Sandhills Scenes

[Soapweed]

Here are a few pictures from my days' travels. I took three bulls and a bad-eyed cow to the Rushville Sale. As I was coming home, Buck Buckles and his crew were stacking hay along Highway 20. As he still uses a beaver-slide stacker and pulls it with four head of draft horses, I thought some of the rest of you might be interested in seeing it. Later in the day, I took salt and mineral out to some of our cattle, so took a few pictures there. The flag photo was from last evening, after a wild storm had gone by. We did acquire 35 hundredths of an inch of rain, which was welcome.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Soapweed/StackerTeam.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Soapweed/BuckBuckleshaycrew.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Soapweed/Redsconversingatthewatercooler.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Soapweed/Spearheadblacks.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Soapweed/HailtoOldGlory.jpg

Now if I could just figure out how Frenchie gets the pictures to come up already printed on the page, life would be great.

 

[Faster horses]

Thanks for the tour, Soapweed. Nice, nice pictures and subjects. Really enjoyed that.

Reminds me that I have meant to tell folks here that if you want a really good book with many pictures of Montana, Mike Logan has a couple of terrific ones. He calls one "Montana IS" and the other "Ranchin' IS". He also has "Yellowstone IS". There is a photo on every page and a line under each photo. The lines rhyme and tell a story. They are all so well-done and the photography is fantastic. They don't cost much, I think $12.95 each. You can get them from Buglin' Bull Press out of Helena, Mt.

The books are printed on heavy, glossy paper in full color.

PM me if you want more information. I am going to do a search and see if I can find anything about them on the internet~

 

[nr]

Beautiful photos, Soapweed. Especially like the horses at work. Reminds me that last evening we were talking with some folks about "the old days" which says we must be getting there ourselves lol and how we wished when we were kids we'd taken photos of some things not seen today:
the iceman carrying a chunk of ice in a home and
the ragman. Probably you folks out in the country never heard a ragman in his horse-drawn wagon yelling from far off "rrraaaaaggggs" and folks would come out in their yards with scrap metal and rags to sell him.
Wish I'd thought to have my Brownie camera in action back then but film was dear.

 

[Jinglebob]

Great pictures Soap.

Did/do they always use a frame around the stacks when they use a beaverslide?

I've got pictures of my grandfather stacking hay with an overshot stacker, back in the 20's. If my daughter-in-law and I can get some good pictures of them on her digital camera, I'll post them.

 

[Silver]

Great pics Soapweed. Your cattle are looking great.
Nice to see people still doing things the old way, that sort of thing holds a lot of interest for me. I've never heard that contraption called a beaver-slide before, we allways called them overshots. (At least they look like the same machine). I will have to catalog that bit of trivia for later :wink:

Thanks for sharing your pics.

 

[TimH]

Great pictures Soapweed. Never heard of a "beaver slide stacker" before.Interesting! My Dad stacked hay with an "overshot" stacker right up until the early '70's ,when he bought a Farmhand F-10 loader.
I like to remember those days.......but I sure don't miss'em!! :wink:

 

[HAY MAKER]

Thanks for the picture show Soapweed,cattle and horses look to be in good shape,and a blue sky to boot,it dont get no better .............good luck

 

[TXTibbs]

what part of the Sandhills you in? Cherry County I imagine huh? Since Cherry County is half of Nebraska...HAHA. Pretty country when it rains....go through there going home on HWY 83.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Beautiful photos, Soapweed. Especially like the horses at work. Reminds me that last evening we were talking with some folks about "the old days" which says we must be getting there ourselves lol and how we wished when we were kids we'd taken photos of some things not seen today:
the iceman carrying a chunk of ice in a home and
the ragman. Probably you folks out in the country never heard a ragman in his horse-drawn wagon yelling from far off "rrraaaaaggggs" and folks would come out in their yards with scrap metal and rags to sell him.
Wish I'd thought to have my Brownie camera in action back then but film was dear.

My mom called them the "Sheeny man" "Rags, Bones Bottles" she said they would holler.

 

[Rowdy Ranch]

Soapweed-GReat pictures-cattle are looking good! Nice that you folks have gotten rain and grass looks to be outstanding! Did not know that there was anyone left with that ambition to rig up horses for work-really is neat,though. Thanks-Hello to Mrs. Soapweed and rest of your crew!

 

[TimH]

TXTibbs- "what part of the Sandhills you in? Cherry County I imagine huh? Since Cherry County is half of Nebraska...HAHA. Pretty country when it rains....go through there going home on HWY 83."

