# We're headed to the ranch!



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Yay for you!!!? Just as long as you don't forget about your forum friends

They do have internet service?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> Yay for you!!!? Just as long as you don't forget about your forum friends
> 
> They do have internet service?


Yes. Plenty of internet service! I'll still be here in Horse Forum. Maybe have more to add since I'll have my own stock, at last!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I am so jealous but very happy for you!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Congrats! Sounds very nice, all that sand and sunshine!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Happy retirement! I promise it won't be long before you wonder how in the heck you ever had time to work. LOL Looks like a beautiful place to retire to, too.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Yay for you!! I would be super excited too if I were in your shoes.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Looks divine. Can't wait to follow along as you put everything together.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The gang at the barn gave us a bon voyage party tonight. Among the gifts was a framed photo of Dusty, the animated little horse I've been working with lately.

image by Paul Mckee, on Flickr


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Ah, super super jealous! So happy for you.  Sooo exciting!!!


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Very happy for you, retirement is grand, don't forget to keep us posted on your life in the Philippines.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Wow! I'm jealous! On retirement (I have a few more years, then I'm hitting the road out of crazy CA) and the ranch (hoping to hit my sister up for a spot on her ranch when her husband retires and they GET their ranch!). 

Happy Retirement!!

Please keep us updated, especially with pix!!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We've been here 2 weeks now. Arrived to find our caretaker had been injured and couldn't keep up with the place. No crops in, save the few fruit trees planted a few years ago. Chest high tropical grass had taken over. Also the access road had been washed out, and was impassable by motor vehicles. We hired a crew to start clearing and fencing. They got to work immediately. But supplies had to be hauled up the mountain by carabao (water buffalo) sled, and in back packs. 

We negotiated a deal with a contractor for an excavator to fix the road. That's done now, and the machine is leveling the barn site and a cattle sorting pen / horse training area. The orchard and grazing areas are emerging from the tall grass. It is inedible when mature, but can be grazed when young and short. We are on the hunt for bunch of weanling calves to keep it down, as well as some usable horses.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Kitchen supplies for the work crew heading up to the ranch. Hats off to these hard working people and their hardy draft animals!


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

What an amazing story! It looks like your retirement will be rather busy.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Three weeks in. Here's some more photos. the place is starting to look more like a working farm than an overgrown, abandoned hillside.

This is our little Native style house. The cleared hillside will become rambutan orchard.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Our eroded access road is repaired now. We've joined the modern world! This was our first trip up the mountain delivering supplies by truck.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The Goodewyfe planting her citrus seedlings


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The citrus orchard is almost all planted. This is calamansi, a small, very popular fruit here. The trees are barely in the ground, and the Goodwyfe already has a buyer for the first full crop.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Neighbors came to visit the other day. The lady on the right is Pacita, the matriarch of the Ifugau community uphill from us. They brought gifts of papaya and camote (a type of yam). We gave them clothing, and school supplies.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Wow! Would love to see pics of the inside of the house if you don't mind. Will you be upgrading that? Everything outside seems to be coming together wonderfully.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

This critter was wandering around our access road a few days ago. We scooped it up and fed it. It decided it liked the place and has hung around ever since.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Standing on the site we had cleared and leveled for the barn. the Goodewyfe fell in love with the view. She appropriated the place for her future dream house. The planned barn site has been changed to a more humble area


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

*Sigh*


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

phantomhorse13 said:


> Wow! Would love to see pics of the inside of the house if you don't mind. Will you be upgrading that? Everything outside seems to be coming together wonderfully.


Thanks! Here ya go. We'd like to keep it as authentic as possible. It has potential as a guest house in the future. We will cement over the dirt floors underneath just to help keep it cleaner.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

*Grabby hands!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

What a gorgeous view for the future home site. I love the dwelling that is there now too, it's pretty cool.


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

This all looks like something out of a movie. I second the grabby hands comment.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

No livestock yet. but we have a cat and a dog. This is Snoopy. I wanted to call him Adobo. But, as usual in such matters, I was outvoted.


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## Maistjarna (Dec 25, 2016)

So cute! Looks like a mix?


