering the animals can be a little labor intensive.
Of course water for the buffalo would not be a major concern if there were no fences because the animals, having co-evolved with this land are perfectly capable of fending for themselves. The winter grazing on the U.S. Forest Service pastures is a perfect example of that–with the availability of the Cheyenne river to them. Fences, however, change the dynamic.
Once we enclose animals within a fence, they become our charges, our responsibility; and adequate food and adequate fresh, clean water is our job. We must and do accept that as a fact of our lives. It is both the least and the most that we can do for them. We provide for them; they provide for all of us; and it is the quality and quantity of grass and water that determines the quality of the meat they provide.
To facilitate the operation with the animals we must ready the machinery for winter. We also try to prepare the driveway and roads for fluctuating conditions and organize everything from snow shovels and jumper cables to battery chargers, tow chains, and diesel starter fluid. Every vehicle has at least minimal emergency equipment, and we institute a simple protocol of communication, especially if for some reason (to repair a fence for example) we are going into the government ground (22,000 acres of sometimes very rough country). Someone at the ranch, usually Erney near the comfort of his stove, will know where we are going, when we expect to return, and our anticipated route. These are some of the small winterizing preparations that keep us viable and in business. So once winter sets in, assuming we are ready, we can spend our time and energy making sure the buffalo have access to water rather than having to replace a pickup trucks battery in the cold.