“Across the American West, one can still find glimpses of authentic working ranches where life seems reminiscent of a simpler time. Where real cowboys and cowgirls spend their days working with the land and the animals in vast landscapes largely untouched by the density and industrialization of modern times. The cowboy life is idyllic in many ways, but the days are long, the work is hard, and for not much pay. The reward is living in a place where you have the space to breathe, and the opportunity to pursue a life that still clings to the real authentic heritage of the West. It is a life rooted in honest hard work, and a shared respect for the landscape and the animals that inhabit it. Many of these ranchers are conservationists and stewards of the land as well, managing the rangeland, the resources, and the lifestyle for the hope of future generations.
Here, cowboys and cowgirls participate in a cattle branding on a ranch in the Centennial Valley, MT. Cattle branding is still the most reliable preventative measure to combat cattle theft in the American West.” – Courtney Green
