On Saturday, July 3, we had our annual branding on Winchester Ranch. Our ranch manager, Colter, planned for the day for three months prior. Cattle were moved over and over in anticipation of the week of branding. On Monday of branding week, Colter and his Dad brought a load of corral panels over and set them up in the Schilling corral. On Tuesday of branding week, Colter and eight more cowboys, including Papa, rode from our house across the ranch to push the cows toward Schilling corral. On Wednesday, Papa and Colter gathered new mother cows and calves from the pastures nearest our house and pushed them toward Schilling.
Thursday was a day off. On Friday, Papa rode Pablo and Oscar with Mel, a friend who came for branding, and checked the cows. Saturday morning, July 3, we were up by 4 a.m. Papa saddled Oscar and was ready to go by 5:30. Colter and Papa, along with eight more cowboys got together before 6 and rode off toward Schilling.
By 7:30, they had gathered over 100 mother cows and calves. They heated branding irons and began branding, castrating, and ear marking by 9. Ninety seven calves were branded by 11 a.m. All children had an opportunity to participate, and the weather was perfect. It was a good branding!
All the cowboys and their families came to our house after the branding for dinner. I had prepared a picnic of barbecue pork sandwiches, herbed chicken, slaw, potato salad, baked beans, watermelon slices, and carrot and Italian cream cakes for dessert. We had a wonderful day!
