HELPING HEROES - WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS - Wyoming Rural Electric Association (2024)

MAY 2021 WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS 1 2 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT HELPING HEROES 2 4 W h e at l a n d c ow b oy Service Through s h a r e s e x p e rt i s e Generations

‘‘ This is one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees. ’’ − Dusty Backer, Backer Bees Environment isn’t just a buzz word at Basin Electric. Backer Bees has bees at Glenharold Mine, a reclaimed coal mine that used to supply coal to our first power plant. The reclaimed pasture has a variety of flowers−alfalfa, clover, sunflowers, wildflowers−making it one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees. Environmental stewardship has always been a guiding principle for us. That’s why we’re committed to reclaiming and restoring land back to its natural state, like Glenharold Mine. Your energy starts here. basinelectric.com

2021 M A Y ON THE COVER 12 CENTERPIECE FEATURES 06 CO-OP YOUTH Helping Heroes: GARLAND LIGHT & P OW E R’S JAMES SHEETS Wheatland cowboy shares expertise BY RACHEL GIRT PHOTO BY TYSON KRINKE 11 H O M E TO W N H I T S Cover Photo: Heroes and Horses CEO Micah Fink, left, and Program Manager Chris Bova get the horses ready 24 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT S E RV I C E T H R O U G H G E N E R AT I O N S for the day. Heroes and Horses is a program for returning BY ILENE OLSON or transitioning combat veterans. 20 26 36 10JUST FOR FUN FROM OUR ESSAYS & STATE NEWS20 KIDS’ CORNER READERS ANECDOTES & EVENTS M AY F LY 26 COUNTRY COOKS 04 WREA NOTES 08 THE CURRENT22 PIZZA A S I LV E R L I N I N G BOOK GIVEAWAY 10 BY SHAWN TAYLOR B U RY H I M COWBOY STATE BUZZ 27 PEN TO PAPER BY DOUG CHAMBERLAIN 18 HOME ON THE RANGE 32 W I N D Y WAV E S WHAT'S HAPPENING23 HUMANS AND PUZZLE HORSES 28 JUST PICTURE IT CONNECT BY GINA LUTTERMAN THE KNOTS T R A N S P O R TAT I O N 36 BY KENDRA SPANJER ENLIGHTEN US BULL RUN BY JACKIE DOROTHY

WREA NOTES A Silver LiningThe year was 2020 and COVID was her nameWe closed businesses and schoolsand nothing was the same. SH AW N TAY LO R EXECUTIVE DIRECTORBut we did what was best,according to our beliefs,And thankfully we don’t live on the coasts, OK, I’ll admit it, I had a severe case ofman what a relief. writer’s block trying to decide what to write about for this month’s column andWe masked up, with my deadline looming I was comingwashed our hands, up blank. While we’re already five monthsand kept 6 feet apart. into the new year, it was just over a yearWe shopped online ago when things went south due to theand filled our virtual shopping cart. coronavirus and other 2020 “things.”Zoom is now a thing for kids and adults alike, So, for my column this month I thought I would share a little ditty that I wrote atAnd when the weather was nice we walked more the beginning of this year. Sorry for myand the kids rode their bikes. laziness but I hope you enjoy.Curbside pick-up, DoorDash, Grubhuband contactless delivery helped keep us fed,While Wyoming and the nation’s economycontinued in the red.Protests and violence and political divides,Elections and recountsthe growing anger in the countrywas impossible to hide.But with every problema silver lining can be found.Connecting with family and friendsand virtual happy hours abound.We’ll never forgot the year of the ‘Ronaand we’re not out of the woods yet.But let’s take a deep breathand be thankful for all that we have,because it’s time to get ready and to get set.Let’s heal up and hairoverand let bygones be bygones,for 2020 has passed,and now it’s time for all to come togetherand kick a little … tail.

COWBOY STATE BUZZ PHOTO BY SGT. 1ST CLASS JIMMY MCGUIRE., COURTESY OF WYOMING NATIONAL GUARDWelcome HomeCeremonyHonors Troops A Vietnam veteran looks for the graveThe state of Wyoming held a virtual Welcome Home Veterans Day of a fallen friend at the Oregon TrailCelebration on March 30 to honor and thank the men and State Veterans Cemetery in Evansville prior to a memorial service in 2015.women who served during all wars, especially the Vietnam War.The ceremony included remarks from the governor, the adjutantgeneral and the Veterans Commission chairman. PHOTO BY TECH. SGT. JON ALDERMAN, COURTESY OF AIR NATIONAL GUARD“The horrific events of Vietnam veterans coming home and what Capt. Derek Sanborn, a pilot with the 187th Airlift Squadron, they went through upon their return to the United States was reunites with his family in 2020 simply unacceptable. That’s why every year we take this opportunity at the Wyoming Air National to properly welcome all veterans so no one has to go through what Guard base in Cheyenne. they went through,” said Gov. Mark Gordon. “We need to make sure we thank you and your families every single day.”“We dedicate today to you and all our veterans, so we learn from those past experiences so they stay in the past, and all our veterans receive the welcome home they deserve,” said Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, the adjutant general of Wyoming, who oversees the Wyoming National Guard. Porter noted that Wyoming continues to send troops on short- and long- term deployments. They are greeted by their family, friends and community when they return.“In 2020 Wyoming National Guardwelcomed home more thannearly 400 soldiers and around 200airmen after serving in various The Welcome Home ceremony is available fordeployments around the world,” the public to view on the Wyoming National Guard website and social media accounts. -Maj. Gen. Greg PorterThe day of welcoming was codified in state lawin 2011 to take place on March 30 of each year,the date U.S. combat troops would have set footon Wyoming soil after returning home fromthe Vietnam War in 1973. The event, which isusually held in person, took place online due tothe COVID-19 pandemic. All Wyoming veterans,especially those from the Korean War, VietnamWar, and other veterans who were not properlythanked upon their return home were invited towatch the event and receive the welcome and Nearly 600 Wyoming Vietnam War veterans gathered in Casper in 2015 to commemoratethanks of a grateful state. the 50th anniversary of the start of major ground operations in the War. PHOTO BY SGT. 1ST CLASS JIMMY MCGUIRE, COURTESY OF WYOMING NATIONAL GUARD10 MAY 2021