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Snoopy is such a doll <3 Thank you for sharing your latest adventure with us!
Does the little kitty have a name yet? <3


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Maistjarna said:


> So cute! Looks like a mix?


I suppose most dogs here are mixed breed. Although, there are quite a few of these curly tailed yellow dogs here in the mountains. Very active and curious. They follow their owners everywhere. Usually, when a lone dog shows up at our place, it means someone from the Ifugau community up the mountain from us is coming to visit.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Zexious said:


> Snoopy is such a doll <3 Thank you for sharing your latest adventure with us!
> Does the little kitty have a name yet? <3


The goodewyfe calls it Deetra. When it's good, I call it kitty, kitty. When it's naughty, I call it CAT!!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I have to agree with the Goodwyfe on not calling the dog 'Adobo.' If I recall from my visits to the PI, adobo is some kind of stew, isn't it? ;-) I still order pork adobo when I can find a good, authentic restaurant. And again - Goodwyfe wins on the view for a dream house! 

Have fun on your trip to visit your son!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Hmmm. Four pages in "horse talk" and haven't talked about horses yet. Been traveling over the weekend, but I looked at a horse for sale on Thursday. Few, if any, of the folks around here know much about horses. They are mostly considered novelty status symbols. The ones I'm aware of hang out in pastures, or live on a picket rope. Folks who say they ride, simply put a rope on the head and a feed sack on the back and play around for a bit. 

A relative knew of someone selling a horse. They asked what I wanted. I said female, (no one gelds horses around here), not too small, and at least 3 years old. Word got back that the horse was female and 3 years old. I got there, and the horse is female, lightly built, looks to be under 14 hands, and still sporting the fuzzy mane and tail of a foal. 

I'm still intrigued enough to have another look this week. The horse and it's companion horse were calm and followed the owner around to where I could look at them. The owner is selling because he thinks his ground will only support one horse. A sign to me that he cares about his animals. I suspect that it would be 2 years or so before I can ride this youngster. I'm hoping to talk the guy into selling both as a package deal. The other one is of unknown age, but is said to be trained, for what ever that is worth around here. I asked if he rides the horse. He laughed and said no. He simply bought it because they said it was trained. He said they used it to carry things in the mountains. I've seen these pack horses around. Often a kid will ride the rump behind the burden. Still, the training is of unknown quality and quantity.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Oh PLEASE keep posting about your new life ------ especially horse hunting ----- I have a feeling your stories are going to be the best many of us have ever heard! 

<rubs hands together in anticipation>


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Upgrades to the Native house are almost complete. 

Half walls and concrete flooring on the outdoor portions of the house.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The uphill side of the Native house.



The crew mixing concrete the old way.



And the new sink. No more squatting by a bucket on the ground. The sink will drain into buckets. The "gray water" will be used to water plants.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

What weather disasters does your part of the world have to prepare for? Is the Native house shored up with that in mind?

That is my idea of a sink and countertop!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> What weather disasters does your part of the world have to prepare for? Is the Native house shored up with that in mind?
> 
> That is my idea of a sink and countertop!


We live in an area called typhoon alley. Fortunately for us, most of them come in from the east. The Sierra Madre mountain range separates us from the east coast of Luzon. They tend to break the force of them somewhat. We relocated the house to our place in 2013. It has withstood the annual buffeting well. We put new tin on the roof with the sturdiest anchors available. We're in the normal rainy season now, and there are no leaks evident. No rattles to be heard during normal thunderstorms. 

Aside from that, there is the odd tremor, potentially an earthquake. And the remote chance that a distant volcano will blow, dumping ash and such on us. 

The house as it was when we bought it. We had it taken apart and reassembled on our place.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Keep posting! I love reading about adventures! 

I definitely want to move somewhere like this in the years to come!


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

I'm very intrigued! What a fun retirement this looks like. I will certainly be following. 

Oh and CONGRATS by the way!!!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

When you say "remote chance that the volcano will blow," are you referring to Mount Penatubo? I remember the last time it erupted! Hope you're far, far from there!

