Winter 2014
~~fl~~~?~ Muriel's Christmas list, 1915: "Gold fish, pencil box, silver skates, Heidi, Elm Cove, Nellie's Home, Aesop's Fables, Andersen's Fairy Tales, furs, felt hat, sweater, handkerchief, spoon, cup and saucer; candy, bracelet, puzzle, gum, wash cloth, and cakes."
LAklMEk CaUNTY atEN $tACE$ tikANT Last year we told you about the Small Grants for Community Partnering from Larimer County. We received a $2,000 grant to help with the cost of installing a gravity fed water tank system on the south side of the ranch. The project aimed to provide three additional watering sources on a part of the ranch without close proximity to water. The goal was to provide more watering sources away from riparian areas to reduce impact in the riparian and encourage grazing in less used areas. After a setback with last year's flood we finished the waterline this fall' The project consisted of tying in pipe to an existing spring-fed stock tank to allow excess water to gravity fill three additional tanks over the span of 1 mile. To start, the line was surveyed and marked in order to maintain a consistent declining grade. This ensured the water would flow through the line with gravity. Then, the line was ditched and the pipe was laid. Three spots were leveled to set tanks, and the pipe was connected to allow water to fill each tank and then continue down to the next tank. Lastly, the main spring was re-dug to improve water flow and rails were put around tanks to prevent damage to the system from livestock. The test of the waterline proved successful, filling all the tanks on the line. Although the line had to be drained for winter, we are excited to see this r----------,,-;.c.:-------, project in action next spring.
THE fLtltI~: tiNE YEAk LATEk It has now been over a year since the big flood, but we are still experiencing its effects on the ranch. During the flood the water came out of the banks of the Black Canyon Creek and flooded parts of our hay meadow. This past spring new seed was drilled into the worst areas, but it will take another growing season to reap the benefits of the new grass. Therefore this year we saw a large decline in our hay production. We were able to put up 2,800 bales, which is enough to feed our livestock through the winter, but on a wet year like this we should have seen around 4,500-5,000 bales. Although we have cleaned up and repaired a lot of the flood damage, there is still a lot of work to be done. Trees swept down Black Canyon during the flood have been piled, but need to be limbed, moved, and sent to the mill so they can be turned into usable lumber. Piles of silt and rock still edge the banks of the creek which need to be spread out and moved around to provide water access for livestock. Although we still have a lot of work ahead of us we are taking it one step at a time and are grateful we didn't suffer worse damage.
VtlLUNTEEk THANK YtlU We want to thank all of our volunteers for another wonderful year! With over 50 volunteers at MacGregor Ranch, they truly make this place special and give us the ability to offer everything we do. Our volunteers serve as docents in the museum, assist visitors in the gift shop, teach activities at Heritage Camp, guide school groups, perform ranch work, and more! We always have opportunities for volunteers and welcome the specific skills you can bring us. Please call the ranch office at (970) 586-3749 for more information on volunteering at MacGregor Ranch.
One year after the flood, the Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center released Mountain Strong for Nonprofits to support the Estes Valley impacted by the 2013 flood. This online giving center provides users with information and videos of Estes Valley nonprofits, and allows donors to give directly to these organizations online. MacGregor Ranch is proud to be part of Mountain Strong for Nonprofits. You can access our page and video here at http://www.mtnstrongnonprofits.org/give/macgregor-ranch.This (re)Building online tool provides a great and easy way to donate to MacGregor Ranch! Together
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We finished another great summer with our attack on noxious weeds on the ranch. We are seeing a big improvement to the Canadaand musk thistle infestations. Cheatgrass was on our agenda this year, and we spent the spring and fall seasons spraying it with an herbicide called Plateau, which kills many invasive grasses, but does not damage good forage. Although cheatgrass presents a long and tough battle, the spread of this weed can be prevented or slowed by pulling, mowing or spraying every year. As part Bromus tectorum a.k.a of our noxious weed education, MacGregor Ranch takes part in the Estes Cheatgrass Land Stewardship Association (ELSA), a non-profit organization dedicated ..-----;:--------, to educating landowners about noxious weeds in the Estes Valley. Part of ELSA's services are providing site visits free of charge, in which an ELSA member will walk your property and provide you with information on any noxious weeds you might have. ELSA also puts on the annual Weed Roundup in July, where businesses and homeowners can bring bags of pulled weeds, enjoy snacks and learn more about noxious weeds. For contact information and other questions about noxious weeds visit www.elsainfo.org.
MUklEL L. MAC~kE~tlk $CHtlLAk$HIl>' Each year the Ranch awards the Muriel L. MacGregor Charitable Trust Scholarship to a college- bound graduate of Estes Park High School. This year we were proud to award the scholarship to Laura Fereday. Laura has been training hunter jumper horses for most of her life, with some of the horses she's trained going on to receive national awards in competition. Laura received a $4,000 scholarship to be awarded over 4 years. She is currently studying agriculture business at the University of Wyoming with plans to continue on to become an agriculture lawyer.
