We are getting the loose ends tied up and getting ready for a change in the weather that can come at any time now.  The lambs are sold, the calves are sold.  The heifer calves are weaned.  The bull calves are weaned and the other day we hauled them to their new home for the winter.

The boys have now a life of leisure in their new home.  They will eat and sleep and play.

Ryan sorted off his heifer calves and took them down to his place to winter them.  He has put together a nice set of heifer calves.  He will be able to sell  off his black ones and just keep red heifers to work toward a total red herd.  Then we sorted off my cows that have wintered with his cows for the last few years.   We hauled my cows over to the Fairpoint place, so Ryan will have just his cows at his place.  Since we sold half of the ewe flock we will have to make the lack of income from those ewes up some way so we will increase cow numbers.

Last Monday I went to Torrington, WY and bought a semi load of red stock cows.  Most of them are what are called solid mouth.  Meaning they have all their teeth but the teeth are getting short from wear.  They should be about eight years old.  Cows are normally in our area productive to about ten to twelve years old. We have had cows that get to be sixteen to seventeen years old, but this is unusual.

The weather has been nice for this time of year and I have had time to work on my manure spreader.  It has been several years since I have been able to use it because it was broke down.  We have make manure piles in several locations around the place.  I got started hauling manure.

Now our fields will have organic fertilizer spread on them.  We don't fertilize with commercial fertilizer.  Now we need some rain to dissolve the organic material and let it break down into the soil.  Last week we had 0.30" of rain.  The first rain since July 24.  Now the long range forecasters are thinking the chance is getting good to have another dry year next year.

The big news in our neighbor hood have been the land sales.  Ten days ago the place just south across the fence sold to the lottery kid for $402.  The place had over 12000 acres of all pasture.  Our well waters this place.  There is very little water left any place.  If next year is dry more pipelines will have to be layed out.
This week there was 1200 acres of pasture next to us that sold for $447 per acre.  This place hadn't been grazed for two years because there was no water on it.  It still has no water and has limited access. It is five miles from the nearest county road.