I love seeing the mountains all around. It's beautiful there.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Change said:


> When you say "remote chance that the volcano will blow," are you referring to Mount Penatubo? I remember the last time it erupted! Hope you're far, far from there!
> 
> I love seeing the mountains all around. It's beautiful there.


Pinatubo and the Taal are the 2 closest. The Taal is the 2nd most active volcano in the Philippines. Last eruption was a few decades ago. It spits steam and gas from time to time. Still, the city of Tagaytay is on the slopes of the outer cone. Home to a thriving tourist economy and a large European expat community. Lots of good European bakeries and such there. I rode a runty horse to the rim of the inner cone some years ago. that was an experience. 

Pinatubo is the one that dumped so much ash on the American bases, that they sere abandoned. Cleaned up now, Subic is a busy commercial ship port. Clark Airfield is a "Free Enterprise Zone" with a commercial airfield. 

Both are well over 6 hours away and on the other side of the mountains. Weather patterns would determine whether or not we're affected by an eruption. 

Oh! Oh!
Where ya gonna go
When the volcano blow?
Jimmy Buffet


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Bamboo screen over the sink. 



Bean trellis lines the approach. Outbuildings almost done. The place is starting to look like a farm!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Th scenery is breath-taking but with so much of the living area exposed to nature---what do you do about critters and bugs in the house?

Are there venomous spiders and snakes in the area? Things like scorpions?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> Th scenery is breath-taking but with so much of the living area exposed to nature---what do you do about critters and bugs in the house?
> 
> Are there venomous spiders and snakes in the area? Things like scorpions?


This is the tropics. Critters great and small are a given. The house was built before electricity was available. It is designed for constant ventilation. But this house, and every other here has geckos. They have a musical chirp, and are voracious insect eaters. They'll bite if grabbed, but are otherwise harmless. The mountain breezes keep the mosquitos at bay. I've had the occasional ant bite, but am otherwise not pestered by bugs. 

There is a harmless looking green snake here that packs about the same punch as a copperhead. This is also the home range of the Northern Philippine cobra. But they are wary of humans and not particularly aggressive. I just behave as I always have. Don't put my hands in places I can't see, flip things over before I pick them up, and so forth.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> This is the tropics. Critters great and small are a given. The house was built before electricity was available. It is designed for constant ventilation. But this house, and every other here has geckos. They have a musical chirp, and are voracious insect eaters. They'll bite if grabbed, but are otherwise harmless. The mountain breezes keep the mosquitos at bay. I've had the occasional ant bite, but am otherwise not pestered by bugs.
> 
> There is a harmless looking green snake here that packs about the same punch as a copperhead. This is also the home range of the Northern Philippine cobra. But they are wary of humans and not particularly aggressive. I just behave as I always have. Don't put my hands in places I can't see, flip things over before I pick them up, and so forth.


I could handle the geckos in the house ---- not the snakes, lollol. Many many years ago, when I was married to my son's father (a Nam vet), a pretty good sized black snake managed to get into the kitchen. It went behind the *gas* stove. The ex was going after his gun to shoot it -- behind the gas stove. Yessir he really was:eek_color:

My SIL was visiting, helped me capture the snake and release it down by the creek, thus saving the house and ourselves from probably getting blown up, lol. Ex had had a "Seven Stepper" drop out of a tree onto his bayonet in Nam. He couldn't yell, he couldn't be paralyzed in fear as they were on maneuvers. He has had an aversion to snakes ever since.

We have rattle snakes, cottonmouth, and copperheads. Thankfully we also have black snakes, rat snakes, and barn cats. We also keep this place mowed down. That means the viper snakes don't come around as the faster moving snakes and the cats out hunt them:loveshower:

I am still envious of your retirement land ---- you lucky lucky dog

BTW is the kitten still around? I have its Doppleganger, except "Bitzy" is 11 years old and weighs 22 pounds, lol. He started out being a barn cat but one of the horses stepped on him, when he was young. He had to have a hip replacement. That titanium hip cost a fortune so I relegated him to the house for the rest of his life, lol.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

A friend of mine was going to his foxhole at night in 'Nam, to take his shift on guard duty. He had to walk down a little footpath through trees and brush. One particular vine wouldn't get out of his way. He swatted at it with his rifle, but it coiled around the barrel and looked back at him. 

