Farm & Ranch
Colt Baldwin: The Craft of Saddle Making
The saddle has served as an essential tool for cowboys and cowgirls for hundreds of years, providing
both comfort and security for horse and rider as they go about their daily tasks, from herding cattle to
building fences. The time-honored tradition of saddle making is an art that has been passed down through the generations. Colt Baldwin, of Gainesville, Texas, continues this tradition, a gift of knowledge he received from his high school agriculture teacher, Chris Uselton. The teacher took Baldwin under his wing, teaching him the ins and outs of taking a piece of leather and turning it into a custom-made, beautiful tool that a rider can use day in and day out.
Learning the Craft
Baldwin grew up in Gainesville with roots deep in the north Texas town. His grandfather raised Brangus
bulls, while his father owned and raised horses while working at Peterbilt. The saddle maker also is
employed by Peterbilt, where he has worked 11 years while growing his business and expanding his craft along the way.
Uselton had once worked for Jack and Bruce Chaney, who shared their expertise of saddle making. He
made good use of that knowledge and crafted saddles for years before making the move into teaching.
When Baldwin became his student, Uselton began instructing him on metal projects, such as spurs and
bits, which they began showing as ag mechanics projects.
“I don’t know if he thought I was good enough, or that I wanted to try enough, but he thought it would
be cool to do a saddle next as a project because he had never seen anyone do that,” Baldwin recalled. “My senior year, we finally finished and showed the saddle, and won a ton of awards at San Antonio and San Angelo, all the big shows. Now, students win all kinds of things like scholarships, but at the time, it was a new thing, and they didn’t even know where to put us. We still won a bunch, but it wasn’t really set up for that kind of stuff.”
Baldwin’s school was not equipped with the proper tools for saddle making, so Uselton allowed his student to work from his house and use his own personal tool collection.
To read more pick up a copy of the February 2022 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
Since their introduction to the U.S. in the early 1900s, Old World Bluestems such as King Ranch bluestem and Dahl bluestem have become established on farms and ranches from the Rio Grande to Nebraska. With such a wide range of adaptability, these species are subjected to a wide range of management, depending on location and the goals of the rancher.
Due to the aggressive nature of OWBs, producers in far South Texas have been trying to find a way to eradicate OWBs in their pastures. Texas AgriLife Extension bulletin “Introduced Bluestem Grasses: Management on Native Lands” describes several methods being used in the effort to rid pastures of OWBs. In 2016, one project involved using chemicals, plowing, mowing, reseeding, summer burning, and combinations of these practices.
To read the about the researchers findings and hear Tony’s take, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.
While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.
Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
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