S T O R I E S

Stepping out of my pick-up truck, I was greeted by Cal, manager of a Wyoming ranch known as the NT Bar.
Dressed in a long-sleeve western style shirt, denim jeans, boots, and cowboy hat, this tall, stout individual looked like a cowboy one would expect to find at a ranch in central Wyoming.

I, on the other hand, was dressed in travel clothes: a white short-sleeve polo shirt, dark blue Adidas jogging pants, and white jogging shoes.

Cal and I shook hands as we introduced ourselves.

By the look on his face, I’m sure he was thinking: who is this city slicker green-horn that the ranch owners sent here to learn about starting a cow-calf operation?

I couldn’t help but think that Cal was chompin’ at the bit to put me to the test.

Before I had a chance to unload my pickup and get settled in my room at the ranch house, Cal escorted me to the barn. Inside we were greeted by a cow and her dead newborn calf. He dragged the dead calf out of the barn, pulled out his pocket knife, and proceeded to skin the calf.

To this true Cowboy’s amazement, I’m sure, I hunkered down beside him and began watching with intense interest.

Questioning him on why he was skinning this calf, Cal, in his soft-spoken voice, explained that he had an orphan calf in the pen just outside the barn, and “the skinned hide is going to be the orphan calf’s jacket.”

Within minutes, Cal had the calf skinned and cut a small slit lengthwise at each leg of the hide. He went in to the pen where the orphan calf was curiously watching us.

Catching the calf, Cal donned the “hand-me down” jacket on it, fitting each leg through the slits in the hide.

He then tied a couple of the calf’s legs together with a small rope.

As though he were baptizing this little creature, Cal wetted his hands with water and sprinkled the calf’s head with dried afterbirth from a bottle.

Now it was time to place the orphan calf, wearing his new hand-me-down jacket, in the barn with the cow.

Cal explained that the cow would be more likely to accept the orphan as hers, now that the calf had the look and smell of her own newborn.

He continued to explain that the reason for tying the calf’s legs was because the cow might be startled by the calf if it suddenly got up and ran around the barn after being so still...as the dead calf had been.

After a couple of hours, Cal removed the rope from the calf’s legs.

What a splendid sight to see the orphan calf get up and began to nurse.

The following day, Cal removed the jacket from the calf.

This green-horn was given a wonderful first experience in learning about starting up a cow-calf operation!

But best of all...an orphan calf with a “hand-me down” jacket, was given a second chance in life.

Mary Streed, green-horn
Elizabeth, CO