I grew up in the South, so watching for snakes when I'm out and about is second nature. The only real wrinkle here is that the Northern Philippine cobra is about the 3rd most venomous snake in the world. And happens to be a spitting cobra, with accuracy out to about 3 meters. Should I inadvertently tick one off, I plan to shield my face with my big sombrero, and beat a hasty retreat. Probably have to burn the sombrero after that. And maybe my drawers. 

The little kitten is still around. Eats like a horse, but is still scrawny. It may be wormy, but I'm worried I might overdose it. It's so tiny. Still, it's active and playful.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I remember the geckos! Those in the PI are much larger than the little guys we had on Okinawa. But even the small ones keep the bugs at bay (except the cockroaches and palmetto bugs - those suckers could be saddled and rode!). We also had little black jumping spiders that were harmless - to us - but pretty doggone efficient on mosquitos! And then there were the banana spiders. Harmless, but HUGE and UGLY. I remember seeing them in the PI, too. The only poisonous snake I remember from Okinawa was a black snake called the Habu (aka, Two-Step). Thankfully, I never met one!

On one trip down to Clark, three of us rented a car and driver and spent a day up in the mountains - can't remember the name of the town, but it was where Imelda's summer villa was. It was stunningly beautiful up there. Clouds and mist filled valleys and gorges and views that were unsurpassed by any other scene I have witnessed. I don't blame you a bit for choosing to retire there!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Change, that would be Baguio, called the summer capitol of the Philippines. Cool enough for pine trees and temperate zone fruits like strawberries. The Native people there have adopted American cowboy culture. Many of the Americans they came in contact with in the early 20th century were mining engineers from the Western states.

The horsemen working the tourist industry there call themselves The Pony Boys. Most of the old timers dress in cowboy style. The youngsters, not so much. Every year, The Pony Boys send a delegation several hundred miles south to compete in the Masbate rodeo.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Yes! Baguio! I've always wished I could visit there again with more time to explore! The PI has such an amazing diversity of scenery and land-scape, and so much of it breath-taking.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Back again. Still no movement on the horse front. the guy said he wouldn't sell both horses. The older, trained one was his first horse. I can understand that. I'm reluctant to buy the youngster unless I have another one around. There's a herd of them in the next town south of us. I've heard that they are for sale. Ones I've seen look rather small. Odds are also that they are untouched. We'll see.

Work on the outbuildings is at a standstill for now. The rice harvest has begun. All the workers are out tending their own fields right now. They have to harvest, thresh and dry it before they can sell it. 

Stayed the weekend up in Ifugau Province with the relatives of a friend. These folks are of the Kalunguya ethnic group. Mountaineers of the rain forest. Head hunters in years past. The main event was accompanying them as they gathered wild honey from the forest. I'm trying to post some pictures, but photobucket isn't cooperating tonight.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Bee hunters smoking a hive before taking the honey,



One of those green vipers I mentioned in an earlier post.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Finally some positive movement on the pasture management front. The folks I'm working with are crop farmers. Good people who know their business. But to them, a cow, is a cow, is a cow. Same with horses. You buy it. You picket it out behind your house, or beside the road. You let it eat whatever green stuff is growing there. Some of them gain weight, and some get horribly skinny. They don't seem to know why. They are puzzled as to why I passed on the opportunity to buy 5 uncut male cows at a bargain price. They try to be helpful when I ask about forage grasses for improving our pasture, but their knowledge of forage grasses is limited.

Everything here works on a word of mouth / family contacts / networking system. No one just walks into a place to ask information unless they know, or are related to someone inside. It turns out that someone I know, knows someone who works at the Department of Agriculture research farm one town north of us. I didn't even know the place existed. Our contact introduced us to the guy in charge. He showed me 8 or 10 sample rows of different types of tropical forage grasses. After asking what our land was like and how we wanted to manage it, he recommended bracharia humidicola, or koronivia grass. This one is edible, even in its mature stage. The seeds don't irritate the mouths and throats of livestock, and it should eventually overtake the cogon grass that dominates our fields now. 

