Main Street, Wyoming; 509; A Wyoming Ranch Family

Mainstreet Wyoming is made possible in part by grants from Kennicott energy. Proud to be a part of Wyoming's future and the uranium exploration mining and production industry and by the Wyoming Council for the Humanities enriching lives of Wyoming people through the study of Wyoming history values and ideas. It's a perfect life. It's just what era it's the ideal for a lot of people. That's what they think they would like to do. And it really is wonderful. We're here to visit one of Wyoming's ranch families the Hamptons like many of their neighbors

have lived for several generations on this side of the Big Horn Mountains. They're headquartered at Mahogany buttes which is south of sleep and north of Lost Cabin. And today they're shipping their cabs to market. My. Is that. Anybody with livestock you've got to be a little smarter than them. She patted her three sons each for the cows and calves her right off the Big Horn Mountains. The calves are weaned from their mothers and shipped to market. Well we always like to shoot for a high market so that they can pays the interest on your money borrowed. But. We really do like to have repeat customers so

if you don't price them out of range you may have the same people come back and purchase them from. Touch and go situation on marketing or stock. Some people have gone to the video system and for some it's worked out good. For some it has to be good. It's. Not so much depends on your range conditions plus your water condition. If you've got ample of water for the stock and like right now you're on a path to where they're going to be sort of feed. If we have to wait another week where they are if we can go the sooner the better. And it takes a lot for a lot of help. Our neighbors think God will come when we need them and we help them when they need us. Get down. On shipping Bay the Hamptons are up before dawn. Cows and calves must be gathered on the

mountain by horseback and pushed down to the shipping grounds where the truckers are scheduled to arrive by late morning. The family awakens to rain. To play by ear to see when we get getting down there. Good Morning. Another beautiful day at the big garden. Carl Hampton started this for his. Mother in 1926. The original. I. Started. To take it with you it I can sometimes just roll it into put extra flour with it make a ball out of it to set it right in the top of your flour sack. Then when you go where you're going you just take it out and put it in the bowl and make straight water with it. Took things out. And it raises it just now it makes its own yeast.

That's. Pretty potent stuff. Like eating fermented barley crawl out of here. After breakfast the men drive their loaded horse trailers up towards the corrals. Remains behind to prepare the midday meal. And it is really raining. I just don't like to see that for those cowboys you know. Just makes it harder for them. They'll get the work done and they persevere. They just hang in there. But it's harder for them. How far do you live from the town of I guess Tansley it would be the nearest town. How far do you live from there. It's 32 miles from here to translate. And then from Tansley to island is 27 so it's about almost 60 miles. I think there are probably people who live in cities that think that you must get awfully lonely being so far away from the nearest town. Do you have that feeling ever.

A We get asked that a lot. What do you do fellas just what do you do out here. I think anyone that knows ranch life knows that you just are always busy. There's just plenty to do. We have a lot of people that come see us and it and as far as the distance it isn't anything for us to go to town. Sixty miles or 59 miles to Rhode Island is just nothing. You just do it when you need something. One of us are going and if you need something in particular you can send your list with whoever is going. To town. Since 1884 there have been 13 or 14 owners of this particular ranch. We have now is our pool room that is the original part. And then there was an addition on to the south of that. And then then some to the west the whole house was completed and in the 19. Oh I want to

say 19 between 1910 and 1920 and it took five separate building additions to make it what it is today. That's how they started Homes and way back in the eighteen hundreds. They started with log a lot hand hewn logs that sinkhole that goes in that. I'm going to have down to the farm I think. It's snowing and blowing and raining. All say we're here. The House of course and they're up there on the Hill. You talked to Sam and his radio. OK. Well if he can work with two trucks instead of three on Saturday that's what we'll do. All right. That's good. Well I'll try to call him then on his radio and tell him that. But. We will we certainly will. Wow. Your words toasty warm. Sitting and looking out. OK. All right we'll get back to your office if we know anything

different Gerri. Well we are going to change your mind. We don't bother by the nature we just try to get along with it. Well we. Like the old timers used to and they didn't have nothing else to clean the barns either sand paper nails or do something. Every. Year. Roger complained about too much moisture. We're not forget.