HOMETOWN HITS THIS MONTH: 310 HEART MOUNTAIN HEART MOUNTAIN INTERPRETIVE CENTER INTERPRETIVE CENTER 14 14 14 I-90 120 20 WHERE YOU’LL FIND IT: TYPE OF SPOT: On the eastern side of the Museum with original iconic Heart Mountain buildings and hiking paths. I-25 between Cody and Powell. 26 I-25 ABOUT THE SITE: The Heart Mountain Interpretive GARLAND LIGHT & Center tells the story of Japanese POWER MEMBER American families who were confined at the site during World War II due to prejudice.PHOTOS BY KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI, COURTESY OF HEART MOUNTAIN WYOMING FOUNDATION WHY IT’S SPECIAL: The board that oversees the Heart Mountain Foundation includes former incarcarees and their descendants, who are committed to keeping the history alive, lest it be repeated. MAY 2021 11

C E N T E R- CENTERPIECE PIECE PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS HELPING HEROES: Wheatland cowboyshares expertise with veterans’ program BY RACHEL GIRT Wyoming cowboy Jack Finnerty, 82, eagerly tied 25 rope halters by hand upon learning from his son that nonprofit Heroes and Horses needed them for its veterans’ equine program.

The veterans learn horsemanship, how to ride, shoeing, farriery and other skills needed to survive a 12-day expeditionary style pack trip. They also work at partner ranches for a week and complete an internship. About 24 combat veterans, split between three classes, navigate the program each summer. The program typically receives hundreds of applications each year. “If we had the capacity to take all of them on, we would, so our vetting process tries to identify the guys that are seemingly the worst off,” said Chris Bova, Heroes and Horses program manager. The transition out of military service, especially for combat veterans, can be extremely difficult and polarizing. When many arrive at the program, their lack of activity and basic care for themselves has Heroes and Horses CEO Micah Fink, left, plummeted to a point where they may as and Program Manager well have not existed at all, Bova explained. Chris Bova get the horses ready for the day. The program applies the appropriate The program currently amount of pressure to spur the veterans keeps 65 horses. PHOTO BY TYSON KRINKE to change in a more holistic fashion. From the start, they’re eating a diet based on the Whole30 Program, getting proper amounts of sleep and putting their minds The whole to work every day. Most participants even lose up to 18 pounds. human “Our program allows these guys the approach opportunity to rediscover themselves and reframe what they’ve just gone through and use their strengths moving forward in life Heroes and Horses, based in Montana,“I’m really is a 41-day reintegration program to do things that have value to our society,” Bova added. for returning or transitioning combatimpressed veterans incorporating a 360-degree The nonprofit started in 2014 after the founder and CEO Micah Fink, a formerwith them, whole human recovery approach. The process is a mixture of diet, Navy SEAL, had trouble adjusting to civilian life. Fink found great value in immersingespecially exercise, meditation, horsemanship, ranching skills, two wilderness pack himself in hard agricultural work and the wilderness found in the remote with the trips and an internship. backcountry of Montana. “I’m really impressed with them,program’s especially with the program’s successes Fink started bringing along former teammates who had been deployed with of helping veterans using only successes donations,” said Finnerty, who has him. That led to growing the nonprofit into today’s comprehensive reintegration served on the Wheatland Rural Electricof helping Association board since 1979 and the program, offering veterans an alternative solution for defining and approaching veterans Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association board since 1988. their physical and mental scars. Last year, Heroes and Horses bought a 3,500-acreusing only Under the innovative program, each ranch near Virginia City, Montana. participant is paired with a horse,donations.” many of them former wild mustangs. MAY 2021 13

Jack Finnerty has been tying, and giving away, horse halters for years. One halter takes about 20 feet of rope.HELPING HANDS Impactful but simple gifts To run the day-to-day ranch operations, Heroes and Horses relies heavily on in-kind donations. The ranch, combined with a large horse herd—currently at 65—equates to almost insurmountable equipment costs to the small nonprofit, which is 100 percent donor-funded. 1. The lacing on the nosepiece One of the Heroes and Horses’ online came from a young person in requests last year caught the attention Wheatland. Finnerty taught the boy how to tie halters, and the of Finnerty’s son, Matt, who runs Finnco boy added the lacing and taught Services in California. the technique to Finnerty. Matt gave his dad a call, offering to have his company pay for the rope if he would tie them. The father and son duo then drove to Montana to deliver the halters. Heroes and Horses gave them a commendation for their help. “What Jack did may seemingly not be that big, but, for us, it’s huge,” Bova said, calling Finnerty an “amazing American.” 1 “When sweat equity is put into something that’s given to us, that has special significance,” Bova said. 2 Finnerty first learned to tie halters from his father and neighbors while growing 2. up on the M Bar Ranch, located near The fiador knot under the Slater. His father bought the land from horse’s chin can hold a lead the Swan Cattle Company in 1945. rope. A horse trainer named Pat Parelli taught that knot to Finnerty. Those cowboys knew how to tie different knots since they used rope every day; nothing was mechanized, Finnerty said. “I was fortunate enough to get around a couple of them who taught me.”

