IN THIS ISSUE BUYINGbyLOCAL MEAT Kylee Taylor GUZZLERS-Water For Wildlife by Steve Gray
THE POWER OF NO by Mandy Whipple
HOT BREW FOR WILDLAND FIRE by Pat Sovern
DESSERT RECIPE by Phillip Kitts OTHER ITEMS
BULL RIDING HALL OF FAME PBR RECAP PCRA RECAP BUCKING CRAZY
STAFF Phillip Kitts - Manager Heidi Kitts - Operations Steve Gray - Design Betty Simpson - Editor
WRITERS Phillip Kitts Steve Gray Mandy Whipple Kylee Taylor Pat Sovern
PHOTOGRAPHERS Phillip Kitts Steve Gray
Cover photo & design by Steve Steve Gray
The importance of buying local meat from local ranchers and producers. Every year thousands of kids across the country raise show animals like lambs, hogs, steers, and goats. They train and care for these animals to be able compete in shows near and far. They work tirelessly to prepare the best animal possible for the competition. 2020 was certainly heart breaking for these young competitors as several shows were canceled, which in turn caused auctions to be canceled. Young showmen depend on these auctions to sell their animals. A canceled auction puts them in the negative for what it costs to raise the animal. Oddly enough, due to COVID-19, there has been a spike in meat prices and it has been harder to find at your local grocery stores. Throughout the summer months the price of meat spiked and people panicked. Consumers were buying meat in bulk and many processing plants were halted on production or significantly reduced. This caused the supply to go down, while the demand was very high. In reality there was never really a meat shortage, there was only a shortage in the way the meat was being made available to consumers. People were scared because meat was disappearing quickly off the shelves. However a simple solution to this problem was educating the public on different buying options. There is still plenty of meat to buy and in my opinion, better tasting meat, if you buy from a local livestock auction. While many auctions were canceled this year those that were able to abide by COVID-19 guidelines had record turnouts. These show animals are well loved and cared for by kids learning the ropes of raising livestock. Buying from auctions like these keeps your hard earned dollars in your community, feeds your family, and you are helping the young showman carry on a western way of life. The next question is how to get the animal from the sale ring to the freezer. Meat packing plants have been bombarded this year and can only provide long wait times, but that’s an issue to talk about another time. Tune into next month’s addition to read more about the struggle of getting a processing date.
by Kylee Taylor
U
tah ranks second behind Nevada as the driest state in the United States. It relies heavily on snow-packed winters for enough water to last throughout the summer. If Utah has one or two mild winters back-to-back, drought will ensue leaving a water shortage for citizens, farmers and wildlife. To help remedy the lack of water for the state’s wildlife population, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and its partners construct “guzzlers” in strategically located areas of the state. What is a guzzler? It’s basically a self-filling water system which collects and stores water for wildlife use. A guzzler typically consists of three components: an apron which collects rain water, a storage tank and a drinker where wildlife access the essential liquid. Guzzlers vary in size depending on the type of wildlife targeted. For example, a large guzzler is intended for bigger game including deer, pronghorn, elk and sheep. Smaller guzzlers target upland game species like chukar and quail. However, upland game also use the larger guzzlers. Other species like birds, bears and mountain lions also benefit from guzzlers. There are different types and constructs of guzzlers. A typical guzzler in Utah’s west desert has an apron made of corrugated roofing material. It’s about 16’ x 36’. The underground tank typically holds 1,200 gallons of water and the drinker holds approximately 10 gallons. The apron is slightly sloped to funnel rainwater to a gutter. In the center of the gutter is a pipe which reaches the 1,200 gallon tank underneath. Another pipe also slopes downward to gravity-feed the drinker. The drinker is typically an aluminum box with a toilet float system. It maintains water levels as wildlife empties the drinker. The guzzlers have to be turned on every spring and turned off every winter to prevent freezing. Utah has approximately 900 guzzlers around the state. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, sportsmen’s groups and other volunteers help construct and pay for the guzzlers. Guzzlers have proven vital components for the state’s vast species of wildlife. A great example is 2020. Utah has had an extremely dry summer and the guzzlers have been used to their fullest potential.
