18 degree Buffalo

The ground is covered with snow, and it's only 18 degrees in the middle of the afternoon, so winter is back in Kansas.

The Visitors Center is quiet with few people driving out here to our farm this week. I'm spending the uninterrupted time doing employee W2's, and getting ready for our tax appointment next week.

Occasionally I look out the window to see what the buffalo herd it up to. Yesterday they ran by pell mell for some reason...maybe just to warm up!

This morning Verne was driving out to the pasture with a bale of Sudan Grass on the tractor as the herd was coming in for their morning drink of water. Verne had to raise the bale higher because the buffalo thought it would be fun to eat it right off the tractor's fork. The buffalo are always curious of what’s coming into their pasture.

After the herd moved past, Verne drove out to the bale feeder to drop the bale in. The buffalo will munch of this bale during the week between foraging on the snow-covered pasture.

Mild and Muddy

So nice to have a mid January so far, after our stormy December...The weather has been mild and melting. There are still muddy spots on the roads, and the alley to the pasture, but the snow is finally gone.

Our landscape is now the browns of winter grass and bare trees again.The herd does not like mud, and avoid any spots they can on their way to the winter water tanks.

Since the snow is gone, Verne and our high school help have spend the last two Saturdays cleaning the little pasture of trees. This is a never ending job to keep trees, mostly cedar and Osage orange, from taking over the grasslands.

Prairie fires took care of this problem centuries ago, but now it’s a winter project. So many pastures in the state have not been kept clean, and it has changed our landscape over the last few decades. And many pastures are being bought for hunting, rather than grazing, so those landowners want the tree and brush cover instead.

Some calm day in early spring Verne will burn the dead grass and brush piles to renew the pasture again.This will make a clear landscape and tasty new grass for the yearling bulls that will move in for the summer months.

Here it is January, and we're working towards spring and summer already here on the Kansas prairie...

Time Off

Verne and I took off for southwest Oklahoma last Friday for a little time away from the business. There was a bison rancher selling most of his stock and we wanted to attend the sale. Sad to think that the herd of 1100+ animals was split up to travel to new homes in several states, but they were sold in groups so they will adjust.

We bid on a group of very young calves that needed some time and attention, but ended up getting out of the bidding when it got high. We didn't have a trailer along, so would have had the extra cost of hiring someone else to bring them home too.

Then we drove north to southern Kansas visit Verne's college roommate and his family. We've kept in touch over the decades, but hadn't been at their farm for a number of years. Mark and Patsy raise stocker steers and wheat.

I'm going to try one of Patsy's favorite beef burger recipes with bison. Finely grate a small potato, mix with a lb of burger and a half package of Lipton's Dry Onion Soup Mix. Lightly shape into a burger patty, then grill, or cook in a covered skillet. Please let me know how it turns out for you, and if you have any more suggestions. I think I'll add some liquid smoke, a little Worcestershire sauce to my mix.

We stopped at Ted's Montana Grill in Wichita for our Sunday noon lunch. Verne had his burger smothered with Swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms, and I had mine with roasted green peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, and avocado slices. There are so many ways to fix ground bison, and they are all so good! I never get tired of it.

We had a quiet New Year’s Eve, and celebrated Verne’s birthday on New Year’s Day. (He was born at 12:15 am).

Now it’s back to work in the office, getting ready for taxes, and planning for 2008.

It was a cold 5 degrees here this morning. I saw the herd coming in at noon, so I went out and chipped the ice out of the drinking cups in their waterer. It’s heated, but the cows haven’t been in to the tank for days (been eating snow instead) so I knew they would appreciate some fresh water.

So life is back to normal here at the Bison Farm. We enjoyed the holidays, now we’re starting the New Year with healthy living, food, plans…and fresh water. We look forward to hearing from you, by email, phone, and orders in 2008!

Linda @ the Bison Farm