Ranch Update (5-6-2025)
Hi Neil & Daryl,
First off, we want you to know how impressed & appreciative we are for all the amazing creativity & fearless activism the two of you make happen in this world! ✨ Just Wow & Thank you Both❣️
All is well up here in the mountains, the critters are all happy and healthy, Dulcie and I are good and busy with ranch maintenance, gearing up for springtime projects, putting away winter tools, starting seedlings, turning compost piles and the like. *See Ranch pics & concise updates below*
Sending so much love your way & keep up the Great work!!!
Charris & Dulcie
💕 Couple of the sweetest kitties on Earth! 🌏
Thankfully we had several more good snows but we're glad to have snow shoveling season in the rear view mirror! All snowmobiles got put away before things got muddy or the critters learned to drive!
The Alpacas put on a good fluffy coat this winter & we have their shearing date set for May 25th
This winter to spring transition has been a real 'snowllercoaster' of wild weather with a mix of warm spells, big snow storms, hail, rain and a whole lot of mud!
All ponds are full to the brim & the photo above shows how the frozen top of the Homestead pond, floated up to dock height (buoyed by an influx of early melt water) and then re-froze!
Windmill Diversion Tank & Scottish Highlanders: The windmill is back up & running now that the hard freezes are behind us but unfortunately the galvanized diversion tank (which catches water from windmill and splits it between ponds and the long cattle troughs) has become riddled with holes from the corrosive minerals in the well water. This same thing happened to our first batch of long (galvanized) cattle troughs, which we replaced with stainless steel. Luckily Lane Segerstrom says he won't be bringing the cows up until the grass is good (about a month from now) which gives me plenty of time to find and install a stainless steel catchment trough and re-plumb the water works.
Roads, Ponds, and Riding Arena: As soon as mud season is over we will do the grading & gravel work needed to get the ranch roads smoothed back out and in good condition again. Travis (the heavy machinery guy Mark Bush connected us with) & his helper Grant have done great work since Mark Bush went into retirement and they are available to continue helping with road & pond maintenance. Also, Travis thinks they can handle the riding arena completion work, which is great news and he will be out next week to assess that job along with road maintenance and making a plan for addressing the slow leak at the Homestead pond too.
Homestead Pump House Plumbing: During a high wind event & cold snap the pump house gas heater flame blew out, which caused a few water pipes to freeze and crack. Luckily the pump and filters were not harmed because we caught it early. Mike Messer has since repaired the damaged pipe sections.
Vehicle Maintenance & Snow Tire Swap: We've had all Ranch vehicles serviced: oil changes, repairs to electrical & heat issues and swapped out all studded snow tires with summer tires.
Eric Layman built two new log benches to replace the rotting ones in the Art Barn yard, repaired leaky bathroom window frames & fixed rickety porch dinner table & chairs for 'safety reasons'.
Fire Suppression System Update: Dynamic Fire Systems came up to check, service and update the fire safety and sprinkler equipment in the Art Barn.
Worm Fence Repair: In the interest of keeping the alpacas on property and in preparation for cattle season, we will begin repairing aspen worm fence panels early next week.
Last but not least, we enjoyed some nice surprise winter visitors, the first being Jeffrey & his beau Zach en route to see Jeffery's family ... and then Dana's kids (Sophie & Luke) along their road trip adventure.