PHOTOS BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS3 “When sweat equity is put into something that’s given to us , that has special significance.” Finnerty uses about 20-25 feet of rope His induction into the Wyoming Cowboy per halter and four different knots. His Hall of Fame in 2019 was not something halters feature the four-strand diamond that Finnerty ever planned. “I was deeply fiador knot, more commonly called in honored,” he said. the West as a Theodore knot after U.S. Finnerty has dedicated many years President Theodore Roosevelt. to community service, serving on the Tying a rope halter takes 10 minutes Wyoming High School Rodeo board, over if he’s in a hurry, Finnerty said. 30 years on the Tri-State board and over Most days, though, he takes his time. 40 years serving on the Wheatland REA board. In 2018, he received the Craig “I’m not really in the business of Thomas Cooperative Service Award from making them to sell. It gives me the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. something to do in the wintertime.” A rural electric cooperative is a very While he has been out of the cattle interesting business that constantly business for several years, Finnerty has to adapt to changing technology, still has four horses on his property Finnerty said, explaining his decades 3. outside of Wheatland. He keeps several of service. “Working with the greatest Finnerty uses a lanyard knot to halters on hand in his truck, just in people has been very rewarding, and secure the halter. A Montana case someone needs one. bulldogger named Rod Lyman there’s never been a dull moment.” taught Finnerty that knot. Finnerty has received many accolades As for tying halters for Heroes and for rodeo and his impact on Wyoming. Horses, it was a simple way for his family to give back, Finnerty explained. Over the years, he has placed in “It’s a tremendous program.” bareback, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping, even taking All Around Cowboy at the 1969 Wyoming State Fair. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association’s Hall of Fame. MAY 2021 15

Former Navy SEAL Micah Fink started Heroes and Horses in 2014 after he had trouble adjusting to civilian life. “I fully understand why people truly love the Western cowboy culture —there’s something special and amazing about it.”A LIFESTYLE

Heroes and Horses works to make a sustainable, lasting effect on each participant’s life.A betterapproachThe Heroes and Horses experiencechanged the trajectory of Bova’slife. The former Marine and CIAparamilitary contractor was havinga rough transition into civilian lifebefore he went through the programsix years ago.“I fully understand why people truly love the Western cowboy culture— there’s something special and amazing about it,” Bova said. “When you’re caring for 65 animals,Bova’s internship with the program it’s a lifestyle in itself, but I feel truly calledtook him to Alaska, where he workedfor an outfitter. He went on to work to this mission. This is my life’s work.”at a ranch at the base of Mt. Fuji inJapan and then to running a securityfirm in Texas. When the programmanager position opened at Heroesand Horses, he put in his notice andheaded to the mountains.“My friends and family think I’m crazy because we’re working seven days a week here,” he said, laughing.“When you’re caring for 65 animals, it’s a lifestyle in itself, but I feel truly called to this mission. This is my life’s work.”The organization is concernedabout the growing suicides amongthe veteran population and istrying to make a sustainable,lasting effect on each participant’slife, Bova explained. Recentpartnerships have aligned thenonprofit with universities andresearchers to define successbetter and find improvements.“We think it’s a duty of ours, especially in the veteran community, to help people transition to the society that they’ve sacrificed to protect,” Bova added. W Veterans in the program learn horsemanship, how to ride, shoeing, farriery and other skills needed to survive a 12-day expeditionary style pack trip.Rachel Girt is a freelance writer and ownerof Girt Communications based in Cheyenne. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEROES AND HORSES MAY 2021 17

HOME ON THE RANGEHumans &Horses BY GINA LUTTERMAN I appreciate folks little fear. Which is, apparently, who are devoted where she and I differ. to working on Jill says that the horse-rider and with horses. relationship is built on a mutual Domesticated trust between you and a 1,200- horses have My ex-brother-in-law taught to 1,500-pound animal that is been pulling plows, herding cattle me the bits and pieces I know allowing you to ride it and to take and providing transportation about riding horses. Biological care of it in exchange for power for business and pleasure for evolution taught me the rest. and freedom. And because the centuries. But they are still animals While their temperament may animal feels like an extension and it is not in their nature to vary according to breed and of yourself, the instinctive do these things. They must be training, horses are thousand- capability is almost like being an taught. Investing in the horse-rider pound animals with eyes on the elite athlete. On horseback, you relationship is a dance between sides of their head to constantly are able to get places you can’t coaxing and teaching, not fighting. search for predators. On the go by motor, over long distances It is the regard for cooperation while range, they are always on high that would be painstakingly providing some room to fool around alert and get their confidence slow by foot. The sense of to make things interesting and from the people who are either develop personality. accomplishment leading or riding them. and satisfaction My riding friends tell You simply in the symbiotic I was raised with a healthy respect for horses, but not me that their horses won’t be able relationship is will not learn if they are horsemanship skills, so it afraid. Neither will you. to pet or bridle unparalleled. It straddles the line is ironic that I’m writing I joked with my friend a horse if you between wild and this column on my equine are agitated. Jill when I asked her, disciplined. acquaintances. My New Orleans “Why would anyone college friends, who introduced want to ride a horse?” In my line of work as me as the first person they had She said that for anyone who has a mental health counselor, there ever met from Wyoming and ridden their entire lives—for anyone is a type of therapy called equine who thought that everyone that has no memory of their first therapy. In this type of mental who lived here rode a horse to ride because they have been doing health treatment, the client works school every day, would agree. it since infancy—there is relatively with a trained psychotherapist18 MAY 2021

