It’s Branding Season!

It is branding season. Make those memories and of course, enjoy the great food. Branding cattle is a traditional practice that involves the application of a permanent identification mark or symbol to the hide of cows or other types of livestock. The purpose of branding cattle is to enable ranchers to distinguish and identify their own livestock from those of their neighbors. It is also a way for ranchers to deter cattle theft and prevent the mixing of their cattle with others. Branding cattle has been around for centuries and remains a common practice among ranchers today. It’s still beef month so we have those recipes you have to try. This is Rebecca Wanner aka BEC and Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt with the outdoors radio show The Bend. We have a fun easy summer meal idea and your Travel headlines too.

TThe BEND Show S3 E134 Beef Burgers Branding Outdoors Rebecca Wanner Jeff Erhardt Tigger & BEC

BEEF MONTH

May is BEEF Month, BBQ Month and all is fitting as Memorial Day Weekend is the kick-off to camping season. We share beef tips and tricks that will have you making easy meals all summer long.

RANCH LIFE

The month of May is busy on a ranch as that is when the calving season in many states comes to an end. This also means that ranch work changes gears. Fences are to be mended. Bulls have been bought. Now cows with newborn calves must go through being “worked” to be ready for summer. This is all done during a “Branding”.

BRANDING

What some look forward to the most in the spring, or the whole year are brandings. (For BEC this is her highlight, Christmas!) Ranches chose their day, many neighboring ranches having held certain dates for years, or even generations. Your ranch’s branding is a special occasion. Yes, it is hard work. Yes, everyone will be dirty. Yes, you will feel full-filled from a hard hard day’s work usually filled with antics and the socializing you have missed all these cold winter months.

Cows with their newborn calves are gathered or a “round-up” is held. Sometimes a ranch or farm can gather with just a few people. Bigger outfits will have help coming with horses. Cows sorted from the calves. The cows are run through the chute, given proper inoculations, and poured for flies so that they are ready for breeding. Calves are then worked as well. Some ranches will use a calf table that flips the animal on its side while it is “worked”. Cattle Ranches like where BEC & Tigger were raised are still “Cowboy”. Cowboys and Cowgirls will arrive with ranch horses ready for a full day. The calves are still roped with two wrestlers holding the calf once caught.

CAMARADERIE & FELLOWSHIP

Once the hard day is over, there is a sense of freedom. The sense of pride in seeing a job well done with friends. At the conclusion of branding, that ranch or farm will host a dinner or supper. This is an opportunity to share over a home-cooked meal. It is also a time to relax and enjoy one another’s company. A time to reunite the neighborhood.

BEC was raised on a large cattle ranch. She learned to “Cowboy”. The lessons learned were priceless.

Western Lifestyle & The Outdoors

Tigger & BEC represent the Working Ranch world, Rodeo and the Western Way of Life as well as advocate for the Outdoors and Wildlife Conservation.

In turn, this duo strives to provide the hunter, adventurer, cowboy, cowgirl, rancher & successful farmer with the knowledge, education, and tools needed to bring high-quality beef to your table for dinner. The understanding of the importance of sharing meals with family, cooking harvested wild game and fish from your adventures, and learning to understand the importance of making memories in the outdoors.

United together, this duo offers a glimpse & speaks about the insight of what life truly is like at the end of dirt roads.

Tigger & BEC look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions and sharing in the journey of making your journey in life a success story.