Zapata Ranch Online Journal

Goodbye, Jack.

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

Today we said goodbye to our 5-month intern and friend, Jack. During his time here, he contributed greatly to the ranch in all areas; he fenced with the best of us, rode (and trained if you ask him) horses to the far corners of the ranch, became a solid contributor at both Zapata and Chico Basin brandings-- something that takes most people years, and won us all over as close friends. Regardless of his daily direction, Jack headed out with a smile on his face and returned with each job well-finished, and eager for the next. His attitude and work ethic were inspirational to all of us and something that we'll be hard-pressed to find in his replacement.

For those of you who didn't have a chance to meet him, here's a picture. And for those of you who did, here's a picture of the Jack you surely came to know and love alongside the rest of us.

A Good Night

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

Last weekend Matthias and Paula from Germany and the Reiss family from New York spent a lot of time in the high prairie with us moving cattle. They were all great guests and Matthias and I got to talking about the wonders of whiskey. He is a connoisseur and thinking of starting up his own distillery in Germany.

The picture above was taken right at sunset when the girls and the horses decided to go to the top of the highest hill to get a good view. The silhouettes and the colors made for a pretty cool picture.

Everyone had fun and after a big meal we all sat around and Duke and I had our first public "concert". We played all night long and dug deep into the song list and ended up playing for a few hours. By the end of the night we probably played every single song we knew between the two of us, which means Duke knew most of them and lead the way. Like a human juke box. It was a fun night.

Rain

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

Yesterday afternoon, the clouds rolled in, opened up, and dumped a full inch of rain on the Zapata side of the ranch. We have been waiting for this storm for months now so that we can have the cattle grazing on it into the fall. Over the next couple weeks, we'll almost be able to watch the grass grow, especially if we get another storm soon.

The Ed Room

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

Yesterday we had meetings in the Ed Room, which is a big restored barn right next to the lodge.

The meetings always seem to be productive here because one side of the barn is completely made up of windows that look out over a pasture and in the room are plenty of helpful meeting tools. The room is stocked with a huge projection screen, projector, speakers, giant writing pads and easels, conference tables, 50 plus chairs and wireless internet. So if we hit a lull in a meeting we usually end up watching funny YouTube videos or heading out to the pasture to see the cattle and crew until we're ready to get back at it.

We've had everyone from school groups to Fortune 500 companies and upper level management use the Ed Room and the meetings always seem to be productive. I think something about the fresh air helps the thoughts breathe and flow.

Artist Gathering Photos

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

Take a look at our facebook page for the first of hopefully-many-to-come photo albums from this years Artist Gathering. Painter Mark Rittorno was nice enough to send along a disc full of images from the 3-days he spent on the ranch. Click HERE to take a look and be sure to become a fan for continual updates about the ranch!

Here's a sneak peak of what you'll find when you visit the page:

The Owl Family

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

There's an owl family living in the old Medano headquarters and every day we see them flying around. They have huge wings and glide around effortlessly from tree to tree.

Tess saw the two babies when they were little white puff balls and now they are all grown up.

I can't tell the difference between the babies and the mom anymore, so this could be one of the babies.

FEATURE: Quivira Coalition

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:57 -0700

The Quivira Coalition is a a non-profit organized to engage ranchers, conservationists and scientists alike in forwarding land health and educating the public on techniques of good land stewardship. Their annual conference is something we look forward to attending each year.

Take a look at their website and register today for this years event: November 10-12 in Albuquerque, NM.

Click HERE to be directed to their website.

Artists Working Together

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

If you are an artist or have ever been a part of a live model session you may already know this, but I found it amazing that all of the different artists, and all truly skilled and seasoned at what they do, were able to agree on one position for the live session we had on the last afternoon.

There are countless positions the horse could have been in, the rider could have been in, where they stood and on and on and on, but everyone came to agreement with great ease, which was subtle but fun to witness.

In so many common meetings it takes hours to come to an agreement on certain things, but all of these artists settled, agreed and got to work in a matter of a minute or maybe less on something that would completely effect and dictate the outcome of their art. The "work" of painting, sketching, etc. and getting right down to it held the most importance though, so they did not delay and that passion of getting down to business was the fun part to see.

Everyone was intently focused on their piece for almost two hours with very little talking and at the end each piece was completely different from the next, reflecting the artist's physical vantage point and what they chose to focus on.

Some focused on the horse, some on the rider and some on the mountains and sand dunes that made up the background and they all came out great.

We had a blast this year and as Tess said are all looking forward to the shows this Fall, where all of the work from the gathering will be on display. We are still deciding on a date and location so stay tuned.

*Let us know if you have any good ideas for a show location in Denver or Colorado Springs.

