We probably made our biggest mistakes while learning how to position the bales.  Placing the bales too close together causes many problems.  It gets muddier and the cows back into the fence on the next row while backing out of feeders.  It seems they are more likely to break into the next row if bales are too close together.  As long as you are improving your place you should spread them out as much as you practically can.  Placing the bales about 25 to 30 feet apart and positioning rows every 35 to 40 feet seems to work for us.  Our bale trailer hauls eight four foot bales so we put eight bales in each row and try to dump them as close as possible to where they will be placed. Getting the rows straight really helps with fencing so we usually take a little extra time placing the bales.  The best trick for getting them straight is mowing the area you plan to feed on before you dump the bales.  You can use your mower to skip a place that shows where your bales should go.  A 15 foot batwing works really well as you can mow two strips and then skip a foot as a marker.

    Should you use string or net?  We have done both.  The easiest feeding year we had was when we baled our hay with sisal twine.  It doesn’t need to be removed as it seems to just disappear when the cows eat the bale but there is a drawback.  If you set a sisal twine bale down for a month or two you are committed to leaving it there because the twine begins to rot quickly and the bale will fall apart if you try to move it.  Net is a little more work because it needs to be removed.  However it protects the hay better and you can come back and pick up the bales later if needed.

    Learning how much hay to give the cows and when to open up a new row determines how much waste you will have.  We try to not give the cows more than three to four days supply of which the last day they go a little hungry.  This makes them clean up as much hay as possible.  The longer it takes for them to clean up a bale, the more waste there will be.  If you have time to move the wire every other day and your cow to bale ratio is right, you will have very little waste.  Based upon our experience a four by five foot bale for every 20 cows seems to be about right.  At that ratio, if she eats 30 pounds a day, they will eat most of the bale the first day and clean up on the second. So if you have 40 cows, make your rows two bales wide.  Of course, how much they consume has a lot to do with the quality of the hay and the weather.  If possible, stack your hay to give your cows the least quality hay early in the feeding season and save the best for the worst part of winter. 

    Lastly, setting up your electric fence properly is the key to this methods success.  The last thing you want to do is drive up to your bale grazing site and find your cows tearing up the whole hay stack.  It’s important to have a quality charger and to take a little time to train your cows to electric fence. You don’t want to turn loose your entire hungry herd in a pasture with just a single strand of poly wire separating them from your year’s hay supply if they aren’t accustomed to electric fencing.  Spend a little extra money and get a brand name low impedance solar charger.  We usually start with an existing barbwire fence down one side and an electric fence down the other.  We drive t-posts down the long side in the middle of each row of bales about 20 feet away from the hay.  Then we use an electric fence reel with poly wire to reel the fence up to the next t-post and another reel to block the end to keep the cows out of the next row.  While giving the cows another row we usually feed them a little to bait them away from the hay.  Unhook the charger and move it to the next t-post, reel up the fence on the long side to the next t-post and move the gate wire on the end to the next row.  If you have trouble keeping the cows out of the stack while moving the gate wire use two gate reels and put up another gate wire on the next row.  Do this before you take the gate wire down next to the last row.  Finally, put step in posts on the gate wire every 20 to 25 feet as this is where the fence will get pressure.  We have had good luck sticking the posts in the next row of bales where it is too rocky to get a post in the ground.  Since we use bale feeders, the last step is to cut the net off and roll the feeders down the hill 30 to 40 feet to the next bale.  It takes us less than 10 minutes to feed a row of hay and our tractor is still in the barn.

    If your time is short in the winter or you are simply looking for a way to decrease costs in your operation, give bale grazing a try.  I recommend that you start small the first year while perfecting your own methods that will work best on your ranch.

    For more information or questions about bale grazing feel free to contact me at our Ada dealership.  Email me at bclark@greatplainskubota.com or call 580-427-9000.

I have always loved the Arbuckle Mountains.  Even though they are mere foothills when compared to their Rocky and Appalachian cousins, I find them just as captivating.  Their rustic beauty defined the landscapes where I went hunting and fishing while growing up.  Perhaps that is why I am drawn to them.  The Arbuckles have always provided a quick escape from daily life simply because they are so close to home.  It wasn’t until I traveled to the Crossbar Ranch, ATV and RV Park to try out their trails that I became aware of how close to home the Arbuckles really were.