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We worked hard this year to revamp some of our gift shop items. Maude's Mercantile provides visitors with a blend of unique handmade products not found any- where else in Estes Park, along with MacGregor Ranch apparel and accessories. New to the gift shop this year are the redesigned "Recipes of MacGregor Ranch" cookbook, MacGregor Ranch t-shirts, camo hats with hunter orange trim, pink camo hats for ladies, a new style of coffee mug, and magnets. We also have 2015 MacGregor Ranch calendars available. These items can be purchased year round from the office and make great Christmas presents!
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ANtlTHEk ~kEAT HEkITA~E CAMl>' We had another fantastic year of Heritage Camp! We hosted three camps over the course of the summer with 38 campers attending. We were fortunate to have another great camp instructor from CSU and the Colorado Future Farmers of America officer team to help out for the three weeks. This year during camp the campers learned how to saddle a horse, cook on a wood burning stove, tool leather, rope a calf, milk a cow and more, all while learning about the MacGregor Family legacy and the importance of agriculture from past to present. We would like to thank the Estes Park Rotary Club for a $1,000 grant to provide scholarships to local children to attend camp. This year we were able to provide 8 scholarships, many which were given to families displaced or impacted by the 2013 flood. Heritage Camp provides an agriculture and history based experience for kids who have just completed 3rd-5th grade. Spots fill up quickly every year so please call to reserve a spot for next year. For more information call the ranch office at (970) 586-3749 or visit our website at www.macgregorranch.org/heritagecamp.
MU$EUM CtlLLECTltlN$: WtlkK IN l>'ktl~kE$$ Although we had to close a month early, we still had a wonderful summer season for the museum and Maude's Mercantile. We took advantage of the early closing to work on the museum collections. Did you know that we are striving to cat. alogue every item in the MacGregor Ranch collection? This process has been L going on for years and still has years to go. Every item is or will be inventoried; even things such as an opened envelope, a piece of scrap paper, an old glass bottle, etc. The inventory process starts with filling out a -------'' piece of paper describing details of the object. The object is then recorded in a master inventory book and cross-referenced with descriptive words. This allows us to search a file system for a word such as 'angus' and find everything in the MacGregor collection that has to do with 'angus'. Although this process is long and sometimes tedious, we have a great crew of volunteers that get together and work on items one by one. Another part of our work on collections this year involves work on preservation of the artifacts. We were fortunate to have Colorado Connecting to Collections visit the ranch to do a preservation survey, which provided vital information and ideas about preserving the MacGregor artifacts for years to come. This winter we will be working on putting foam boards up in the uninsulated attic of the museum, where many catalogued items are stored, to better regulate the temperature. ~j," ..... We also plan on cleaning up and inventorying the second room of the ., -J , . • . blacksmith shop. This room will be set up like Donald MacGregor's work.....,. .,.1 . shop with his work bench, horse harnesses and halters, and tools. In the f )$ future, visitors will be able to look in through the window and imagine Donald there working. Hope to see everyone for our 2015 season! ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥~~ :t\ ~\ ¥~~ :t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f:t\ ~\ ¥ ~f •
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KEEl>'IN~ YtlUk LIYE$TtlCK HEALTHY Taking preventative measures for livestock diseases is important to maintaining good herd health, but sometimes there isn't a way to prevent certain diseases from entering your herd. That's why it's also important to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and risk factors associated with common livestock diseases. As many of you know, the ranch was quarantined for a few months this summer because 3 of our horses contracted Vesicular Stomatitis (V.S). As a safety precaution we closed the ranch down to the public for the remainder of the summer/fall season. V.S. is a virus that primarily affects horses and cattle, with other types of livestock occasionally becoming infected. Although rare, humans can contract V.S. through exposure to an infected animal's saliva. In humans the virus causes flu-like symptoms. Outbreaks of V.S. occur periodically in the U.S., usually during warmer months. This year the V.S. outbreak has affected 3 states, starting in southeastern Texas and quickly moving into Colorado, with northern Colorado seeing the worst of the outbreak. Just this past month 1 case was diagnosed in Nebraska as the virus is still spreading with the mild weather. This virus can be fatal, but healthy animals usually make a full recovery. In infected livestock usually one of the first symptoms of V.S. is excessive salivation, followed by blister-like lesions appearing on the lips, gums or tongue. The lesions can spread to other areas like the coronary band on horses. These painful blisters can cause a reluctance to eat and drink so dehydration and malnourishment can occur, along with lameness due to blistering around hooves. Symptoms presented are similar to those of foot-and-mouth, a disease that has been eradicated from the U.S., so it is important to have a vet examine the animal if V.S. is suspected. The only way to positively diagnose the virus is through a blood test or swabs of the lesions. All the ways V.S. can spread is not fully understood, but