Moving Horses

Asta R. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

In order to utilize the grass we have in the best way possible, we have been grazing horses on the Medano side of our ranch when we are able. The horses love being over there due to the lush green grass in their trap. We are fortunate to have several water sources flowing through the Medano, providing wonderful grass for the bison, and occasionally, the horses. In order to move them from one side of the ranch to the other, we run them as a herd on horseback. It is fast moving and a great time for all of us. The few guests who have helped us have loved it as well! This picture of Charlie Brown and Cookie is from the last move we made. We will be moving them again tomorrow bright and early in the morning, in order to get ready for our next couple of busy weeks. We look forward to all of our guests who will be arriving in the next week- can't wait to share our ranch and our fun with you all!

11th Annual Artist Gathering

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We've just finished up our 11th annual artist gathering at the Zapata and are beaming with anticipation for September's show. This year we had 29 artists from Colorado and Wyoming, the largest group yet. The weather cooperated well and blue skies and 80-degrees gave way to thunder and lightening storms on two separate occasions which will surely make for some great work!

Perhaps our favorite part of the event are the nightly shows. After dinner, each person brings out three or four of his/her favorite pieces and displays them around the room. Often times a couple of different people will have captured the same scene or event, and it's really neat to see their different perceptions.

Many of the artists have promised to send along some pictures from their gallery after the weekend-- be it snap shots of their work . I'll be sure to post these just as soon as I get them so stay tuned!

A Nice Hike

Asta R. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We all spend so much time on horseback here at the ranch that we sometimes forget about the wonderful hiking that can be done right around the ranch. Some of our interns are headed out tonight for a night of camping under the stars and a nice day long hike tomorrow. It reminded me of this picture that we took while hiking at Zapata Falls a couple weeks ago that I wanted to share with everyone. It is nice to get a perspective of the valley from up in the mountains. The view of the Sand Dunes from above makes you realize how massive and unique they truly are. Zapata Falls can be a nice short hike or a longer day hike if you want to make it up to Zapata Lake. We encourage our guests to take the opportunity to do a little hiking while at the ranch; you will get some of the best pictures. For those who are on horseback all day, it is a great way to stretch your muscles out after a long day in the saddle and catch a great sunset.

The First Ranchlands Music Series

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

If you've ever stayed at the Zapata Ranch you probably know about our sister ranch in Colorado Springs, the Chico Basin, that we work very closely with.

Two weeks ago the Chico opened up the beautiful Bell Park with its first ever concert and camping and with the concert being a hit, they've decided to open up the park for all types of events and more concerts. Tess and I actually had our wedding at the Bell Park and even though I'm bias, it was a really, really beautiful setting. The park is in a huge cottonwood grove with a view of Pikes Peak, a lodge pole band stand and a bar that we built under a tree with the limbs acting as a sort of roof. It's pretty cool. So needless to say, the concert was a blast and everyone had fun dancing the night away and hanging out around the bonfire.

The very first, groundbreaking band was Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans. The band was just nominated as 2010 AMA Emerging Artist of the Year, were recently signed by New West Records who are home to Kris Kristofferson, John Hiatt, Steve Earle, were the producers of the Crazy Heart soundtrack and many more and they just played at the Olympics in Vancouver. They are a band on the rise and really put on an amazing live show.

We're excited to have many more concerts to come and if you didn't make it you can click here to see a clip of Corb and the band playing and you can click here to be invited to future concerts and events.

If you have a chance, listen to some more Corb and start supporting some rocking music that's as clever lyrically as it is with the band setup and unique sound they put out.

The Green Fire Film Project

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We just learned about The Green Fire Film Project which when finished, will be an hour-long film celebrating the life and legacy of Aldo Leopold. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Leopold is considered by many to have been one of the first people with a "green conscience." During his time, he worked extensively with US wilderness systems and today, through his writings and work, continues to inform and inspire people to live alertly and as part of the larger global "community." Take a look at the Green Fire video this far: CLICK HERE.

Bottle Feeding

Asta R. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We have 2 little bull calves living at the corrals right now that we are bottle feeding. They are adorable and love attention! Demetrius (not pictured) has been in for a couple weeks now- I found him while we were moving yearlings. He had been orphaned and was happy to get a ride in the front seat of the pick-up and a big bottle when we got in. He loves to suck on fingers and kiss your face! Edward is our latest addition- he was found yesterday while moving the yearlings. Our very observant guests, Yve and Ali, saw him laying by a brush. Carlos, Yve, and Ali went out to pick him up and gave him his first bottle- he also took to it very easily. He happens to be a very unique looking calf too! This picture is Ali and Yve giving him his morning bottle today- a very grateful little calf. Thanks to Yve, Ali, Julie, and Rosemary for all their help with cattle work this week- it sure has been a busy week. We are all off to brand at the Chico tomorrow!