They said we could have all we could dig up. We got 10 bags of it for planting first thing tomorrow!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

One of the guys helping with the grass told me that he knew of a horse and calessa (traditional 2 wheeled carriage) that had just sold for 8,000 pesos, that's roughly $165. The story was, that the original owner had run into hard times and needed the cash. Next thing I hear is that the new owner just died, and the horse and rig may be up for sale again. If the running gear is in good shape, and the wood is not rotten or termite ridden, the calessa alone would be worth a look. 

The horse is a toss up. It may or may not actually pull the rig. Odds are that the surviving family members do not know how to harness or drive the thing. Most calessa horses I've seen have a rough life. Clumsy, blocky farriery. Bits fitted extremely tight, and reinforced with tight check reins of various sorts. 

Traditional mourning here lasts 9 days. I'll send word that I'm interested. If I get a response, I'll have a look after the funeral.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Wow, you've been busy! Pretty soon you'll be a gentleman farmer for real!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

That green viper does not need to be slithering into someone's suitcase headed for the U.S. I need to see some more farm pictures so I can un-see that snake, lollol

I hope things work out for the carriage and the horse. I've lost track, do you do your farrier work? What about any sort of vet in your area, or are there circuit vets?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

No worries on Mr. No Shoulders hitching a ride, Walk. This one was seen during my trip into the mountains. I was with a group of naturalists that included a couple of herpetologists. So finding and photographing reptiles was high on the agenda. I'll see if I have any farm pics I haven't posted yet.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I did farriery back in the 70's and early 80's. Still have my tools. I plan to run them barefoot. Soil here isn't very abrasive, but more and more roads are concrete. I'll have to see how they grow or wear and work from there. I'm connected with a couple of barefoot farriers Stateside who are interested in helping out to the point of coming and training one or two local folks to do the job. They're also my source for proper boots and such. 

Local farmers do not avail themselves of veterinary services. There is a fatalistic cultural attitude called "bahala na". Loosely translated, that is "come what may". But, now I have a contact in the local Department of Agriculture. Sort of like the extension services provided by many state universities in the US. So vet services can be had to some extent when needed. Still, it is a third world country. A wild, wild mix of early 20th century and ultra modern practices.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

some more pleasant photos for Walk-in-the-Walk. 

Some of our calamansi trees are fruiting.



And a shot of the young coconut grove.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Everything is so beautiful!! 
We need way more pictures!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Just got back from the ranch. Not a lot going on up there. Heavy monsoon rains yesterday. Good for the newly planted grass. Dirt road seems to be holding up well with the rains. I've identified a few spots that need to get some rocks into them. 

As requested, here's a few more photos.

The view from the front yard; our neighbors cows grazing. 



On the way back to town, we passed a traveling vendor selling baskets. We got some nest baskets for the chickens.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> Just got back from the ranch. Not a lot going on up there. Heavy monsoon rains yesterday. Good for the newly planted grass. Dirt road seems to be holding up well with the rains. I've identified a few spots that need to get some rocks into them.
> 
> As requested, here's a few more photos.
> 
> ...


It looks a bit like the "uncivilized parts of Costa Rica! Brings back a lot of memories!!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

*Cordillera, *. That is amazing the young calamari tree is fruiting already!

What a gorgeous view out the front window ----- I know how peaceful it must be to see that every day. Our bedroom picture window is about nine feet tall, if I include the transom. It faces the pastures and barn. Along with a glorious sunset every night, I get to see my horses and wild life in action, in ways I never have in the past. 

I could make the basket guy rich, lollol. I love that basket under the chair leg and the broom is also appealing. 

There are people in Nashville and Franklin who contract with women in some Third World countries to make jewelry and those women enjoy a percent of the profits. Nice and unique baskets are hard to come by, I'll bet there is a market for the basket weavers products in the same manner

Thank you for such great pictures!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

One of the guys I went to Ifugau with brought us some strawberry runners. these are a warm weather variety that may work out in our place. I put them in the ground on an east facing slope. They should get morning sun and afternoon shade there. 