and a horse trainer on an animal that Nixon signed into law in 1971 states the ranch with his bike and spooked myis chosen based on size, temperament that “Congress finds and declares that horse? That was a wild ride. As the horseand ability to withstand unpredictability wild free-roaming horses and burros chose to traverse the drop-off the wrongand distraction. It usually starts with are living symbols of the historic and way—sideways—I was happy to justlow-level interactions such as feeding pioneer spirit of the West...” For better hang on. I navigated the hill, eventuallyand grooming and graduates to riding. or worse, the pioneering, wild horse righting our course. After my heart foundBecause horses are so finely tuned to spirit is ingrained in Wyoming culture. its rhythm again, I was proud. Somehow,fear, anger and irritability in humans, the And while we won’t delve deeply into I had managed not only to let go andbonding process allows for self-reflection the controversy here, a 2017 National flow with the rhythm of the missteps, butand managing the autonomic nervous Geographic article by filmmaker Ben to steer and, eventually, tame the wild beast. I think his name was Snakebite.system in interactions. You simply won’t Masters reveals that the definitionbe able to pet or bridle a horse if you are varies. “Depending on whom you ask, It was my goal to be a competentagitated. The horse’s ability to mirror wild horses are a reintroduced native horseback rider by age 40, along withhuman emotional expressions without species indigenous to North America, being more confident with a standardmotive or expectations facilitates an invasive pest disrupting ecological transmission and having done at leasthealing. It is especially successful in functions, or feral livestock that are one backpacking trip. But that decadetreating trauma, anxiety, depression and culturally significant and whose turnover has come and gone, two yearsADHD, but perhaps horses tame the wild numbers need to be closely managed,” since. I don’t know if I’m afraid of beingspirit in all of us. Masters writes. A balance between wild too wild or afraid of being too tame. But freedom and domesticated temperance. one thing is for sure—life is giving meOn the other end of the spectrum, the riding lessons in both arenas. Wunbridled power of wild horses is a I have ridden horses a handful of timesthing of legend. The passing of the with moderate success, not much of Originally from Laramie, Gina Lutterman drawsWild Free-Roaming Horses and Burro which is story worthy. But the time inspiration from five generations of agricultureAct that former President Richard that my son came around the corner at to tell the stories of rural living. 214 East 23rd Street, Cheyenne, WY 82001 • (307) 634-2273 • cheyenneregional.org MAY 2021 19

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREA PEREZ KIDS’ CORNER LITTLE WYOMING Meet the MAYFLY 01 Sticky Situation Mayflies lay their eggs on the surface of clean Mayflies belong to the insect group Ephemeroptera, which comes from Greek words that mean streams and rivers. The eggs sink to the bottom and“short-lived” and “winged.” Mayflies, as winged adults, usually live for only one day! Even though the stick to plants or rocks. After a few weeks, the eggs adults do not live for long, mayflies are extremely important. They are food for fish, birds, bats and predatory insects. There are 97 species of mayflies in Wyoming, and around 3,000 worldwide. hatch and mayfly nymphs emerge. 02 Problematic Pollution Spread Your Wings Mayflies can stay in the nymph stage for one to two Mayflies emerge from the water years. Mayfly nymphs are very sensitive to changes as winged adults, called the in their environment and cannot survive in polluted subimago. This emergence waters. If you flip over rocks in a stream and don’t occurs in Wyoming from March find any mayfly nymphs, it could mean that the 03 to November, depending on the water is polluted or of poor quality! location and species. Often, all of the mayflies in a population will emerge at the same time. The subimago stage lasts only a few hours before the mayflies molt into their final adult stage. 04 Socially Short -Lived Once they reach their final stage, called the imago, males swarm up into the air and females fly into the swarm to mate. After they mate, the females lay eggs in the water, then fall to the water’s surface and die. Male mayflies often die over land, where their bodies become fertilizer for the soil. Win a Free 05 AQUATIC GUIDE! Mayflies are a favorite bait of trout anglers. That’s because mayflies, at every stage of their lives, are appetizing to trout! Many fly fishing “flies” are tied to resemble the stages of mayfly development. Anglers Win a free kid’s aquatic macroinvertebrate guide! use different names for them; they call subimagos “duns,” and imagos Guides are available for the first 10 people who send “spinners.” Duns are dull colored with opaque wings, and spinners are their mailing address to biodiversity@uwyo.edu. Aquatic brightly colored with translucent wings. Fish rise up to capture both of these stages at or near the water surface. To see what size and color of macroinvertebrate guides for adults are available for mayfly fish are feeding on, skim the water surface with a net, then find purchase at www.wyobiodiversity.net/products. a fly in your tackle box to match. 20 MAY 2021

