July 7th, 2011 by Kim @ The DRA
I just came across this great interview with the 2011 staff of the Lazy E-L and Owner/Manager Jael Kampfe. I enjoyed it so much… I thought I would share it!
For more information about this ranch, please visit their web site at: http://www.lazyel.com
May 27th, 2011 by Colleen @ The DRA
DENVER, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A lifestyle that incorporates locally grown and produced food is sweeping the nation. People today want to know where their food comes from and that it is sustainable. This summer, Colorado combines its fresh agricultural offerings with an experiential vacation to create opportunities for travelers to get their hands dirty and enjoy the fruits of their labor on farm and ranch stays.
Across Colorado, sustainable working farms and ranches have incorporated a tourism element to the overall experience. Travelers can take part in organic cooking and butchery classes; cultivate crops; herd cattle or bison; and actually take part in the development of a farm or ranch.
These authentic experiences speak to today’s travelers and offer a window into the world of Colorado’s ‘agritourism’ or ‘agritainment’ offerings. Below is a sampling of the varied ways travelers to Colorado can enrich and immerse themselves into an experiential vacation. (read more…)
Ranch Life Firsthand:
d that provides the majority of the vegetables and herbs for the ranch meals. They also raise free-range chickens that provide farm fresh eggs. What is not grown on the ranch is brought in from local farms including meat, cheese and produce. The ranch also offers guided and unguided local farm and winery tours. www.SmithForkRanch.comApril 12th, 2011 by Colleen @ The DRA
At Burnt Well Guest Ranch our authentic “old west” cattle drives are a necessary part of ranch life. We are actually doing a job, not just moving cows in the name of a cattle drive.
A Day on the Range
We camp out on the trail at least three nights, sometimes four or five. We provide you with a “cowboy” bedroll (a three inch mattress made up with sheets & blankets and rolled in a tarp). We have “cowboy” teepees in case of inclement weather. There are also cots for those who are a little squeamish about being right on the ground. We usually make between 10 and 15 miles a day with the cattle and are in the saddle between 5-10 hours a day. We start early, driving cattle by sun up, and will try to be at camp by early afternoon.
The hot breakfasts and suppers are cooked Dutch oven style and over the campfire while out on the trail. There is always plenty to eat. Patricia says, “If you leave Burnt Well hungry it’s your fault!” After breakfast, you pack your lunch for the day, choosing from a wide variety of choices along with a delicious wrap made with the “extra Chesser natural beef”, from supper the night before.
Nightly campfires, a blanket of twinkling stars on a New Mexico black velvet sky and, if you can get Patricia away from her camp kitchen, you could enjoy an evening of sweet fiddle music. Since we are out for the duration of the drive, actually doing a job, and living and eating in the elements, the conditions can sometimes be unpleasant. Therefore, our authentic “old west style” cattle drives are adult only. They are for adventurous adults with plenty of stick-to-itiveness! The stuff memories and bucket lists are made of!
The 2011 Spring Cattle Drive Dates will be Wednesday, April 27 – Tuesday, May 3
Our fall drives will be October 2 – 8, 2011.
Get on our email cattle drive list for updates. Just fill out our contact form and put “cattle drive” in the message section
March 11th, 2011 by Kim @ The DRA
Cowboys at the Zapata Ranch
May 15-22, 2011
This week will be split between the Zapata Ranch and our sister ranch, the Chico Basin Ranch, during the year’s most intensive cattle works and branding.
Time on the Zapata will be filled with rides into Sand Creek, which will be flowing as it does for only 3 weeks of each year, rides through and working the bison and rides into the Sand Dunes National Park. At the Chico, we’ll spend two days branding calves and working cattle and a third riding through the Chico prairie and arroyos. When nighttime comes, we’ll enjoy dinner over a campfire and a good night’s sleep under the stars.
This is a week not typically open the the public and a time of year that we cherish more than any. It is a celebration of spring time, new calves and an annual gathering that we all look forward to!
for more special events see Zapata Ranch
February 23rd, 2011 by Kim @ The DRA
Hello all you interested cattle drive goers, come join us at the Burnt Well Ranch in Roswell, New Mexico for an experience of a lifetime…
As of a couple of days ago, we have the Bonney Canyon Ranch secured for another year, so that means our scheduled Spring and Fall drives, April 24-30 and Oct. 2-8 will be to and from the Bonney Canyon Ranch, respectively.