Snoopy seemed to agree.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Snoopy and the ranch cat had to establish some boundaries. The kitty is small, but scrappy. She ain't no house cat!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

And some flowers on the edge of a neighbors rice field.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The Goodewyfe informs me that the flowers are called spider lilies.

Going to try to have a look at the horse and calesa next week. I'm a bit concerned over why the package went for so cheap before. Maybe the calesa needs a lot of repair, or the horse is a nag. If the horse is healthy, and knows how to pull, I'm inclined to go for it. Even if the calesa is down for repair, I might be able to snake firewood and bamboo poles up to the house from the stacks left all over from the fencing and clearing operations. I'll have to practice my timber hitch. 

The odd position I'm in is that I'll first have to send Filipino emissaries to negotiate price. Folks around me are worried that if the seller learns that it's a foreigner buying, the price will shoot through the roof. I will have to make an appearance st some point though. I need to know the condition of the feet, health, and approximate age before I spring for it.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I went livestock shopping today. Got word of two weanling heifers, and a “big”, rideable mare for sale. Around here, to get anything done, you have to know someone who knows someone. After going through three layers of people who knew people, the heifers turned out to be a mature cow and her weaned bull calf. Only the calf was actually for sale. None of the people who knew people actually owned the cows. The calf is fat and looks healthy. If the owner actually shows up with the proper ownership papers, and the price is fair, I’ll likely buy the calf. 

Getting to the big, rideable mare was an adventure. The road went from concrete to gravel to mud. Plenty of motorcycles had gone through the standing water in the muddy road, so we put it into 4 wheel drive and went for it. We crossed a shallow river and turned off onto a track that paralleled the water. That lasted about 3 or 4 car lengths before it turned back down to the river. We drove about 250 meters upstream in the riverbed, and pulled out onto another mud track. About 75 meters later, we pulled into a small farmstead in the forest. 

There were two horses there. One small, and the other smaller. Both skinny. My companions advised me to stay in the truck for fear that the asking price would skyrocket if the seller knew the buyer was a foreigner. I complied, but we had just pulled up in a shiny 4 wheel drive pick-up. They already knew they were talking to money. They offered the smallest to us first, for 20,000 pesos. Near the top price for “trained” riding horses here. The creature was tiny, skinny, and looked to be about 2 years old. No go. 

The other one was the big, rideable one. They said it was also pregnant, so they wanted more than 20,000 for it. It sticked out at 12 hands. No one there would ride it. Other than being skinny, it looked healthy. It was gentle and friendly, but completely unsuitable for my purposes.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I went livestock shopping today. Got word of two weanling heifers, and a “big”, rideable mare for sale. Around here, to get anything done, you have to know someone who knows someone. After going through three layers of people who knew people, the heifers turned out to be a mature cow and her weaned bull calf. Only the calf was actually for sale. None of the people who knew people actually owned the cows. The calf is fat and looks healthy. If the owner actually shows up with the proper ownership papers, and the price is fair, I’ll likely buy the calf. 

Getting to the big, rideable mare was an adventure. The road went from concrete to gravel to mud. Plenty of motorcycles had gone through the standing water in the muddy road, so we put it into 4 wheel drive and went for it. We crossed a shallow river and turned off onto a track that paralleled the water. That lasted about 3 or 4 car lengths before it turned back down to the river. We drove about 250 meters upstream in the riverbed, and pulled out onto another mud track. About 75 meters later, we pulled into a small farmstead in the forest. 

There were two horses there. One small, and the other smaller. Both skinny. My companions advised me to stay in the truck for fear that the asking price would skyrocket if the seller knew the buyer was a foreigner. I complied, but we had just pulled up in a shiny 4 wheel drive pick-up. They already knew they were talking to money. They offered the smallest to us first, for 20,000 pesos. Near the top price for “trained” riding horses here. The creature was tiny, skinny, and looked to be about 2 years old. No go. 

The other one was the big, rideable one. They said it was also pregnant, so they wanted more than 20,000 for it. It sticked out at 12 hands. No one there would ride it. Other than being skinny, it looked healthy. It was gentle and friendly, but completely unsuitable for my purposes.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I probably should know, or at least google it, but what is calamansi? It looks like some sort of citrus... but the tree is wrong. Enlighten me (us?) please....


