tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59111970336095775812024-03-06T12:02:58.935-08:00Lacey Family Ranch BlogLacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-8816661337840223992011-03-22T15:48:00.000-07:002011-03-22T15:58:22.035-07:00Calving Season<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpagRxfKHO5oAdZCQ7IU0gtGCYL_sZAXt_AB3HzO8MT0km5CqET7I_oiJ6ST9e29oOlsOJ0jZBBkjHwA8_mCLb36e0ewbXURB7My3J_J0AAmTEGUR_mArm-8yv2Ftst3_ZhCNa9l_8Xwh/s1600/Untitled+2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 257px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040621559895298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpagRxfKHO5oAdZCQ7IU0gtGCYL_sZAXt_AB3HzO8MT0km5CqET7I_oiJ6ST9e29oOlsOJ0jZBBkjHwA8_mCLb36e0ewbXURB7My3J_J0AAmTEGUR_mArm-8yv2Ftst3_ZhCNa9l_8Xwh/s320/Untitled+2.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIWAVmjIbm3AClKCMLKjmUlP8zwklhfHBWI9bdGM4SLNCQvphwrPrKzvkVCvK5IIuhIpfo6l6Rn2hWCkREV5AGfLA9mu33lzlM4jQThtkBuDFzvgxqg5e_3msrgXgwcOxrl3REY2e-lQx/s1600/Untitled.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 288px; HEIGHT: 243px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040619885036098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIWAVmjIbm3AClKCMLKjmUlP8zwklhfHBWI9bdGM4SLNCQvphwrPrKzvkVCvK5IIuhIpfo6l6Rn2hWCkREV5AGfLA9mu33lzlM4jQThtkBuDFzvgxqg5e_3msrgXgwcOxrl3REY2e-lQx/s320/Untitled.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Hello again. Since the last post we have moved the cows home from the high country. We were moving the cows out in the middle of November, which is normal. However, we got a bit of weather, actually quite a bit more than we normally get that time of year.<br /><br />It didn’t take us long to move out and the weather actually broke and cooperated; it proved to be just the beginning. If anyone is actually reading this blog and you live in California you’ll remember December 2010 was quite wet, or snowy depending on where you live. Not long after we got the cows home we got more snow, but after a bit it turned to rain and was gone.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QEkYRxzA_3wy-SHJQL1mSVxx28HZEzcAiR4-j3ST6AVxOXXU8abpk101F6VIzLXPTw56k5R66aw8e2Z9zBLNjUJWfchgZA9TaPDzpcMeBc2BDsOd9dT52abwTOnYFkaqa-ZFzGGqESZB/s1600/Untitled+3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040626294301026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QEkYRxzA_3wy-SHJQL1mSVxx28HZEzcAiR4-j3ST6AVxOXXU8abpk101F6VIzLXPTw56k5R66aw8e2Z9zBLNjUJWfchgZA9TaPDzpcMeBc2BDsOd9dT52abwTOnYFkaqa-ZFzGGqESZB/s320/Untitled+3.jpg" /></a></p>Ever since the first of the year our main activity has been takeing care of the first calf heifers. That is our term for a young cow that has never had a calf. They require extra care, feed and obsevation. These are first calf heifers pictured above. We keep them in a pasture of about 200 acres. When they start calving approxiamately January 15th we start riding through them horseback about three to four times a day. They are very inexperienced and do some dumb things. Some examples of heifer behavior are; giving birth just fine and then walking away - so we must find the heifer and take her back and try to bond her to the calf, some try to steal other heifer’s calves, some can’t give birth and we must assist the birth, occasionally we have ceasarian sections, sometimes the calves are weak and we must bottle feed them until the gain strength, some heifers won’t accept their calves and we will graft them on another heifer that is more maternal. When the calves are born they get an eartag with their mothers number on it and source identification number that can be traced back to our ranch.<br /><br />The calving season for the heifer is about 45 days. We start about 4:00 am and stay with the heifers until dark then we will make checks during the night if there are heifers that might calve.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXvU1GhrZRj_ne_uQTS00WSFq4HkBM0ad_W6af0DTc_uGacyzAmtdt-WOogxVXyTFnEoE3cEUgeXmpzSme6foNsBPokEElv4M9EDpXsqmaCrjr2osCm46kvEWqIouXEPma6CG2qa9CYwU/s1600/Untitled+5.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 293px; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040759645306898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXvU1GhrZRj_ne_uQTS00WSFq4HkBM0ad_W6af0DTc_uGacyzAmtdt-WOogxVXyTFnEoE3cEUgeXmpzSme6foNsBPokEElv4M9EDpXsqmaCrjr2osCm46kvEWqIouXEPma6CG2qa9CYwU/s320/Untitled+5.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknzdLVqYex3h1eKyTvJLf7_Jq-TTSjvG7asH-exc2PbjIz-122suecOJG3pQMHJU_L0wkehgAMRKoMpfNRP0zW1Klu5h2sZ1Y3ExtTJ0MnzIqQ0o3BpHtYq4Ja6l1FE-yC75rXHMwFCLM/s1600/Untitled+4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 295px; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040632186967074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknzdLVqYex3h1eKyTvJLf7_Jq-TTSjvG7asH-exc2PbjIz-122suecOJG3pQMHJU_L0wkehgAMRKoMpfNRP0zW1Klu5h2sZ1Y3ExtTJ0MnzIqQ0o3BpHtYq4Ja6l1FE-yC75rXHMwFCLM/s320/Untitled+4.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We are finished calving now and are into the housekeeping month; March. This is a frenetic month for us we are all over the ranch fixing fence, repairing corrals and facilities, cleaning ditches, starting colts, and doing range improvement burns. We only have until the middle of April because we start the spring works.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmNRGI45J30OMQZTi0oZVuUoHlolfcmQ_3PO87NtvucCasXwTtpyGgoKlhcL97A2_L33w3_tBWvy_72L_KHZFSPQ0siv8L6diBwDa0PD_CoYQMNnzXlLRM0HbImH8KuNVe29TVBC7owC-/s1600/Untitled+6.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 286px; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040766402242866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmNRGI45J30OMQZTi0oZVuUoHlolfcmQ_3PO87NtvucCasXwTtpyGgoKlhcL97A2_L33w3_tBWvy_72L_KHZFSPQ0siv8L6diBwDa0PD_CoYQMNnzXlLRM0HbImH8KuNVe29TVBC7owC-/s320/Untitled+6.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnU32aCSiwdzUz7A6n4C2CjrcjydTrC3Gb4G36C9YBaKRCYP1bWDXh6eLOXB_6KoG5WVF5TjRp6A7qb9xP5M2ju4L1ms_pAd_Yzu-Kbr2IoX4s2swb2s9-UakGYRxu_8WELuQx4E_WuAO/s1600/Untitled+7.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 288px; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587040764148421842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnU32aCSiwdzUz7A6n4C2CjrcjydTrC3Gb4G36C9YBaKRCYP1bWDXh6eLOXB_6KoG5WVF5TjRp6A7qb9xP5M2ju4L1ms_pAd_Yzu-Kbr2IoX4s2swb2s9-UakGYRxu_8WELuQx4E_WuAO/s320/Untitled+7.jpg" /></a><br />Well so long for now from the desert.Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-14259370919685316202010-12-06T13:35:00.000-08:002010-12-07T08:20:20.771-08:00Beef Production 101 from Mark<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1plzexpnkw02VjhGlqRwa2g6T3P4DUB9WwaTZZpMFhDFD_4y91G21VTpqPvbj2o4xmdJwJsWRINsCo4biJFkfa90fYuRekd8hJo3VUZAUVF69Yo3HapEZIQVaODBPIU7Q6QgbSce4mAy/s1600/Untitled+2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547687998267741010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1plzexpnkw02VjhGlqRwa2g6T3P4DUB9WwaTZZpMFhDFD_4y91G21VTpqPvbj2o4xmdJwJsWRINsCo4biJFkfa90fYuRekd8hJo3VUZAUVF69Yo3HapEZIQVaODBPIU7Q6QgbSce4mAy/s200/Untitled+2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>This post is long overdue and I’m sorry. I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZVB78KxTjhvO7BDfwv9k-DxIrDZ_qNeoCcF87ZdZ1Dzd-OTmqE3lIgoNu-fC2kbLFHi2QBzVmxHusDdI5NlifFvhAB6ost-ghiL5FR5ILiGmUw5Gzty827AJNjH8oKqjZJr7_iUcx_z1/s1600/Untitled+4.jpg"></a> would really like to catch up on the calendar of operations, but being that this blog is also about beef production not only cattle production (You may be thinking, what is the difference?). Let me try to explain how I view the difference between beef and cattle production.<br /><br />Cattle production or animal husbandry if you like is the act or art of raising cattle; all the things that go into daily care of the animals like nutrition, water, and resource management. Beef production is more of the science if you will. We determine the breeding season to try and match the nutrients in the native forage to the cow’s peak demand while suckling a calf, we determine the proper timing of calf hood interventions such as inoculations, castration, and weaning in order to get the optimum benefits with the least amount of stress, we sample grass and water to make sure we provide beneficial supplements for deficient essential minerals, but most importantly we decide on the genetic makeup our herd, no these are not “GMO” cows this is one of the most important elements of cattle ranching, it is the science of animal breeding.<br /><br />We apply both subjective and objective criteria to determine the type of cattle we want to raise. There are a great number of traits that can be bred for - some breeds are more tolerant of the heat or cold, some breeds produce more milk, some have better dispositions, some produce superior beef (meat). This last item is something that was identified as one of the main consumer issues about beef in the 1990’s. So, a majority of beef producers moved to breeds of cattle known to produce higher quality beef. Typically, these are the British breeds they are so named because they were originally imported from the British Isles the scientific name is Bos taurus. These cattle acclimate well in cooler climates and do well where high quality nutrition is available; also, they tend to have calm dispositions. The name of one of these breeds you may recognize is “Black Angus”.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEmEU_6LzN9kgODq19ZD2RZIkqn2Th7i-xQCl68OBMmWcCI1y3fs_czL03DBDwh8DW9xrwMbD9zHu535pm9hHJChlitPnwgc4Od_4E64AqSMVR5T34ralCaIips-fMVk-UoWyZw_Tyo9k/s1600/Untitled+1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547687922383615074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEmEU_6LzN9kgODq19ZD2RZIkqn2Th7i-xQCl68OBMmWcCI1y3fs_czL03DBDwh8DW9xrwMbD9zHu535pm9hHJChlitPnwgc4Od_4E64AqSMVR5T34ralCaIips-fMVk-UoWyZw_Tyo9k/s200/Untitled+1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0uwowv0k7_4H9o4ruwlASaatSdHay6-UcvIn-aofRZ7ecAmgn_4xXBo8q2GxhbeG0Nz12_uUksmLILHsIpR2QFitLj1P8oiENVLzAXwxhKc0a0OZqZYEHl7VuFT8qmaIEtjazejjfQDS/s1600/Untitled+3.jpg"></a><br />The other type of cattle is Bos inidicus, or eared breeds derived from southern Asia. These cattle acclimate well in very hot areas, they travel and forage well, they adapt very well where nutrition is more sparse, they tend to produce leaner beef, they are not known for having very calm dispositions, these cattle are prominent in the western U.S. which is very arid. I don’t have photo example of the breeds, but I do have a photo of arid grazing land that you can compare with the pasture in the photos above.