Ranch Food & Fodder

RANCH FOOD & FODDER by Deanna Dickinson McCall

We lived and ranched next to a branch of the Western Shoshone reservation in Nevada for over two decades. The family living there would sometimes bring my kids bummer lambs for Easter when they had more than they could handle. One year they brought my kids lambs painted with livestock paint sticks, to replicate Easter eggs. That’s a memory no one in my family will probably ever forget. Lambs with multi-colored designs drawn on them are still pretty rare, I bet.

The painted lambs gave us an idea last year to help keep calves straight. We ranch in common with two other owners. Our country here is rugged and rough, not an easy place to capture a calf and tag it for identification until it is time to actually trap them for branding and marking. Rounding them up, feeding them hay overnight and watching to see what calf nurses what cow is really not an option on this place. Besides the fact we’re getting older and really are not as spry as we once were. My husband now shoots calves with a paintball gun, with a different color for each owner. I thought it was crazy idea, you know, one of those men have to play games ideas. He was excited to try it, I was doubtful. But when I went to start a well some cows were there along with some of their calves with a colored spot on their sides. Then Dave showed up in the side-by-side, told me to watch and loaded his air pistol. He slowly drove around, shooting calves with the paint ball gun that were nursing their mothers, or showing other unmistakable signs of kinship, with the designated color. To me, Springtime brings dreamy visions of new calves and lambs, soft green grass, fresh air, and trees budding out. I can dream of that when it is blowing brown dirt instead. When I had a small flock of sheep it also often meant a bummer lamb or two following me around. Their antics would always bring a smile, especially when some became so attached to me they’d escape their pen and lay at the back door waiting for me to appear with another coke bottle of milk. With a kitchen sink surrounded by

PEDALING BULLS & REPLACEMENT HEIFERS IN NEW MEXICO

A Safe Private Treaty Environment

Select Your Bulls in Person various milk replacements and bottles for the dogied calves and the lambs, you knew winter had gone away for the most part.

I sometimes serve the following recipe for Easter, Mother’s Day or any spring or summer holiday or occasion. I’ve fixed it for other women, to remind them we are here for each other. Especially when men get crazy ideas like shooting paint ball guns at calves. It is an easy recipe but tastes and looks so special. It can easily be doubled by using a 13 inch by 9 inch pan, using your own crust.

Berry Cheesecake

For a 8 or 9 inch pie use:

1 graham cracker or cookie crust, homemade or store bought 11/4 cups of raspberries or blackberries 1/4 cup of raspberries or blackberries 2 packages of cream cheese, 8 oz each 1½ cups of sugar 2 eggs ½ TBS lemon juice

Bring cream cheese to room temperature with lemon juice and sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed, just until blended. Very gently stir in 11/4 cup of the berries. Pour over the prepared crust.

Bake at 325 degrees about 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Sprinkle remaining berries with a little sugar. Top with sweetened berries before serving. ▫

Villanueva •

Livestock Hauling w/Gooseneck Trailer

Call Bob, Kay or Mike Anderson

A Lazy 6 Angus at Blanco Canyon, HCR 72, Box 10, Ribera, NM 87560

Headquarters: 575/421-1809 Cells: 505/690-1191 • 505/660-2909 505-690-2024 Email alazy6ranch@yahoo.com for catalog

D V E RT I S E

in the New Mexico Stockman. Call: 505/243-9515.