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Change said:


> I probably should know, or at least google it, but what is calamansi? It looks like some sort of citrus... but the tree is wrong. Enlighten me (us?) please....


Good morning! Calamansi is a small citrus, a bit larger than a large grape. Not so sour as a lemon, nor sweet as an orange. It is squeezed over fish, pancit (a traditional noodle dish), into beer, made into juice and sauces, on and on. It is so popular here, that the goodewyfe had a commercial buyer lined up to buy every single one she produces even before the trees were in the ground. I think she put in 200 trees, with room for more.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Sounds like your horse search is going to be rough and the cow search not much better

The bull calf would be a good investment if it's healthy, yes? If you could find decent cows of the same "kind" ( meaning beef or dairy), you could have a decent herd for yourself and self off what you don't have room or time for.

I am putting "Calamansi" in quotes in the hopes my IPad doesn't change it to calamari again. Big difference between the two unless one wants to make a "Calamansi" dressing to dip the fried calamari in, lollol


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> Sounds like your horse search is going to be rough and the cow search not much better
> 
> The bull calf would be a good investment if it's healthy, yes? If you could find decent cows of the same "kind" ( meaning beef or dairy), you could have a decent herd for yourself and self off what you don't have room or time for.
> 
> I am putting "Calamansi" in quotes in the hopes my IPad doesn't change it to calamari again. Big difference between the two unless one wants to make a "Calamansi" dressing to dip the fried calamari in, lollol


LOL! Don't think I'd like to be around the CALIMARI trees. 

Cattle will be easier to find than suitable horses. All are variations on the zebu type. The difficult part is getting through the layers of "contacts". Also not getting wound up if the actual animal is not what I was led to believe by the contacts. Folks are not lying to me. This culture works on consensus. Folks are trying to be agreeable, and not create discord. The tendency is to never disagree. They tell you what they think you want to hear. Of course, they are also trying to funnel money toward their own friends or relatives. It is still a clannish, nearly tribal society. They know I want mostly young, female cows, and one male. If they hear of a cow for sale, by the time news gets to me, the cow is a young female. 

I think, that if I work with mostly the same contacts, by the time I've refused a few unsuitable animals some sort of filter may kick in. 

And yes, If the owner appears, with the appropriate ownership documents, I'll spring for the bull calf.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

How your contact information works reminds me of the experiment most of us did in school with a sentence about anything -----

Make a sentence about something, have ten people repeat the sentence and see how much it does not resemble the original sentence after the tenth person repeats it, lollol

You HAVE to possess a lot of patience and I tip my hat. I am patient to the Ends of the Earth with any of my animals but I'm barely running on four patient cylinders when it comes to dealing with people, lollol. I love wheelin' and dealin' but let's not drag it out, lol. I realize their culture dictates the process you have to adhere to but that would drive me bonkers, lol

I hope the bull calf farmer produces papers and doesn't raise the price ---- does a Gentleman's Handshake count for anything or do you hurry up and pay and get the animal off their premise before they change their mind?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Finally broke through the layers of “helpers” and made a deal on a yearling bull calf today. I take delivery tomorrow. The breakthrough was in working with the same friend of the Goodewyfe who had connected us with the nursery we bought our fruit tree seedlings from. The owners of that calf took us to a neighbor who had a young heifer for sale. We made a verbal agreement to buy it as soon as it is weaned. Both are in good condition, as well as the adults on those farms. So they have good starts. I believe I can keep that up. Both are on picket ropes. I’ll keep them that way until I get them accustomed to coming to feed at my call. 
I’ve also decided to give in and get a couple goats to try and keep the weeds down between our banana trees. Our fencing is not suitable for goats, so they’ll also have to stay on picket lines. Attitude on a string, they are.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Got the bull calf today. I'm no longer the cowboy without a cow. Last time the previous owner handled him was last month, when he was branded on both sides. He was understandably a bit skittish. We'll keep him picketed short for a week or so, till he gets used to us coming around feeding him. Will also work on teaching him to come to a call


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Awww congrats!  He is so cute!!!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

What sweetie face he is! Will he get a nice name like a pet?