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg3CkV2FgVYADDb2aXxW6ywhxgsFztVD-aFS97mkdByaZSoSzALwi2pY1g7OXhVx1Iu4HxtosDU0mfw_jlY1aHUapvaTAmbduNuyv6Y_h6JdkTgOeiWVlqck2X5QyKzf_bX1ttYdLO7Dh/s1600/Untitled+3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 173px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547688199525354706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg3CkV2FgVYADDb2aXxW6ywhxgsFztVD-aFS97mkdByaZSoSzALwi2pY1g7OXhVx1Iu4HxtosDU0mfw_jlY1aHUapvaTAmbduNuyv6Y_h6JdkTgOeiWVlqck2X5QyKzf_bX1ttYdLO7Dh/s200/Untitled+3.jpg" /></a><br /><br />All these photos are on our ranch, the diversity is not only stark, but also challenging. We happen to raise angus cross cattle and they would certainly do better on the lush green pasture than this desert land, but as I have discussed in previous blogs climatic conditions dictate that we bring the cattle down to lower elevations in the winter.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXQ72v9wB3p7FxfYUQD7KYz3PnBq3nwDaZbVvglp8LIwhaXJAq_gFyOWm1XMP_Y8zbrk2gEjlF3lPMX-IcLCX3H5uOf4ryS8rQqs9yzzkotkeDyqihtPb74I712NbFjI3oIejHW8_VuuV/s1600/Untitled+4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 149px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547688202657941186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXQ72v9wB3p7FxfYUQD7KYz3PnBq3nwDaZbVvglp8LIwhaXJAq_gFyOWm1XMP_Y8zbrk2gEjlF3lPMX-IcLCX3H5uOf4ryS8rQqs9yzzkotkeDyqihtPb74I712NbFjI3oIejHW8_VuuV/s200/Untitled+4.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This is the same area as the second photo in March of 2010. Make no mistake cattle are raised in climates like this all over the U.S., but they must be fed hay. On our operation we try to use the different types of pasture and forage available during the peak production periods so that we don’t have to feed hay. We don’t have the ability to raise hay so we have to buy it, and that is an expense we like to avoid. So the dilemmas we face as beef producers is to raise the type of cattle that produce the highest quality beef that fits consumer preferences, but at the same time are able to adapt efficiently to the resources available on our ranch. Yes, economics are implied because if we can’t strike the right balance between productivity and efficiency then the ranch in not “sustainable”.<br /><br />So, to summarize - we spend a great deal of time considering the right type of cattle and genetic traits that best fit our environment, consumer demands, and economically sustainable. Perhaps in future posts I will talk more specifically about husbandry and stewardship practices we employ to try and meet consumer concerns. Until next time, so long from the ranch. </div><div></div><div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-88079579957475744922010-10-30T16:40:00.000-07:002010-11-08T13:13:10.796-08:00Football, Football, Football<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-j6-JhIRbbVyTw9X633lyvw1jmqptryQQ6-HgepQQeU7H35h7xD5Pm_tlgZhf2NjreTrWXMAMec-BGcP64zFX_SBJLm6DEXMjJrM-x3GIghlnq72K5Kbhqks3YUt59y0-Y9ci3S9FUBhk/s1600/IMG_7130.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 183px; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536519113537572050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-j6-JhIRbbVyTw9X633lyvw1jmqptryQQ6-HgepQQeU7H35h7xD5Pm_tlgZhf2NjreTrWXMAMec-BGcP64zFX_SBJLm6DEXMjJrM-x3GIghlnq72K5Kbhqks3YUt59y0-Y9ci3S9FUBhk/s200/IMG_7130.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqpljYUZQ41bOzQxUppUYe_xJJtNXtVMFkl7OpRJ8S3xOdLPgn_FdlsjDkPbGB3NJweK7IXtV0c3cAbzptq6jxEGoQgqlcVYGz3zecZmyR5nCKT1XltVyhaLtpLYB_ekSG1sJ8DWXpzEu/s1600/IMG_7175.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 164px; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536521194134780962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqpljYUZQ41bOzQxUppUYe_xJJtNXtVMFkl7OpRJ8S3xOdLPgn_FdlsjDkPbGB3NJweK7IXtV0c3cAbzptq6jxEGoQgqlcVYGz3zecZmyR5nCKT1XltVyhaLtpLYB_ekSG1sJ8DWXpzEu/s200/IMG_7175.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6taqcDIr8ncT2YQm-XDjF2FXjGh2DrK-hRf3oe22SKVcKsZlA6od3RgCnW9xNb7ioxdr0pBhMv5wuurYxYwVonwRjeA6RxWfRmtHWImUfeZ-7E1PMmj5YzhGWw5A0W3A9BTgo0igSh5i/s1600/IMG_7039.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536525967181246002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6taqcDIr8ncT2YQm-XDjF2FXjGh2DrK-hRf3oe22SKVcKsZlA6od3RgCnW9xNb7ioxdr0pBhMv5wuurYxYwVonwRjeA6RxWfRmtHWImUfeZ-7E1PMmj5YzhGWw5A0W3A9BTgo0igSh5i/s200/IMG_7039.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />At the Lone Pine High School Homecoming Football game one of our terrific mares was used to present the colors. The tradition at the high school is just before the game they have horses racing around the track to Lee Greenwood’s song, Proud to Be an American. One of my FFA students asked to borrow one of our horses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51bPfmpP9FOKDxyVME-F_k9q54tjWnBM0Ohz5BAN7zlJeLVjX4WtQ0zxbAyTK81JTIJyGLJHnzMNiNUP0GIJ-Db2ewICWEa5RelbS4LZxzOK6nkBAEszuWa7MJP4nYI8XwrUZ_H6ZHQ-8/s1600/IMG_7022.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 184px; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536514827710990162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51bPfmpP9FOKDxyVME-F_k9q54tjWnBM0Ohz5BAN7zlJeLVjX4WtQ0zxbAyTK81JTIJyGLJHnzMNiNUP0GIJ-Db2ewICWEa5RelbS4LZxzOK6nkBAEszuWa7MJP4nYI8XwrUZ_H6ZHQ-8/s200/IMG_7022.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SZ8fcCImKtFm6FuyaVpVD7Rdr910zhwoiD2uv_RoR6QQYPNyTV_Oa368wh6_dAUpt6Qbv_l-PwWyHSjA_z7UtxIz8EQt0TDvk9guvrmGXD0rmTYSt9i6dpAEWd_5rocYm-nODSaDWElS/s1600/IMG_7028.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 186px; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536517420519771538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SZ8fcCImKtFm6FuyaVpVD7Rdr910zhwoiD2uv_RoR6QQYPNyTV_Oa368wh6_dAUpt6Qbv_l-PwWyHSjA_z7UtxIz8EQt0TDvk9guvrmGXD0rmTYSt9i6dpAEWd_5rocYm-nODSaDWElS/s200/IMG_7028.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPNkxgYZ9W4E3FIz_qqwTjQ9Ur1t4MRfkBXmohfHifazycvlyLchnd4xUVnBMzHIq7nmk26Ta0cz-XNtCB0kDnokYy8C7Agn1O9LJH_nHsRWbqkoPy-TDq5K4hp2L_fm3272zeLZ9J84z/s1600/IMG_7031.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 183px; HEIGHT: 124px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536517423271734562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPNkxgYZ9W4E3FIz_qqwTjQ9Ur1t4MRfkBXmohfHifazycvlyLchnd4xUVnBMzHIq7nmk26Ta0cz-XNtCB0kDnokYy8C7Agn1O9LJH_nHsRWbqkoPy-TDq5K4hp2L_fm3272zeLZ9J84z/s200/IMG_7031.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We love horses at the ranch. John, my father in law, and my husband Mark, could talk for hours about horse lineage, what is the next great stallion we should be breeding to and the history of our amazing Quarter Horses. The special thing about our horse operation is that we ride and assess the mares. Most ranches use geldings, but for us it is about the girls. We sell the geldings as weanlings or yearlings and keep mares to raise and ride. This gives us the chance to evaluate the conformation and personality of the mare. We might use a mare on the ranch for 8-10 years then it is time for them to have a foal. If the mare turns out to not be a terrific saddle horse then she is sold and not used in the brood mare band. This way we have great mares having really good foals. We either sell them if they are geldings, or keep if mares to start the cycle over.<br /><br />Now back to the Homecoming Football Game, you take a Lacey horse, Miss Katie Lena aka “Frito”, and put a 100 pound girl, that practices a couple of times, ask her to race around a track with bright lights, music, and tons of people cheering and she just does it. It is such a joy to be able to raise great horses that will do anything. We use our mares to work cattle throughout the year in all types of jobs, but then we do parades and football games and they are kind, smart, and willing.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbGBU255Vw1vXGSc35BhFpMJmZNiCy1j5C14qfjwU-2QwcR8wxJZW2NiWa86a0FnPtVQ37mpbMwQQ7ez5KMk5g8QdLy5uQf7ctRvFA5rJyEPwzXqBRmU2Jo7CGaQUXApRX7WuVNOYhWyH/s1600/IMG_7007.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 183px; HEIGHT: 124px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536513779042812322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbGBU255Vw1vXGSc35BhFpMJmZNiCy1j5C14qfjwU-2QwcR8wxJZW2NiWa86a0FnPtVQ37mpbMwQQ7ez5KMk5g8QdLy5uQf7ctRvFA5rJyEPwzXqBRmU2Jo7CGaQUXApRX7WuVNOYhWyH/s200/IMG_7007.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkP5DG2gbJulavruMwc7Lcztu8sG1A3XcVndE21ADaZB7w0xRSC85UZTc4s4Q9iNdTMuu01Xg4e41kUpcpLRiQFhIOdoHYxK_6iV8L-mjVxGzzqEH_bexN_d4iDRCBkwOZaSNVdwcJsKMl/s1600/IMG_6989.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 184px; HEIGHT: 124px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536512364350202034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkP5DG2gbJulavruMwc7Lcztu8sG1A3XcVndE21ADaZB7w0xRSC85UZTc4s4Q9iNdTMuu01Xg4e41kUpcpLRiQFhIOdoHYxK_6iV8L-mjVxGzzqEH_bexN_d4iDRCBkwOZaSNVdwcJsKMl/s200/IMG_6989.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASzbueNZyW1wq9pWqDIh0q-QBYZ3SdYzjFiHgRVVjkn_VuQyxaDml8l0i2G4DRFUqETPR0Jb31nRBePhYq1UcA8kvKJrA60tGC0jOeDJ7jA7pDn2vITIRcqzt_-q6mXtqxm8B9e2PkYwI/s1600/IMG_7002.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 118px; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536525972357340018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASzbueNZyW1wq9pWqDIh0q-QBYZ3SdYzjFiHgRVVjkn_VuQyxaDml8l0i2G4DRFUqETPR0Jb31nRBePhYq1UcA8kvKJrA60tGC0jOeDJ7jA7pDn2vITIRcqzt_-q6mXtqxm8B9e2PkYwI/s200/IMG_7002.jpg" /></a><br />Frito did amazing, the football team gave it the good fight, and Molly was the Freshman Homecoming Princess, looking beautiful in her pink dress and waving to the crowed from a 2011 Mustang Convertible. Isn’t football season a blast?