Early September 2012

[Soapweed]

Sorting out a few steer pairs

The bunch we were sorting from

Everyone stand up straight and say, "cheese."

Never point a camera directly into the sun

Because it makes a mess

And kind of screws up your photos

Seven swans a-swimming. Two were swimming too slow to make the picture.

Static electricity in the air

Static electricity brings out extra doses of orneriness.

Preconditioning steer calves today

They will sell in about a month.

The working facility

Working at the facility

Drinking on the job

It's amazing how much easier the cattle come through with this curtain to block their view of me. Think of how this makes me feel. :?

The remuda

Mules and their amigos

They aren't my amigos

Sepia effect

Featuring a mere morsel of an amigo

New well with a solar powered pump

I sure miss the old windmill that was here before.

This deal might work fine, but it lacks the dignity and glamour of a windmill.

 

[eatbeef]

What brand is the solar setup? How deep is the well? How many gpm? Sorry for the questions, but i have got new well and still debating on which solar system to go with.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Did that curtain come from Omaha Tent and Awning? :wink: :lol: :lol:

We are set up inside but when the sun is low it shines in the drop to the shed so we have a sheet of silage bag plastic that hangs along that side.

 

[ousoonerfan22]

Nice pictures as always!
Do you have rattlesnakes there?

 

[leanin' H]

While ya might miss the windmill, be thankful for a working well and a pretty tankfull of water. All my neighbors and our outfit also, have fought lack of water all year. Springs have quit, creeks are gone and wells are pretty low too. Makes for lots of checking water everyday to insure we aren't raising dehydrated beef. :? Does the solar setup have any batteries? Or just pump during daylight hours? And i'd imagine it runs off of a float? Thanks!

 

[Soapweed]

I will answer all these questions about the well and solar pump right after the bill arrives in the mail. This undoubtedly will be very soon. :wink:

Although we have never seen rattlesnakes on our ranch proper, there are a few to be found where we worked the cattle today. So far, I've not seen any this summer.

 

[Faster horses]

Those calves look like they have summered well in spite of the drought.

Horses look good too, who rides the pony???????

 

[R A]

Some more great pictures, Soapweed! I like how you have every situation covered that might come up on the ranch, that an equine could be used to take care of it, covered in your remuda!

 

[Soapweed]

The new well 70' deep, including drilling, solar pump, and 20' new tank installed, came to $7461.85. The pump itself is a PS150 Lorentz brand, and that part of the deal with wiring, 225 watt panel and rack, wiring, and controller was $3200. The 20' bottomless Hastings tank is 12 guage, and the price is $1100, not counting plastic bottom and installation. Three men and three trucks from Forster Well Drilling, Inc. did their usual wonderful job and accomplished it all in a single day. I am very glad they are available to keep up with our water needs.

 

[LazyWP]

Why did you get away from the windmill? I would think that, at only 70 feet deep, the windmill would be the way to go.
We just had a new well drilled. 253 deep, submersible only, right now we are running it off a generator, but the plan is to tie into REA power. Lisa and I put in a 24 ft bottomless, and with the other water sources in the pasture, I only have to put gas in the gen every other day. The tank has never been totally empty, yet.

 

[Sundancer]

The new well 70' deep, including drilling, solar pump, and 20' new tank installed, came to $7461.85. The pump itself is a PS150 Lorentz brand, and that part of the deal with wiring, 225 watt panel and rack, wiring, and controller was $3200. The 20' bottomless Hastings tank is 12 guage, and the price is $1100, not counting plastic bottom and installation. Three men and three trucks from Forster Well Drilling, Inc. did their usual wonderful job and accomplished it all in a single day. I am very glad they are available to keep up with our water needs.

I am not familiar with this. :???: Can you explain how this works? What is the plastic bottom like? I've often wondered how those big tanks are installed....are they just a ring of some sort planted in the sand? "Here" all our tanks are smaller with bottoms. Thanks

 

[Soapweed]

Why did you get away from the windmill? I would think that, at only 70 feet deep, the windmill would be the way to go.
We just had a new well drilled. 253 deep, submersible only, right now we are running it off a generator, but the plan is to tie into REA power. Lisa and I put in a 24 ft bottomless, and with the other water sources in the pasture, I only have to put gas in the gen every other day. The tank has never been totally empty, yet.

I really wish I'd have put in a windmill, with a submersible pump beneath the cylinder. That way, if the wind doesn't blow, a generator can pump water. If the wind comes up before the gas tank on the generator empties, everything still works. We decided to try a solar deal just to have a new experience. :wink: One thing about having windmills--you tend to appreciate the wind more than you would otherwise. In fact, wind is just downright necessary and is more of a friend than an enemy.

The new well 70' deep, including drilling, solar pump, and 20' new tank installed, came to $7461.85. The pump itself is a PS150 Lorentz brand, and that part of the deal with wiring, 225 watt panel and rack, wiring, and controller was $3200. The 20' bottomless Hastings tank is 12 guage, and the price is $1100, not counting plastic bottom and installation. Three men and three trucks from Forster Well Drilling, Inc. did their usual wonderful job and accomplished it all in a single day. I am very glad they are available to keep up with our water needs.

I am not familiar with this. :???: Can you explain how this works? What is the plastic bottom like? I've often wondered how those big tanks are installed....are they just a ring of some sort planted in the sand? "Here" all our tanks are smaller with bottoms. Thanks

They are just a ring planted in the sand. They either need a bottom made from a sheet of plastic, or lots of bentonite raked up until it holds water. If using plastic, a few inches of dirt on top is necessary in case cattle ever get into the tank. That way their hooves don't go through the plastic. It is also necessary to tar the edges of the plastic to the tank. The plastic can't be too tight, or it tends to pull away from the tar, causing leaks. The new tank also has an overflow system installed. This way water runs through the overflow pipe and goes underground for several feet before running into a pond. If the overflow water just splashes over the edge of the tank,eventually it erodes the sand around the tank which exposes the bottom. Sometimes the bottom can go out, which allows the water to escape.

 

[Buyer]

Soap How many gallon per minute does it pump?

 

[Soapweed]

Soap How many gallon per minute does it pump?

Quite a bit, but I wasn't there when the well was being drilled, and I haven't tested it since. Plenty, that is for sure.