Greetings,
June 9, 2011 – Julesburg Colorado to Rush Creek Ranch Nebraska – Today we rode to the historic Rush Creek Ranch in SW Nebraska. The Rush Creek Ranch is a large cattle and horse operation that dates from the late 1800s. The ranch was acquired by a Chicago banking family when the bank repossessed some cattle. After the repossession, the bank sent some family members to take ownership of the cattle. The family members looked for some place to winter the cattle and the Rush Creek Ranch was formed on the south side of the North Platte River near Lisco Nebraska. Today Rush Creek is one of the largest ranches in Nebraska and the ranch is known for its ranch-bred Arabian horses. The ranch is so large that the ranch cowboys have traditionally used Arabian horses for the cattle work. The horses that lack sufficient "cow sense" are sold and today the Rush Creek Arabians have well-deserved reputations as outstanding endurance horses.
On our way here, we stopped in Chattel Nebraska for some groceries. Chattel seems to be a small, but enduring railroad and farming center on the Union Pacific main line. The population of the town is under a thousand. I ended up talking with Randy S who owns a local bar and restaurant as well as a construction business. The bar is in an old bank and Randy mentioned that he would like to sell the bar business and that I could acquire the bar, restaurant, fully-furnished, fully stocked, and building for well under $100,000 – very different from Boise prices. Cindy and I shared an omelet in a small but well-run restaurant just down the street, and then drove to the halfway point.
We both planned to ride the second twenty-five miles into camp and we arranged for a member of another crew to drive the van. We saddled up in a light rain storm and left on the trail. The first twelve miles were farm roads. On the way, we met Michael W who is a certified organic farmer. Michael farms about five sections and his neighbor, also an organic famer farms another four sections or so. Together, they farm about 5,000 acres. Michael grows wheat and other grains and he has contracts with Kellogg and Kashi foods. His neighbor had planted peas and was plowing the peas into the soil to add nitrogen rather than using chemicals.
We then rode the trails into the Rush Creek Ranch. The flat prairie gave way to a nice creek valley as we rode down into the North Platte drainage through the ranch holdings. It was very good to be back on trails after several weeks of riding on roads. Along the way, we met a ranch cowboy who was very interested in my brand – the Rocking LT. Brands are registered by state and it seems as if his wife owns the Nebraska Rocking LT. It was an interesting coincidence that led to a nice conversation.
Cindy rode Frank and as usual, Frank was a pulling, rooting, head tossing son of a gun. I rode Whiskey on a very light rein. I never thought I would hear the words, but Cindy asked to ride Whiskey the next time.
Tonight we are camped in the cottonwoods along Rush Creek and the ride is taking a layover day tomorrow (Friday).
Best Regards,
Tom N
June 9, 2011 – Julesburg Colorado to Rush Creek Ranch Nebraska – Today we rode to the historic Rush Creek Ranch in SW Nebraska. The Rush Creek Ranch is a large cattle and horse operation that dates from the late 1800s. The ranch was acquired by a Chicago banking family when the bank repossessed some cattle. After the repossession, the bank sent some family members to take ownership of the cattle. The family members looked for some place to winter the cattle and the Rush Creek Ranch was formed on the south side of the North Platte River near Lisco Nebraska. Today Rush Creek is one of the largest ranches in Nebraska and the ranch is known for its ranch-bred Arabian horses. The ranch is so large that the ranch cowboys have traditionally used Arabian horses for the cattle work. The horses that lack sufficient "cow sense" are sold and today the Rush Creek Arabians have well-deserved reputations as outstanding endurance horses.
On our way here, we stopped in Chattel Nebraska for some groceries. Chattel seems to be a small, but enduring railroad and farming center on the Union Pacific main line. The population of the town is under a thousand. I ended up talking with Randy S who owns a local bar and restaurant as well as a construction business. The bar is in an old bank and Randy mentioned that he would like to sell the bar business and that I could acquire the bar, restaurant, fully-furnished, fully stocked, and building for well under $100,000 – very different from Boise prices. Cindy and I shared an omelet in a small but well-run restaurant just down the street, and then drove to the halfway point.
We both planned to ride the second twenty-five miles into camp and we arranged for a member of another crew to drive the van. We saddled up in a light rain storm and left on the trail. The first twelve miles were farm roads. On the way, we met Michael W who is a certified organic farmer. Michael farms about five sections and his neighbor, also an organic famer farms another four sections or so. Together, they farm about 5,000 acres. Michael grows wheat and other grains and he has contracts with Kellogg and Kashi foods. His neighbor had planted peas and was plowing the peas into the soil to add nitrogen rather than using chemicals.
We then rode the trails into the Rush Creek Ranch. The flat prairie gave way to a nice creek valley as we rode down into the North Platte drainage through the ranch holdings. It was very good to be back on trails after several weeks of riding on roads. Along the way, we met a ranch cowboy who was very interested in my brand – the Rocking LT. Brands are registered by state and it seems as if his wife owns the Nebraska Rocking LT. It was an interesting coincidence that led to a nice conversation.
Cindy rode Frank and as usual, Frank was a pulling, rooting, head tossing son of a gun. I rode Whiskey on a very light rein. I never thought I would hear the words, but Cindy asked to ride Whiskey the next time.
Tonight we are camped in the cottonwoods along Rush Creek and the ride is taking a layover day tomorrow (Friday).
Best Regards,
Tom N
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