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk6hkRcyFNDECMNChfNPNKYcp30-FxShQ6OUGVa8hYyFoE7Lc0uMtV4Xv3oUIoH7V9yerprBZ5Y0Y_G8KLsNMJ79DQ0WGbPbalueKgDaRxvaroJfC5OCtCWld0UiAJSox_JDI0E3eWiZL/s1600/IMG_7214.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 188px; HEIGHT: 127px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536523185043244882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk6hkRcyFNDECMNChfNPNKYcp30-FxShQ6OUGVa8hYyFoE7Lc0uMtV4Xv3oUIoH7V9yerprBZ5Y0Y_G8KLsNMJ79DQ0WGbPbalueKgDaRxvaroJfC5OCtCWld0UiAJSox_JDI0E3eWiZL/s200/IMG_7214.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0qzsQwBwk0uICD86GAD0CLHj8G4qbOvtpHQv8aevU1u1cXsmXOBEY_3fZ3j9znsfz8V3XP5QfBYlNy0ToMZYVoCh7qoey3Jq9ZPXeAC1VgWRdM6-MoS1T_DNdo1ev3_4uHQdS3Rq-xR-/s1600/IMG_7189.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 183px; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536521199592030498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0qzsQwBwk0uICD86GAD0CLHj8G4qbOvtpHQv8aevU1u1cXsmXOBEY_3fZ3j9znsfz8V3XP5QfBYlNy0ToMZYVoCh7qoey3Jq9ZPXeAC1VgWRdM6-MoS1T_DNdo1ev3_4uHQdS3Rq-xR-/s200/IMG_7189.JPG" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVziak0tmclu7_4onZMHDa2KPZIN9h4KZHGa4FaPQH3dnZtiED8mF4BgQ6mds0bhaa46A1zY6J3W628XD7ItgETNdrGDGXWj5RUwuhYv6N9eXkMysW_r9MfbFrdlT-hUtS-BYdRSzr1a9/s1600/IMG_7081.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 126px; HEIGHT: 193px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536510306739335570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVziak0tmclu7_4onZMHDa2KPZIN9h4KZHGa4FaPQH3dnZtiED8mF4BgQ6mds0bhaa46A1zY6J3W628XD7ItgETNdrGDGXWj5RUwuhYv6N9eXkMysW_r9MfbFrdlT-hUtS-BYdRSzr1a9/s200/IMG_7081.jpg" /></a>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-68784867522721280122010-09-15T16:15:00.000-07:002010-09-17T09:12:35.060-07:00Bridgeport<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLetm_BjuwTvbQt-vKVr6ENcXdsh1r-EsuBJRrylFt77mdFw1E11HdyzdoEe8387DK5PdP1_uOAQgWFK-SdCsA8dPVaDojbUEWIYT1tucr09bMHs0NYsMiwlNTxyPPeY56oWxlFRo8SZeW/s1600/IMG_5014.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 196px; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517370755591012402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLetm_BjuwTvbQt-vKVr6ENcXdsh1r-EsuBJRrylFt77mdFw1E11HdyzdoEe8387DK5PdP1_uOAQgWFK-SdCsA8dPVaDojbUEWIYT1tucr09bMHs0NYsMiwlNTxyPPeY56oWxlFRo8SZeW/s200/IMG_5014.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhri8eS1UC98X_GTSDJ7Fqd7oVIQUcqT_bNLrQY1En08Zq0W3xUMZqYdhoxrT1UL3x_X97dm9NvXnqILW38L6E2a6xeQKjyt5lKDSOvdQ1cqe8iPpR4tlgMYnoE0TuyYCNOdeIf_cL0fdrq/s1600/DSC00699.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 188px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517370744120796146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhri8eS1UC98X_GTSDJ7Fqd7oVIQUcqT_bNLrQY1En08Zq0W3xUMZqYdhoxrT1UL3x_X97dm9NvXnqILW38L6E2a6xeQKjyt5lKDSOvdQ1cqe8iPpR4tlgMYnoE0TuyYCNOdeIf_cL0fdrq/s200/DSC00699.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLCUQt33Ww08bZwU0oi1ybjV9GkcmX2AonvqyA25AAC-3hW1yoj-CZORl7KxAqRSkGWIvlOEyxmkz4fUG1i58nvIBCQXHxPpmbGc1TxEiFaOOEfzTQsPdIQy1mCEGLcI-tZSZLzLnnyS8/s1600/IMG_6478.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 194px; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517370736576073026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLCUQt33Ww08bZwU0oi1ybjV9GkcmX2AonvqyA25AAC-3hW1yoj-CZORl7KxAqRSkGWIvlOEyxmkz4fUG1i58nvIBCQXHxPpmbGc1TxEiFaOOEfzTQsPdIQy1mCEGLcI-tZSZLzLnnyS8/s200/IMG_6478.JPG" /></a><br /><br />High in the Sierras located in Mono County is Bridgeport, California. Bridgeport is a very small town; however it serves as the County Seat for Mono County as nearby ghost town Bodie had the largest population during the Gold Rush. This small town is where our cattle graze during the summer. It also has the most amazing fishing in all of California. We are lucky enough to get out of the heat of Independence and spend some time in this beautiful valley. We run our cows and calves along with some steers in the numerous pastures that surround the town. The pastures are irrigated by Twin Lakes which is feed with the winter run-off that is the back side of Yosemite. The views are amazing and when I am up there I can not believe how wonderful California is, and how lucky I am to have chance to enjoy this area.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlfPm-iw7cr7aowrLajtlGxvLfboeF0nbrkftgmQphX2WlPfDJRIds_AWsmZjf1IGNPxauUB8b1YsMCmAP3HbF9jzvmAi-fARFAolJEuqcuAcOHnx_UI9tp4xYviDIhmUCp9vNu4UvOW7/s1600/IMG_5780.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 210px; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517363864343732034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlfPm-iw7cr7aowrLajtlGxvLfboeF0nbrkftgmQphX2WlPfDJRIds_AWsmZjf1IGNPxauUB8b1YsMCmAP3HbF9jzvmAi-fARFAolJEuqcuAcOHnx_UI9tp4xYviDIhmUCp9vNu4UvOW7/s200/IMG_5780.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM87gf-NHKfEHxiwnGYggNBVfpP0eZAIIxDy8_nQ4_ZC1_quARmyQSJ8DZn9kCDJi99RXCyDKmRJXfucz-vUxrMxpgrylxEZKiL6tMOZUdhzRIXr4MVUAm3Hhz86Q24bPQOfItcgPY3lx/s1600/IMG_6708.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 175px; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517363856032366098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM87gf-NHKfEHxiwnGYggNBVfpP0eZAIIxDy8_nQ4_ZC1_quARmyQSJ8DZn9kCDJi99RXCyDKmRJXfucz-vUxrMxpgrylxEZKiL6tMOZUdhzRIXr4MVUAm3Hhz86Q24bPQOfItcgPY3lx/s200/IMG_6708.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9vwWdjHUiJB543wxtZmoADSRQm1WRfGGMdfxo1Da69KbaICbZWJA1jTbAFopLGGkZsoWz-Eukq6HpxeMXhDEA8XNLQwBFBiis4iQaSS2inth4npUiGSONIrqAtS_aeQjDml2eT9QKeLH/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 194px; HEIGHT: 146px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517363872628536338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9vwWdjHUiJB543wxtZmoADSRQm1WRfGGMdfxo1Da69KbaICbZWJA1jTbAFopLGGkZsoWz-Eukq6HpxeMXhDEA8XNLQwBFBiis4iQaSS2inth4npUiGSONIrqAtS_aeQjDml2eT9QKeLH/s200/IMG_6727.JPG" /></a> <br /><br />Bridgeport has many great events but 4th of July is just how you picture it: a local ranch rodeo, games for kids that include find the dollar in the hay stack, pie eating contest, and a rubber duck race in the Walker River, just to name a few – and they have one of the best fireworks displays I have ever seen. We put on the rodeo at the ranch so everyone involved is either working the event or participating. Friends and family show up from throughout the state staying in town and taking in the local events and going on horseback rides through the ranch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrqlMmLINsVajUAmJsHZSxWLBRVHwLgOUe9KVZ_czRi1-8hNDm2XCBs4rptM6vqkxvg1sLeKZEMHBLx0pWzoSCwdpA36bOQXdkvlDd5AA9hsg8ULebcwHfDE2bVA8AlWmAgSP_RfSAvXG/s1600/IMG_3649.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 190px; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517363840199084242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrqlMmLINsVajUAmJsHZSxWLBRVHwLgOUe9KVZ_czRi1-8hNDm2XCBs4rptM6vqkxvg1sLeKZEMHBLx0pWzoSCwdpA36bOQXdkvlDd5AA9hsg8ULebcwHfDE2bVA8AlWmAgSP_RfSAvXG/s200/IMG_3649.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntSDKSi1VGkv3PdDye-RMX0AEfozKOuDheWoqNj5MTmWbfZdMqmwrFBNdf6lknwTZjfNCzDbQ3803vR1M0MS2tQfDiDxzONl_2sO7x6yXfK47fbwjSP9YO7e-C3P1AcwPfwaaZ12ujdnp/s1600/IMG_3608.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517367226460018962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntSDKSi1VGkv3PdDye-RMX0AEfozKOuDheWoqNj5MTmWbfZdMqmwrFBNdf6lknwTZjfNCzDbQ3803vR1M0MS2tQfDiDxzONl_2sO7x6yXfK47fbwjSP9YO7e-C3P1AcwPfwaaZ12ujdnp/s200/IMG_3608.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVTLlEX4zD55_HsnM_VJE0n8u0M3QaFmRMZGBDqMpEZJ9M7AARYuEPtHlMDA97YOG-UWcrT8tcWGwJtVLzqAIQPS-3y-BT23urL-T_u4V5MCYX9lmD_-dPDTRNX_WSq6ND1cnTEgXSPjj/s1600/IMG_3663.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 196px; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517367239023551314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVTLlEX4zD55_HsnM_VJE0n8u0M3QaFmRMZGBDqMpEZJ9M7AARYuEPtHlMDA97YOG-UWcrT8tcWGwJtVLzqAIQPS-3y-BT23urL-T_u4V5MCYX9lmD_-dPDTRNX_WSq6ND1cnTEgXSPjj/s200/IMG_3663.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We were just up in Bridgeport again over Labor Day where we host a Calf Branding Contest where four riders have to rope calves then brand them with chalk or paint in the shortest amount of time. It can get pretty western, but it is exciting to watch and participate in. They also have a sorting, reverse team roping, and reverse steer stopping that brings the crowds and competitors.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFn_O8wg50FMD2VxnFOjWX5Ml6H2LY_vdHl9mM6vArw_J6iHnQ7IjWI1u1Gqf7Jet5JS63B5B9eAtnt7RNBfm18dj0-zWR7nZcOXjPT8MZDyaDk6eiIlIWRtAuQeZs14fw2hf3M-ts0e4/s1600/IMG_5836.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 204px; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517367195476448226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFn_O8wg50FMD2VxnFOjWX5Ml6H2LY_vdHl9mM6vArw_J6iHnQ7IjWI1u1Gqf7Jet5JS63B5B9eAtnt7RNBfm18dj0-zWR7nZcOXjPT8MZDyaDk6eiIlIWRtAuQeZs14fw2hf3M-ts0e4/s200/IMG_5836.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrZGHSCu9fKYiuezbtXdFPYwhjkdJ04xpfm1AcZYC_9QAwGc3ufi10dOESlS-JJw853cjSTUoVlSk0wFdbyu23NeNp40mxm8A78rUoszAj2GN5cKbSS6CPJrycP8rk-m0XTWeMOmV49YT/s1600/July+4,+2006+003.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 182px; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517367218319856338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrZGHSCu9fKYiuezbtXdFPYwhjkdJ04xpfm1AcZYC_9QAwGc3ufi10dOESlS-JJw853cjSTUoVlSk0wFdbyu23NeNp40mxm8A78rUoszAj2GN5cKbSS6CPJrycP8rk-m0XTWeMOmV49YT/s200/July+4,+2006+003.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqqYxVR_R459EuOpUc5vMVM5_vCkTZ2ZdWzrNprPeSMe0G_HTPkrmkpzCoGqrJeb-su2WusGretVzS7pL5hFgSBLUK5lIE9rZbF5L5tdwT-kL2uPcth05HLBrjf-MQvHffQ8d330GjLTm/s1600/IMG_6735.