Sunday, June 16, 2013

Pat and Gene Sawhill




Pat and Gene Sawhill, owners of the Sawhill Ranch, Boulder, Colorado.                                       
Still so active in their 70's and 80's respectively; cutting hay, selling the beef, eggs and other goods from the ranch. Gene's family homesteaded this place back in the 1800's and they           continue the agricultural legacy that their family has practiced for over a hundred years.          
This area was once an independent town known as "Valmont." Word has it folks from the upstart town of Boulder snuck in one night in the early 1900's and hijacked the printing press to establish their own newspaper (proving that knowledge, or in this case, the ability to disseminate information is indeed "power"). It was downhill from there for old Valmont. There's still the ancient one room schoolhouse standing and a few rusty train cars docked on some derelict tracks nearby but, unfortunately for Valmont, the game was over before they had a chance to really prove who they were.                                      The Keeter family, who live nearby, operate a trucking business (and, of course are related to Gene) are proud holdouts for Valmont. They operate a fleet of trucks, a few of which sport the name of  their business on the truck doors say "Keeter Trucking- Valmont, Colorado" even though the town was unincorporated years ago.                                                          
It's haying time and Gene has been out all hours cutting and baling for the long winter month's feed supply for their cattle.                                                                                                                    
This is America, this is how we have done it for generations and we're damn proud of it; The Sawhill Ranch.   
By the way, that's Strawberry and L'il Bit in Pat's lap- the ranch dogs.         



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