Clayton's Favorite Story of 2023

Editor's Note:

December naturally has us thinking back over the year that was, including the stories we've created. So, we've again asked DTN/Progressive Farmer writers to think back on their year and choose a favorite story from the archive. They range from hard-hitting investigative journalism and national scoops to farm family features and fun discoveries made while traveling U.S. farm country. We hope you enjoy our writers' favorites, with today's story by Chris Clayton.

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OMAHA (DTN) -- I'm in a Wyoming pasture in late June surrounded by more than 2,000 bison -- some close enough to pet -- thinking that it's impossible even for me not to get an amazing photo while also thinking about all of those social media videos of people getting gored by bison.

About 50 feet away a one-ton bull bellows, and then a few others start up. John Flocchini, owner of the Durham Ranch, explains the bull is just letting all of the other bulls know he just claimed a cow as his own. The bulls are pretty calm until mating season kicks in, then they will break each other's ribs and gore everything in sight, Flocchini says.

Then we take a minute a look at some high-quality bison manure to talk about the grasses the bison are grazing.

My favorite story was a summer road trip through parts of Wyoming and Montana as I drove to my eventual destination in Calgary, Alberta in Canada.

The Durham Ranch bison herd sticks with me because I've probably shown the photos from my iPhone at least 30 times to people since then. Learning just a little bit about a commercial bison operation also was an education, such as the reinforced walls of the corral and pens and a squeeze chute that looks like something set up for Jurassic Park.

A few days later, I was setting up camp at an inaugural Old Salt Festival in west-central Montana. Preparing for my Montana camping foray, I had spent $15 on a tent at a used furniture store. Looking back, my frugal purchase proved to be a momentary lapse of judgment.

The clouds darkened and the winds picked up as I pounded in the stakes in a pasture where there was clear evidence the cows had grazed there only days before. My tent failed in the winds shortly after sundown and a humbled man rode out the storm in his pickup.

At the same time, I realized there are still places in rural America where phone signals don't work, though I would still look at my phone 20 times during the next couple of days.

We took a hike the next morning and the guy from the Midwest got a little more winded than expected hiking up the foothills. We don't have a whole lot of foothills in Iowa. It seemed more like a mountain than a foothill. It was chilly and damp, but the conversation focused heavily on regenerative ranching practices, protecting wildlife habitat and promoting quality local beef to consumers. The rest of the day was filled with music, beer and beef. I can work with that.

Along with bison and a ranch festival, I spent time visiting with a few Montana ranchers talking about land prices and the "Yellowstone" effect of the television show. A friend, Jess Peterson, showed me a new piece of grazing land he started leasing north of Billings. He got on his knees and explained the difference between quality grasses by comparing and contrasting cow pies. A good cow pie, you see, will be filled with dung beetles rolling up that manure and making it their own.

I discovered by accident that a rancher -- raising cattle or bison -- is going to take some time to then explain the importance of what a bull or cow leaves behind.

See the story, "The Western Draw of American Bison,"

https://www.dtnpf.com/…

A video of the Durham Ranch can be seen at https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Also see, "Regenerative Ranching Festival Sprouts," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ChrisClaytonDTN

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