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 193px; HEIGHT: 132px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517363884411362562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqqYxVR_R459EuOpUc5vMVM5_vCkTZ2ZdWzrNprPeSMe0G_HTPkrmkpzCoGqrJeb-su2WusGretVzS7pL5hFgSBLUK5lIE9rZbF5L5tdwT-kL2uPcth05HLBrjf-MQvHffQ8d330GjLTm/s200/IMG_6735.JPG" /></a><br /><br />If you ever get the chance to spend a weekend in Bridgeport, take it. You will be glad you got away to a beautiful and amazing fishing and ranching area right here in California. I know I am every time I drive into town roll down the truck window and take a deep breath.<br /><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7GiMDATDLB8pnwZNcaxFEhE2Mdbn-bcjCEghXOZ3C31X4oesj_hKbfX1njD2ZrC_3lpUsyc7btHJb0ukT8zhcWAmqrgzc0wYwKvBV-wzOh7DZ49N_JndNlrHcoYyJbxV8A7ri-LPdjQz/s1600/IMG_6546.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 191px; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517370714969513378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7GiMDATDLB8pnwZNcaxFEhE2Mdbn-bcjCEghXOZ3C31X4oesj_hKbfX1njD2ZrC_3lpUsyc7btHJb0ukT8zhcWAmqrgzc0wYwKvBV-wzOh7DZ49N_JndNlrHcoYyJbxV8A7ri-LPdjQz/s200/IMG_6546.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hLVRzOtEURxz9k3Q0Zy5oDq2lcYLde1xMbPI9EX602dmEtC7tk_hSJjZijdy9HbyxKcV1yf7JWKR9z1OiwDptFClTDqZAVfWxi9R6xvLmXbIrRXmzDJeiXFNRIoEbC9a6KG8IE79-CQ0/s1600/IMG_6485.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 186px; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517370727324619506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hLVRzOtEURxz9k3Q0Zy5oDq2lcYLde1xMbPI9EX602dmEtC7tk_hSJjZijdy9HbyxKcV1yf7JWKR9z1OiwDptFClTDqZAVfWxi9R6xvLmXbIrRXmzDJeiXFNRIoEbC9a6KG8IE79-CQ0/s200/IMG_6485.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho58nuWv2y2t5v8vCgE1frBfDFpnygSR-OtP0UbTaJPaRB23QO-pYAMGTqFwio58ZSFNdG9YvYRAnwopkctyOMsUSdAyJislkx238Fj2p3pAV8599GdAoHA-gxAz8sP2kI0AMbV9xA5No8/s1600/DSC03026.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 184px; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517367246246470978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho58nuWv2y2t5v8vCgE1frBfDFpnygSR-OtP0UbTaJPaRB23QO-pYAMGTqFwio58ZSFNdG9YvYRAnwopkctyOMsUSdAyJislkx238Fj2p3pAV8599GdAoHA-gxAz8sP2kI0AMbV9xA5No8/s200/DSC03026.JPG" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-42969567305080540242010-08-18T06:13:00.000-07:002010-08-18T06:13:00.812-07:00From KatieI’m Katie Lacey and I live in Independence, CA. I live on a cattle and horse ranch and I love to show 4-H animals. Just recently I went to Western Bonanza, to show animals and it was so much fun. The reason why I love showing and raising animals is because they are fun to name and work with. I show rabbits, pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses. I love my 4-H animals! Taking care of them, showing, and seeing how they turn out is the best.<br /><br /><div>I have a heifer named Jane, a Black Angus and she is wonderful and I have learned so much about cattle and from her. She is the family pet and a great heifer I got her in October she weighed about 550 pounds and now she is weighing about 1,100 pounds.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpn_CxA3-0oalv2WNDBAZ87EDD4ejbptDktKgCYTsoEGy9l0wg17VYByndBM6kKAMCdg2AeiOy7n-a8Hees-LYn-L_826QadL1Cklo0FkBMhW_zt58lH74XIyn7rf5GwzNHVnrRSnkahr/s1600/IMG_6300.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 186px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506044461317566866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpn_CxA3-0oalv2WNDBAZ87EDD4ejbptDktKgCYTsoEGy9l0wg17VYByndBM6kKAMCdg2AeiOy7n-a8Hees-LYn-L_826QadL1Cklo0FkBMhW_zt58lH74XIyn7rf5GwzNHVnrRSnkahr/s200/IMG_6300.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5y__q8fQhQSm7ZOQC4a3LqMfeTL92TaLdnOcEx_Q6S-UP0BCR-MGHREIX9XhRsIAAs5N5YK35ZGFguA37Xk2HdDUjwZS7QJsWEymNWABNLwktaojewMufa4-G6DViotMPnvken9uhS0d/s1600/2010+lambing+166.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 181px; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506042243423099314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5y__q8fQhQSm7ZOQC4a3LqMfeTL92TaLdnOcEx_Q6S-UP0BCR-MGHREIX9XhRsIAAs5N5YK35ZGFguA37Xk2HdDUjwZS7QJsWEymNWABNLwktaojewMufa4-G6DViotMPnvken9uhS0d/s200/2010+lambing+166.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ6Hj6zNNfvfE7nFEFdtfAIT5npiS5n-2l7MH_vf1iwpvvCPJ43Ul6BongyTf_1xZvMNnnEiwH_Ey4kWud6KSKl4cCb4nf4MZWCpzZYtZdQXAhJ9mbNwqdFGPJAUNdWREi_VcBdZz3IS_/s1600/IMG_4146.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506043642741717058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ6Hj6zNNfvfE7nFEFdtfAIT5npiS5n-2l7MH_vf1iwpvvCPJ43Ul6BongyTf_1xZvMNnnEiwH_Ey4kWud6KSKl4cCb4nf4MZWCpzZYtZdQXAhJ9mbNwqdFGPJAUNdWREi_VcBdZz3IS_/s200/IMG_4146.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Then I have my swine project. Last year at the end of the fair the FFA teacher in Bishop took my 4-H market pig to use as a breeding sow. Now she is one of the two pigs on the farm to have babies. She was my second Hampshire pig they are my favorite breed of hog, she had nine babies and is a great mom. This year again I will be getting two pigs a Hampshire and a Yorkshire/Hampshire cross called a Blue Butt. Also my sister’s pig got to go to Bishop to be a breeding sow, with a 4-H leader Robin. Her pig had thirteen babies and is another great mom. I love pigs they are so funny and entertaining.<br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I also show and raise sheep; I have four ewes that had lambs this year Nicole, Terra, Nutmeg, and Tinkerbelle. All of them had twins but Nutmeg, this is her third year having triplets. I have a bummer lamb his name is Zeus and he is the cutest thing, he’s like a dog I swear. The lambs are fun to take care of, but the most fun is taking them to fair.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQ5cdCFdLxzFQh3TzNijB-Tdcs1udt3gn66LOzAWK0oG_iCz-CjRnZb_XGEHvKmpBSJTIrdr0KtsDnlPk1qYLF761loDKF47cse582_eYuTO-luzfZiPKrp2symm7Z_fQsODh-hGM09MO/s1600/2010+lambing+022.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506042237583500706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQ5cdCFdLxzFQh3TzNijB-Tdcs1udt3gn66LOzAWK0oG_iCz-CjRnZb_XGEHvKmpBSJTIrdr0KtsDnlPk1qYLF761loDKF47cse582_eYuTO-luzfZiPKrp2symm7Z_fQsODh-hGM09MO/s200/2010+lambing+022.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Z5i_m8ajGlRzPmJzXOmVStSCuVzYMIqYxLnlavqcY4My3KE-2D3SgkkuO9dh2U05Np0X2L61_qRL1J8XE7JFCJDIkroD3gnQzo79LYAPJN8Qs9ru_vROqgncM5xW5IwgK2p5NaBXuUx/s1600/Farmpics0010_3_1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506042258317335570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Z5i_m8ajGlRzPmJzXOmVStSCuVzYMIqYxLnlavqcY4My3KE-2D3SgkkuO9dh2U05Np0X2L61_qRL1J8XE7JFCJDIkroD3gnQzo79LYAPJN8Qs9ru_vROqgncM5xW5IwgK2p5NaBXuUx/s200/Farmpics0010_3_1.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsKWC29q5Z1uav-4Mt_mXAcZ39EbKXLzmKWa9nAnQabKubENTni3FDLp9BkQ6b-yzx7yuQvN17RG6np5RZgTVtzrmveuh46sqxuleT2kAIvrcaJYfdyX6DEBTiKsZf1c_bGyrFzZpDek6/s1600/Katie+showing+lamb.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 134px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506044454654257682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsKWC29q5Z1uav-4Mt_mXAcZ39EbKXLzmKWa9nAnQabKubENTni3FDLp9BkQ6b-yzx7yuQvN17RG6np5RZgTVtzrmveuh46sqxuleT2kAIvrcaJYfdyX6DEBTiKsZf1c_bGyrFzZpDek6/s200/Katie+showing+lamb.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I do two types of rabbit showing. Meat pen where you show them and then sell them, I won Grand Champion last year, and it was so cool! I show Californians for that. Then there is showing where you just show in the breed of rabbits. For this I have Duchess, she is a black and white Dutch and I also have Seymour, a Minnie Rex, and I just show them. With the breeding rabbits unfortunately I have all the boys in the family for breeding and Molly has all the girls. I have Midnight, Master, and Bud and all of them are Minnie Rexes except Bud is a Californian. The babies are funny and kind of cute when they are born but showing, especially showmanship, is really what I enjoy.<br /><br />Last but not least are horses I don’t actually show horses. But I do take trail rides, barrel race, help on the ranch, and jump English. For all but one of these I use Lena a wonderful Quarter Horse mare that we raised. She is bay and I love her, she is the best, but she is not fast so she is more a Western Pleasure/English horse. Then there is Frito another Quarter horse bay mare that we raised and she is as fast as lightning so I barrel race on her - she is great! I love my horses to death and we are unstoppable.<br /><br />I have now told you about all my projects. My wonderful heifer Jane, the start of my herd. Also my breeding pig Zorra a great mom and soon my new pigs. And the crazy sheep including my breeding sheep and my market lambs. And the trillions of rabbits I have. Then my wonderful horses Lena and Frito. I love all my projects and will work very hard this year- stay tuned to see how the show goes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0iG8IymPZs6kNilYhWT7jGyKSorLQDR5k12Zgt-Khyphenhyphen7XcNj29tMRnvjN3eGc9UC4drk53nEYyzip8_u_jZON_P9iaDcRUm55-EIFc1oVQCiz82p4mp_vJxqjXA0Yj2uxz-ezKEyBbdgT/s1600/IMG_5245.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 134px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506044469655612274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0iG8IymPZs6kNilYhWT7jGyKSorLQDR5k12Zgt-Khyphenhyphen7XcNj29tMRnvjN3eGc9UC4drk53nEYyzip8_u_jZON_P9iaDcRUm55-EIFc1oVQCiz82p4mp_vJxqjXA0Yj2uxz-ezKEyBbdgT/s200/IMG_5245.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD6w2opO4X-6EhYGMprJozbWYHTaRRafcstjDq0o0QvzTHM96KPDlvzEZ9NxNLONabGIH7BL5vm2Hzlon1I7mqv3eNejUa-we0_8W_vUCXJyIVFly_sGnHuEz-pRUxSYEsoiY6Z8CEiOJ/s1600/IMG_5239.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 134px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506043662072190978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD6w2opO4X-6EhYGMprJozbWYHTaRRafcstjDq0o0QvzTHM96KPDlvzEZ9NxNLONabGIH7BL5vm2Hzlon1I7mqv3eNejUa-we0_8W_vUCXJyIVFly_sGnHuEz-pRUxSYEsoiY6Z8CEiOJ/s200/IMG_5239.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BlR7Bljqy8GuPr-6v-AbhawUupzKipExGwVamTTFWU8YpJsXEFHNjEwNScAeR4lBqrDFSdot2b0LCtZxMKxCMtZgU8xlQb0-WvEQGudK9eQt5jgkYyVXirBKriLHrWu4Jc3Tqw_4FYfT/s1600/IMG_5237.