30 Days of Ranch Memories: Learning to Count

I mentioned in an earlier post I didn’t go to daycare, and I rarely went to a baby-sitter, with the exception of when I was really little or it was a super busy time on the ranch.  I was very fortunate to spend a lot of time with my dad.  And a lot of that time was spent feeding bulls, keeping them healthy and getting them ready for the annual sale down at the sale barn at Charles’ (less than a mile from our house).

When you are a young’un there is NOTHING cooler than being with your dad when he feeds those big ole horned Hereford bulls.  I think if the truth be told, I learned how to count on those bulls.  We bucket fed them in long bunks, and when I say we, I mean Dad.  I’d usually stand in the back of the pick up or sometimes get to ride on my dad’s shoulders and help him count.

I wish I’d had pictures of those bulls – all lined up eating.  But I don’t.  I do have some great some great memories with my dad – calling the bulls in his loud voice and beating on the pickup door to get them to gather up.   Oh, and there were no seat belts or car seats either. 

Sale time was always a fun and exciting time.  And although not a real “Ranch” memory, I was always excited for the Hereford field rep, Art Handle, to stop by.  He always had jokes and made me laugh.  Later, much later in life, I actually got to share a backdrop with Art at the SD Summer Show in Huron.  We got each other’s ears and had a few chuckles about that little girl who grew up to become a breed rep too!