GU
WAT
UZZLERS
TER FOR WILDLIFE
PRONGHORN BUCK ON UTAH’S WEST DESERT A species that benefits from Utah’s guzzlers. photo by Steve Gray
CHUKAR PARTRIDGE Another species that benefits from Utah’s guzzlers. photo by Steve Gray
by Mandy Whipple
W enough?
e’ve all heard the word “no.” No, don’t touch the stove. No, don’t go out into the street. The use of the word “no,” was to protect us. The term “no” still protects us now, but are we the ones who have to use it? Do you use it? Do you use it often
Many folks feel they have to say “yes” even though they really want to say “no.” Is the reason guilt or obligation? Will the person you want to tell “no” be upset or show anger to you? Are these good reasons to say “yes” when you really want to say “no?” The word no is a boundary one puts in place to protect oneself and practice self-care. It’s a hard boundary to learn, but has so many benefits. For starters, by being able to say no, you are making yourself a priority. When you make yourself a priority, you have more time to do what you want. Those projects you’ve wanted to get done, but didn’t have time to do, can now be undertaken. Saying no means you value your time and yourself. When you say no to someone, you say yes to something which matters to you. Saying no keeps the balance in a relationship. Relationships with your spouse, children, friends, employees or parents all need balancing. Setting boundaries with those you are in relationships with is vital. Your needs need to come first, just as your friends or loved ones need to put themselves first when it comes to their needs. Hearing “no” may be disappointing to some, but at the same time, that person should respect your wishes, just as you should respect their boundaries and their “no.” Would you really want someone around who doesn’t want to be there or is only there because he or she felt an obligation to be? Saying no builds confidence. The first time saying no is challenging, but the more you practice self-care by saying no, the easier it becomes to say. As you build confidence in your abilities to say no, the confidence builds in other areas of your life. How could this not be a win-win situation? Taking care of yourself and building confidence gives you back your power; the power to treat yourself right, the power to give yourself what you need, the ability to control the time you give yourself and others and the power to control your agenda. This self-care and return of one’s power will give you time to take care of the priorities in your own life. By no means does taking back your control mean you won’t help others It just means you put your priorities in place for YOU. What you do after that is up to you! How will you spend your time?
Photos by: Avid Visual Imagery Rodeo Phot Photos Photosby: by:Avid AvidVisual VisualImagery Imagery
tography
photo courtesy of skeeze from Pixabay
Hot Brew for Wildland Fire Crew by Pat Sovern
F
ighting wildfires in the wilderness is a risky and physically demanding job. Some of these firefighters are out there for days trying to stop the destruction to the landscape, personal property, animal and human life. To keep hydrated, they will drink massive amounts of water. You wouldn’t typically think of providing them with coffee, but many drink the popular beverage to get them going in the wee hours of the morning and to keep up the energy needed to spend the day fighting the flames. Black Rifle Coffee Company came up with a brilliant idea to help these brave firefighters.
overseas with its “Buy a Bag, Give a Bag” campaign. For every bag purchased, one bag is donated. In September, the company did it again. This time its BABGAB campaign was designated for the wild land firefighters working tirelessly to combat the massive wildfires in California and Oregon. “After months of battling record-breaking infernos across the West Coast, nearly 15,000 first responders are still out fighting to contain these fires. This is why I founded Black Rifle Coffee Company; to give back to men and women like these who are putting everything they have on the line to protect their neighbors. We’re glad to send a strong dose of caffeine at a critical moment as our way of saying ‘thanks,’” stated Evan Hafer in a press release.
