Sagebrush Clearing and Indigenous Plant Protection at the Roadrunner Coyote Ranch

In this post we will be showing you photos and telling you a story about our clearing areas of our homestead property. Preparing it for fencing and building next spring. 2025.

*You can click on the tiled gallery photos below to open them up to get the full view*

Getting started

We spent the month of July working on the property and doing some light planning for the homestead. The drive out to the property was long, about 45 miles, 1 hour every day each way. We spent time getting to know our property better. Meeting new friends and some of our neighbors. Spending as much time out there as we could. The days were getting warmer and just to warm for Princess to go out there with us.

We took out shovels, a rake and a pick axe to start. Sage brush can be a very stubborn plant to get out of the ground. We had a DR Trimmer in the local storage unit. We brought it up to the property to see how it would handle some of the smaller sagebrush saving a bit of time and effort. The DR handled the higher grasses very well and even some of the smaller sagebrush. It was back to digging though for the larger ones. We took turns with the pick axe and had it mostly cleared in about a weeks time.

After the sage was dug out we were able to get back to the DR Trimmer making clear lines for where the fence line will be put in next spring. In hindsight it would have been better to purchase a self propelled one with the variations in ground height. The grasses were sometimes 2″ higher in patches from the ground level making it rougher to get the wheels on the DR moving along.

As a dr. in Washington state once said. “Brian, You’re a strong sucker!” So Brian powered through it with minimal explicatives. Although we did not encounter anymore snakes we did find some field mice and plenty of lizards.

During one of the tree cuttings Brian was kneeling to get at a lower piece of the stump and a small lizard went up his pant leg. He was using the chain saw so I knew he would not hear me try to tell him that it was in his pants. I waited till he was done and as he moved his leg the lizard ran back out.

Towards the end of our clean up we started getting some smaller Monsoon Rains. This usually happened in the afternoon about 3 O’clock. This always seemed like a good time to call it a day. It would take it from 90 degrees to a enjoyable mid 70’s. Even though it was hitting mid to upper 90’s taking breaks in the shade of the Juniper trees always made it more comfortable. We tended to always have a nice breeze coming through.

It helped that we bought hats at Big 5 Sporting Goods store that you soak in water and they kept our heads cooler for about 2 hours before soaking again. Taking along a lot of water and purchasing ice for the cooler every day was a must.

Breakfast to get the day started

We sometimes grabbed a breakfast to go at the Gas N Go in St. Johns. When the local ice machine was down we would get ice there too.

A gem in the desert, Witch Wells Farmers Market

On Saturdays we would stop at the Witch Wells Farmers Market and pick up something for a breakfast or snacks during the day. A favorite was the breakfast burritos. $3 for a decent size burrito got us through till a late lunch. Then the ultimate favorite was the homemade banana bread! We also tried the Indian fry bread. Nothing was bad that we tried! We were able to meet some of the local neighbors there too. I look forward to seeing them all again next year. Sorry no photos of those because I forgot to take them before digging in! YUM!

You can find more information about Witch Wells Farmers Market HERE on Facebook.

If Facebook isn’t your thing, Here is how to find it:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Witch Well Farmer’s Market and Swap Meet is now open Saturdays 8 am til 12 pm to the Public  1/4 mile west of highway 191 and mile marker 345 on County road 7230. We look forward to seeing you all Saturday at the Saturday Witch Well Farmer’s Market and Swap Meet 1/4 mile west of highway 191 and mile marker 345 on County Road 7230. If you have items to sell come on out and join us there is NO VENDER FEE you just have to follow the rules. No Alcohol No Drugs Watch your Language Please have dogs on leashes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finding a beautiful young cacti

As I mentioned in our YouTube Video, we had found a cactus and thought it was an endangered protected one. After looking it up further we now think it is a barrel cactus. The photo with the measurements we found and thought ” we will stake it or fence it when we come back out”. That began a 2 day search. When we did find it again. I measured distances from landmarks so it would not get lost again. With the grasses mowed and sagebrush cut out, I still wanted to make sure the ones we found were protected from the free range cows that roam the property. We bought a roll of chicken wire fencing and some T posts to put around the one we found.

More cacti

Later we found several others and I put a stake at each one so I would remember where they were for next spring. After fencing I will dig them up and put them on the property where they will be safe. Some of them are in direct line of fence or buildings.

An exciting find was the Pinyon Pine. Later we did find 2 more on the property. I do enjoy the Juniper trees but to find a Pinyon Pine is like gold for me. Fun fact: Years before fruiting: 25. Significant crop production occurs at 75-100 years, with maximum production at 160-200 years. I might not ever see fruit from them in my lifetime but to know they are there and protected makes me so happy!

While staying in St Johns RV Resort, another camper left. They left behind 6 straw bales that had been used for skirting. We asked management if they would like to have those removed. After getting permission we took them out the the are where we will most likely have a compost bin. Dumped it out of the truck and it will start to break down over this fall and winter. Thank you to whoever left it behind. We will make good use of it.

An end to clean up

In all, we cleared about an acre of our 5 acre property. The photos below show some before and after the clean up.

You can click here: YouTube to watch the accompanying video to this blog post and watch more content. Please see our other videos on the YouTube channel as well. Please hit like/subscribe/check the bell/and share. It will really help our channel grow.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog! We have given the homestead a name. The Roadrunner Coyote Ranch. It seems fitting as we have now seen both of them out our way. Just think of the decoration possibilities!

What’s next?

Our next journey is to North Dakota for harvest season. We will be back on property in April 2025. I can’t wait!! Until then please follow the blog to see our adventures.

Please share in the comments below what your breakfast looks like before a hard work day? Do you compost? And what do you find beauty in where you live?