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Ranch scenes, pueblo, surrounding area photos...

Whitewing

Well-known member
Since a number of members requested more scenes of my place and the surrounding area, here goes. Thanks for looking and feel free to ask quesitons or make comments.

View of the ranch as one enters through the mountain pass which leads into the place. There's only one road in and I like that, easier to keep an eye on the comings and goings. The hill with the reddish crest off to the left side of the pic is where I plan to build my home. It's got a great view of the place as you'll see from other shots presented here.
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Here's a pic of about 15 acres of sorghum and pasture that was planted about 10 days ago. You can't see the plants yet, but bless their little hearts, they're there and trying to survive. I bought this place (40 hectars) last Nov or Dec and began clearing it in January. It was completely covered with native brush. I wish the entire parcel I purchased had this kind of soil but there are some marginal areas which are quite rocky. Overall though, it was a good addition to the place.
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This piece is plowed and ready, just waiting on some rainfall. This view is also of the 40 hectar piece and looks to the southwest. The hill in the middle of the photograph is the one I mentioned in the first post.
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Most of the water in this pond fell in a single heavy shower we had about a month ago. We could sure use another like it. Normally, because of the size of its drainage and the time of year, this pond would be completely filled and actually discharging water. It's still got a long ways to go.
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This young man is nicknamed Coco and he's one of our cowboys. Good kid, dependable and is good with the animals.
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This is Anibal and he's ranch manager, welder, mechanic, etc. He works like a mule, usually 7 days a week. This kind of guy is hard to find here and I'm really happy he joined us.
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This is Socrates, ranch engineer. He's designed my irrigation system, my general water system, made sure the ponds were strategically located and built correctly, etc. He does a lot of projects for me, both on the ranch and off site, especially with some heavy equipment we're putting to work.
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This is Epifanio and he lives on the ranch and is responsible for the animals. I've had a number of people tell me that he's one of the best in the area and I believe them. He seems to know every animal by name and can tell me when calf X was born, how much it weighed, etc. We count our animals twice daily and when one's missing he can usually tell me which one it is.
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View to the north from the hill where I want to build my home. It's greener now than in the photo I posted in my first thread here, but not nearly green enough.
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View to the northeast. The wooded piece on the right side of the photo is another (about 45 hectars) that I recently purchased though we haven't cleared much of it....only about 6 or 7 hectars. That'll be next summer's project.
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View to the Southwest showing the ranch house, sheds, corrals and the like. This hillsite and structures below were part of a small ranch I bought last July.....60 or so hectares. It's got an interesting story too, but I'll save that one for now. :wink:
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Anibal and a contract hand applying Potreron 212 for broadleaf control in a small piece we planted in bermuda about 2 weeks ago.
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Our toucan or samuro (buzzard) as we call him. He fears nothing and no one and eats everything. I'd like to see him smothered in onions some day. :D Oh, and that's my horse he's using as a toilet. :eek:
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This is Poncho, another I'd like to see on the grill. He's a terror, but really funny to watch in action. He loves my dog Pequi, tries to carry him by his harness up into the trees. They play together like two kids.
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Here's Anibal working on the transmission of a water cannon that we're getting cranked up. This thing throws water about 50 yards in all directions, at a rate of about 8 liters per second. I've got a bit over 500 meters of 4" irrigation line that runs from our largest pond through the bermuda pastures. I'm glad we've got it now as we're already putting water on the grass. Unfortunately, that's water that we should be saving for February and March.
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Water cannon in operation last summer. BTW, this thing is easily moved with my 4 wheeler....uhh horse. :D
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This shot is of a small tract, about 3 hectars that runs along a creek that borders the place on the south. Excellent soil, rich in organics and normally goes under water 5 or 6 times per year. We've planted it with bermuda, and it's rooted, but nothing really above the surface yet. Too darned dry.
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This is that same piece but looking up back towards the ranch house. That passage way on the hillside is one we cut with a D8. Before that we had to cross a neighbor's property to reach this piece.
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Okay, this is yours truly, WhiteWing and Francisco getting ready to make a payroll run to the ranch. Yes, we're well armed and those in the pueblo who need to know that, do. That's our guard dog, Pequi. Francisco doesn't work at the ranch itself but instead handles assorted duties back in the city and also drives for me. I hate driving in Venezuela.
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Francisco counting out bolivares. We pay no one via check though they all sign receipts for the cash.
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This is a view of one of the streets in the pueblo. I was visiting the local hardware store, or ferret shop as I call them......ferreteria. :D
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The Catholic Church, which in most pueblos is located in the center of the town. There's also almost aways a big plaza out front which serves as a gathering place for all sorts of activities by the locals.
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I figured you guys would find this construction interesting.....yes, that's mud and sticks.
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Venezuelans, not being people to miss a good chance to party, here are celebrating the day of the Virgin of the Valle. This shot was taken last Tuesday evening. There were similar scenes all over the pueblo.....all over Venezuela from what I understand.
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And last, but not least, Venezuelan beef, it's what's for dinner! Not Pequi's attention glued to that ribcage. :lol:
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Cal

Well-known member
I think it's awesome that we get to take a "tour" like this! Thanks! Some of the colors and construction maybe have a hint of Mexican influence? :) Labor must be a bargain down there, I suspect? Keep the posts coming, maybe next time keep the hat on your head. :wink: My kid would like it down there, he takes a gun with him everywhere he can. :lol:
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Yanuck said:
thanks for the tour Whitewing, belated welcome to the forum, how many acres to run a pair?