    My mother used to talk about growing up on “The Ranch”, located a few miles west of Davis, OK in the heart of the Arbuckles.  As I prepared for this story, I did not, at first,  realize that “The Ranch” and the Crossbar Ranch were one and the same.  I also learned the Crossbar was formerly the Butterly Ranch.  My grandfather, Buddy Mulkey, started working for the Butterlys after he graduated high school, earning $80 a month plus room and board.  He eventually leased the Butterly Ranch for his own cattle operation. During the mid sixties, he moved my grandmother and their three children to reside on the ranch property in the main house.  This was their home for the next half decade.

    Things look different now.  There is a camp ground with restroom facilities and RV hookups along with a small gift shop that offers concessions.  There isn’t much cattle to be found, and there are no horses to be shoed only the occasional flat from one of their ATV rentals.  The ranch house where my mother lived for a memorable period of her childhood still remains.  Gone are the maids house, bunk house, and corrals that my grandfather used. Today the house serves as lodging for Gary Taylor, Ranch Foreman for the last four years.  He maintains the trails, tends to the property and probably knows the trails better than anyone. He was gracious enough to show me some of the trails even though the temperature was in the triple digits.      

    As I first entered the park and crossed a low water bridge , I didn’t really know what was going to be waiting at the end of the two mile drive up the mountain.  The information I had gathered along with my personal connection to the Crossbar was making this trip more exciting.  I topped a hill and saw the main building, but I wasn’t really sure if the place was  open.  Turns out I was the only person foolish enough to go ATV riding that day.     

    Summer is the park’s slow season, with only four or five riders on a good day.  The obvious cause is Oklahoma’s unforgivable heat.  However, during the spring and autumn months, the park may have 90 plus riders a day.  Taylor commented on the park’s typical rider.

    “There are a few big groups that regularly come to ride.  We get a lot of traffic from Texas.  In fact most of the riders that come here are not locals.  What we are seeing more and more are side by side vehicles and those are mostly Polaris RZRs.  Side by sides seem to handle the terrain and trail widths just fine, but with the growing popularity and variety of SXS’s I will probably start widening the trails.”

    The Crossbar Ranch has a variety of terrain to both skilled and novice riders.  There are two trails from which to choose, the blue and red.  The blue trail is easier and is mostly flat but the rider still knows they’re in the Arbuckle Mountains.  I experienced some of the Red trail which offers the best views and provides riders more of a challenge.  I realize challenge can be a subjective word for seasoned riders, but there was one descent that put me on edge.  I basically had to ride the brake and negotiate the ATV to keep as much tire contact with the rocks as possible hoping to not topple forward.  To call me seasoned or even a frequent ATV rider would be stretching it, but I spent three days riding in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming as well as riding trails in Alaska and Arkansas.  I would say the Crossbar’s trails were just as intense.  Taylor made the comment that some riders say the Red Trail is harder than trails they ride in Colorado.

    The Crossbar’s trails are a great alternative to the sandy bottoms of the Washita and Canadian Rivers which seem to be a favorite destination for local off road enthusiasts.  Riders will enjoy both scenery and trail variety different from than long flat endurance rides of the nearby river bottoms.  One minute you could be climbing a steep rock incline and the next you could be bogging through a creek into a soft packed timber trail.

    The Crossbar Ranch was bought by the city of Davis in 1996 for campground expansion of the Turner Falls Park.  The conversion of the 6,800 acre property to an ATV and RV park didn’t begin until 2004.  It now features over 52 miles of riding trails and spacious campgrounds with 28 electrical hookups for RV camping.  There are also a few events hosted every year including a race held by the Oklahoma Cross Country Racing Association.

    With so much beautiful acreage, the park would like to offer other attractions.  Tom Graham, Turner Falls and Crossbar Park Manger, commented on the possibility of adding more attractions in the future.