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 134px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506043650909539026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BlR7Bljqy8GuPr-6v-AbhawUupzKipExGwVamTTFWU8YpJsXEFHNjEwNScAeR4lBqrDFSdot2b0LCtZxMKxCMtZgU8xlQb0-WvEQGudK9eQt5jgkYyVXirBKriLHrWu4Jc3Tqw_4FYfT/s200/IMG_5237.jpg" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-15029297185590993802010-08-17T06:36:00.000-07:002010-08-17T06:36:00.065-07:00From Molly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJoM46_46E1BfvYWPtzZtYfO1oaTT8X050j0K9AJqtgoo6q-_DKyl4s70OGOdQGSDzS9gK0sPy1gV8yj_ANVNAoldUqJiTZIo2_dwcV7V3JhD53LyaWbCbCn5A6Mz-xk3Mge7g4810cml/s1600/Molly+and+Katie.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 165px; HEIGHT: 129px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506040083800730306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJoM46_46E1BfvYWPtzZtYfO1oaTT8X050j0K9AJqtgoo6q-_DKyl4s70OGOdQGSDzS9gK0sPy1gV8yj_ANVNAoldUqJiTZIo2_dwcV7V3JhD53LyaWbCbCn5A6Mz-xk3Mge7g4810cml/s200/Molly+and+Katie.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA5thr7LlBvzXYOvxti0B_B47HYFumIn__99FkgRpS64_oMIQm3L2bebJ3VCjyDtAdeYSi6ujzvTPxiPEXqK44G6xxdeXPn-fCpCmplhhu2eZ98z6N3Z44bDLFstwOHjLhtj9WHaEf5MR/s1600/IMG_5240.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 185px; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506040062591636210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA5thr7LlBvzXYOvxti0B_B47HYFumIn__99FkgRpS64_oMIQm3L2bebJ3VCjyDtAdeYSi6ujzvTPxiPEXqK44G6xxdeXPn-fCpCmplhhu2eZ98z6N3Z44bDLFstwOHjLhtj9WHaEf5MR/s200/IMG_5240.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKZMxcfSjH1TQeWOKYQJbdZGnPxJcETsi9lOS7kJ3I7IISmH0QlHHr5wt8Ld8TrGxavzrBosslmWtu1OkRZ2vlbRNPmTzeBIJSjiixgW0mkt3KOpjiNAuiWaoFMSq7YHisWMREIvltI6u/s1600/IMG_5209.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 184px; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506040056967534562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKZMxcfSjH1TQeWOKYQJbdZGnPxJcETsi9lOS7kJ3I7IISmH0QlHHr5wt8Ld8TrGxavzrBosslmWtu1OkRZ2vlbRNPmTzeBIJSjiixgW0mkt3KOpjiNAuiWaoFMSq7YHisWMREIvltI6u/s200/IMG_5209.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><div><div>I’m Molly Lacey I live in Independence, California and I live on a ranch. The ranch life is really fun I like working with my horse Frito she is the best. We do mountain trail rides, barrel racing, and shows. I enjoy photography especially taking photos on the ranch I get a lot of great pictures of the cattle, horses, and the Owens Valley. March-July its really busy for my family, not only are we branding and shipping cattle, but I am raising rabbits and hogs for the Bishop Tri County Fair. In March my sister Katie and I bred our four Californian does to the bucks for the rabbit meat pens.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfxyWhDyPzSyuLjmEP3zKldWPtKTjyLvPWHE-XHHg3E04scmikXWplohwlDQN9D-jhFF-i679kn3E4mTZ-B2opnv-uPx_H0J8uGW5xOf5BqrVjkapVjTFYEhqxtG8WvZGxKMXeFfezbCW/s1600/IMG_1625.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506038830545488114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfxyWhDyPzSyuLjmEP3zKldWPtKTjyLvPWHE-XHHg3E04scmikXWplohwlDQN9D-jhFF-i679kn3E4mTZ-B2opnv-uPx_H0J8uGW5xOf5BqrVjkapVjTFYEhqxtG8WvZGxKMXeFfezbCW/s200/IMG_1625.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU65BCKlpdhcBrGzr1MlJ9pm1ghJKfGB4VF2Ui2GtcfL3H0-sHZlxZgsDrWErfbrJwZT_ZxzzdIg2yIwrV1ofbHW86UDSepVWtc4W81XOOQYiJaIZUfR9pmOQnklq87AujmqnLLEygmvrS/s1600/IMG_5244.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 134px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506040072428629858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU65BCKlpdhcBrGzr1MlJ9pm1ghJKfGB4VF2Ui2GtcfL3H0-sHZlxZgsDrWErfbrJwZT_ZxzzdIg2yIwrV1ofbHW86UDSepVWtc4W81XOOQYiJaIZUfR9pmOQnklq87AujmqnLLEygmvrS/s200/IMG_5244.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcb71ssx11SthvHXX_x7bE8g97E7DfqlClJy2yiO7IgBROnTPPQmr-qnIM7luhMIREPKkNExBvI-NolTXHfWqCCCkMdHv5cyWlyY3CrlQzrUCdXiqVTyL8d2ZqAaJ6KgH0FO8kGTa1B2Y/s1600/IMG_0387.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506038821695518674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcb71ssx11SthvHXX_x7bE8g97E7DfqlClJy2yiO7IgBROnTPPQmr-qnIM7luhMIREPKkNExBvI-NolTXHfWqCCCkMdHv5cyWlyY3CrlQzrUCdXiqVTyL8d2ZqAaJ6KgH0FO8kGTa1B2Y/s200/IMG_0387.JPG" /></a><br />In April Katie and I got our hogs for the livestock show. My pig from 2009 had babies so I got one from the sow Bella and I named her Quincy. Then I got my other pig from a friend of ours and it came from South Dakota. I like showing pigs because they are really fun and they are easy to take care of. In April my mom sold her lambs to the 4-H and FFA kids to take to the fair. I like showing lambs, but they are a little too hard for me to hold onto. My sister shows sheep way more than I do, but I like seeing the babies grow up. So my life is mainly around the ranch, my school work, and now being a cheerleader. I love helping on the ranch and where I live, the Owens Valley is a beautiful place. I will keep you posted about my projects and how my last 4-H year goes; I can’t wait to join FFA next year when I go to high school. <div><div><div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaLCwAA755AR-Aad8zIMlHduopO1yfyrvpKhUiHMDTAumgSPy-LyGF2BxXJlrg0FFZ8_9yBsEhycMveZQT_XOlFHLb7yMR5HwYUAR0sRa3HKG_hxymFwohkQfTdUVBuXeGCb2fgsY4vmU/s1600/2010+State+Convention+210.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 189px; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506038812829824130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaLCwAA755AR-Aad8zIMlHduopO1yfyrvpKhUiHMDTAumgSPy-LyGF2BxXJlrg0FFZ8_9yBsEhycMveZQT_XOlFHLb7yMR5HwYUAR0sRa3HKG_hxymFwohkQfTdUVBuXeGCb2fgsY4vmU/s200/2010+State+Convention+210.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmOqlqhZfwTkeIs5KOFWdoxs55uxNW39wXnjclClIjWsDfo375_Wv3aHFZKLlBQwIi2jWrA81JHNUX708QBYlzlqXXCTf-1jJyAyQOJQ53_KTznppXzDeNOMFe_-rAIp8q5ReMvUdEO21/s1600/2010+State+Convention+168.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 178px; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506038805843035938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmOqlqhZfwTkeIs5KOFWdoxs55uxNW39wXnjclClIjWsDfo375_Wv3aHFZKLlBQwIi2jWrA81JHNUX708QBYlzlqXXCTf-1jJyAyQOJQ53_KTznppXzDeNOMFe_-rAIp8q5ReMvUdEO21/s200/2010+State+Convention+168.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmztNjCvMYZNYpIoXPRn0NM_U3aX3hwPt_86PqUgkEoYCSOEi3pgrhV8ZPKCPn_YOUz1r9lUqAN-GtEt5CNx-iIqZlzqeHd66YZHQaXNJlXeugVBcknBbFUig5hxkROeJ07b7NDcu0JyxV/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 192px; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506038825253180738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmztNjCvMYZNYpIoXPRn0NM_U3aX3hwPt_86PqUgkEoYCSOEi3pgrhV8ZPKCPn_YOUz1r9lUqAN-GtEt5CNx-iIqZlzqeHd66YZHQaXNJlXeugVBcknBbFUig5hxkROeJ07b7NDcu0JyxV/s200/IMG_1060.JPG" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-11725377773124850552010-06-30T05:54:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:54:00.200-07:00High School Prom and a Flat Iron Steak<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a25MwOZPKGnv3rVqola52AqhqbcGu_cPUkk_bRdlDX16vflSjOkSw4uOXPMd3Eu6K5oeuMjAKUlRqRRFeke1qZ2Cy9K3MJ-4wzz3hMPcpq_2AlrnQz562rablIGHdZP3xpOpgSz0Hg_0/s1600/Prom+decorations.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486465448667209874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a25MwOZPKGnv3rVqola52AqhqbcGu_cPUkk_bRdlDX16vflSjOkSw4uOXPMd3Eu6K5oeuMjAKUlRqRRFeke1qZ2Cy9K3MJ-4wzz3hMPcpq_2AlrnQz562rablIGHdZP3xpOpgSz0Hg_0/s200/Prom+decorations.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlvoKzv1vprt7cebDDBabILi06Ntwzf1Fj5stPIlEoRi9FnUkYnUpmZzDFIAdegT56rvElMNqUF4XPQQhGHNG_otIBYsq77rHtKgYHV7G3XbcbVZMQkaLHwPLMKbJnK0n6ZjLreE9oinf/s1600/flowers.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464550090124866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlvoKzv1vprt7cebDDBabILi06Ntwzf1Fj5stPIlEoRi9FnUkYnUpmZzDFIAdegT56rvElMNqUF4XPQQhGHNG_otIBYsq77rHtKgYHV7G3XbcbVZMQkaLHwPLMKbJnK0n6ZjLreE9oinf/s200/flowers.jpg" /></a><br />I had the pleasure of chaperoning the High School prom in May. What a kick. No matter if you hated high school or loved it there is something about being at the prom. I loved the prom of course, Prom Queen Buena High School 82, go Bulldogs. So there I was watching over the little darlings and they had a catered dinner brought in by the cutest little restaurant in Lone Pine, The Merry Go Round. Yes, it is round - you have to love Lone Pine. Ivonne Bunn cooked the best Flat Iron steak I have had in a while they also now offer the greatest Chinese food, only in Lone Pine.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdz79cX8fFQYbHTOF6fGlwXoGGZSUErE1mmP_dQZk0alyYhN-xk9tvvMFNaiAwGCb_ybskPWgyijIkHUkYUaPxoIqkbr8_sWvqsPSfc7IchIqrlYZA3twR4ynXk1DJEXACHUF2hRSV2tm/s1600/flat%2520iron%2520steak.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464449429256498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdz79cX8fFQYbHTOF6fGlwXoGGZSUErE1mmP_dQZk0alyYhN-xk9tvvMFNaiAwGCb_ybskPWgyijIkHUkYUaPxoIqkbr8_sWvqsPSfc7IchIqrlYZA3twR4ynXk1DJEXACHUF2hRSV2tm/s200/flat%2520iron%2520steak.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX3K6fL95iG4JcY72FQFpOOR7PbY0fAzCfid9BgrxvA0gTMpWE7N13x7b-xpkzkZHAzfo24lD_YgXVja5sR7mXLLfErH-34Pnrk_4XXyTnCTHHis-tks9eUPLRZNQtAorY-azfyU0hc8M/s1600/Merry+go+round.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464639411644162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX3K6fL95iG4JcY72FQFpOOR7PbY0fAzCfid9BgrxvA0gTMpWE7N13x7b-xpkzkZHAzfo24lD_YgXVja5sR7mXLLfErH-34Pnrk_4XXyTnCTHHis-tks9eUPLRZNQtAorY-azfyU0hc8M/s200/Merry+go+round.jpg" /></a><br />You ask what is a Flat Iron? Well it is a relatively recent cut of meat that was developed by the research team of the University of Nebraska and the University of Florida working with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, using Beef Checkoff Program dollars (glad to see those bucks going to good use). They call their program “Value Cuts” and the Flat Iron is the crown jewel. The beef cut is really a top blade steak from the tender top of the blade roast. The roast is separated into two pieces to remove a thick, tough, gristle. What you get is the second tenderest cut of meat from the steer, next to the tenderloin.