The weather. Nothing you can do about that. Ready to go. Do what you can't do anything about the weather. For. Us to when we get to Mars. The bars. Here in. Space were your. Fans nephew Dave tried and his friend Redpath plan to help the Hamptons with ship before beginning their hunting trip. You've got to have a rough ride. Guys think you are working and she sees these pictures.

You know she if she were bird or working there she. Saturday arrived sunny and dry. Sam his sons and their neighbors have trailed the cows and calves to the shipping grounds by 9 a.m. It was never going steady. Every day was different. Two days maybe up until 7:30 the next day. Don't give it to. Battle.

Like. My dad is a good teacher he had this drive and also at a young age so that we can help feed the livestock that we've had with horses in those camps with horses. And. Oh gosh. I imagine that through four years on horseback and something you could stay on it. There's always that there's always a favorite always and there's always an outlet for the delight to get rid of that that the horse that you really don't like is the one you ride the hardest because it is kind of an island type. Navy. Ship or steer. Yesterday we. Took paragraphs off. We sold half calves to sell in Iowa and these go to L.A. and river to

help lead their way about 455 60 pounds maybe a little more stairs. Devers weighed four hundred twenty two. All in all we're happy we didn't have too much death loss and since we didn't vaccinate this spring for everything we vaccinated two weeks ago before we see and that way we won't have as many with pneumonia and get sick also after their weight because that's a real stressful time waiting for Lambs or. All and always it's been a pretty good year for really. Fast shipping is a busy time for livestock truckers and this storm set everyone back Miles dies is helping his brother Jerry this weekend by hauling the Hamptons steer calves an old time family. Years ago Kerl been running the stock of this country for a long long remember. Since. The kitchen or outside in here.

Old timers. Of course not many. Of my. Kids. Have to be careful about. Running. Like. What. For instance. Well yeah really. Now you. Can. Run over the top. So you want to be careful of that. So you say. Like. I remember the other day. I want 30. You got to try. To bring. Them. And.

Maybe a little moisture so. I use the oil is enough to get buyers through the relay. It's. Always been good to us. Thank you for that. All in all was a good year really. $745 20 cents for inspection. And well-deserved. Or going to serve their barbecue beef sandwiches.

It's they get all beef home grown beef and they're cowbells famous barbecue sauce recipe and chips and sour cinnamon rolls. I'll put some icing on those. Three. Well and help them well catch. Up. How long have you been coming up to. This. Forty.

Was first. Here. The man she loved. She does. Seem like you're always working. Never. Give. Up on. It is because I had plenty of time to do this. She said. I went to. A junior high school principal sure my. Livestock teach people patience patience. Like a mother would say. You like it where your family is and you like to be involved where the action is. And that's that's a big part of ranch life for me

and a few you keep a good meal on the stove. And I think that makes everybody happy and if if they're happy then everything runs. Just right. Around that. Dan is our oldest son and he is. He's what helps keep his place together as far as the mechanics. And just seems to be able to do and work on anything. Problem solver. He's like an engineer around he can he put in the underground sprinkling system just here a month or so ago in the yard which is a big help. Dan has. A lovely wife Barbara and two little boys. Go help. Her. When did you know that. There. Were some of those little phone that's footsteps.

Being around those dogs. I like machinery. So three quarter ton six wheel drive to go back in high school I seen a picture of one hot rod magazine. It will be tough someday. To California someday I'll make one with six wheel drive. 14 years later in 88 Produktion there's always a lot to. What on earth is doing call in your car. I have no idea. And so he called back. And. Asked me how. I grew up on a farm. So I have fingernails out to any. Clothes that I would have called a friend of mine and said. Where do they live. What do I wear.

So we get all the colors there's probably a hundred county to bring. There's three of us down. There. And dances and get the shots. I said no. He looked at me. Like. I. Didn't say anything. So I said can give the shot that you're taking for ever smell. I want to be here. I don't like. No one ever done this before. That's stupid for me to just stand here. I started giving the shots now 50000 years. Pretty soon a real initiation. You know you don't just marry. You marry. And you have to be willing to do that to.