Black Rifle Coffee Company is a veteran-owned coffee company specializing in premium, small-batch, roast-to-order coffee. It was founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer. High quality coffee beans are imported from Columbia and Brazil and roasted in its facilities. The company is committed to supporting veterans and first responders. With every purchase, the company gives back to those who are protecting communities and country. Hafer began with a location in Salt Lake City, UT, and expanded to San Antonio, TX, where Army Ranger Mat Best, Air Force veteran Jarred Taylor and investor Richard Ryan joined the team. They added a third location in Manchester, TN, in 2018. Marine Logan Stark also joined the company. More than 50% of Black Rifle’s employees are veterans and there are more than 300 employees among the three locations. They work diligently on creating bold flavors and interesting Black Rifle Coffee Co. has added other social commercials to market their flavorful coffee and acces- media services such as Free Range American Podcast. sories. In September, Praynay Manghirmalani, a firefighter working California wildfires, was interviewed. Praynay The company has generously donated to several grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. He is the son of organizations: Hunter Seven Foundation, Boot Cam- immigrant parents. His mother is from India and his paign, Special Forces Foundation and Warrior’s Heart father is from Pakistan. Even though he was reluctant Foundation. Earlier this summer, it teamed up with at the time, his mom got him into Boy Scouts which inOperation Supply Drop and Soldiers’ Angels to deliv- spired his love of the outdoors. One day, a local fire deer more than 30,000 bags of coffee to troops serving partment set up a mock car accident at Praynay’s middle
school. He was fascinated with firefighters and talked to them about becoming one himself. At the young age of 16, he began taking fire classes. He graduated high school early and got hired by Cal Fire working at the National Park Service near Sequoia.
The firefighters use a variety of tools to combat the fires including four-wheel-drive Type 3 fire engines which old 500 gallons of water. Chainsaws to fell trees in an effort to reduce the fire’s access to fuel and bulldozers are also on hand for crews. Torches or fusees are used to light backfires. From the air, a C-130 is used to Since the work was seasonal, Praynay was laid carry large quantities of retardant to smother flames. off and joined the National Guard. He went to Fort Blackhawk and Huey helicopters are used to carry small Leonard Wood, MO, for tech school. In 2018, the Cal- teams, view the fires and connect with commanders on ifornia National Guard was called to Butte County to the ground. combat a wild land fire. Stopping the fire is a huge undertaking when Praynay said, “It was a huge activation for the flames from gigantic trees are shooting embers a mile California National Guard. I was there for forty-seven ahead of the fire. The wind is a constant threat speeding days in the National Guard as an E4.” up the fire or changing its direction. High winds, dry ground conditions and low humidity created the per The fire started near Camp Creek Road, Novem- fect storm for the Camp Fire to spread at an extremely ber 8, 2018, and became known as the Camp Fire. It fast pace. It ran across the size of 80 football fields per ended up being one of the most destructive and dead- minute. It was so fast, people only had moments to esliest fires in California history and one of the costliest cape their homes. Possessions were reduced to whatever natural disasters of the year. It caused 85-civilian deaths they could shove into garbage bags and stuff in the car, and destroyed more than 18,000 structures. if they were lucky. During August and September of this year, California has been devastated by five of the largest wildfires in state history: the August Complex, SCU Lightning, LNU Lightning, North Complex and Creek fires which are still burning. Praynay was working for Cal Fire and his crew was called to battle the flames. The firefighters are on scene 40-50 days. He said 3,200 homes were destroyed and more than 14,000 firefighters have been working the fires from all over the United States and other countries: Canada, Mexico, Israel and Australia.
Crews use natural barriers in an effort to stop the destruction; rock walls, rivers or highways. For extremely remote areas, teams are dropped off by helicopters or smoke-jumpers parachute from airplanes to work the fire by hand. They’ve earned the title “Hot Shots,” like the brave Granite Mountain firefighters who fought the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona in 2013.