    “Some things we would like to add are horseback riding. However this would be difficult because we don’t have a great water source.  We would need a better water supply for this to be a reality.  There is also talk of organized hunts where hunters could draw in by lottery.  This is a challenge too because the ranch is in Davis city limits.  There could even be package deals where consumers could enjoy attractions at both parks.  Again, none of this is certain, and we are really just throwing the ideas around.”

    With or without these ideas, the Crossbar Ranch and the Arbuckles in general are a great way to spend free time.  They might not be the mountains they once were, but for some, a small adventure can be found around every bend in the trail.  For me I am glad to know the Arbuckles are always close to home.   

Happy Trails On the Crossbar Ranch

Nestled in the farmland of Coal County is the quiet town of Clarita.  For many, the town is known for hosting the Amish School auction every September, but for Winston Rice it’s known as home.  It’s said home is where the heart is. This must be true, for Rice has spent the last couple of decades pouring his heart and soul into restoring his hometown.  Some might see Clarita as the town time forgot.  After all, it isn’t uncommon to see a horse drawn carriage when passing through the area.  As for Rice, he sees Clarita as a town rich in culture with the capacity of sustaining independent businesses.     

    Winston Rice is a nostalgic visionary who isn’t afraid of tackling big projects.  Looking for adventure, Rice followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the military.  While in the Army, Rice went to Jump School and Parachute Rigger School where he became a Paratrooper.  After being stationed in France and Germany he re-enlisted and was assigned to an airborne unit in Panama.  Rice served three tours of duty in Panama as a Paratrooper.  In his off time he sought out adventures such as: scuba diving, trekking across the isthmus, fishing, searching for artifacts, and exploring the many nooks and crannies of Panama. During such explorations is where he first met the Embera Indians of the Darien Region. His intrigue with the culture and love of the climate would later result in his establishment of an adventure tourism company in Panama.

    December 22, 1972 Rice set a world record parachute jump.  He and eight others performed nine way jump formations on the Panama Atlantic and Pacific coasts within two hours.  At the age of 23, Rice earned a Master FAA Parachute Rigger license making him the youngest person to achieve this rating at the time. 

    With over 600 jumps to his resume, Rice finally ended his military career as an Army newspaper editor at Fort Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska. While in Alaska he learned the trade of cabinet making and met his wife, Linda.  The cold climate couldn’t have been more of an opposite to the warmths of Panama.  After several winters and a severe case of cabin fever Rice and his family moved to his hometown of Clarita where they set up shop and started developing their Panama tourism business. 

    At first their tourism business started off slow so Rice sought further education in tourism and computer technology to enhance their business.  During this time Rice became aware of the importance of the internet medium.  Even though the world wide web was in its infancy, Rice and his family developed and bought www.panamacanal.com which impacted their business tremendously.  Imagine the frustrations this caused the Panama tourism development officials.  The newly marketed website generated so much business that it became necessary to establish an office in Panama to receive their tourists.  Rice and a few of his long time friends worked together to develop a tourism program that encompassed historic Panama locations as well as native inhabited rainforests. Rice began working with the Embera Indians on the Chagres River where he was at the forefront of incorporating the natives into Panama tours.  His long standing relationship with the local Indians brought prosperity to the tribes and a authentic touch to the tours. 

    After several attempts to register the company’s name Rice and others eventually decided to name the business after his nickname.  In 1997 Panama Jones was official and running on autopilot. This allowed Rice to begin his ongoing labor of love to restore and develop the town of Clarita.

    For Rice the development and marketing of a town that has no draw for consumers is based on the area’s cultural and historical richness.  Rice’s love of antiquities and preservation of the past has played a key role in the developing of the current vendors and services offered at Clarita.  His vision of a “Mayberry like” community, where retail business offer unique products in a family friendly setting, is different than commercialized tourist traps such as Branson, Missouri.  Rice commented on his overall vision and concepts for his beloved home town. 

