Nebraskaland

NEBRASKAland April 2017

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/809310

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APRIL 2017 • NEBRASKAland 49 The Mundorf Ranch branding is one of the first to happen in the Cherry County area. One hundred fifty family members, friends, neighbors and some strangers came to the branding in April 2016. L ong gone are the pioneers, the milkmen and the lamplighters of yesteryear. Enter Wi-Fi refrigerators, horsepower hemi and Super Targets. As we look back on Nebraska's 150-year history, there's no mistaking that life has greatly changed. Yet despite all the changes, some aspects of "the good life" have not. In Nebraska cattle country, the cowboy still lives for one purpose: his herd. Open plains as far as the eyes can see, and fresh, clean groundwater pulled from iconic windmills that dot the landscape have allowed cattle to flourish in the Sandhills of Nebraska, just as they did 100 years ago. It is an industry so deeply tied to history. Epic cattle drives, the railroad and the opening and closing of the frontier – the romance and drama of the American Wild West lingers here. But romance doesn't repay the bank loans. Nor does it stop weather that can wipe out a whole herd, or stay up late to nurse a sick or injured calf. Some aspects of cattle ranching have changed, but many have also stayed the same: The fences continue to need mending. The cows still need checking. And in winter, all that ice in the water tanks doesn't break up on its own. In 2017, it's not hard to forget the traditions that have made the "Omaha steak" famous. And it's all too easy to dismiss with a chuckle that in some places, such as Nebraska, cattle still outnumber people by nearly four to one. While beef production is an industry – a business – caring for livestock remains an important way of life in these corners of the world. Hard work, animal welfare, family, community and a strong sense of self-reliance remain hallmarks of successful ranching. The Mundorf Ranch south of Wood Lake is one example.

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