"Once Upon A Time", when I was a small child in the early 1950's, I would spend a lot of each summer with my maternal grandma and riding bareback behind my cousin on her horse, after I was told not to, lollollol 

Up the road a-piece was a dairy cattle farm. They refused to buy their begging daughter a horse. She broke one of the cows to ride and was seen several times riding the cow down the road ----- after many jokes from the neighbors her parents caved and bought her a horse. Wilhelmina and her horse Briar were inseparable for many years. I admired her grit and determination

I'm just sayin' in case you have trouble finding a good horse


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Walk, He is Bull # 1. I'm a believer in the maxim of never naming something you might have to eat. If he doesn't produce offspring, or if he throws mostly male calves, He gets sold on.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> Walk, He is Bull # 1. I'm a believer in the maxim of never naming something you might have to eat. If he doesn't produce offspring, or if he throws mostly male calves, He gets sold on.


My dad said the same thing. We had a smokehouse. When the cows stopped giving milk, and a pig fell out of favor they ended up in the smoke house.

When the chickens stopped laying, they got their neck rung or chopped off - depending who was doing the job. Dad's mom could wring a chicken's neck faster than you can blink. Dad had to use the ax, lol


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The little booger got loose today and ran off down the road. One of the day workers decided to adjust his picket rope. As soon as he felt the slack, he took off. Fortunately, he was trailing the rope. They caught up to him when he paused before crossing the river. The calf and the younger men outpaced me rather quickly, so I doubled back to get the truck in case it was needed. Before I was halfway back, they had him and were calmly leading him back to his picket tree. 

We had him near the house for ease of care while we have him picketed. He had calmed down overnight, eating and drinking. The caretaker had fed him salt from his hand and scratched his face earlier. But then, the workers came in as well as the caretakers wife and noisy, active 5 year old. We'll move him farther away from all the action tomorrow. 

A couple of beers are in order tonight.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Sooooooo, is the smoke house under construction yet? Lollollollol


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> Sooooooo, is the smoke house under construction yet? Lollollollol


No, but the Asian version of a nose ring is!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The crew put the nose rope on the bull calf today. Laid him down nice and slick, with a flank rope technique that I've never seen before. Instead of a ring, they pierced his nose with a sharpened bamboo implement, then passed a small rope through the opening. The knot is secured with rubber washers cut from flip flops. He was up and calmly eating grass 5 minutes afterwards.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

And first harvest from our young calamansi trees. About 1 kilo!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Awww, gosh darn is he so cute! 
And yay for your first harvest!!!!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Moved the bull calf to quieter and better digs. Belly deep in grass that he's mowing down enthusiastically.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

PoptartShop said:


> Awww, gosh darn is he so cute!
> And yay for your first harvest!!!!


Thanks!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Success! The bull calf calmly going to water, led by our caretaker.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

And "BC #1" sez: "hold up a minute --- someone wants a picture of my very sweet and handsome self; my butt doesn't look fat does it---"


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Would it be more expensive to import a horse from a nearby island or country?

Walkin's story about the girl riding the cow reminded me of this:


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> And "BC #1" sez: "hold up a minute --- someone wants a picture of my very sweet and handsome self; my butt doesn't look fat does it---"


Not yet. but soon, I hope.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Horseluvr, It would be prohibitively expensive for me. But some people do it. This is a 3rd world country with stark contrasts between the incredibly wealthy, a small emerging middle class, working poor, and abject poverty. There is an active horse racing industry here. There are also stables in wealthy areas that cater to the upper class, giving lessons and competing in hunter jumper type events. Those horses are either imported, or bred from imported horses, and as such, are incredibly expensive. Even the broken down, skinny horses folks are trying to sell me are seen mostly as a status symbol rather than anything the average person would actually use.


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Well, I wish you luck. I will be popping by occasionally to see how things are going.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

No horse yet. But doggonit, I'll be ready!
Horse training /cattle sorting pen.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Ten pages, and only a little talk about horses. Since most is about the farm itself, I started another thread in the Farm forum. 

http://www.horseforum.com/farm-forum/our-ranch-philippines-774218/#post1970278170


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