Cattle Drive at the Burnt Well Ranch
On the cattle drives we camp out on the trail at least 3 nights, sometimes 4 or 5. We provide you with a ‘cowboy’ bedroll (a 3″ mattress made up with sheets & blankets and rolled in a tarp), we have ‘cowboy’ teepees in case of inclement weather and there are also cots available, for those who are a little squeamish about being right on the ground. We usually make between 10 and 15 miles a day with the cattle and are in the saddle between 5-10 hours a day. We start early, are driving the cattle by sun up, and try to be at camp by early afternoon.
Our cattle drives prices are $1,710.00 per person, not including tax. We require a 50% deposit upon booking to guarantee your spot on the drive. The spots go on a first deposit received basis. We are looking forward to the 2011 season and having you along for one of our drives or on a regular ranch stay (we drive and work cattle here regularly).
If you have doubts about being able to complete the requirements of the cattle drives, please know that you are always welcome at Burnt Well for a regular ranch stay. There, we can tailor your stay to your needs and wishes. Our regular ranch stays can include as much riding as our cattle drives and we also have the need to drive cattle at the ranch for range management purposes as well as many other times when we are working the cattle, but on a regular ranch stay we are much more laid back and we are able to be more flexible, unlike our cattle drives. Let us know if you want to reserve your spot.
Happy Trails, Kim & Patricia Chesser
If you are interested… there is a new article on Burnt Well Ranch in the March issue of True West Magazine, by Johnny Boggs.
February 17th, 2011 by Kim @ The DRA
Let Arizona sunshine warm up your day, today! Call one of the twelve Arizona Dude Ranch Association ranches to arrange an Arizona adventure this winter, spring or throughout the year.
Thanks to Easter in April, you have an amazing opportunity this year – the chance to visit Arizona during March, at the height of lovely Arizona springtime. Many ranches still have openings during March, a time usually occupied by families who can only visit during school holidays.
Arizona dude ranches promise natural beauty, friendly horses, outdoor adventure, peaceful relaxation, and genuine hospitality. Follow birdsong on a Circle Z Ranch bird ride … drop your kids at the Rancho de los Caballeros children’s program, while you conquer a beautiful Arizona golf course … enjoy a special father-son cowboy camp weekend at Rancho de la Osa … practice your cowgirl and cowboy skills at Price Canyon Ranch or Grapevine Canyon Ranch … enjoy horseback adventures in Saguaro National Park from White Stallion Ranch or Tanque Verde Ranch … climb high into the Baboquivari Mountains on sure footed Elkhorn Ranch horses … immerse yourself in the heart of old time Arizona guest ranching at Wickenberg’s Flying E Ranch or Kay El Bar Ranch … and don’t forget that you can enjoy summer time ranching at ranches in Arizona’s White Mountains at Hidden Meadow Ranch.
These ranches vary in size, proximity to city life, and programs – but all will treat you to the genuine western Hats, Horses and Hospitality promised by the Dude Ranchers’ Association. Go to http://www.duderanch.org/arizona-dude-ranch to find just the right ranch for you or your family. Do it now. You’ll feel the warmth of the Arizona sunshine right away!
October 18th, 2010 by Kim @ The DRA
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For a truly memorable vacation, nothing beats a Western cattle drive. Straight from the big screen, these working cattle drives, offered through various members of the Dude Ranchers’ Association, transform a movie moment into a real-life vacation experience unlike any other.
The cattle drive experience varies from ranch to ranch, with some ranches providing only two drives (one in the spring and one in the fall) while others offer cattle activities every day. The purpose of the drives, however, is universal—move cattle from one location to another without losing any animals along the way. Guided by expert wranglers, cattle drive participants shoulder important responsibilities as they keep the herd together, chase down stragglers, and stay on the move. Days-long cattle drives fill the urge for the more adventurous to taste the true Western experience. These drives often include river crossings, mountain riding, and range roaming as the herd travels miles from one location to another. Of course, long days of riding are rewarded with evenings of fly fishing, card playing, and other rest and relaxation—just like in the days of the real cowboy. The exhilaration of combining real work with real pleasure is impossible to ignore, and nothing beats riding herd in the broad expanse of the Wild West.
For just a taste of the real cowboy life, dude ranch visitors can participate in other cattle activities. Moving cattle for the day or gathering and doctoring are just a couple of the “real” experiences while saddling up with the hired hands.
For more information about a real working cattle drive or any of the other unique features of a dude ranch vacation, or to request a brochure, call 1-307-587-2339 or visit http://www.duderanch.org/.
August 25th, 2010 by Kim @ The DRA
Thought I would share this great and funny video with you…its worth the watch!!
