Baxter Black: Modern ranchers retain early pioneer qualities

One of the qualities that characterizes dedicated ranchers and farmers is a joyous commitment to hard work. It's sort of an odd combination of curiosity, independence and bravado. They actually crave the struggle, like long-distance runners crave the race. They love their job. Ranching is not a sport. It pits man against all that nature can throw at him year after year. It takes a hardheaded person to keep pushing back. That's how frontiers were conquered and the West was won. Today's ranchers possess the same qualities exemplified by the 18th- and 19th-century pioneers. The origin of the word pioneer comes from the Native American language Pi, as in "pie in the sky," and "near," meaning "it's just over the next hill, Mother!" g guns or toting regulations. Ranchers battle the same obstacles encountered by the early settlers - drought, blizzard, disease, despair, and predators, including wild ones and those packing guns or toting regulations...read more