Photo galleries

Back to gallery

Winter on the ranch

About 10 miles north of Craig, on Highway 13, Ronald Lawton is beginning his day. He packs up his two dogs, Callie and Ringo, at about 9 a.m. into his large John Deere tractor and heads out to feed the horses and cattle on his farm. It is surprisingly warm for how much snow is on the ground, making his job a little easier than in the normally frigid temperatures he experiences — temeratures so cold his tractor won’t start. Lawton is used to it though. He started his farm in 1972, working full-time at the Colowyo Mine to help finance what the farm wouldn’t support until 2002, when he retired. He credits his wife, Shirley, with helping to keep the farm moving while he worked. Now he spends his time working at a more leisurely pace, enjoying what he’s worked to build.

Callie and Ringo, two red and white Australian Shepherds, round up the cattle to draw them away from Ronald Lawton’s tractor.