Farm & Ranch
Wagon Boss James Gholson
Webster’s dictionary defines wagon boss as a man in charge of a wagon train, but he is so much more than a man who gathers cattle and manages the employees of a ranch. A wagon boss represents a set of principles, demands respect and is what true grit is all about, and no one knows this better than James Gholson, wagon boss of the Pitchfork Ranch for 17 years.
Gholson began his journey with the ranch at just 13 years old when he went to work alongside his uncle. Today, the ranch has seen five generations of Gholsons give themselves to the brand that is the Pitchfork.
The ranch, founded in 1883, is one of the oldest established ranches in North West Texas. The Pitchfork home ranch covers 165,000 acres with a satellite operation in Oklahoma and is one of the few ranches that can boast it is larger today than at any time in its history. With its extremely rough terrain of steep canyons and thick mesquite and cedar trees, the ranch must be worked as it was in its first days: by horseback. When it comes time to gather the yearlings or brand the cattle, the wagon is hitched up, just as the original founders would do in the 1880s.
To read more pick up a copy of the April 2020 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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