    “In a lot of ways the development of Clarita has been harder to get started than the Panama touring business.  The first step was a labor intensive clean up of the properties I was purchasing.  Then, for it to really work I was going to need community involvement.  It’s one thing to restore and market a building in a way that attracts people to the area and it’s another to convey my concepts where people will understand and want to be involved.  In many aspects getting others involved is my main objective.  Getting the locals involved and excited about the possibilities of creating independent money is key to these project’s success.  My biggest supporters in developing Clarita economically have been members of the local Amish community.”

    Rice has restored and rebuilt several structures in the town which were the stepping stones for obtaining is overall goal.  Rice purchased the “Moore House” in 2005 which he restored and furnished to its original design.  Built in 1909 by the town’s barber, this historic home is now available for guests to enjoy for $75 a night.  Three years of restoration is evidenced in Rice’s attention to details.

    Another current and completed project is Schmelzer’s, home to Velma’s Kitchen offering all you can eat country style dinners every Friday night, by reservation only.  Velma’s Kitchen also caters private parties at Schmelzer’s and other locations. Schmelzer’s  has also been host to many special events including fund raisers, family reunions, weddings, civic group meetings, and church organization meetings.  Another business that was started at Schmelzer’s is Got Grub.  Operated by Ronda Sharp, she prepares lunches for delivery throughout Coal County.  Currently, Saturday night dinners are in the works for two entrepreneurs that will alternate BB-Q and catfish dinners.

    “Schmelzer’s has a lot of potential so I have never wanted to be tied down to making it strictly a restaurant.  Right now it serves as an incubator to those looking to break out in the restaurant business.  Offering people of this community a chance to provide their services not only makes me happy, but plays a key role in getting others involved,”  says Rice.

    Other ongoing projects include the restoration and remodeling of Clarita’s Church of Christ building.  This large building has been restored to look like a period school house where retreats, workshops, seminars and even weddings can take place.  The school house is built using quality craftsmanship and an antique touch while still offering all the modern day technologies to accommodate large business meetings.

    Rice recently acquired another piece of Clarita history, an old cabin owned by General “Mule” Waveren who was a scout for General Custer.  Fortunately Waveren wasn’t present the day of the “Little Bighorn Massacre”.  Unfortunately he did lose his arm shortly after in another small battle.  The cabin where Waveren lived was relocated by a team of mules from the nearby woods to Clarita’s main street where it will be restored for public display.

    For Winston Rice, taking on big projects is just away of life.  Whether he’s breaking sky diving records, or spending hours landscaping on his Kubota, he knows that some things start with a leap of faith.

    To find out more information about Clarita or Panama Canal tours email Winston Rice at claritaok@gmail.com or info@panamacanal.com.

Panama Jones & The Town of Clarita

How do you span the countless miles from Fitzhugh, Oklahoma to Kotzebue, Alaska?  The preferred method is flying for but some members of the Fitzhugh Baptist Church it’s a walk of faith. Great Plains Living got a chance to interview Daniel Wilburn, Sunday School Director at Fitzhugh Baptist Church about his involvement with the Freedom Camp, which is held for native youths from villages near Kotzebue, Alaska.  Through the mission efforts of Fitzhugh Baptist Church, Wilburn unselfishly gives his time by doing anything from leading small group Bible studies to cleaning portable toilets at this primitive camp.  Wilburn gave Great Plains Living insight to the much needed missionary work that took place in the Arctic Circle this July.

Q:  How did the Freedom Camp get started?

A:  It started four years ago with Zane and Kandy Newton along with Lance Kramer, a missionary from Kotzebue Alaska at Super Summer Oklahoma. Super Summer is a training opportunity for youth ministers to bring Christian people together who are interested in advancing their personal spiritual growth.  We got involved because they were commenting on their need for a cook for this camp near Kotzebue.  My father, Steve Wilburn who’s the Pastor at Fitzhugh Baptist, commented that he had experience cooking for youth at Falls Creek.

Q:  Why Kotzebue?

A:  Kotzebue is Kramer’s hometown.  There’s also a real need for missionary work there due to the high suicide rates among young people.  In fact the rates are well over the national average in these remotely rural towns with over half of the suicides being committed by native kids and teenagers.

Q:  What was the overall mission?