So. Steve lives in the red house just across the crack. In the house the Carl and Louise Hampton used to live in. When did you know you wanted you. Know years ago. Yes. Girls always liked the outdoors like Star. Is great people here were excited about a wedding upcoming wedding that well the whole family is is traveling to New Jersey for the wedding in December. I met her on the Oregon Trail. Last summer and she likes that you're so much in. Love with her. Scooter world. Working for your father right.

Well we have our differences but we can work things out. It's. Everything is Rose. You know all the time that we have a good time. Doing. What we do. Any. Good. Well. We just. Step back and look at things cool off while if we get into a heated discussion here. We can go ironed things out. We just do our best job day just as our youngest son and lives here with us on the ranch. He's what we call our portable kid. He'll do anything he goes anywhere. But Justin is our chief arrogated. He does a lot. And then he gets the water scattered as dry as it does this year. You have to be on top of keep everything wet. Young girls in Wyoming are watching is what it is that you know. Yeah.

Now I understand both of your readings got married at the age of 32. How old are you going to do at least 10 more years. Or are. You. Having fun. Yeah they all learn to ride at a young age and drive also. They were driving pickups and tracks at four years old and five years old sitting there driving with they're sitting on the seat and just guiding it. Well we'd feed all our kids learn to work at an early age. You grew up on a ranch with your dad all the time and now you have two boys. How are you going to raise them. Well like my dad told me you can do well you stay here until you're 18 and he'll be out. You can do anything you want after that figure that might be might hold you in your mind. Dan.. That's a long

time of time. There is no one here for a while. You don't have a week. Or. So. Like the other day when it rained and it's no damn time to do anything all day. Just leave my house with this. One of. Those times. Our daughter Janna lives in Tansley and has three darling children. Janet has a studio. She's an artist. Kind of a self-taught artist. And likes to work with the airbrush. Media. The. Acrylic and does oil She works in all. Areas and does portraits. And the satellite picture. Can you tell me about it. Jana did that when she was probably about. 22 something like that. They were on the mountain and she and her husband had

taken the picture of the Satel and then a few years later she got the site out and she looked at the slides said Oh that would be a nice picture to do. So she would hold the slide up like this. Look at it and then paint. The picture from that side. It's incredible the way artistes say they see and sights lights and shadows the different that I see for sure. For three generations the Hampton family has graced livestock near mahogany buttes. They've raised their children in this house. What do they believe the future holds for them. It is a lot left to learn about ranching because having been in this business long enough I don't know even half of what dad's already forgot and I have been in the business long enough to know that the conservation district has played a vital part in our operation

for helping through different AG programs. The spring developments and pipeline projects we've put on the mountain about 16 miles worth of pipeline and reservoirs that have helped spread out the water. Do you like the range better. And Sage-Brush spring programs it's really enhanced the range. And the grazing land really we don't think we can operate without in our situation without the federal land. Tell me about what's happening from your perspective with your sheep business. Well. So much depends on the market of course. And the predators we have such an increase in mountain lion and the coyotes that were just kind of on the water wondering whether it's feasible to run sheep anymore. What about your kids do you think that that when they're rationing it'll be different than it has been the way that you do things.

Well I think yes because there's so many more regulations with the government land with the Forest Service permits for livestock. I think you're going to be under more control because there's more people. Are really concerned about the environment and how we're taking care of it and how they want it to be taken care of. So I think they're going to have a lot of red tape and a lot more political aspects to look forward to. What are your favorite parts of ranching. All guys right at this point I think it's just watching the grandkids now it really is just the combination of working with the sheep and the cattle and horses that we. I think it's all it's all. My favorite I guess you might say. Really. I think the most proud of his wife and children. They. Have been a real big part of this operation and I'm thankful I am thankful for our our neat friends and neighbors.

We really do have some great people help us. What's it mean to be a ranch family in today's modern world. The same thing it met over 100 years ago man women children old timers friends and neighbors all working together to get the job done. And each generation does it the best way it can. Thanks for joining us. Main Street Wyoming is made possible in part by grants from Kennicott energy. Proud to be a part of Wyoming's future in the uranium

exploration mining and production industry. And by the Wyoming Council for the Humanities enriching lives of Wyoming people through the study of Wyoming history values and ideas.