Branding a New Generation

Branding of the current year calf crop has been finished by a lot of our rancher friends. Who remembers the days of a wood fire for the purpose of heating branding irons? I know that many of us have seen an occasional branding using a wood fire, but have you ever wondered about the early day brandings, and just where the wood for these branding fires came from? Sometimes, in the eastern part of our state, we can drive for miles without seeing a tree so it is pretty certain that preparing for those early day brandings must have included wood detail for someone. Then all of those hungry cowhands needed to be feed and have their coffee brewed so I would think a wood fire was necessary for cooking also.

When I think of all those little details, I have a greater appreciation for the old timers that worked so hard to get a tree to grow. Will our grandchildren remember and laugh at our present day propane fed branding ovens or for that matter the electric branding irons that are used?

Store all of those little details in your mind so you can entertain those inquisitive minds of the upcoming generation.