A:  Reaching out to the kids was the main objective.  There seems to be no hope among the young people.  Society roles have changed because their way of life has been altered by westernization.  These people have survived by the males of the family providing their needs in an extremely harsh environment.  With outsiders of the western world basic needs became cash.  This created a big shift in what was essential to survive.  It seems the people who have adapted to this the most are the women.  As a result women are becoming heads of the households.  Altogether it has created a depressed and altered culture which results in high amounts of alcoholism and other negative behaviors.  What we want to do is reach out to the kids of these tiny communities and let them know there is hope. 

Q:  How was the camp able to achieve this?

A:  We wanted the young people of the communities to understand that you can find refuge and solace through the love of Christ.

Q:  Did you make any personal connections with members of the camp?

A:  Yes, I was in charge of a small group of about six guys and there was this one kid that really opened up to me, and shared the hardships he has endured growing up.  Despite what he has been through he always has a positive outlook, and he always wears a smile.  Over the three trips I’ve taken there I have seen change in him.  He wasn’t always positive but you can tell he has hope now.  We are good friends and we stay in touch.  His outlook on life lets me know things are working well, and the messages we preach are reaching our kids.

Q:  What are some of the camp activities?

A:  We have worship and chapel times during the day. We also hike. We are 45 miles away from any civilization and we have a two-hour boat ride to get to our camp so everything we do keeps us busy.  We also have archery.  Most of all we just hang out, which some of these kids don’t get to do regularly.  It’s a place where they can relax and let their guards down long enough to just hang out with no worries.

Q:  Were there any places to eat besides the food you cooked at camp?

A:  There were little stores where you could get hamburgers for about $14.

Q:  What were some of the highlights for you?

A:  Seeing kids leave with hope when they felt there was none.  They can go home and be the change that could positively impact their generation. 

Q:  How long did you stay?

A:  We stayed ten days.  The Fitzhugh Baptist Church gave us great support.  They packed flat rate boxes full of food and mailed them to Kotzebue where they were sent by boat to the isolated camp.

Q:  What cultural challenges were you faced with?

A:  At first it was hard just getting them to talk.  They are really quiet people.  They often communicate through facial expressions, not words. While eating spaghetti during one particular trip, I asked a kid if he liked his food.  He gave no response and I finally realized by his expression he was saying yes.  Over the years I feel we’ve gotten over those boundaries because they have really opened up to us.

Q:  What were some of the difficulties you had?

A:  A major issue was trying to get the kids to go to sleep.  During the summer they stay up until four or five in the morning because it basically stays light all night.  The first year we tried to make breakfast at nine.  That didn’t work because we could not wake them up.  So this year we cooked breakfast at eleven. 

I noticed kids walking around town at three or four in the morning.  You see that in Ada and you think the kids are up to no good, but in Kotzebue I think they are just trying get away or find some sort of peace on the streets.

Q:  Do they integrate their native culture in their worship?

A:  The natives have a long Christian background, but it has gone down hill over the years.  Their culture is a part of everything they do.  I did notice they sing hymns in their native language of Iñupiaq.

Q:  What would you like to see come from this camp in the future?

A:  We would like to see a camp that does not need us, and we are seeing this as a reality.  We have had several kids that have come back year after year, and we notice positive changes every time.

Q:  How has all this impacted your life?

A:  It makes me grateful for what we have here, and it has given me a whole new perspective on life.  I really appreciate things I have.  To see that some of the kids have accepted Christ as their savior and to see the change in their lives over the years really lifts my soul.

Q:  As Sunday School Director how do you get others involved?

A:  It all starts with sharing.  I share the stories and what I’ve seen.  It seems to get people interested and more involved with what we are doing.

Q:  If you could do the trip over today, what would you do different?

A: When I was there I didn’t hold anything back.  I didn’t want any what if issues coming up.  After all its not like you can hop in the car and go back.

    The teachings of Christ, which guide Wilburn through his life are the foundations of providing hope for those who desperately need it.  His work at the camp proves that Christ’s love transcends cultural differences and can make change in the harshest conditions and smallest of communities.

From Fitzhugh to Kotzebue