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF2580Z_ymDc6xTpB1MMvpiNZEM85GxhDE5VG8sdVxB-Jq_5t0gTF69UxVgVj663gUi3JAfrP5Xgx1bzIFU4h2_NAUVv1dKvKkcPN5jSoALAgqSNy1eRDfP9cwAQ-et5GjwpYl931x3lj/s1600/BeefCutChuck.png"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464389346936130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF2580Z_ymDc6xTpB1MMvpiNZEM85GxhDE5VG8sdVxB-Jq_5t0gTF69UxVgVj663gUi3JAfrP5Xgx1bzIFU4h2_NAUVv1dKvKkcPN5jSoALAgqSNy1eRDfP9cwAQ-et5GjwpYl931x3lj/s200/BeefCutChuck.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR-iziU1NkiZ7XkGl9oaRTU7JxbiWLQ-diBIrXZCfKci_trtNN6umDjMw6BEJjdOV8jJwOrB8AxhY3LYamvTCfTQGMqC693_biPov2tCiT5gKP5XtQYgiXAaa7Ob3StuoEh59FauHzUps/s1600/chuck.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 135px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464207513192594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR-iziU1NkiZ7XkGl9oaRTU7JxbiWLQ-diBIrXZCfKci_trtNN6umDjMw6BEJjdOV8jJwOrB8AxhY3LYamvTCfTQGMqC693_biPov2tCiT5gKP5XtQYgiXAaa7Ob3StuoEh59FauHzUps/s200/chuck.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_gmlP8Zh5K-fe1F0wROAJ-zKSlV8imurOW-PiMemQvb80UUGpP_e3y_0vktgfY3MJvXhMqLvldV9NlLqkImNgPBaSd3zmbFqS24QZ5JzBBrCYBAhJxXGUh1aSC1talci4iyAXKEDHfMU/s1600/flat+Iron.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 162px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486464298224370706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_gmlP8Zh5K-fe1F0wROAJ-zKSlV8imurOW-PiMemQvb80UUGpP_e3y_0vktgfY3MJvXhMqLvldV9NlLqkImNgPBaSd3zmbFqS24QZ5JzBBrCYBAhJxXGUh1aSC1talci4iyAXKEDHfMU/s200/flat+Iron.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_gmlP8Zh5K-fe1F0wROAJ-zKSlV8imurOW-PiMemQvb80UUGpP_e3y_0vktgfY3MJvXhMqLvldV9NlLqkImNgPBaSd3zmbFqS24QZ5JzBBrCYBAhJxXGUh1aSC1talci4iyAXKEDHfMU/s1600/flat+Iron.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Why do they call it a Flat Iron? Some say it got its name by looking like an old flat iron others say the French called the thick gristle “iron hard” and that might be where it got the name. Who really knows where the name came from, but I think it's catchy and easy for people to remember and does it ever taste terrific. If you have never had one, try one next time you are at a restaurant or if you want to grill up a great steak this is the one for you. They take marinate extremely well and just melt in you mouth.<br /><br />Back to the prom, the boys looked handsome in their suits and tuxes, and the girls beautiful in their gowns and then there were the shoes even Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City would be proud of. - Brenda<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggYhQS7XDfR5lWTieuq5I6PRwzCYBFTVxo9utDUXNFP9Epo5rg3NjeHwBFAb7Y99JNbNJWuYxRFndCviGVcPHUj4WAczNXvzRCcg32gGJLtZc9aH0sWrfUt403v7pVNINS96WHjlQ_OwW/s1600/Shoes+1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486465323967222818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggYhQS7XDfR5lWTieuq5I6PRwzCYBFTVxo9utDUXNFP9Epo5rg3NjeHwBFAb7Y99JNbNJWuYxRFndCviGVcPHUj4WAczNXvzRCcg32gGJLtZc9aH0sWrfUt403v7pVNINS96WHjlQ_OwW/s200/Shoes+1.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnprbhFdk70Q3SuLokSSVTJsS8IT-cbqGETB85GteixPjPgJ5AyP6kkxO-FvHp_xwqBBIcx_cfyfi_8nNT4uDCSesN1F0Ur9GYpKdW31wrYvU9nLDEweSkie6893GShxOmJSZ4AWmpbEuJ/s1600/shoes+4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486465010421723330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnprbhFdk70Q3SuLokSSVTJsS8IT-cbqGETB85GteixPjPgJ5AyP6kkxO-FvHp_xwqBBIcx_cfyfi_8nNT4uDCSesN1F0Ur9GYpKdW31wrYvU9nLDEweSkie6893GShxOmJSZ4AWmpbEuJ/s200/shoes+4.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAT6VUxHnoWBrfyBcMqXV6Vy3jpluNLivJHeLzGQydugZ2z5DXtaWP8S-1NRZE_eJusJjFqNRSajWK0k8oty_0jWi8Or0EbKPP03vKwZcC9_MuQPBbHJmIkLIDAD29mvhVNTIuCGjv-rdw/s1600/Shoes+2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486465227304826626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAT6VUxHnoWBrfyBcMqXV6Vy3jpluNLivJHeLzGQydugZ2z5DXtaWP8S-1NRZE_eJusJjFqNRSajWK0k8oty_0jWi8Or0EbKPP03vKwZcC9_MuQPBbHJmIkLIDAD29mvhVNTIuCGjv-rdw/s200/Shoes+2.jpg" /></a><br /><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486465129106166706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzpKpJL6VpUmisRnlgChzeNAx9z7qyn0qQm_Ck5XJPvUhb8LB5xkuCMx8vHn9abWM3biE1PaI_LA-sABXuZJ6F3KQTybOEznO5ouA0cO70qU-DpYlDbhNilR_tpOoFbPKXZb8DE3E-GfV/s200/Shoes+3.jpg" />Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-59934395383998240352010-06-24T14:34:00.000-07:002010-06-25T10:16:15.492-07:00Gathering and Moving the Cows and Calves<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0kO9dwFl5EQkM5709Kw-mk869JZXqVQkc0rGckNQ546M3JsdavdJNimzVCow73Ny4gSb91RT4c6ADiS4z12GjJHDKCyt3eYc8nR85EGCZQUyUre7QRhCam8QfW5SL4AUGRfDngXSnP2c/s1600/IMG_0730.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486458555154831906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0kO9dwFl5EQkM5709Kw-mk869JZXqVQkc0rGckNQ546M3JsdavdJNimzVCow73Ny4gSb91RT4c6ADiS4z12GjJHDKCyt3eYc8nR85EGCZQUyUre7QRhCam8QfW5SL4AUGRfDngXSnP2c/s200/IMG_0730.jpg" /></a>Hello again from the Laceys. Well here in the high desert we have had a wild ride from a weather standpoint it’s been cool, dry, and windy all spring. We said we would discuss our calendar of operations. I’m going to lump all our second quarter activities together since June is almost over. The second quarter is probably our most active quarter.<br /><br /><br /><br />We began the first week of April gathering and moving cattle into different pastures so they would be staged and more efficient to bring to the corrals for branding.<br /><br />Branding is a general term for all the husbandry practices that must be performed on all the adult and juvenile cattle in the spring. The cows will be given vaccinations for redwater, copper, and anthrax. In our region redwater and antrax are naturally occurring and can be lethal to the livestock. The copper v<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5eYXMwn1pY1Hvj9wGLqc05rbfq6_O6mbcFIW6mxpRdsrdh6r-1PGC69qegJnOAzxCbz1cTMnLtp_D_L5D0aOTEfxbwgqwAGmkS80lNUGT1oaR_wRLzyG-lQXbu9_zwOHZTsFg1tqRuCB/s1600/IMG_0762.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486459098490495026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5eYXMwn1pY1Hvj9wGLqc05rbfq6_O6mbcFIW6mxpRdsrdh6r-1PGC69qegJnOAzxCbz1cTMnLtp_D_L5D0aOTEfxbwgqwAGmkS80lNUGT1oaR_wRLzyG-lQXbu9_zwOHZTsFg1tqRuCB/s200/IMG_0762.jpg" /></a>accination is merely a supplement because copper is deficient in our area and it is an essential mineral for cattle health. As far as the juvenile livestock, or “calves” as they are generally referred, to they will receive numerous calfhood inoculations including 8-way which covers the clostridal complex, a 5- way for bovine respiratory and viral complex, pasturella for pneumonia, and copper which is given orally. Also, the male or “bull” calves are castrated, and all the calves are given both permanent and non-permanent identification for origin and ownership. The calves’ age is 90 days or less, the earlier the intervention the more benefit and protection the calves get from the vaccinations. Also, there is less stress involved with younger animals. This is a key subject because we handle our cattle as a group in corrals four times a year, and the main goals are 1) The safety of our employees 2) The safety and welfare of the livestock. To that end we have spent a great deal of time and money on facilities that are both efficient and safe for people and animals. 3) Minimizing stress by employing proper handling techniques, age at intervention, dust control, and proper husbandry practices.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTUEoNTjLpED_vfLD4v3_xzIJvmqgrBNkyTjg9AxG-abZSm0OO03r6WnDZE7y_lbcI22n4VM02inG1cAEg-WMD0DF6UQk-SeG4-n6oPciyyDCUoso09qMUmCE6dqhntFlVKaeh5FTaa_i/s1600/IMG_0761.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486458698347908130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTUEoNTjLpED_vfLD4v3_xzIJvmqgrBNkyTjg9AxG-abZSm0OO03r6WnDZE7y_lbcI22n4VM02inG1cAEg-WMD0DF6UQk-SeG4-n6oPciyyDCUoso09qMUmCE6dqhntFlVKaeh5FTaa_i/s200/IMG_0761.jpg" /></a><br />The second major activity of the second quarter is moving the cattle to summer pasture. This takes place two to three weeks after spring processing is over. The timing is mostly determined by the readiness of the summer pastures that are at 6500 ft. elevation. This activity entails gathering all the cows and calves that are spread out over approximately 45,000 acres. We gather the animals to our working facilities and then begin separating each cow with her calf (which is called pairing).<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRl7GUtQLqIyGVZijvn0dgA1oCx-9yQ3c0fk1KmgBFUowzsqU0wtYOFpYPmDg7fwupdpN_PhDbwdw1e5CTibiEf2Y7ehGjy86dTOyl0kELccmkkuJ9OvszlFAz73H8No3Kc39T7JbfZwB/s1600/IMG_0759.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486458641424760722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRl7GUtQLqIyGVZijvn0dgA1oCx-9yQ3c0fk1KmgBFUowzsqU0wtYOFpYPmDg7fwupdpN_PhDbwdw1e5CTibiEf2Y7ehGjy86dTOyl0kELccmkkuJ9OvszlFAz73H8No3Kc39T7JbfZwB/s200/IMG_0759.jpg" /></a>We separate about 40 pairs for each load. There are about 8 large pastures and 7 working facilities so every few days when we have cleaned out a pasture we move to the next one. The whole process takes about three weeks if we stay at it every day, which is what we normally do. A typical day during this activity which we call “shipping” would start by getting up at 3:30am and having breakfast and then saddling our horses about 4:00am and then try to get to our working area by 5:00am some days we have a 40 minute commute. We generally work until about 6:00 pm, but sometimes the cattle don’t cooperate and we have to improvise. Generally heat would be the problem if the cattle don’t cooperate. The temperatures in late May and June can be up to 105o F and that doesn’t help the disposition of the cows or the cowboys. If this happens we will just call it a day or find some other work that needs to be done that doesn’t require the livestock to cooperate. The whole process is somewhat of a marathon and usually everyone is glad when it is over. You see, even though we love to be horseback after three weeks of 12 hour days we are glad when we can do something else for a few days. Even after we finish moving the cows then we have to go back and reride all the pastures because there are always a few wiley old cows that hide out.