Big Crowd

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

The bison have been gathering in big, impressive herds lately, which has been fun to see. It seems like the individual characteristics and mannerisms become magnified in these big herds because of all the wallowing in the dirt, playing around etc. is being seen on such a larger scale. The whole herd kind of brings the field to life with some eating and swooshing their tails, some playing and some wallowing pushing big dust clouds into the air. So you can imagine a few hundred of these instances making a pretty cool spectacle.

This picture is of a big herd in a field just north of the old Medano headquarters. The grass is a really pretty, deep green and all of the vegetation has been beautiful lately. You can even see sporadic green patches in the mountains from little meadows and grassy areas.

Summer is Around the Corner...

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

One of the coolest thing about the living on the ranch is watching the seasons change. Spring brings color and birth for plants and animals alike and Summer enhances this color and fosters growth. Fall tints the landscape golden, closes out the peak of our guest season and gives way to Winter, which offers moisture and rest. It's a healthy cycle. I took this picture last week while out with a tour. The bison are shedding their winter coats, revealing their grey undercoat which gets lighter as the summer progresses.

The wild irises that blanket the Medano come out with the end of spring, and have just passed their prime. Stay tuned for a picture of them next.

Branding Day Oysters

David L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We had our big branding of the year this week and several guests shared the experience with us. We branded about 150 calves in all and it took about 4 hours. The weather was beautiful, finally spring-like, and there were a lot of firsts for everyone.

In particular, The Beaufils, our guests from France, had several firsts. Most notable was Hugh, who had his first rocky mountain oyster, specially prepared on the branding iron stove. Here is a video of Hugh eating his hot- off-the-grill oyster.

Click Here to watch the video

March 10, 2010: Bobcat

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Last weekend when we were driving over to the Medano with a group here for the Crane Workshop, a bobcat ran across Hwy-150 right below the lodge. This is a picture of one taken last year-- the one we saw this weekend disappeared immediately after it ran across the road an into the ditch.

March 2, 2010: Drive up to the Lodge

Tess L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Here is a great picture taken this morning on the way up to the lodge. We have been getting quite a few little snows lately so the mountains are freshly covered.
Zapata Ranch

Thursday, October 29: Our First Snow of the Season!

Tess P. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Last night after dinner, David and I stayed at the lodge and played a couple of games of cribbage with our guests, Susan and Jim, from New Jersey. We had a great Mahi Mahi and vegetable dinner from Mike, and enjoyed it to the warmth of a huge fire in the fireplace. When we left about 9:30, we joked about how Jim and Susan were going to have a cold snowy ride today and sure enough, as we opened the door, we were greeted by a a blizzard.

Below is a picture I took at sunset yesterday, before the storm had hit. Half of the dunes were iced with snow, while the other half looked like it was still summertime. I love how this sunset is fall-inspired and then you look under it at the mountains an it's full on wintertime. The sunsets here inspire all to hobby-photography.

And the snow continued through the night, too. We woke-up to a white world: 6 inches of snow and not a ray of sun penetrating the clouds. The snow just picked up again about 30 minutes ago, I'm thinking about making some soup for lunch to celebrate the onset of winter.

Jeff stopped by this morning en route to round up a few lone bison. He's busy preparing for our annual bison processing which takes place next week. To do this, he and Carla, our intern from Germany, and Blake round-up all of the bison on big wheel motorcycles and with trucks. It's a daunting task, and they tell us so. But I also think that they look forward to it all year. This year we're going to have a huge crew helping us-- over 20, which will be fun for all.

Check back tomorrow for pictures of our new white world!

Thursday, Oct 01, 2009

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Here are a few photos from last week.

Anne from France via Washington DC took this one of the girls and their babies on the move to the Elk pasture.

TNC's very own, Audrey, shot Dan working yearlings. As you can see, Poke is eagerly watching from the gate. Although sometimes Poke gets a little too eager when Dan is working cattle.

Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009

Regin F. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Boy, the wind is blowing hard today. I would guess that it is 30 mph sustained and over 40 mph gusts. Dan and Jeff are out moving some yearlings to get them ready to ship on Saturday. I feel sorry for them.

We have a photography workshop arriving today and will be here until Sunday. It is always fun to hang around in the evenings while everyone is showing off their new prizes. Becasue we are in the midst of fall colors there should be some spectacular ones.

Sunday, Sep 27, 2009

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Oh, I forgot to tell you that Fall is in the Air! This week Mt. Blanca and Crestone Peak got their fair share of snow on top. Both are over 14,000 feet and snow capped now. Even Little Bear had a dusting one morning which is just over 13,000. We haven't had any white stuff here on the valley floor at headquarters...yet! Today it is over 70 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. A perfect fall day!

Sunday, Sep 27, 2009

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Dan and I went out to check on the mares a few days ago. Here they are so curious and cute!

Sunday, Sep 27, 2009

Dan L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Maryanne finally popped!