Make your home more comfortable than ever “To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA NOW also available in Genuine Italian Leather (and new Chestnut color) Three Chairs in One Sleep/Recline/Lift ACCREDITEDPictured: Genuine Italian Leather BUSINESS A+ chair chestnut color.You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep. seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled,Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – wide armrests provide enhanced arm support whenand dozens of other ailments and worries. Those sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backupare the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable in case of a power outage.chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right White glove delivery included in shipping charge.degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot inthem, supports your head and shoulders properly, and your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, testoperates at the touch of a button. it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! YouOur Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. get your choice of Genuine Italian leather, stain andMore than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide water repellent custom-manufactured DuraLux™ withtotal comfort. Choose your preferred heat and the classic leather look or plush MicroLux™ microfibermassage settings, for hours of soothing in a variety of colors to fit any decor. New Chestnutrelaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline color only available in Genuine Italian Leather.technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite Call now!number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerfullift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, makingit easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It The Perfect Sleep Chair®helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes backpressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain. The 1-888-723-7208overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique Please mention code 114818 when ordering. Chestnut Genuine Italian Leather REMOTE-CONTROLLED classic beauty & durability EASILY SHIFTS FROM FLAT TO A STAND-ASSIST POSITION Mahogany Tan Chocolate Blue Long Lasting DuraLux™ (Burgundy) stain & water repellent Footrest may Burgundy Cashmere Chocolate Indigo MicroLux™ Microfiber vary by model breathable & amazingly soft Because each Perfect Sleep Chair is a made-to-order bedding product it cannot be returned, but if it arrives damaged 46562 or defective, at our option we will repair it or replace it. © 2021 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

B OB O KO K G IR VE EV AI WE WA Y BURY HIM A Memoir of the Vietnam War DOUG CHAMBERLAIN DESCRIPTION BY RETIRED ARMY MAJ. GEN. EDWARD WRIGHT For most of his life, Capt. Doug Chamberlain has lived and worked on his family ranch in LaGrange, Wyoming. Doug has had experience in public education as both a classroom teacher and administrator, in radio broadcasting and the transportation industry. He has been a community and state leader serving in the Wyoming Legislature for 18 years culminating in his election and service as speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives. Perhaps his greatest public service, however, was his time as a Marine company commander in Vietnam. It was a time for him to serve his country, but at the same time, the source of one of his greatest regrets. Like many Vietnam vets, Doug went over alone and came home alone. And, like many other vets, he came home with baggage, violent memories and unfinished business. He was haunted by what he did and WIN A FREE COPY failed to do in the war. SIGNED Name: MARCH ORDERING INFORMATION: BOOK WINNER: Phone: 2019 | 272p. | $24.95 hardcover | $19.95 paperback ISBN: 978-1-950647-05-7 Address: BYRON Publisher: Love the West Publications FETTER Print, audio and e-book available online and from AURORA, CO the author: PO Box 158, LaGrange, WY 82221, 307-532-1559, lovethewest10@gmail.com ENTRIES DUE BY  BURY JUNE 15 c/o WREN Magazine One entry per 214 W. Lincolnway, Ste. 21C household, please. Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions22 MAY 2021

PP UU ZZ ZZ LL EE BY KENDRA SPANJERConnectYou don’t have to be a rope expert like Jack Finnerty (page 12) to need knot know-how—whether you’re tying a rope to itself, another rope or simply making sure something stays put!Below are several basic knots, what they’re called, and what they’re for.Draw a line to hitch each correct threesome together. Knot to attach one rope to another pulling in parallel FIGURE 8 KNOT HALTER HITCH A knot for tying together unequal ropes SHEET BEND SLIP KNOT ROLLING HITCH Quick-release knot to tie something to an anchor point Stopper knot that can be untied even after it was tight A sliding knot that tightens when pulled Stopper knot that can be untied by pulling its tail NOOSE KNOT UNTIE ANY TANGLES WITH THE ANSWERS ON PAGE 35 MAY 2021 23

PHOTOS BY ILENE OLSON CO-OP SPOTLIGHT Spencer George stands SPENCER GEORGE SPENDS HIS at the original site of the dairy farm homesteaded WORKDAYS ON HIS FAMILY’S by his grandparents, Arley and Evaleen George. These DAIRY FARM, BUT INSTEAD OF days, Spencer repairs and maintains the machinery COWS, IT’S USUALLY MACHINES on the George Farms dairy. HE’S WRANGLING. Spencer George: Service Through Generations “We have a book of letters they wrote to each other during the war,” Spencer said. BY ILENE OLSON When Arley finally came home, S the couple’s romance picked up again pencer is the grandson of Arley George met Evaleen in Perowan, in earnest, and they were married Arley and Evaleen George, Utah, and they were promised to one two weeks later. who homesteaded the another when World War II broke out. farm in the Heart Mountain Arley decided to join the Army early Their dream was to start a dairy farm area between Powell and Cody. on during the war, with the promise that on a mountain with some milk cows. He’s also the youngest member he would be discharged after one year Arley knew about a homesteading of service. Then he and Evaleen could opportunity for GIs near a place called of the board of directors start their life together. Heart Mountain, where a canal was for Garland Light & Power, But that all changed after Japan built in the 1930s. He put his name in the rural electric co-op that attacked Pearl Harbor. One year of the drawing for a homestead and drew a serves the area. service stretched to become five long 110-acre plot of land near the mountain. “The dairy starts with a story of years. But Arley stayed committed to They moved there in 1947, 17 months World War II,” Spencer said. Evaleen, and she to him. after they were married.24 MAY 2021