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69esRAddIYKovpJcubAAeZSZS2xFm8hDbb6AwJX5YbfuuAho8z3g3ji-H72CIJCHqANOnDn7Yhyphenhyphen_Exo0jBvcgOETfL3zyrqd0Uy28S9qdePzr6b8qiC3LYk8xcvAi6IhIV3F0EQVaTjzl/s1600/IMG_0728.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486458456934209170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69esRAddIYKovpJcubAAeZSZS2xFm8hDbb6AwJX5YbfuuAho8z3g3ji-H72CIJCHqANOnDn7Yhyphenhyphen_Exo0jBvcgOETfL3zyrqd0Uy28S9qdePzr6b8qiC3LYk8xcvAi6IhIV3F0EQVaTjzl/s200/IMG_0728.jpg" /></a><br />Once all the cows are finally moved we then start taking care of them on the summer pastures. The pastures are mostly all irrigated which translates into quite a bit of work. We will cover summer pasture and discuss the cowherd and type of cattle we raise in the next installment. Until next time….Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-25069375133094626322010-06-09T12:43:00.000-07:002010-06-09T12:54:25.545-07:00Walking in the Owens Valley<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisy_FtmmOesk0bvjA9bEfmZqMyf5fUuU6J2AsqZDzXXeyBxRVsqWbkm6Vuv06Us80BpjPTjaPrXX_VzN_nBwuBOZ5IWsT8HpiVzBRBpqGnFbEGKGUQAy6S__661QVFAIzojLpXXtR2Yyj/s1600/Inyo+mt.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480863581788879186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisy_FtmmOesk0bvjA9bEfmZqMyf5fUuU6J2AsqZDzXXeyBxRVsqWbkm6Vuv06Us80BpjPTjaPrXX_VzN_nBwuBOZ5IWsT8HpiVzBRBpqGnFbEGKGUQAy6S__661QVFAIzojLpXXtR2Yyj/s200/Inyo+mt.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Tinjw2Dhv7TSqlZC54tWBW3-cqzIT5-Adj2apj5QI-jaX18jVHIKzsYQIj1P2e7eOWUgpodZRU-KAfC2MyC1GR9Dwj9exQBc60GKv32kQEuwa0EDeMlNuEe1oDQk3N94-lcRWYlsevW/s1600/Sierras.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 127px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480863152687479682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Tinjw2Dhv7TSqlZC54tWBW3-cqzIT5-Adj2apj5QI-jaX18jVHIKzsYQIj1P2e7eOWUgpodZRU-KAfC2MyC1GR9Dwj9exQBc60GKv32kQEuwa0EDeMlNuEe1oDQk3N94-lcRWYlsevW/s200/Sierras.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><div><div>The mom gets away for a two mile walk with the cow dogs a couple of times a week. These are the amazing views that I get to look at as I listen to my iPod and zone out thinking about nothing and everything at the same time. The locus trees have almost finished blooming so chances are pretty good we won’t have another hard freeze. The Inyo Mountains on the east side are purple and sage colored while the Sierras have a grey blue look and a melting snow pack from a long winter. What we do during the year is based on the events that surround the cattle operation. The cattle are being gathered and shipped up to the summer country in Bridgeport to be put out on the irrigated pastures. It is a busy time with many early mornings and late nights.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOVeWqvPr2g5sxtsbKpgQcswC-BqNQz-SMAnENA2K52LNKbq2gzXcssgrIo_87wOZlinaACu_9_Y6zUoms9tgVN5_8iDMsf4Cg4rLOIm08HTVYV70edpH7m-tSduyERxQCSe1AZML2yGU/s1600/dogs+walking.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480862761867374322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOVeWqvPr2g5sxtsbKpgQcswC-BqNQz-SMAnENA2K52LNKbq2gzXcssgrIo_87wOZlinaACu_9_Y6zUoms9tgVN5_8iDMsf4Cg4rLOIm08HTVYV70edpH7m-tSduyERxQCSe1AZML2yGU/s200/dogs+walking.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmW8Tpix8uv4Znkm2aSUUz23iPEb68WtGxxlanP1VFgvjlcPV-7wyIuHx16ZBdKlhcub39awLqlBHpqa12BUFh9zogOktHGBxssPGRuQ7-igc376wD8baJhYWLhEQaTJZANoPsgwh3DUnv/s1600/Buster+and+Stinky.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480864542785326194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmW8Tpix8uv4Znkm2aSUUz23iPEb68WtGxxlanP1VFgvjlcPV-7wyIuHx16ZBdKlhcub39awLqlBHpqa12BUFh9zogOktHGBxssPGRuQ7-igc376wD8baJhYWLhEQaTJZANoPsgwh3DUnv/s200/Buster+and+Stinky.jpg" /></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480863058907086466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OldKtRieMsFgNCjoMmQwioGDOsZeOcLZT41dn3YZOPlMXxSW5TmTC_f1zQECy5FCkxKcFBwLZNeib471Mx6bnPHxiwrsvNiz09oxUpkCAthyCLhcYweqHKjD7nUpyOvKSW60-mTZA4Ig/s200/Locus+blossoms.jpg" /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-65415948515927685362010-05-25T08:56:00.000-07:002010-05-25T09:27:28.446-07:00Hello from Brenda<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOCWUZlAe3b4zl5MMPp4ge6x6bu-7YraTXZD4M3svZM-jp2I4FuI4AIEHFucWUuJU6wEbMFoMXZZS2KTU5oRREc59hHD0nfxP0MYwdXfQmQoz9x6GIid1KhEkErSPONWgHYoLdwGdPe5G/s1600/2010+lambing+183.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475240148935630322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOCWUZlAe3b4zl5MMPp4ge6x6bu-7YraTXZD4M3svZM-jp2I4FuI4AIEHFucWUuJU6wEbMFoMXZZS2KTU5oRREc59hHD0nfxP0MYwdXfQmQoz9x6GIid1KhEkErSPONWgHYoLdwGdPe5G/s320/2010+lambing+183.jpg" /></a> Hi, I’m Brenda Lacey formally Brenda Turner before I met a cowboy, fell in love and moved to a very little town of maybe 500 people called Independence in the Owens Valley on the Eastern Side of the Sierras. I grew up in Ventura, California right on the beach and raised 4-H market lambs in my backyard next to Buena High School and knew I wanted to be an Animal Science pre vet major at Cal Poly. I went to Cal Poly SLO got that degree in Animal Science and stayed to get my teaching credential in Agriculture Science and a Masters. When I got my first job teaching at Exeter High School my parents were ecstatic and I was ready to teach. Along the way I kept in touch with Mark Lacey, now my husband, and in 1992 we decided it was love and had a big wedding in San Luis. We packed the horse trailer full of everything I owned along with two dogs, four cats, one horse and flock of sheep and headed up Highway 395 to Independence.<br /><br />My friends couldn’t believe it. There was no shopping, no movies, no take out, nothing but mountains and big open spaces. I had to explain it was easier to move me than thousands of cattle so we set up house not far from where Mark’s great grandfather settled in the late 1800’s. We have two wonderful girls, Molly 15 and Katie 11, and they love the ranch. They get to ride their horses, raise lambs, hogs, and rabbits. The girls do terrific in school and part<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fCQbI9Vjg-c_MckrhKItrCQ-eRFd-e49UayazU2WF2YIYQcVyh6fB2i0zsBPQj73eodc0yFKEhl6wdhFC4ZeJ1WhBwwfYi0FyF0UOen0sVjHU8OsexzUvaruldrSfeEMJbXtrh3yFDXv/s1600/Mark+and+Fly.jpg"></a>icipate in ASB, sports, and clubs. They only have 32 students in their whole class; I had over 500, but what a great school Lone Pine has.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38y0Nk8YHBgGxaOtO2zO76zxop2avOqPCVAhZj3ZqpEwNyHO3xjr4Irsa-wBMP6PF3vG4ZmOY4SOVf6qdAvP1zlj2WBG50GHEb14B2SDqJzzvy-9Wm26VMkgrGqL5XN5GYy0lEx_ZsFAh/s1600/Molly+and+Katie.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 154px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241477778812434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38y0Nk8YHBgGxaOtO2zO76zxop2avOqPCVAhZj3ZqpEwNyHO3xjr4Irsa-wBMP6PF3vG4ZmOY4SOVf6qdAvP1zlj2WBG50GHEb14B2SDqJzzvy-9Wm26VMkgrGqL5XN5GYy0lEx_ZsFAh/s200/Molly+and+Katie.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1I-WG7fqekETrMmUlT1PvIG3ab8rEqPNDBVEAK6gVwxbEnmSa0TDNoJcnu-p3nYiVr_zHWBD6Dy1wZSYENI6ZKKt8NYRoDN2q0OYLECW7EiUIRuVPjHoDXBk0GM33iB80wf7HbNlsmfG2/s1600/rabbit.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241536983170562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1I-WG7fqekETrMmUlT1PvIG3ab8rEqPNDBVEAK6gVwxbEnmSa0TDNoJcnu-p3nYiVr_zHWBD6Dy1wZSYENI6ZKKt8NYRoDN2q0OYLECW7EiUIRuVPjHoDXBk0GM33iB80wf7HbNlsmfG2/s200/rabbit.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbSvdxPi-Ql0Kv2w00ZP0PH89voH0KKVCQOx-6yY23EPz7PxT-sxj_FwsxJW0lOQwgJpUh4MR6P2zHlYuVshyTQF4J7nOg09uoALBDh5WE7QXqd9JXYuwRtF_dVM0ww_jNIVNVw4OZR-F/s1600/Katie+and+market+lamb.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 102px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241291451154770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbSvdxPi-Ql0Kv2w00ZP0PH89voH0KKVCQOx-6yY23EPz7PxT-sxj_FwsxJW0lOQwgJpUh4MR6P2zHlYuVshyTQF4J7nOg09uoALBDh5WE7QXqd9JXYuwRtF_dVM0ww_jNIVNVw4OZR-F/s200/Katie+and+market+lamb.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8td5CAYv-06veNvR37xfLtwxJ1H3R_iBMBTk_WiYezCybxbLSvDkHjjN1aD8mCsXZzLMPZsWeCM-dx7mjnpKtqx3P6MqpqcoJ09X-nmT45imuN9vcvabmwts_FZZTLXaYTeOjfexlfb3S/s1600/090831_lacey_104.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 147px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241030586148818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8td5CAYv-06veNvR37xfLtwxJ1H3R_iBMBTk_WiYezCybxbLSvDkHjjN1aD8mCsXZzLMPZsWeCM-dx7mjnpKtqx3P6MqpqcoJ09X-nmT45imuN9vcvabmwts_FZZTLXaYTeOjfexlfb3S/s200/090831_lacey_104.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz0x5nc3Li9zABpInbWI_q6ghNfc3ZoMSNWCgtdo4zf3x6OtqANpWCu9v8Zds4boDxKPxIsSNYsvdC6rxvylnl7p2vvWmpVsqAr4FLVZsvKSkdY0iGn162uvSaLdLoPL4BbhUeNlFHkl_/s1600/Western+Horseman+Pictures.bmp"><img style="WIDTH: 136px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241589495581986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz0x5nc3Li9zABpInbWI_q6ghNfc3ZoMSNWCgtdo4zf3x6OtqANpWCu9v8Zds4boDxKPxIsSNYsvdC6rxvylnl7p2vvWmpVsqAr4FLVZsvKSkdY0iGn162uvSaLdLoPL4BbhUeNlFHkl_/s200/Western+Horseman+Pictures.bmp" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifECKgTI1Lq3QrYr_qgH4o4Q552Xxcr0HY9nORQnEpZnXXdvB6Ras5zPP2FBv4L0UB9Eex_2MV90nQmixoPBdeSgVcDBe9nzGftKkg9mxs4O9kVf_9j21Ua9QyISenYh43rbYyhn4a5idh/s1600/Mark+and+Fly.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 158px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241375808649090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifECKgTI1Lq3QrYr_qgH4o4Q552Xxcr0HY9nORQnEpZnXXdvB6Ras5zPP2FBv4L0UB9Eex_2MV90nQmixoPBdeSgVcDBe9nzGftKkg9mxs4O9kVf_9j21Ua9QyISenYh43rbYyhn4a5idh/s200/Mark+and+Fly.