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009

Regin F. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

We had an extra special treat last Friday. We got to brand 30 head of calves that were left over from our annual spring branding. As you all know, branding is my favorite event with cattle work. Becasue the calves were bigger than in the spring we headed and heeled them. I had a good day of roping but I had more fun helping everyone on the ground. Here is a snapshot of what that looks like. Feebe is taking pictures, I am kneeling on the calf, Mona is casterating, Cerena is holding the calf down and Sabine is giving the shot. Guests not shown here are: Emma, Willy, Daniel, Hugo, Jenny and Patricia. We also had fun with Franz, a German travel photographer. Thanks everyone for all the fun.

Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009

Regin F. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

I was reading the last few postings made by Adrienne and I had to add that the day we spent driving the horses home was truely fabulous. Here is a picture of the event. This is my oldest son Blayden leading the herd.

We have been spending a lot of time horseback this week; driving steers to their new pasture, sightseeing in the mountains and riding young horses. I have been riding two mares this summer; Cindy and Kitten, and both of them are doing very well. I hope that this fall I can graduate them to the Hackamore. This graduation follows in the footsteps of the Great Basin Buckaroos who learned from the Spanish Vaqueros. The goal is to eventually have a horse "straight up" in the bridle, or spade bit. This process takes numerous years and lots of time invested in understanding each horse seperately. So far, I have been riding Cindy and Kitten for about a year and a half in the snaffle bit and if we progress at the same pace it will be another four to five years before they are in the bridle. The process is very long but rewarding beyond imagination when it is realized. If you get a chance to come visit us, ask about this style of horsemanship. We love to share!

Friday, Aug 28, 2009

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

For the last week nearly a dozen of our horses have been grazing on a few hundred acres on the Medano side of the ranch. There is lots of grass over there and whenever possible we kick ponies out in a pasture near the bison barn. The trip back and forth in a trailer can be monotonous - each time we discuss trailing the horses across the open desert rather than use a truck and trailer.

This week all our dreams came true. Dan, Regin and his two boys, Blayden and Waylon, and myself trotted across the West pasture to pick our route. Then crossed Lane 6 headed for the trees in the distance, knowing the horses were a little to the east. As the crow flies, or a horse trots, it is only 6 miles from Zapata headquarters to the Medano headquarters. But it felt further without any fences or roads to gauge distance.

At straight up noon we had the horses sorted and were ready to kick open the gate. Regin turned to his boys and said "Stay in the back with me and we'll drive 'em. This may get a little western." The boys grinned, preparing for the most exciting day horseback ever! The corral gate opened, the horses were now in the bison pasture - a mear 40,000 acres. Dan took the lead at a trot, I hazed the herd into a straight line and the Fletchers were riding drag. The horses lined out and headed for home. The entire drive went off without a fluke - as if it had been done a thousand times. The herd waited patiently at gates, trailed in a line across open country, trotted through belly high grass, made their way home.

It was a sight to see! What a great day in the saddle...

Sorting bulls at dawn

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Early one morning not too long ago Jeff, Dan and I headed out from the corrals just before sun up. Our mission was to sort the bulls off the cows because their job should be done for the year; now it is time for them to relax and graze. As we trotted out to the Pure Bred meadow the sun was just coming over Mt. Blanca. It was a magnificent sight - cattle on green grass, a small herd of elk in the distance. Dan and I rode two of our new horses - first ride outside of the roundpen. For as long as I ride those horses I will remember the beauty of that morning.

Wednesday, Aug 12, 2009

Regin F. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

I was driving home the other evening and I saw a doe deer cross the road. Naturally I slowed down but to my suprise two twin fawn's followed their mother. They were very young, still had their spots. That is the first set of twins that I have ever seen. Nature is amazing.

Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009

Adrienne L. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

The last few days I have been diligently sitting in front of my computer. Taking reservations, planning events for next year, running month end reports...learning the ropes. Although there is a very organized and analytical side of me, I equally ache to be outside and active. The balance between the two keeps me sane. After a solid day inside I headed over to the corrals, donned my boots and grabbed a horse. It was the perfect way to spend my day, inside and out.

Sunday, Aug 02, 2009

Kat W. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:58 -0700

Every guest here at the ranch is special. On occasion one stands out above the rest and just warms your heart. This special guest is 5 years old, his name is Shane. During dinner he was focused on drawing pictures in his little tablet. When I asked him about it, gets up from his chair and walks over to give me this drawing of a kiva. Shane and his family had been to Mesa Verde National park earlier in the day. Then he is looks intently around the room and few minutes later comes over to me with a drawing of the rifle which hangs above the fireplace, and a picture of his family. After another quick look around the room, he goes back to his tablet and in just minutes I receive this drawing of a kachina that sits on the cupboard.

Shane, thank you, for sharing your drawings with me.