“It’s a beautiful place, but it’s not the best And that’s where Spencer’s talents come in. we’ve individually served on,” Spencer place for agriculture [because] some spots “I oversee maintenance and said. “Dad sat on the Western Dairy Milk are rocky,” Spencer said. But Arley and construction on the farm,” he said. Council and Dairy Farmers of America. Evaleen made a go of it, anyway, and the My uncle Scott was president of the “It entails every part of mechanics. I oversee farm has grown over the years. National Beef Council Federation. And the construction of our facilities, overhaul, Scott, Lynn and Adam have all served Arley died in 1988, but Evaleen, 97, maintain and repair the equipment on the on the Wyoming Beef Council. I had an still lives in the original farmhouse. farm, and oversee the mechanical systems. opportunity to go to Washington, D.C.,“Grandma is always amazed about how Basically, if it’s broken, I fix it.” with National Milk Producers Federation much the farm has grown over the years,” He pointed to a bookshelf in his office filled and with Dairy Farmers of America and Spencer said. with books, magazines lobby with our lawmakers about a bill Many other things “We all get along. and other publications that would affect the way milk is labeled.” have changed as about machine We all have our Spencer also values his role on the board well. One of the most maintenance and repair. for Garland Light & Power, and the own gifts and momentous changes “It takes a library of importance of the electrical service was energizing books to fix machines,” that Garland provides. talents. I think the farm with he said. “I understand the co-op model,” he electricity in 1949. Spencer said his family said. “Garland’s biggest issue is we’re“It was a nice day,” Evaleen said. we appreciate each continues to work together harmoniously small—the smallest co-op on Tri-State [Generation & Transmission Association].“Basically, a bunch of other’s talents.” well into the third generation. You have to pay your fair part of it to farmers were trying to keep it affordable. I don’t mind that get a stable, reliable, economic source “We all know that we rely on one another,” somebody has a renewable electricity of electricity,” Spencer said. “It took a he said. “We all get along. We all have our resource, but we need to pay our fair while for electricity to get up to this farm.” own gifts and talents. I think we appreciate share of the distribution plant costs. … each other’s talents.” We all want affordable electricity. Before that electric line was brought to the They also place a high value on service— If you use more energy, you pay farm, everything had to be done in daylight, serving their family, helping neighbors, more into that co-op. As a dairy farm, by the light of a candle or a lantern, or in giving tours of the farm to area school we use a lot of energy.” W the darkness. Gas also was unavailable, so heating and cooking were accomplished children and volunteering for leadership positions in their community and industry. with a wood- or coal-fired stove. Arley milked the few cows they had at the time “For being a small dairy, we actually are Ilene Olson is a freelance photographer, by hand, twice a day, every day. recognized nationwide through boards writer and editor in Powell. These days, George Farms is operated by Spencer’s father, Arley, two of his uncles, Spencer and his wife, Heidi, have five children: Dawson, 14, Scott and Lynn, Spencer and his cousin Brittlynn, 11, Kaytlee, 10, Darcee, 7, and Reese, 4. Adam, with the help of 24 full-time and part-time employees. A large barn with milking machines makes it possible to milk many more cows daily with less physical effort. These days, they milk an average of 600 cows twice a day. The farm also has a small beef herd. Huge tractors, loaders and other machines make short work of chores formerly done by hand or with the aid of much smaller equipment. MAY 2021 25

COUNTRY COOKS PIZZACHICKEN PESTO PIZZA HOMEMADE DEEP DISH 1 LOAF FROZEN BREAD DOUGH, OR YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA CRUST DOUGH, THAWED 1 (10 OZ) JAR CLASSICO TRADITIONAL BASIL PESTO PIZZA SUPREME DOUGH: TOPPINGS: PAN PIZZA PARMESAN CHEESE 1 PKG ACTIVE DRY YEAST 4 CUPS SHREDDED MOZZARELLA YEAST MIXTURE: GARLIC POWDER 2 CUPS WARM WATER CHEESE 2 PACKAGES OF YEAST (110-115 DEGREES) 4 OZ CANADIAN BACON, 1/2 CUP HOT WATER 5 CUPS MOZZARELLA CHEESE DICED 1 TSP SUGAR 2 CHICKEN BREASTS, COOKED AND SHREDDED 3 TBS VEGETABLE OIL 1 PURPLE ONION, CUT IN HALF AND SLICED 1-1/2 TSP SALT 3 OZ SLICED PEPPERONI Mix first 3 ingredients together and let sit 5 1 RED, YELLOW OR ORANGE BELL PEPPER 4-6 CUPS FLOUR 1 MEDIUM SWEET RED PEPPER, minutes until it rises. (CAN USE MIXTURE OF ALL THREE OR JUST ONE BY ITSELF) SLICED 1 MEDIUM GREEN PEPPER, INGREDIENTS FOR SEPARATE BOWL: 8 OZ FETA CHEESE, CRUMBLED SAUCE: SLICED 1/4 CUP CANOLA OIL 2 - 1/2 TSP SALT 1 (16-OZ) CAN TOMATO SAUCE 1 (2 OZ) CAN SLICED RIPE (USE LESS OIL IF YOU 2 CUPS WARM WATER 1-1/2 TSP MINCED ONION OLIVES, DRAINED WANT A THIN CRUST) (ABOUT 100 DEGREES) 1 TSP DRIED OREGANO 1 CUP GRATED 1 TBS SUGAR 3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1/4 TSP SALT PARMESAN CHEESE 1/8 TSP PEPPER 1 TSP DRIED BASIL Mix together and add your yeast mixture after it has risen. Beat with mixer about 1 minute or by hand 200 times. Put in a In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. greased bowl and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm Add oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for place. Punch down dough, divide dough in 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft Take thawed bread dough and half and roll out the dough on a floured surface dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth spread on a large pizza pan. Drain and place in two, 12- inch greased pizza pans. and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, some oil from pesto and spread entire turning once to grease top. Cover and let rest Let it rest 5 minutes and add jar on pizza crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan in a warm place for 10 minutes. cheese and garlic powder. Sprinkle with 4 PIZZA SAUCE, Combine sauce ingredients; set aside. Divide dough in half.cups mozzarella cheese. Layer chicken, sliced On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 13-inch circle. SHREDDED CHEESE, purple onion and peppers of your choice. Transfer to two greased 12-inch pizza pans, build up edges MEAT AND VEGETABLE TOPPINGSThen sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly feta cheese on top. Bake in 425-degree oven browned. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with toppings. of your choice, then add more shredded cheesefor 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. on the top of that. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 and crust is golden brown. Yield: two pizzas, six slices each. minutes. Cheese will bubble when pizza is done. NANCY DENK RIVERTON ANNE METZLER RIVERTON JENNIFER ROBERTS FARSON JULY: Send Send complete complete recipe recipe by by JUNE March15! 10! Please Please include include your your name, name, address address and and phone phone number. number. COLD A S SU AR UB BM RE EC M II T T C II P PE TREATS E  wren@wyomingrea.org |  [307] [307]286-8140 772-1968  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions FOR HOT DAYS26 MAY 2021

