Quiet Pasture

The cows move silently now past the Visitors Center. There is no grunting because there are no calves in the herd to keep track of at the moment.

Sorting last Friday went safe and smoothly with the new pen gates Verne built. Some of the old cows picked on the younger ones, but that’s their nature when confined, so we sorted and moved the cows back out to the pasture as quickly as possible.

The calves were checked by the vet and tagged; staying in the big pens this week to be sure all are sound and healthy after the sort. The heifer calves will move back to the cow herd this weekend, and the bull calves will move over to the bull herd until they move to their summer pasture in May.

The cows come in to get water and check the calves once a day, but the calves are weaned and the cows are satisfied they are okay by themselves. They prefer to spend their day eating and lounging in the triticale paddock.

Think of the calves as kids going off to college. They are on their own now, but you still check on them now and then…

Sorting Buffalo

Welding, painting, and greasing has been the agenda for Verne and his help this past week to get ready for tomorrow’s calf sorting.

Before the cows start giving birth this next month, we sort off the calves born last spring from the cow herd. We want to do it before any newborns are added to the herd as this could be dangerous for them.

Bison can get aggressive very quickly when they feel cornered, and a little baby could get run over and injured in the mayhem.

Once the calves are sorted from the herd, they run through the work chute to get their ear tag for identification. Bull calves will move over to the “Meat and Eat” bull herd, and the heifer calves will go back to the “Meet and Greet” cow herd (the group our Visitor Center guests see on our tram tour).

So how do the top three mentioned items go with wooly fast-footed animals? We have to be prepared with safe pens, gate latches that move freely, and latch tight when they swung around to close off a pen of animals.

After Verne’s accident with a gate that didn’t hold last June (he and cow Annie ended up in the same spot together), he's going to be sure everything is in top shape for the sorting.

Verne has added a new steel “cat walk” to be above the animals in one area, and new steel bar gates in the middle sorting circle so he can be behind it when sorting the cows.

Please wish us a safe sorting and calm cows tomorrow!

Buffalo Audience

We've had two warm days- up to 70 degrees by late afternoon. The wind was finally down too so I tackled the flower beds in front of the Visitors Center Wednesday after work.

I had left the dead plant mulch over the winter to protect the perennials and rose bushes, and now pulled or cut all the brown matter off to uncover the starting crowns of flowers and tulip shoots.

Hearing a soft snort, I looked up and saw that my action had gathered an audience. Takoda and the cows had come up to the fence by the handicap parking area to see what I was doing down on my hands and knees.

I went inside to get the camera to take their picture, and then went down to their eye level to show you what they were seeing too.

When people call to ask if they can see buffalo at our place, I tell them they are right by the building sometimes, and I mean right by it.

When Verne built our Visitors Center in 2002, the buffalo herd spent those months parked along the fence to watch and listen as the building frame and roof took shape. They were curious and fascinated with the progress, just like they were with me cleaning the flower beds.

This week the herd is spending most of their time scouting for green grass. I really noticed a difference this morning in the look of the pasture. It’s starting to green up.

There’s a 60% chance of rain tomorrow, so that should help the grass’s progress too. Spring is on the way!

Favorite Food

Each morning brings an ever so slightly change of color in the pasture. Tints of green are showing up as blades of grass start their spring growth.

The buffalo are seeking the clumps around every part of the pasture, and to the very edge of the fence line. Pictured is our cow Ida and her calf nibbling new grass.

Me and the buffalo are in the same mode today. Just can’t get enough of our favorite food.

Although the delicacy that I’m grazing on today is fresh Belgium choclates that my sister in Virginia shipped to me for my birthday tomorrow. Knowing that the chocolate was flown in from Belgium this week, I opened it immediately to start my celebration early. It is fresh and melts slowly in my mouth. I can tell it’s the “good stuff” with high quality ingredients.

Shipping food around the world, or across country is so easy these days because of the internet. We ship buffalo meat from our Kansas pasture to both coasts. Our customers order from us and eagerly open their meat coolers because we’re known for growing and delivering top quality meat.

Have you had a treat today? Make sure it’s super tasty and the “good stuff”- whether it’s a tender buffalo ribeye steak ….or a choclate truffle.