There is a lot to learn on a working cattle ranch. Already, the Stearns brothers of Ludden, N.D., do more than just help with daily chores; they are making decisions that impact the future of the cattle herd.
Sutton, 11, and Stetson, 13, are known to pick out bulls for the Stearns Ranch. Their choices are yielding success, as the family was named the Commercial Breeder of the Year for the North Dakota Angus Association.
The boys take a hands-on approach to bringing in heifers from winter pasture and working cattle in the chutes. Freelance writer and photographer Jess Johnson captured the brothers in action during a recent visit. Click through the slideshow to see just how these sixth-generation young farmers are making a difference on the family farm. The photos will also give you an inside look at one of the top commercial cow herds in the state.
(Lander, WY) – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently released information stating a hunter-harvested cow elk tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) this fall. This elk is the first to test positive in Grand Teton National Park and near the National Elk Refuge, where annually thousands of elk congregate and are supplementary fed on winter range.
Discovering CWD in Grand Teton National Park underlines the fact that this is an issue that is not going away. Wyoming has a working plan to track and manage CWD as it spreads throughout the state, and Lander nonprofit Wyoming Wildlife Federation supports the implementation of that plan.
Construction continues on the Hyatt Place hotel across the street from City Hall last week. The hotel is going to opening early next Fall, after the vaccine has had time to distribute and hopefully tourism will be back to normal. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
JERILEE BENNETT, The Gazette
JERILEE BENNETT
JERILEE BENNETT