PEN TO PAPER Windy Waves Windy wings bloom Red, yellow, Borrowing starlit clues; A box top treat with caramel corn, Peanuts, Twinkling jeweled coronet stars Atop her silken crown; Venetian crystals sparkling, Sinister solar lights Squeezing through Ever so lovely; Entertaining clumps of lucky Four leaf clovers, Nestled between Gumdrop stones Popcorn, Tapping, Crowning bowing, A special prize inside: Twirling toes, Evergreen hills. Wondrous wizards’ puzzle So pleased to Floating among Jingle their Graceful Mayfly damsels circle, Wandering gypsies Mischievous, Zigzagging upon dizzy Standing over their Playful choral bell Solar blooms of spring; Precious simmering Chimes; Racing ahead, Butterfly stew. Oft times Orbiting gloomy, Teetering, Dark, Leprechauns dutifully trimming Balancing atop Mushroom clouds Radiant, Bubble bath waves Chasing scarecrows aglow Slithering trails, Blooming plentiful On one more breezy day, Hosting chocolate, Squadrons of puffed-up In frost covered fields Butternut Beach balls, Filled with corn, Pebbles, Popping atop Dancing delightfully Immersed among Swirling swells; Beneath the November wind. Buttery crumbs; Falling, Garnishing cream castles, Somersaulting, Rising gracefully Rising up EDWARD E. MORROW, JR. POWELL Above frosty Over treble clef Strawberry dew covered Trumpeting Measures, Lion dens.We share a selection of WREN readers’ creative writing (poems, limericks, Put Your Pen to Paper! Please include your name, address, and phone number.haiku, short verse, and prose) every issue as space and content allow. Tobe considered for publication, please include the author’s consent to be SUBMITsubmitted, his or her mailing address, and confirmation that the work has A PIECE  wren@wyomingrea.org |  [307] 286-8140not been published elsewhere. If you would like us to return your work,  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions MAY 2021 27

01 02 03 06 01 Winter ride, Denette Price, Newcastle 02 Hitching a ride, Angie Martin, Mountain View 03 Two young travelers, Melva Baldwin, Van Tassell 04 “Two can’t fit.” “Yes we can.” Julie Crossley, Fort Bridger 05 Spring ridin’, Jennifer Roberts, Farson 04 06 Blaze, Denette Price, Newcastle 07 Sisters traveling on the three-wheeler, Linda Torczon, Cody 05 07 JUST PICTURE IT THIS MONTH: JULY (DUE JUNE 15):TRANSPORTATION HERITAGE

08 09 08 Trail bike at Pole Mountain, Frank Mellblom, Cheyenne Transportation the old-fashioned way, 09 Robin Riesland, Newcastle 10 Coal train, Campbell County, Sandy Pokorney, Gillette 11 Pile of old vehicles in buffalo pasture, Judy Cramer, Thermopolis 12 Sammy in the hills, Tristan Gabel, Lander 13 A field in Bosler, James Alsop, Laramie10 11 12 13

