This year’s cattle gather was the first we had done without horses in my time at Saguaro Juniper, and I wasn’t entirely sure how it would go. I was optimistic, as the cows are used to following the little pickup for hay, and they move on foot with us between pastures in the summer; but I also know enough to expect the unexpected anytime cows are involved.

We told the herd to be at the Upper Drinker at 7:00 a.m. on May 31st, but when we arrived we were disappointed to find only Myj had listened. There she was, waiting patiently all by herself for the hay she had been promised. Luckily, we were able to rustle up the other half the herd with a little walking and whistling to the east, including the two newest calves, who were my main concern because of how skittery they had been around people. So off we went at a good clip down the wash toward El Potrero like Santa’s sleigh during reindeer season, only with the herd trailed out behind the truck instead of in front, and the on-foot team jogging along with them. To my surprise, those calves ended up being two of the best little travelers, staying tight on their mamas, and trotting all the way down and into the unfamiliar corral like they were born knowing how to do this–literally, since one of them is only about a week old!

Cutest Calf Award: “Crumb”–just one week old

The hard part ended up being the second group. Charlie had heard the other cows in the distance, so we went right back to the Upper Drinker after delivering the first group to El Potrero and found almost all the rest of the herd (minus 3 animals) at the drinker. After calling for awhile, we decided to go ahead and bring them down and get the others later. This group included the matriarchs–Mycha and Two Too–and they were none-too-sure-they-wanted-to-walk-that-far-at-that-time-of-day, thank-you-very-much, and had the “status” to let us know that there really wasn’t much we could do to budge them if they didn’t want to be budged.  Lisa, Gail, and Lynn had the truly difficult job in the back of coaxing those two along–pushing, pulling, offering hay, sometimes moving just a step at a time, while we watched the snails go racing past. 

Just a little farther………like about a half a mile!

I’ll push if you’ll pull

Not that way!!!

But eventually everyone got into the corral, all the adult cows got their dose of Eprinex, and the four loads of animals who weren’t staying at El Potrero were trailered down to Masons. The truck and trailer felt surprisingly sound this year after some recent welding and a new battery. I do not miss the fun of the door falling off the side of the trailer half way through the afternoon!

Back at the corral

The three animals left out on range were Red Red and her yearling calf M.R. and Myj’s yearling calf Myjic.  Two days later we found Myjic’s tracks alone at the Lower Drinker. When we went up to check the Upper Drinker there were Red Red and M.R. at the gate waiting to come down but no Myjic in sight. After a little hemming and hawing, Raquel and I decided to get a few helpers to walk those two down and worry about Myjic later. It was starting to heat up by the time we were ready, and the trip was a little halting at times, but Red Red followed (literally) in the footsteps from the cows two days before, with M.R. tight on her tail the whole way. 

The rest of the day, I worried about Myjic out there all by her lonesome, and the more I thought about her the smaller she got and the more pitiful she looked in my imagination, moping about wondering where everyone else had gone, or fleeing from hungry mountain lions. That evening, though, when we drove up to the Upper Drinker, there she was calm as a cucumber, practically a full-grown cow, just waiting for someone to come give her a ride! We put her into a little holding corral, went back and brought the truck and trailer up, and she rode down to El Potrero in style.

Last cow down: Tom, Raquel and Katie with Myjic

As always with this annual event, this is one of those time the “Community” in being a Community Ranch is so important. Woody created a beautiful line of cars at El Potrero to direct the cows right into the corral. Sue, Carl, Casey, Jimmy, and Elna helped direct traffic on the road and keep animals going in the right direction at El Potrero. Tom T drove the hay truck with Charlie in the back doling out enticing handfuls of hay at appropriate intervals. And Lisa, Gail, Lynn, Raquel and I ran around with the cows on foot. We learned a lot, had fun, and are relieved to see everyone safely in their summer homes.

Some of the early morning helpers in front of Woody’s car fence

Thanks to Sue Newman and Tom Talbott for the photos in this post.