Davis Ranch

Ok... This weekend we had a blast at Dan Davis's Ranch. Scott went Antelope hunting on his land and they just kinda clicked. Next thing we know he invited us all down to the Ranch to work. Of course... this for us was play cause we don't do it for a living. We are defiantly thinking of switching now. He owns somewhere around 10,000 Acres in Redig, South Dakota and it was once owned by the Clanton's. You know... The guys on the Tombstone movie! There are several Indian grave sites there also.

Okay... I could go on forever about this trip and it's fun times so I'll attempt to keep it short. (My 400 pics are a testament to the fun.)

Day 1 included us leaving not near as early as Scott would have liked. (Morning sickness, lack of Pull-ups and breakfast were the culprit.) About 10 miles from Dan's home we notice the Yukon is fish tailing slightly (on the about 30 mins of dirt road driving off a highway in the middle of definite no cell coverage area.) Funny... the drive up I mentioned needing new tires and 2 miles away from our destination we get a flat. So Scott starts walking... another rancher notices the strange tire marks and comes to our rescue when Scott's about 200 yards away. we get the flat of which has a 2 inch rock lodge into it! The spare won't come off. The rancher goes to get Dan who takes the kids and I back to the house where they entertain Barb (Dan's totally awesome girlfriend) by playing with a basket of dog balls and some drink coasters until they get the good spare on.

Then it's off to feed the cows! It doesn't take long to round them up. They hear the horn and just stare at us thinking, "Why are you on that hill when we obviously are over here cause this is where you usually feed us." When we reach the correct hill we hop out of the trucks to hand feed for a while and meet the cows. (#5 is a pig and will eat it out of your mouth!) Their tongues are so long. I'm not sure if the kids liked feeding them by hand more or sitting in the feeder and seeing how many cakes the could peg at a cow. They were so funny. We also learned if you pull a cows tail it takes off running! (My pics of that didn't turn out. Going to fast!)

Then it's off to the new mommy ewes and their little lambs. The kids have fun chasing them, so Dan decides we need to round them up into the small barn and maybe the kids will catch one! The babies were soo funny! Tyton got really close a couple times, but wasn't sure where to grab. They got to ride one of the ewes. Sheep don't like being ridden. Tyton eventually worked up the courage to grab a lamb by the tail. We didn't think he would hold on, but man that kid has muscles! He planted his feet and leaned back!

Next was the chicken house! Aurora collected 5 eggs and Tyton got one. They were very protective of the eggs and insisted on carrying the pail back to the house. Barb helped the kids wash them. They kids had to pick of all the hay before the would let her rinse them. They were totally excited for breakfast the next morning. Aurora kept saying, "We are going to eat baby chickens!"

Aurora crashed that night, but Tyton wouldn't let Scott and I sleep at all. He kept asking if it was time to feed the cows again.. could he get some more eggs... are the baby lambs cold... can I go play with the dogs... He was asleep when I saw the sun coming up.

Day 2 was sheep shearing day! Scott got up at 8 to help Dan round up the sheep and set everything up. The shearers turn up around 9 and got started! The kids and I stayed at the house to finish fixing the lunch that Barb started, I made chili out of the dinner leftovers and got everything ready for people to come in for lunch. After lunch I packed the kids up in warm stuff and followed the shearers to the barn! The set up was cool.. Scott and son of one shearer moved sheep from a pen down an alley and Scott spanked them into the trailer. Lining the trailer on one wall is a little fence with pull down gates. A shearer grabs a sheep and goes to town. They average 3.5 minutes per sheep. When they are done they push the sheep out a trap door behind them where the sheep takes of running down a plank and the kids and I scared them out the barn. The wool the shearer kick out another trap door in front of them hidden under the fenced in sheep wall. Outside a lady and Barb grabbed the wool and put it in a machine that shoved the wool into a 450 Lb bail. It was loud. The kids liked chasing the naked sheep. Aurora was worried cause sometimes a sheep had a nick where the shearer wasn't holding the sheep tight enough and the sheep would wiggle. At the end they even let Scott shear the last one! Everyone was so nice and fun to be around. Aurora even rode a ewe up the alley!

After this Tyton crashed on the couch while they put the trailer away. we decided it was time to head home. Aurora cried and told Barb she was going to miss her. (Barb melted.) Barb and Dan were so great. I can't imagine two nicer, more accommodating people. We can't wait to see them again!