Sheep wagons are a home away from homeA band of sheep running anywhere from 500 to 1,000 Western heritage. The modern sheep wagons have thehead of sheep usually has a herder watching for predators, rubber tires and can be pulled by vehicle, while the olderso he needs a camp to stay in. The sheep wagon, the home style had wooden wheels with iron rims and most wereaway from home, has a bed, small stove, a pullout table, pulled by a team of horses.a dishpan, lantern and plenty of storage cupboards. The sheep wagons have the curved roof, supported byTwo different sheep wagons or gypsy wagons are used. hoops and covered with a heavy tarp to shed the waterStory goes if the cook stove is on the right side when and snow. The wagons usually run 7 to 8 feet wide byentering the wagon, it is called a sheep camp. If the about 12 to 16 feet long. They all have a good under-stove is on the left side, it’s a gypsy wagon. storage for fire, grain for the horses and other supplies. A snug camp in the winter or summer, either high on theMost all the wagons have the Dutch door, or double doors. mountain or desert overlooking their band of sheep.One theory for that is so the herder can move his campby staying in the wagon to guide the team of horses while A lot of the older wagons and maybe even some newermoving camp. The sheep wagon’s doors are always facing sheep wagons have been restored and set up as guestfront and to the east when a spot is picked to camp. cabins. The older wagons have no modern utilities, just the cook stove for heat and an oil lantern for light.Each wagon and its herder have what they call a “camptender.” The camp tender comes out each week or every I grew up around sheep, and in my later years my husbandother week to bring supplies. The camp is usually by water and I worked on a ranch that ran a few thousand headfor a good supply for his saddle horses and sheepdogs. of sheep. My husband was a ranch manager, and I was involved in all aspects of the ranch. Between all the sheepNewer streamlined sheep wagons are being built and several hundred head of cows, we kept pretty busy.today and are so effective for the sheep rancher toguard for predators and they are an essential part of STORY AND PHOTOS BY Carole Martinez, Kaycee

17 18 19 20 17 Retirement, Kaitlyn Tompkins, Cheyenne 18 Early transportation, Carrie Miller, Laramie Traveling in Wyoming time, 19 MJ Roth, Wright Tundra Taxi in the Arctic Ocean, 20 Jerry Longobardi, Meetee*tse 21 Winter travel—don’t forget your shovel, Lauree Scott, Gillette 22 It was back in 1965, Robert Niezwaag Sr., Riverton 21 22  wren@wyomingrea.org Please submit high-quality digital files* or an original we can scan, as well as detailsSUBMIT A  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 about the artwork, the artist’s name and the co-op. *Use the highest quality setting on P H OTO  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions your camera, or save digital artwork as a .jpg or .tif file with at least 300 dpi resolution. If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your name, hometown and a title. MAY 2021 31

WHAT’S HAPPENING JUNE WHAT’S HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP 01 | SOUTHEAST 02 | NORTHEAST 02 CENTENNIAL JUNE 19 CLEARMONT JUNE 12-13 03 Centennial Valley Volunteer Fire SageRidge Ranch Workshop: Department 50th Anniversary: Fiber and Meditation, info 307-217-2594, Fundraiser and anniversary sageridge.net. celebration. Raffle, silent auction, free pig roast. 12p, Valley Volunteer ONGOING Fire Department Station 1, 4 North Clearmont Historical Center: 04 01 Fork Road, free, info 307-745-9322. Open 2-4p Thu year-round, 10a-5p Wed and Sat from June 2 to September 1. Free, info 307-758-4524. C H U G WAT E R JUNE 19 Chugwater Chili Cook-off: Chili cooking and tasting, live FEATURED EVENT music, ranch rodeo, car/tractor show, games, vendors, food and fun for the whole family. All proceeds go to local nonprofit organizations. Info 307-715-9518. LUSK JUNE 25 GILLETTE Niobrara Alumni Golf Tournament: Lusk Municipal Golf Course, JUNE 5 info 307-334-2950. Dance Through the Decades: Family event with dancing, silent auction JUNE 26 and prizes for best costumes. Benefits Niobrara Alumni Banquet: Banquet summer internship program at Rockpile HELP US BURN at the fairgrounds. Book sale 8a, ice Museum. 5:30p, Campbell County cream social 1p, at the library. Free Senior Center, $50. Info 307-682-5723, OUR MORTGAGE: barbecue at Lusk State Bank from assocrma@gmail.com. 11a-1p. Info 307-334-2950. JUNE 19 MEDICINE BOW Histories of a Wyoming Homestead: JUNE 11  5:30P Presentation by Christine Scoggan Gillette, FOURTH TUESDAYS niece of the late Olive Marquiss and Dick Fundraiser for Unaccompanied Students Bingo: 7p, Community Hall, and Lucille Dumbrill. 1p, Campbell County Initiative to pay off $277,000 mortgage on info 307-760-8402. Rockpile Museum, info 307-682-5723, home. USI of Laramie and Natrona Counties rockpilemuseum.com. provides housing to youth ages 16-20. S A R AT O G A Info 307-220-2391, usinitiative.org. JUNE 23 HULETT Saratoga Historical & Cultural JUNE 12-13 FRONTIER PARK, CHEYENNE Association Dinner: Dinner honors Hulett Rodeo: Parade 10a Sat, slack 10a founding members. Platte Valley Sun. NRCA & WRA approved rodeo starts Community Center. Info 307-326-5511. at 1:30p. Kids’ events. Lunch and beer on SOUTHEAST the grounds. $10, $5 kids 14 and under, ONGOING 7 and under free. Info 307-467-5668, Saratoga Museum: Tue-Sat 307-467-5929, rodeohulettwy.com. 10a-2p, info 307-326-5511, saratoga-museum.com. ONGOING Hulett Museum and Art Gallery:  W H E AT L A N D 8a-4p Mon-Fri, free, info 307-467-5292. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 JUNE 11-13 pandemic, events may be postponed MOORCROFT Treasures Along the Platte: or canceled. Please call ahead Antique, arts and crafts, junk JUNE 4-6 before attending events. and garage sale extravaganza Wy Historical Society Trek: Hosted in Chugwater, Wheatland and by Crook County Historical Society. Guernsey. Info 307-322-6232. Info 307-283-3666.32 MAY 2021