From the Banks of Brown Creek - Summer, 2007 Please click on images to enlarge
We have been enjoying a great summer here at the ranch with our family and our guests this year. We have had an usually warm summer this year and unfortunately a lack of rain which has been a bit difficult to deal with but I’ve managed to keep the grass green around the yards and the garden is still blooming. We were able to get our hay off in excellent shape, we did get two cuts this year as it’s under irrigation.
The boys wrapped their 4H year with two really nice calves and although they did not place on Achievement Day they learned a lot and had an enjoyable year. Chloe also wrapped her first year in Highland Dance, she loves it and we will be back again for more lessons when school starts. Holly has learned to ride a two wheeled bike! She just jumped on and went!! She has been riding all over the place. The kids also spent a few days at the neighbor’s house and did a lot of riding while they were there. Chloe spent some time on the barrels and Chancey did some roping and Holly also rode and loves it! Thank you to Karli and Kati for inspiring that love for riding, now she wants to ride ALL the time. Poor Awesome (our family horse), he just thought he was “retired”! Ty has been working most of the summer both here and in Calgary. He has enjoyed working in a heavy duty mechanic shop and has worked on a local ranch doing ranch chores and repair work.
Thank you to our guests who have visited us so far we have enjoyed your company and are looking forward to meeting our September guests as well. I’m hoping to keep in touch with you all at least a line here and there, it would be great to hear from you from time to time.
Our family is doing well and we have enjoyed a getaway or two this summer which doesn’t usually happen for us so it was really great! We were invited to go to the Calgary Stampede grounds this year and spend some time at the Alberta Beef Producers booth. It was a great time and we had the opportunity to talk to people from all over the world about Alberta Beef! We got to hand out stickers, tattoos and even “brand” some passersby! It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed meeting more people from Alberta Beef Producers as well as the RancHer’s, that was very exciting. Thank you again to the Alberta Beef Producers for inviting us up to spend some time with you it was great!
We were also invited to go to Nova Scotia this year and attend the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Convention which was held in Halifax. We were nominated for the National Environmental Stewardship Award. There were 4 provincial winners there who were also nominated for this amazing award. The convention was held on August 15, 2007 so we had the chance to go for 3 days and meet many more people who work hard to keep cattle moving across the country and the border. Brian and I were announced as the National winner on August 15, 2007 at the convention and are so very pleased to bring this great award home to Alberta! We certainly did not think we would go any further than the provincial award and were very pleased and surprised to hear our names called out. What an honor it is create this history for Brown Creek Ranch and our family. Thank you the Alberta Beef Producers for nominating us for this National Award and thank you to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association for this award, we are extremely honored. We have received a beautiful painting which was painted by a local artist in Halifax and we are proudly displaying it in our home. It is both an honor and a pleasure to be able to live here and raise our children as well as produce healthy food in a safe and clean environment. We are happy to have the opportunity to share this way of life and to show our guests where cattle start.
Amanda Homans as well as Brian and I held an Open Barn style bar-b-que for our bull sale customers and other guests the day after we arrived home from Nova Scotia. It was a lot of fun sharing our award with everyone who came that day. Everyone had a look at the bull calves and their mother’s and then joined in for a Texas style bar-b-que which consisted of brisket, beans, salads, home-made bread and strawberry pies for dessert. Afterwards we all grabbed a chair and settled in to listen to Charlie Ewing sings a few tunes and pick his guitar. Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to come out and spend the day with us it was great to see you. It was a great evening and although we were tired it was well worth it, we were still floating and the smiles have not left our faces yet! Our bull sale will be held in February 2008.
The kids are getting geared up for school again, can’t believe the summer is nearly gone but it has been a good one, one we’ll never forget. We’re preparing for a visit from my Mom and Aunt Susan as well as our guests. The gather will start soon for the cattle from summer pastures and it will soon be time to market our calves, there is lots of optimism in the market, hope it goes well.
Thank you for reading and we wish you all a great fall, we’ll be in touch again soon with more photos as well.
We have been enjoying a great summer here at the ranch with our family and our guests this year. We have had an usually warm summer this year and unfortunately a lack of rain which has been a bit difficult to deal with but I’ve managed to keep the grass green around the yards and the garden is still blooming. We were able to get our hay off in excellent shape, we did get two cuts this year as it’s under irrigation.
The boys wrapped their 4H year with two really nice calves and although they did not place on Achievement Day they learned a lot and had an enjoyable year. Chloe also wrapped her first year in Highland Dance, she loves it and we will be back again for more lessons when school starts. Holly has learned to ride a two wheeled bike! She just jumped on and went!! She has been riding all over the place. The kids also spent a few days at the neighbor’s house and did a lot of riding while they were there. Chloe spent some time on the barrels and Chancey did some roping and Holly also rode and loves it! Thank you to Karli and Kati for inspiring that love for riding, now she wants to ride ALL the time. 
Poor Awesome (our family horse), he just thought he was “retired”! Ty has been working most of the summer both here and in Calgary. He has enjoyed working in a heavy duty mechanic shop and has worked on a local ranch doing ranch chores and repair work. 
Our family is doing well and we have enjoyed a getaway or two this summer which doesn’t usually happen for us so it was really great! We were invited to go to the Calgary Stampede grounds this year and spend some time at the Alberta Beef Producers booth. It was a great time and we had the opportunity to talk to people from all over the world about Alberta Beef! We got to hand out stickers, tattoos and even “brand” some passersby! It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed meeting more people from Alberta Beef Producers as well as the RancHer’s, that was very exciting. Thank you again to the Alberta Beef Producers for inviting us up to spend some time with you it was great!
What an honor it is create this history for Brown Creek Ranch and our family. Thank you the Alberta Beef Producers for nominating us for this National Award and thank you to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association for this award, we are extremely honored. We have received a beautiful painting which was painted by a local artist in Halifax and we are proudly displaying it in our home. It is both an honor and a pleasure to be able to live here and raise our children as well as produce healthy food in a safe and clean environment. We are happy to have the opportunity to share this way of life and to show our guests where cattle start.
Everyone had a look at the bull calves and their mother’s and then joined in for a Texas style bar-b-que which consisted of brisket, beans, salads, home-made bread and strawberry pies for dessert. Afterwards we all grabbed a chair and settled in to listen to Charlie Ewing sings a few tunes and pick his guitar. Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to come out and spend the day with us it was great to see you. It was a great evening and although we were tired it was well worth it, we were still floating and the smiles have not left our faces yet! Our bull sale will be held in February 2008.
The kids are getting geared up for school again, can’t believe the summer is nearly gone but it has been a good one, one we’ll never forget. We’re preparing for a visit from my Mom and Aunt Susan as well as our guests. The gather will start soon for the cattle from summer pastures and it will soon be time to market our calves, there is lots of optimism in the market, hope it goes well.