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4aK6KG8O82gIph35MlFMHOX3Pn0YlW-Za3TNkJNJb9N8HqXHjlCZVmKxNMHqEUvWJ32FS3CtdMXafQ4VhAKkVBXf2L6_5IGIL3xPpqE7IR7EgFaCQTXrIpbInR4NetSJ1u4qj0WWL2wy/s1600/Grand+Tetons.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 168px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241125615302290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4aK6KG8O82gIph35MlFMHOX3Pn0YlW-Za3TNkJNJb9N8HqXHjlCZVmKxNMHqEUvWJ32FS3CtdMXafQ4VhAKkVBXf2L6_5IGIL3xPpqE7IR7EgFaCQTXrIpbInR4NetSJ1u4qj0WWL2wy/s200/Grand+Tetons.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iX0lr12XqfWeOVMSJWjxGzPOC2hzpQpWDQzHV5QyMsinBFDBharIau3aY8i39BsiJuYTt2mS0Xx-Yy9-sVnhdFvKmSUE3EnH3UU8QX6btlJBTCy9-GQERP3bJNzoMCyRrzKeKYN9_BjY/s1600/Jacket.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 123px; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475241222487046578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iX0lr12XqfWeOVMSJWjxGzPOC2hzpQpWDQzHV5QyMsinBFDBharIau3aY8i39BsiJuYTt2mS0Xx-Yy9-sVnhdFvKmSUE3EnH3UU8QX6btlJBTCy9-GQERP3bJNzoMCyRrzKeKYN9_BjY/s200/Jacket.jpg" /></a><br />I worked for the University of California out of UC Davis up in Bishop for 12 y<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NAzTrJeC1zzsffQIj8RxVOCxjGIqkZXmvCozUZARfztpqQcEG-bB_9a99NgA5PGUhRdvytgaYc76HLz3lyCi3k2rkrw1KALCrdhZicgzLk3Y86dXEvzhrXkhyK6rhZaAW4HaIgBN2KTq/s1600/Grand+Tetons.jpg"></a>ears as the 4-H Program Representative running the 4-H program and then 3 years ago was asked by the Superintendent of School if I would help them keep their FFA program. I love FFA! There isn’t a better organization for high school students anywhere and the chance to help them and build a program was exactly what I needed. I said a sad farewell to 4-H and started teaching <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3BOXWE3t5Dib8nrfhEQxRDSHRMQ1SiSY8ARGH3I7hyzKoFyiOeLkMIu5hry0ag43QQe_AR25j8ARFSknallxzDBr-3xLitWtfyWV2Ndc9NupDZtQ8d1d-psz5UyqaZvmauHpRQ4i9uM1/s1600/Molly+and+Katie.jpg"></a>at Lone Pine High School as an agriculture teacher. Great students, staff, and a program with just tons of potential. There is a 10 acre school farm and we have built a 50X100 foot barn, put in a beef unit, pastures, landscaping, water and electricity. It is a truly a fantastic facility and one we are all proud of.<br /><br />Living and working on a ranch is amazing, teaching children about the importance of agriculture is my passion, and raising two children with my cowboy is my life. Writing a blog about ranching and agriculture is scary and exciting at the sam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuFFvaZJbKGq8_nU52nXEIYRtsZdfXZppklBfeGUzhMULqXcyZzLTzcOeRafKE_xuMkNJN53pVWCd3pT01MZntzYp_NSp9-OAwN_GE2NhcesYWxIRwYWpgc9DKEDgdYGcbiuj1J01gtrr/s1600/Katie+and+market+lamb.jpg"></a>e time and I’m looking forward t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCP1e6_ZimgQMsbqq2bPf9FPEUc7QEiKIaWMVvzfkNCq_q8fEM7dNVGSYrZ9H_mmxXyGgLgtQO_AiNwN8Wh-FT31lTt_Ia43uTGoUjxZkglUCoUkXRIZjCCQzgI0zNM_A03cZr7Q_sDV2V/s1600/rabbit.jpg"></a>o giving you a front row seat.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911197033609577581.post-46006899315612888442010-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:002010-05-13T12:49:04.075-07:00Hello From the Lacey FamilyHello from the Lacey family. My name is Mark Lacey I am a fourth generation cattle rancher and along with my wife Brenda, daughters Molly and Katie we manage a commercial cow-calf, stocker, and registered quarterhorse operation in east central California. My father John is the managing partner and lives in Paso Robles along with my mother Dee. My dad oversees our winter stocker operations along with day to day operations of Tejon ranch which is part of a different partnership. My sister Nicki is also a partner, but lives in Kona, HI with her husband Dane where they have various business interests chief among them is raising Kona coffee. That covers the whole family.<br /><br />This is the first installment in an ongoing blog about our experiences, challenges, and successes as cattle ranchers, parents, and small business people. Please bear with us for this first article we are going to bring you up to speed with a little family history.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIx6zKuIumAtrT9zk_qAsq9K60qk94cvFxO3vOWTPHLR2pDKxoSwne5A-sAe9S1wCS9X7h__Vr9x-TUnx1jEFRjiHovVvwpaS4UNrld5FKSgVKd1u1GBIBC_n49ULm1RkM7sFWF329HsL/s1600/pic07.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 280px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470840602465817346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIx6zKuIumAtrT9zk_qAsq9K60qk94cvFxO3vOWTPHLR2pDKxoSwne5A-sAe9S1wCS9X7h__Vr9x-TUnx1jEFRjiHovVvwpaS4UNrld5FKSgVKd1u1GBIBC_n49ULm1RkM7sFWF329HsL/s320/pic07.jpg" /></a>In order to orient you with our location if you look at a map and find the east border of California where the straight border angles of to the southeast, then draw a line straight south from there for about 300 miles the triangle that is made will approximately encompass Inyo and Mono counties. These two counties are where our operation is located. Inyo is the second largest county in California and its capitol is Independence, which is where Brenda and the girls and I live. My family first came to Independence in 1867 and we live not a mile from where my great grandfather (John W. Lacey) settled. John W. came out after the civil war primarily for the gold and silver mining boom. There was a great deal of mining activity in Inyo county, as a matter a fact the town of Keeler was the home of a very rich series of mines and was on the short list of towns to become the capitol of California. Needless to say my great grandfather prospected and raised cattle among other things and from one generation to the next we have been at it ever since. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhS5zCkXj3QrXSU1uJOeb-cp0X43DnX0Vi7DXBaGgRfDlPIukOzuZ0Cd8f_SPskAqjSqe1b2XNcuTb4kAGiJ1GRHpFlBqHeFfzpJ3glyF-cm9B5Hu1r36fKnbmpYqqiL3R_v8LCQtCA1S/s1600/pic01.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470840941087449490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhS5zCkXj3QrXSU1uJOeb-cp0X43DnX0Vi7DXBaGgRfDlPIukOzuZ0Cd8f_SPskAqjSqe1b2XNcuTb4kAGiJ1GRHpFlBqHeFfzpJ3glyF-cm9B5Hu1r36fKnbmpYqqiL3R_v8LCQtCA1S/s320/pic01.jpg" /></a>Our operation as it exists today is quite a bit different than it was 143 years ago. First off, my great grandfather sold off his holdings about 1915 and divided the proceeds with his three children. My grandfather (Mark B. Lacey) reinvested his share into the beginnings of a ranch in Olancha just bit south of Independence. He assembled a combination of private and public land. The ranch ran from the winter range on the edge of Death Valley which is the lowest point in the continental U.S. (280 ft. below sea level) to the summer range in the Sierra Nevada mountains where the cattle grazed in the shadow of Mt. Whitney which is the highest point in the lower 48 states (14, 494 ft. above sea level). Eventually we stopped using the Death Valley area when my Father (John W. Lacey) took over the operation in the early 1960’s and he swapped it for grazing land near Independence. However, we did continue to take cattle into the Sierras until 1993.<br /><br />When we stopped going into to high country we replaced it with private irrigated grazing land in Bridgeport, CA and Mammoth Lakes, CA. We move our cattle to these loca<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtki_sjQCmuTfG5-V6L5y0tlmugp3YlwZbl50tFXpdotS1uJMFVUbzx-OCIKw5ThXXJ-Ua062orl9S7gDqFbWWWBKCnbiuGmovOJiv0fMy2B06z35nS3K7IJ3jPPHTSU39dkTkAi8lGq5R/s1600/pic06.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 208px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470841461604505442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtki_sjQCmuTfG5-V6L5y0tlmugp3YlwZbl50tFXpdotS1uJMFVUbzx-OCIKw5ThXXJ-Ua062orl9S7gDqFbWWWBKCnbiuGmovOJiv0fMy2B06z35nS3K7IJ3jPPHTSU39dkTkAi8lGq5R/s320/pic06.jpg" /></a>tions by truck. There are several reasons that we relocate our cattle to these summer pastures. For starters, Independence has about a 100-degree temperature differential from winter to summer. Alternatively, Bridgeport has a 120-degree differential plus snow, so we return to Independence for the winter. Second, our native grasses are ok for cattle to winter on by adding protein supplement but aren’t nutritious enough for maximum productivity. Finally, our cowherd is very high percentage Angus and the cows and calves are much more comfortable in the cooler temperatures at higher altitudes.<br /><br />The previous is a pretty quick description of our family background and our cattle operation. It probably could have been even quicker by just stating that as we are going on the fifth generation we are still cattlemen to the core. Our family has a few interests outside of Lacey Livestock, but 99% of our business is tied to raising beef cattle. As you might imagine the majority of our activities revolve around livestock activities, whether it be meetings with livestock proponents, opponents, agencies, 4-H, or FFA we are completely dedicated to the raising of livestock or the protection of the culture and legacy of livestock producers. <br /><br />In the next installment we will get a little more descriptive about where we are in our calendar of operations, and unique elements of our land resources. Until next time.<br /><br />The Lacey Family <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IbO9TToZcfRX3K7iRWERNQp_yiQKlrQxDaay5BAWA9mUdAVhbhBc9QuQZ_HopNfdLfh8gOYlbtN7vaXhLGc1B4MCgREjHU2KtViq29Sy5GlsQxob8RbZmBxXYxDRq_rHW-0AEzqqIu_o/s1600/pic02.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470841455659328738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IbO9TToZcfRX3K7iRWERNQp_yiQKlrQxDaay5BAWA9mUdAVhbhBc9QuQZ_HopNfdLfh8gOYlbtN7vaXhLGc1B4MCgREjHU2KtViq29Sy5GlsQxob8RbZmBxXYxDRq_rHW-0AEzqqIu_o/s320/pic02.jpg" /></a></div>Lacey Family Ranch Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09163210382054669356noreply@blogger.com7