In Wyoming, Branding Isn't Just About The Cattle

Spring is a busy time for Wyoming ranchers.

Longer days and warmer weather mean it's time to gather up cows, sort and separate the mama's and calves, and brand, tag, castrate and vaccinate the calves.

In Wyoming, our sense of community runs deep, and nothing shows this more than a branding.

Family, friends, and neighbors all work together for days on end to take care of business.

It's loud, dirty, hard work...but the feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day can't truly be described with words.

Kelsey Stephans lives outside of Glenrock, Wyoming and she and her husband both come from multi-generational ranch families.

Stephans is a professional photographer, and when I came across the pictures she shared of their branding last weekend I knew I had to share them with you.

Thankfully Stephans agreed and even shared a few of her thoughts about the branding.

Raising our kids on Tels family ranch is so important to us and we are very blessed with the opportunity to do so. [Our son] Cal is 6 and this was his 2nd year of roping in the branding pen. He has a gray mare named Ballou and she is worth her weight in gold. As many people know it’s a “privilege” to rope in the branding pen, Cal’s Grandpa Mike is pretty amazing for allowing Cal to ride in there to learn the ropes.

This right here is what it's truly all about.

Branding is about more than the calves, it's about family.

It's about teaching our children the value of a hard day's work and taking pride in a job well done.

It's about community, teamwork, and lending a helping hand wherever it's needed.

Wyoming is what America was, and that's not a bad thing.