Thanks Yanuck.

The area is somewhat tricky in that one can travel a short distance and see quite a difference in rainfall. The largest cattleman in the region, from whom I bought my Charolais, has 5,000 head on about 8,500 hectars.

I've got 220 head (adults, calfs, everything) on 380 hectars but have a number of ponds and am using irrigation where I can.

We're in trouble right now though. We're in a drought and it doesn't look like it wants to break. I heard this past week that the fellow I mentioned with the 5,000 head is in the process of selling 2,000 right now and reducing his staff. He seems to think it's gonna get worse before it gets better.
 

Yanuck

Well-known member
so roughly 4 acres/animal? and do you feed any hay in the winter? My brother had a fellow from South America work for him one summer, I believe from Chile, your ranch hands remind me alot of him, he always wore a beret and drank some awful concontion from a silver teapot looking thing, quite a horseman though. My kids love your tucan!
 

Triangle Bar

Well-known member
Looks like a John Deere tractor your runnin' from the color.....just curious, is there a JD dealer close to your area and if not what about parts & service availability if you needed it? (with farm equipment that's all the time)
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Shortgrass said:
I'm curious about packing a hogleg to take care of the payroll. Ever had to use it? Flashbacks of the old west in America.

The police here just can't be depended upon. They're often actually involved in crimes themselves.....very serious crimes sometimes.

In some ways living here is like the old west in America which is probably part of what I enjoy about it. One takes care of oneself....or else.

I've never used my 9mm though Francisco used my .38 Special one morning when two guys on a motorcycle robbed him and his wife in front of the house here in the city. I was sitting at the dining room table with the front door open, as usual, thinking about the day's activities and reading the news on my computer. He and his wife had just pulled up and gotten out of the car with the two kids when these guys pulled up, stuck a pistol in his face and robbed them. Under normal conditions, he'd have probably killed both of them, but placed himself between them and the kids and didn't want to start shooting. He told me later he was sure they were there to kill him, not rob him.

They lifted his Baretta as well as his wife's purse and when they tried to take off, they began spinning the tires on the bike. He and his family ran for the front door. He ran in, grabbed my revolver which is always within arm's reach and ran back out the door with me hot on his tail. These guys were still sitting there spinning the tires! They took off and he fired 5 rounds at them, hitting the second guy in the right shoulder.

At the time, both he and I were working for the National Guard at so we really put the heat on them. They fled the city after the police were called late that same night to a clinic where the wounded guy sought treatment.

They made off with his pistol, some cash, and his National Guard credential.

They're gone, but not forgotten. They'll be back one of these days.
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Triangle Bar said:
Looks like a John Deere tractor your runnin' from the color.....just curious, is there a JD dealer close to your area and if not what about parts & service availability if you needed it? (with farm equipment that's all the time)

JD's are very popular down here, as are Valtras. Both are well-respected and spare parts are no problem, at least for the JD.

The JD's come out of Brazil, the Valtras I'm not sure really sure of. I had a Valtra working my place for a while as a guy wanted to sell it to me but we never closed the deal and he ended up with his tractor again.

I've got a front end loader on the the Deere and remember all the flak I took from my neighbors for paying extra for a front end loader. Well, honestly, I don't see how any farm/ranch can do without at least one front end loader equipped tractor. We use it every day for something.
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Yanuck said:
so roughly 4 acres/animal? and do you feed any hay in the winter? My brother had a fellow from South America work for him one summer, I believe from Chile, your ranch hands remind me alot of him, he always wore a beret and drank some awful concontion from a silver teapot looking thing, quite a horseman though. My kids love your tucan!

Actually, we feed hay in the summer. :shock:

Summer down here means very little rain. Winter means rain, normally, except for last year and this year. :eek:

Temps range from about 60F to about 85F so the climate is really temperate at my place.

And yes, I'm working with about 4 acres/animal and right now it's too much because of the lack of rainfall.
 

Grassfarmer

Well-known member
A fascinating adventure you have embarked on Whitewing - real interesting to see the pictures. My brother-in-law built a house on a small piece of land in Equador and some of the colors looks almost the same as in your pictures. Thanks for posting
 
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