insects and direct exposure to infected animals are factors. Once the disease is introduced to a herd, it can spread through livestock by contact with saliva or other fluids. There is no specific treatment or cure for V.S., although there are actions that can be taken to prevent the spread and assist infected animals with the healing process. If an infected animal is discovered, separate that animal into a corral or pen away from direct exposure to other animals. Keep the area clean to provide a sanitary area for the sick animal to heal; feed soft feeds such as beat pulp in place of hay if the mouth blisters are preventing the animal ~ $ == from eating. Anti-inflammatory medications can help to minimize swelling and pain so the animal will continue to eat and drink. Do not move any animals from the premises once the infected animal is discovered. When the animal has tested positive for V.S. the facility will be quarantined until 21 days after the lesions on the last infected animal have healed. The use of insecticide on insect-breeding areas on the property along with insecticidetreated ear tags or fly repellant can help prevent or reduce the spread of V.S. through a facility. Although there is no way to completely prevent livestock from contracting V.S., following the above listed steps can help reduce the chances of infection. Furthermore, if V.S. is suspected it is important to take immediate • '_'""w, , ,_" .• action to reduce the rate of infection and assist the animal in E1=;';~_:·O"';".'"'' i~S~;:;""""""t;::; the he~ling pr?cess. Visit. ~ww.e~t.colost?te.edu or call your local _______ ---'="'=c-="~.=,,.&=., .. c=.- extension office for cdditioncl informction. "2*:::: -_- -
Cumulative 2014 Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak Positive Premises
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kaA$T TUkKÂŁY ANÂť ENtiLI$H $TUffiNti From the MacGregor Family cookbook -Whole turkey, 8 Ibs. Dress, clean, stuff and truss an eight pound turkey. -Sour cream Spread with thick sour cream and let stand in ice box or -Salt cold place over night. Put on rack in dripping pan, sprinkle with salt and dredge with flour. Bake in moderate oven -Flour two and one-half hours, basting every fifteen minutes -1/2 c. butter, melted with one half cup butter melted in one half cup boiling -Cranberries and celery tips, water, and after this is used with fat in pan. Remove to for garnish hot platter and garnish with strings of cranberries and celery tips. Serve with brown gravy made from fat in pan. For the stuffing... Mix one cup stale bread crumbs, one cup rolled cracker crumbs, one third cup cold cooked ham, finely chopped and one third cup .melted butter. Season with one table~poon poultry seasoning, one half tablespoon salt and one eighth teaspoon pepper; then moisten with one and one-third cups scalded milk.
AUNT ANN'$ $tlUA$H t'IE -1 c. squash -1/2 c. sugar -2 c. milk -1 egg -Salt, to taste
-112 tsp. cinammon -112 tsp. nutmeg -112 tsp. ginger
-1 c. bread crumbs, stale -1 c. rolled cracker crumbs -113 c. cooked ham chopped -113 c. butter, mel;ed 1T It . ry - / . pou I seasoning -1 2 T. sa t -118 tsp. pepper -11/3 c. scalded milk
Beat together 112 cup sugar, 1 egg, 112 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to taste. Add 1 cup squash and 2 cups hot milk.
~I~ ytiU KNtlW7 Clara Heeney MacGregor was once engaged to Alva Adams. Alva and Clara both grew up in Black Earth, Wisconsin and became childhood friends attending school and church together. Clara carefully preserved the letters she received from Alva through their mostly distant relationship. The earliest letter kept dates back to December of 1866, with Alva writing to apologize for something that had passed while Clara was home on break from school. Through the years Alva continued to write lengthy letters confessing his love for Clara, and finally proposing to Clara at some point before her 19th birthday. Clara responded by saying she would not marry before the age of 21, but did give him some sort of commitment. At this time the Adams' family, most having fallen ill with tuberculosis, packed up and moved to Colorado to reap the benefits of the drier climate. Once in Colorado, Alva, an aspiring lawyer, changed his plans and instead purchased a lumber yard. Sometime in the winter or spring of 1872 Clara called off the engagement. Having only one side of the story through Alva's letters, Clara's reason for ending her relationship with Alva will never be known, but some guess she might have wanted more of her own independence as a women, a want Alva might have disagreed with. He and Clara did remain friends through the years, with Alva even giving her and Alexander a stained glass door as a house-warming gift. Alva Adams went on to serve as the 5th, 10th, and 14th governor of Colorado. ~\~!~\~\ ~t~!~I\~\ ~t~!~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\ ~t~\ ~I\~\
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tHkUUI4H tHE YEAk UN tHE kANCH
Muriel L. MacGregor Charitable Trust 1301 Clara Drive PO Box 4675 Estes Park CO 80517
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www.macgregorranch.org
Wi lIiam Van Horn, Chairman Gary Cleveland, Trustee Ken Morgan, Trustee Ed Kitchen, Trustee Dudley Mitchell, Trustee
970-586-3749 PHONE 970-586-1092 FAX
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office@macgregorranch.org
Brett Rasmussen,Ranch Foreman Shannon Clark, Office Manager
MacGregor Ranch PO Box 4675 Estes Park, CO 80517
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Your donation is very much appreciated in helping support the ongoing historic operations and youth programs of the MacGregor Ranch. We couldn't do it without your support. Thank you! $10 _
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EMAIL __ The Muriel L. MacGregor Trust is a 501 c (3) non-profit private operating foundation. PO Box 4675 Estes Park CO 80517