Well Howdy, and Happy New Year, Wranglers!

It is so good to be back with you all. It has been a while! Someone once told me that “ if you don’t have something worthwhile to write, write nothing”. Since I love a good debate I found the last few years really challenging and thus chose not to engage. Yet riders also told me that they look forward to the positive that emanates most often from these pages, I can no longer resist to share some of the good things that are happening out here in Ontario’s Ranch Country

None of us will soon forget the Holiday Season this year. How lucky that the power stayed on in this part of beautiful Mulmur, the storm was remarkable. I marvel at the “ once in a generation” description, since those of us who remember the stories from our elders of "walking to school for four miles each way - everyday- no matter what the weather, and uphill both ways nonetheless" and I suddenly realize that these stories are more than a generation ago. Now an elder myself (what?), I can add to those stories by saying "in my youth(‘70s and ‘80s) we had a storm like that one every two weeks!!!” pointing to the green pastures. With the relentless winds, this was the first time we have had to open our arena to our herd in a very long time!

First calf was born yesterday, on cold ground after all the warmth and rain and melt since the storm. Weather so affects your daily life out here, this temp today of minus 6 is perfect for us. Clean, no mud, crisp to breath in, yet physical work keeps us warm and energized.

The horses are doing great, the milder season makes it easy for them to keep their weight up, fewer calories needed to stay warm and maintain themselves. Our hay is exceptionally good this year, reflecting the drier than usual summer. In this life everything is connected and results of decisions taken often don’t play out until a year or two later . Case in point, great hay should lead to healthier birth, quicker re-breeds, better cow condition, heavier calves and thus less work. Of course the opposite is equally true when we don’t make good hay, the pressure is always on. Yet we are “husbandry” people, we love taking care of creatures and all that that implies, focused to do our best, run a sustainable operation and we are proud to share that with all of you.

I bedded the bulls yesterday, put straw out for them to keep their testicles warm and thus in a productive state. We have four of those big guys, weighing in at about 2400 lbs. each. And as they were enjoying the new straw, at one point all four of them were head butting and kicking like a bull you might see at the rodeo, what a sight indeed, 9600 lbs in total, in full friendly flurry, all that weight and energy created by forage, cellulose if you wish, a diet you and I would starve on!

Super exciting in 2022 was that the Ranch was home to a major movie shoot, nothing we are allowed to discuss until it comes out hopefully in the early summer this year. Rawhide supplied many of the horses needed, the same horses you ride here when you visit, and you will undoubtedly recognize them in the show. We met great people throughout the shoot, Tara, Jeff, AR, Steve, Vince, the stunt guys, the catering staff, security and ‘runners’. All tried their best to take care of the land and its people, we are really grateful that they chose us.

We also had a great Grass Finished Beef season in 2022. We recently sent out an email (Jan 9) to our customers last week asking for their interest in ordering for this year. The requests for SIDEs and SPLITs have started to roll in. Overall, purchasing your beef this way is far less expensive than shopping the grocery stores. Thank you to all who support us! If you have never tried this or have any thoughts of allowing us to supply your family with our grass finished beef, please check out pvrbeef.ca. Email us at pvrbeef@gmail.com in order to ask more questions or get your name on our all-important List! We deliver in May, August and October.

Not long ago I was asked on a ride why do people wave at me when I drive out here? Well, it's like this, in “rural” anywhere folks acknowledge the other’s presence to be social, to recognize each other’s existence. Likely a DNA leftover from when humans had to ascertain if the other was friend or foe. Today it is still a fairly lonely life in “rural” everywhere and so you wave to stay connected, appreciate the others presence and just maybe stay on their good side, just in case you need each other for something, like a pull out of the ditch!

I am always amazed that folks say that they don’t know their neighbour, condo mates, whatever. I thought the last few years would have brought us closer together, and early on that seemed to be that way, yet now I feel somewhat more isolated and alone. So Strange.

NJ and I came through the the Carolinas in November. I bought some tools there and the fellow who helped me, after the sale, shook my hand and said: “I appreciate you”. That was very different for me, somewhat unexpectedly personal and made me feel different than the more normal "No Worries" or the forgotten “Thank you”. As time wore on I kept thinking about that and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

So, we all here, Dorothee, NJ and I, really do appreciate all of you, who support us by coming out to ride; board your horses with us; lease ours during the season; and those who enjoy our grass finished beef. We respect how hard you work for your money and we fully understand that without you, there would be no Rawhide and no Peace Valley Ranch.

Until Next Time... Happy Trails!

Crusty

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CONTACT US: Email: service@rawhide-adventures.on.ca Phone: 519-925-0152 Mailing Address: 638135 Prince of Wales Road Mulmur, Ontario, L9V 0C5