Spring, Summer and Fall at Lava Lake are all wonderful and unique in their own ways; experiencing new life and mountains carpeted in bright green, afternoon fishing and barbecues after checking on the irrigation and livestock, and watching the landscape morph into an exquisite collage of reds, oranges and yellows.

I wouldn’t give up any of those times. But there is something extra special about winter at the ranch; the stillness of the land is captivating and it feels good to just be quiet. Feeling the horses’ thick winter coats is, perhaps, my favorite thing of all, as well as reuniting with the ranch dogs and having a hot cup of tea with the Bennett family.

My parents and I made a trip to the main ranch over the holiday break and, although there was little snow to speak of, it felt great to be back. The barn additions completed during the fall looked fabulous, as did the new paint job. Other than corralling a few escapee horses everything was in great shape.

The loss of a few sheep every year is a reality of ranching life. Today was one of those tough days at Lava Lake Ranch. Letting go of the old to make way for the new is a natural part of life. We lost a Lava Lake ewe due to a cause that will catch up with us all eventually – old age. Many tears were shed on my part upon realizing that there was truly nothing I could do to save a member of our Lava Lake family. I spent the ewe’s last few hours with her, thanking her for all she had done for our ranch. The miles she has walked and the lambs she has raised have been a deeply appreciated contribution to the Lava Lake operation.

I’ve experienced many livestock depredations at Lava Lake before, but something about this Lava Lake ewe hit me harder than usual. Reflecting on this event has taught me to appreciate every precious moment I have in my day-to-day life. I better understand that I need to focus on the good in life rather than the bad.  I hope that there are lots of endless hills, lambs, and hay fields for her to enjoy in sheep heaven. She, like all of us, deserves a happy ending.

As many of you know, the Blaine County Fair was this past week. Although the biggest attraction is always the livestock sale on Saturday, a lot of other events occur over the four days such as three different rodeos, horse showing and livestock judging. The Bennett kids both participated in the 4H horse program and Bodie raised and sold a lamb as well. Payson and my sister, Fiona, rode in the junior rodeo on Friday night on their horses, Hoolie and Mustang.

Bodie and Payson showing off their horses and award ribbons

Bodie and ‘Lamb Loin’

Fiona on Mustang and Payson on Hoolie ready for the Junior Rodeo

On Friday the 8th, the kids and I headed up to the Barn pond for a swim. Upon arrival, however, the sun disappeared behind a bank of clouds and we all decided it wasn’t quite warm enough to hop in. So, we turned around and grabbed some fishing poles and a raft and drove down to the lake.

After catching enough trout for supper, all of us piled onto the raft and scared any remaining fish away. Later that day, my cousin Colin (who is staying here at the ranch for a few weeks) and I hiked up Copper Creek canyon and maneuvered around the many beaver ponds, which now fill the riparian zone.

The kids at barn pond.

Phoebe and Colin fishing at Lava Lake.

On July 6th, the Lava Lake crew feasted on lamb chops, fresh corn, and shitake mushrooms – a perfect summer supper! My dad, along with the rest of the table, thoroughly enjoyed the scrumptious chops cooked by my cousin, Colin, on the grill.

Lamb Chops with Fresh Mint Pesto
Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat by Deborah Krasner

Ingredients:

• 4 Lava Lake Lamb Loin Chops
• 1 big bunch fresh mint, stems discarded, leaves washed and dried in a salad spinner
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Procedure:

1) Bring the lamb to room temperature and blot it dry. Heat the broiler to hot.

2) Make the pesto by combining the mint, nuts, oil, garlic, and cheese in the bowl of a mini or regular food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process the paste until fairly smooth.

3) Using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, coat each chop on both sides with the pesto.

4) Turn on your kitchen fan, put the chops on a broiling rack, and set them close to the heating element for 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the strength of the broiler. Aim for rosy centers.

5) Let the meat sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 2-4

Brian Bean enjoying his lamb chop!

The guard-dog puppies have started to grow into their enormous paws and are now old enough to explore the world outside their barn pen. “Mama” keeps a close eye on them, but for the most part they are free to come and go as they please. Their most recent discovery is playing with the rest of the dogs on our grassy lawn. We can now expect anywhere from two to eleven dogs to be joining us for dinner and of course, to protect us with their never-ending chorus of howls and growls at night.

Puppy roaming free in the grass surrounding the yurt complex.

Phoebe Bean with “Mama” and one of her puppies.

Fiona Bean enjoying some puppy love.