“Being in the military has been an advantage for me,” Praynay said in the interview with Free Range American Podcast. He recommended military person “Firefighters from Texas showed up in their nel apply for Cal Fire. The California Department of cowboy boots,” he chuckled. Forestry and Fire Protection established R.V.E.T.S. as a grassroots effort to assist veterans with the transition to It has been a worldwide response, much like the forest and fire protection. If interested, contact them at Australian fires which began in 2019. To date, wildfires http://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/rvets. have burned a record-breaking four million acres this year. The photo of the team climbing the rocks toward a wall of fire was recently taken by Blake Toth who also Praynay said there are strike teams which work served in the military. Blake grew up in Maine and went 24-hours on and 24-hours off, sleeping at the basecamp to the Marine Corps boot camp just days after graduor a hotel. Their job is mainly to provide structure pro- ating high school in 2012. He was a door gunner with tection, hold the fire lines or set backfires to stop the the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. While he was stationed flames’ progress. The wild land fire crew works tirelessly in Southern California, he witnessed the destruction to protect life, property and the environment. The air of wildfires firsthand. In 2014, the helicopter squadron quality from the smoke is affecting areas miles away he was assigned to was called to help fight California’s closing down businesses conducting outside work. wildfires. “That was the first time I ever saw a wildfire
and I was flying into it!” he told me. He left the Marine Corps in 2017 and currently works for the U.S. Forest Service on a helitack crew based out of Los Padres National Forest. Blake recalled the day he took the photo: “When this photo was taken, we had just spent two weeks battling the Valley Fire east of San Diego and were in the process of getting reassigned to the Bobcat Fire in L.A. Just as we arrived at the Bobcat Fire, we got diverted further east to Palm Springs where a new fire had started and was threatening structures and roadways. This photo was taken shortly after arriving on that incident. The helicopter landed right below the fire and we began our attack. We can’t always land in a perfect spot, which is pictured here as the crew pushed uphill where just on the other side was a flaming front.” Blake’s crew has been on the road since July and know they will be working more long hours to come. “Being a Southern California crew, we are one of the few crews that work well into November, sometimes December. It’s been a long season, a record season and the crews still working are tired. But, we’re all here for a reason and we will see that through,” he vowed. While some of the fires have been attributed to lightning strikes, some have been caused by human activity. We all need to do our part in preventing these devastating fires by being mindful of weather conditions and pause a moment before we light a match for a campfire or toss that cigarette butt to the ground. As long as the fires continue, these crews are selflessly putting themselves at risk to end the destruction. Sources: http://www.blackriflecoffee.com http://www.fire.ca.gov Free Range American Podcast: Ep 060: https://youtu.be/NW5a_ysRmb0 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veteran-owned-black-rifle-coffee-colaunches-coffee-donation-campaign-for-heroes-battling-wildfires-across-the-westcoast-301132609.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11/25/camp-fire-deadliest-wildfire-californias-history-has-been-contained/
photos by Avid Visual Imagery Photography
DESSERT RECIPE by Phillip & Heidi Kitts
Normally, we talk about main course dishes and all the work to put something unique and fun on the table. Well, this month, we take a hard right turn on you and deliver a dessert that’s something special! Our family loves peaches; so much so nearly every meal includes canned peaches in one way or another. This provided the inspiration to putting a little peach at the end of a meal. Doing so, we adapted a few recipes we’ve seen over the last couple of years and created something we feel is worth the work. Trip to the store: 6-8 Fresh peaches 2 Cans peaches (We have grown very fond of Polar jarred peaches. They are plenty sweet, but really keep their peachy goodness.) Corn starch Brown sugar Sugar Juice of 1/2 a lemon Cinnamon Melted butter Pie crust Once it’s time to make dessert, it all starts with the fresh peaches. With a good rinse, put the peaches into boiling water. This will make skinning them much easier. While the peaches come to a boil, in a big mixing bowl, put the drained canned peaches as well as all the other ingredients except the butter. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients. Once the fresh peaches have boiled to a softened state, they’re placed in an ice bath. The ice bath really softens the skin and allows for extremely easy peeling. Slice the fresh peaches, add to the bowl and mix well. Set this aside while preparing a 9x13” glass dish. To prepare the pan, cut the pie dough into long strips to cover the entire bottom of the pan. We have found, instead of layering the bottom with an entire pie crust, it works better to put down a few strips which add a nice texture and contrast to the bottom of the cobbler. Once the strips are down, they get a light butter bath with the melted butter. Cover the pastry strips with the filling. Top it off with additional strips of dough. We use a lattice pattern for a nice, decorative appearance. It’s kind of fun to weave the lattice. The last step is to butter the top dough. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. We suggest checking on it a couple times to make sure the edges aren’t burning and it’s browning nicely. Once it’s cooked thoroughly, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least an hour. We have found after about an hour, it still has the warm, fresh cooked feel and perfectly melts a couple scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream! This has become a household favorite for us and we are sure it will for you too! Enjoy!
