Early days on the reservation consisted of the local Indian Agent trying to teach the Cheyenne how to become dry dirt farmers.
With a walk-behind plow, one handled the plow while another the reins to drive the mule.
After a couple of turns in the field as a demonstration, the Agent turned the reins over to the Cheyenne would-be farmers.
Things started out ok, until the plow turned over a couple of bull snakes (totally harmless, but snakes, nonetheless)
With much convincing the Indians finally continued to plow the field, only to turn up a rattlesnake, who was not pleased to be disturbed and in full rattle mode.
Dropping the plow, the Cheyenne men turned to the Indian agent and told him, they would not plow the field anymore lest something worse happen to them.
To them it made no sense to "Turn the grass upside down."
Thus ended the BIA attempt to make farmers out of the Cheyenne,
This from "A History of the Cheyenne People" by Tom Weist.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Contrasts in the snow
Wild Horses
Short story from the Old Rancher today.
When he was a younger man, the rancher was driving a herd down in the Powder River Region.
On this cattle drive was an ol' Swede who spoke only broken english.
Well, this Swede had a horse that just did not get along with him. Halfway into the cattle drive the horse had bucked the Swede at least three times.
So, out there in the middle of the northern Wyoming prairie, this Ol Swede gets dumped one last time.
As the other cowboys chase down the horse, the Swede dusts himself off and yells after then, " Ah, just let him go, I'd rather walk then ride that beast again." (insert your best Swedish accent here)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
How to get the kink out of a cow
My old rancher friend was telling me of this cow he had. It had gotten away from the rest of the herd a bit and wandered up into some loose shale on a hillside.
In trying to recover it's track the poor cow slipped and tumbled head over hooves down the hill.
Fearin the worst, the rancher rushed to the cows side. The cow seemed to be no worse for the experience except for the 30 degree kink in the middle of her back.
Oh, did I mention this was calving season and she was about to deliver? Sure enough! Well there wasn't much to be done except help the cow deliver the calf right there. Then for some time the rancher had to nurse Momma cow and baby cow till both were able to make it on their own.
Finally, back at the barn the Momma cow still had the kink in her back, So my rancher friend along with his hired hand, used his animal vet skills and drugged the Moma cow asleep.
Then using his best block and tackle skills, hoisted that cow up by it's hind legs, had the hired hand hold one end and the rancher twisted with all his might in the opposite direction. Afraid of breaking her in two he finally figured it was enough. (Not sure the hired hand was sure of any of it).
After letting Momma cow down, she finally woke up, no clue that she been half turned into a cow pretzel.
The bad news is that he wasn't able to straighten that cows back totally, but ya gotta figure, for a cow, a 10 degree kink is better then 30 degree's any day.
And thats how you unkink a cow
It's a Small, Small World
So my wife and I are having dinner with friends here in Lame Deer tonite. Our host introduces us to her Sister- From New Town, ND. The same small town that my parents grew up near.
This lady remembered my Aunt Zinie as the lady at the local bank who helped her buy her first truck.
We talked of how my parents grew up in Van Hook and how it's all under water since they flooded the area from the Garrison Dam.
Also, how my Dad helped paint the old silver bridge at Four Bears crossing the Missouri River. They told me how they watched as the Corp of Engineers blew it up and now have replaced it with a new modern bridge.
It is truly a small, small world.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
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