Here is some "highway trivia". I hope I am not wrong on this!!!
At one time (maybe still) Highway #83 was the longest highway which was designated with the same number.
Highway # 83 comes north out of ND(into Canada) and becomes #83 in Manitoba and goes north for many miles. Not sure how far south it runs.(maybe to Vegas??)
I hope I got this right!!!
Anyway, it runs N/S, about 20 miles west of me.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

TXTibbs- "what part of the Sandhills you in? Cherry County I imagine huh? Since Cherry County is half of Nebraska...HAHA. Pretty country when it rains....go through there going home on HWY 83."

Here is some "highway trivia". I hope I am not wrong on this!!!
At one time (maybe still) Highway #83 was the longest highway which was designated with the same number.
Highway # 83 comes north out of ND(into Canada) and becomes #83 in Manitoba and goes north for many miles. Not sure how far south it runs.(maybe to Vegas??)
I hope I got this right!!!
Anyway, it runs N/S, about 20 miles west of me.

Tim it is the Pines to Palms highway. From Swan River Manitoba to Brownsville Texas.

 

[frenchie]

Here are a few pictures from my days' travels. I took three bulls and a bad-eyed cow to the Rushville Sale. As I was coming home, Buck Buckles and his crew were stacking hay along Highway 20. As he still uses a beaver-slide stacker and pulls it with four head of draft horses, I thought some of the rest of you might be interested in seeing it. Later in the day, I took salt and mineral out to some of our cattle, so took a few pictures there. The flag photo was from last evening, after a wild storm had gone by. We did acquire 35 hundredths of an inch of rain, which was welcome.

Now if I could just figure out how Frenchie gets the pictures to come up already printed on the page, life would be great.

 

[Mike]

In the center of the picture of black cows. Is that a "Soapweed"? Does it have sharp pointed leaves?

 

[Jeannie]

In the center of the picture of black cows. Is that a "Soapweed"? Does it have sharp pointed leaves?

Yeppers, also known as yucca. In mid-late summer it develops these big seed pods that the cows just go ballistic over. Really makes for an interesting cattle moving experience!

 

[Mike]

In the center of the picture of black cows. Is that a "Soapweed"? Does it have sharp pointed leaves?

Yeppers, also known as yucca. In mid-late summer it develops these big seed pods that the cows just go ballistic over. Really makes for an interesting cattle moving experience!

I've seen them but not in the pastures. They aren't native here, I guess. The ones I've seen are in lawn and garden lanscaping. Interesting looking at different plants in different parts of the country.

 

[Skrewk]

A little something my grandparents taught me, the green tip of the middle portion (stamen or pistol) on those soapweed (yucca) plants flowers is not only edible but IMHO is really tasty. I've only eaten them raw while moving cows (you better be riding point or be able to get off the eaten path) but I bet they would be good cooked or maybe in a salad? I'm not much of a cook though so who knows. :???:

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

In the center of the picture of black cows. Is that a "Soapweed"? Does it have sharp pointed leaves?

Yeppers, also known as yucca. In mid-late summer it develops these big seed pods that the cows just go ballistic over. Really makes for an interesting cattle moving experience!

I've seen them but not in the pastures. They aren't native here, I guess. The ones I've seen are in lawn and garden lanscaping. Interesting looking at different plants in different parts of the country.

From what I've been told is that they aren't native to Montana or likely Nebraska but came up with the trail herds from Texas. Just another thorny thing from Texas.

 

[Mike]

Yeppers, also known as yucca. In mid-late summer it develops these big seed pods that the cows just go ballistic over. Really makes for an interesting cattle moving experience!

I've seen them but not in the pastures. They aren't native here, I guess. The ones I've seen are in lawn and garden lanscaping. Interesting looking at different plants in different parts of the country.

From what I've been told is that they aren't native to Montana or likely Nebraska but came up with the trail herds from Texas. Just another thorny thing from Texas.

So what you're saying is if you sit on something from Texas, it can be a pain in the a$$? :lol:

 

[Soapweed]

Will try to experiment with putting a couple more pictures up for you to see. Frenchie is trying to help this ol' computter-illiterate cowpoke punch pictures instead of cattle. Here goes..........Geronimooooooo!!!!!!!!!

[/img]

Thanks, Frenchie. It worked this time. I had the "Disable BBCode" checked, and that is why it didn't work before.

The first picture is a pond on the ranch, a couple miles from our house. The next picture was taken in the South Dakota badlands, along Highway 73 between Longvalley and Kadoka. Both of the photos were taken about a month ago.