PBR RECAP & NEWS
W
ith a new location, but the same list of players, the Professional Bull Riders is gearing up for its World Finals.
In what has been a trying, but remarkably successful year for PBR, some hard decisions have had to be made. One was facing the fact Las Vegas would not be able to support its finals for 2020. Even so, it found a way to get the job done. It’s not news the PBR World Finals will be making its appearance in AT&T Stadium this year. But, it is worth noting what will go on will be a big piece of bull riding history. Texas and bull riding have years of history so, in many ways, there is a sense of home for the sport and top levels of competitors. As the PBR trucks roll into Arlington and prepare for five days of grueling competition, there will be much more than just the top levels of action to take in. In addition to the Big Boys of Bull Riding, the Miniature Bull Riders will also make their final run at World Titles. This begins with one day in which all the athletes of the MBR will compete at the last chance qualifier. All the young athletes on the bubble will have two more shots at earning his or her way into the finals. Over the next four days, they will slide into the chute for their shot at fame and glory with the World Title. If that’s not enough for fans, the UFB will also host its freestyle bullfights at the same location. Those who have not been thrilled with watching this wild and high energy sport will be able to take it all in. Along with all the action, the PBR has lined up several great concerts for fans to enjoy prior to the Big Boys of Bull Riding. Not a single fan will leave Arlington without accessing an array of entertainment. But, then it’s on to what everyone will be watching. At this time, the two guys to watch are young Jess Lockwood, from Volberg, MT, and Jose Vitor Leme, from Brazil. Currently, Jose sits on the top of the World Title chase with what seems to be a commanding lead. Another Brazilian cowboy is doing all he can to chase Jose down, so the question will be, can Joao Ricardo Vieira overcome his 500-point deficit and make his run at the title? Now, one must ask where does young Lockwood fit into all of this since he’s 800-points back? Considering Lockwood is a two-time world champion and has proven his ability to bring his A-game to the biggest shows in bull riding, he can never be counted out. How can this happen? Yes, it would take a spectacular series of events in order for Lockwood to be a player in the final race, but he is used to beating the odds. Earlier this year, after suf-
fering a serious injury, his hopes for a run at the title looked pretty dim. In true cowboy style, and a little influence because of the COVID-19 break, Lockwood made it back into the arena and has been matching up with all the bull riders every weekend. In reality, with a few buck-offs from the guys above him and his proven ability to get the rank ones ridden, many may be surprised when Lockwood makes a run for this third title. Along with the cowboys of the PBR making a run at a World Title, a list of impressive bucking bulls are doing the same. One of the hottest races in pro rodeo sports is always decided during the PBR World Finals and this year will be no different. Currently, the top 10 contenders for the World Champion Bucking Bull of the PBR are as follows: 1. CHISELED 2. SMOOTH OPERATOR 3. AIR SUPPORT 4. HOCUS POCUS 5. I’M LEGIT TOO 6. SMOOTH OVER 7. DIRT GANSTER 8. SWEETPRO’S BRUISER 9. HOSTAGE 10. BLUE CRUSH On the cowboy side of the house, the top 10 names going into the World Finals are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Jose Vitor Leme João Ricardo Vieira Kaique Pacheco Daylon Swearingen Jess Lockwood Cooper Davis Lucas Divino Colten Jesse Derek Kolbaba Ezekiel Mitchell
The Ranch, Rodeo and Agriculture team will have a crew attending this great series of events and will provide nightly recaps of all the action. Keep checking our social media pages, as well as next month’s edition, to see how things turned out!
PBR RECAP
When A Texan Believes In Something, Nothing Can Stand In His Way. by Phillip Kitts
I
n late winter-early spring, Jeff McFatridge felt the desire to pursue something inspiring him. The inspiration was to develop a boys’ home to help youth. Jacob’s Well Boys’ Home is Jeff’s brainchild where he provides young men with a place to learn the path to a high-quality and constructive life. Like any passion, the first battle was funding and how to secure it. Because Jeff comes from a bull riding background, it made sense to go with what he knows to start the process of raising money. His next stop was reaching out to a man with a history of putting together great fundraising bull rides. Over the years, Glen Cooper has produced some of the biggest bull rides in Cleburne, TX, and all these events have raised funds for great causes. His resume includes the multi-year, very successful Bucking Hunger which raised money for food banks in the Cleburne area. Bucking Hunger eventually gave way to Spurrin’ 4 Him which was also a successful fundraiser. There was no doubt Glen had the knowledge and pedigree to support Jeff’s vision. As the two got started putting together a top-notch event, the dreaded COVID-19 reared its ugly head. At this point, when most events around the nation were facing the reality of canceling, Jeff never lost faith and always kept his eye on the prize. As the world began to reopen, it became obvious Jeff and Glen were going to stay the course and succeed, but the road would be a bumpy one with lots of twists and turns. As things developed, challenges would rear an ugly head numerous times. As early fall rolled around, there were a lot of questions if this could be pulled off. Many sponsors wanted to help, but because of the effects of the pandemic, they just did not have the funds to support a bull ride. This did not sway Jeff or his producer, Glen. They just pulled up their bootstraps and pressed harder to make things happen. Then, at the worst possible time, Jeff faced a blown motor in his work truck and the obstacles just seemed to continue growing. At this point, the average men would have considered it all a loss and given up, but not in this case. Jeff again looked to his faith and his desire and started walking the soles off his boots in the pursuit of sponsors and supporters for his event. With just a few weeks remaining until the big night, it all began to fall into place. Sponsors and support money began rolling in and the bull riders began lining up. In a rare change to past years,
with a week left before entries closed, the roster had been filled. In what started as an impossible feat, the mountain had instead been conquered. On October 3, at 4 pm, the gates swung open for Bucking Crazy. This bull ride had a whole new look, but fell on the same weekend another fundraising bull ride was taking place. With all this happening, the question was could they get enough of a crowd to be successful? Mutton busting entries opened at 4 pm, and the young, future champions were lined up en masse waiting for a chance. By the time Mutton Busting kicked off at 6 pm, the answer of success or failure was answered. Lines of people eager to be part of something outside the house, and even more true blooded bull riding fans gathered to enjoy a night of action. When bull riding kicked off, Bucking Crazy had surpassed many other events held at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Arena. Loads of fans filled the stands with cold drinks and bellies full of great provisions brought as part of the event. Over the next few hours, fans were treated to great comedy from Texan Chase Nolen, some of the biggest names in professional women’s bull riding, wild steer races and, most of all, great bull riding action. To close out the event, fans were treated to six freestyle bull fighters putting it all out on the line for a chance to brag about being the Bucking Crazy Freestyle Bullfighting Champion. The big winner in bull riding was Andrew Alverez who took his shot in the last section of bull riding. His electrifying ride had fans on their feet as he conquered his bovine opponent over 8-seconds. On the women’s side, Kristyl Jaure put up the top number and carried home the hardware from the night. The big surprise came in bullfighting where PBR bull rider Koal Livingston, who has developed a reputation for being one of the top bull riders, strapped on a set of cleats and took the win in bullfighting freestyle. When the curtain fell on a great night of action, the fans left with their fill of bull riding action and entertainment. Many celebrated the thrill of bull riding just as much as the ability to attend and be part of an event during the ongoing restraints of the pandemic. Jeff McFatridge and Glen Cooper had done what many said they could not do: Put on a bull riding event after facing what many said was insurmountable odds including break downs, lack of funding and, most of all, the ongoing fight with the COVID-19 pandemic.