Hawaii’s
Back yard
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi
Kauai ranch delights
writer’s inner cowgirlWhen I retire from writing, I want to be a cowgirl. I want to rise with the roosters, and be on horseback while the sun is waking and the air is crisp and clean. I want to ride where the land spreads out wide and open -- an undulating sea of green -- and the only voices I hear are those of nature ... the wind, the birds, the flow of water in a tree-lined stream.
On this cool fall morning, I am here, in my vision of nirvana. Kauai's Princeville Ranch meanders over 2,500 acres of what is surely among the most beautiful real estate in Hawaii. About once a week, visitors have the opportunity to help paniolo at this working ranch drive cattle from a cropped pasture to one sporting a thick layer of new grass. It's "City Slickers" in real life.
As I settle astride a handsome buckskin quarterhorse named Bucky, the ranch's herd manager, Karin Carswell Guest, explains the grazing system. "We have a six-pasture rotation. It's good to let the grass rest between four and six weeks. We don't want to overgraze the grass; we want to have a little residual so it will grow back."
Princeville Ranch maintains 500 head of cattle, including cows, calves, bulls, and steers and heifers designated for the "grass fat" (meat for market) program. The majority are Brangus cattle, a mix of 5/8 Angus and 3/8 Brahman.
Calves are born in February and March, and grass fat cattle are "finished" between 24 to 30 months. "The trend has gone more toward natural with no hormones or antibiotics added, so we have a high demand for our beef," notes Karin. The ranch's Princeville Pride beef is available exclusively at Princeville Service Station's food mart at prices ranging from $6.95 to $12.25 per pound.
Karin's brother, well-known horse trainer David Carswell, often helps her lead the cattle drives. His advice to greenhorns is simple: "Go slow and easy. We don't want to startle the cattle and have them running all over the place."
Our first challenge is moving about a dozen weaners -- calves that just got weaned from their mothers -- to the main herd nearby. David points to a calf standing on the perimeter of the group and instructs me to ride alongside it, about 20 feet away, then to turn and slowly, very slowly, walk toward it. The calf is obviously on guard as I do this, its eyes locked on Bucky and me.
When we're about 10 feet away, David tells me to rein Bucky to a halt while keeping eye contact with the calf. Within a few minutes, the youngster turns and begins walking away from us -- just the direction we want her to go. The other calves follow her docilely; moving cattle apparently is very much a mind game.
COURTESY OF PRINCEVILLE RANCH
Herding cattle is an unpredictable activity involving playing mind games with the animals.
THE DISTANCE RIDERS maintain between themselves and the cattle is called the flight zone. "Some cattle have a big flight zone, say 30 feet," Karin explains, "and some have a small flight zone, about three feet. Our cattle have fairly small flight zones because they are pretty tame and used to us."
Following the calves we've rounded up, we ride through a thicket and emerge into a huge pasture where more than 150 weaners and cows are milling about. David points to the far left where four calves have wandered away. "Go get 'em up, Cheryl!" he says.
"Duck soup," I think as I nudge Bucky forward. I repeat the technique David taught me: Walk slowly alongside the calves, turn, walk toward them and halt. They look warily at Bucky and me. We gaze steadily back. They soon turn away from us and trot across the pasture to where Karin is waiting with the rest of the herd.
Watching them, I'm feeling very smug until I hear David laughing: "Hey, Cheryl, you missed some!" Turning, I see him emerging from the trees with at least 10 calves.
"How did you know they were there?" I ask, amazed.
"I keep an eye out for the cattle egrets," he replies.
"Wherever those birds are, the cattle are."
Vigilance is important on a drive, even for seasoned cowpokes like Karin and David. Unlike a nose-to-tail trail ride, which pretty much follows the same path, this activity is unrehearsed, unpredictable.
"You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times," says Karin. "A cow could come out of the bushes and scare your horse.
Also, getting the cattle to go where you want them to can be a major challenge. During calving season it can be especially tricky because some cows get really protective of their calves so they may not want to move in the direction you want them to go."
She acknowledges it helps if participants have some riding experience, but if they don't, the guides ride close to them. "It's really fun during calving season for people to see all the little ones," she says. "Sometimes we get lucky and see a cow giving birth."
COURTESY OF PRINCEVILLE RANCH
Experienced riders learn to spot strays and coax them back to the herd.
THE CARSWELL FAMILY has been closely associated with Princeville Ranch since 1979, when Donn and Gale Carswell opened Pooku Stables (now Princeville Ranch Stables) there. With the help of their children -- Kelley, Chris, David and Karin -- they provided adventures on horseback for Kauai visitors for 15 years, then in 1994 they acquired the lease for Princeville Ranch and its cattle.
Kelley and Chris have gone on to pursue other ventures, but David and Karin remain actively involved with daily ranch operations.
Karin has a degree in business, and although her job requires her to balance spreadsheets and meet profit goals, she spends most of her working hours on horseback.
"My parents had horses before I was born so my brothers, my sister and I were riding on a regular basis by the time we were three," she says. "I love being outdoors and riding through this beautiful ranch. I love wearing jeans and boots to work, and I'm not afraid to get a little dirty, or a lot dirty for that matter. Getting dirty is definitely a part of the job!
"I love the smell of the horses and the smell of the leather saddles, and most of all I love the fresh air. There's something very exhilarating and rewarding about taking care of 500 head of cattle!"
Spoken like a true cowgirl.
Princeville Ranch Stables
Place: Check in at Princeville Ranch Stables, off Highway 56 about 1/2 mile south of the entrance to Princeville Resort on Kauai. You'll then be directed to the location where the ride begins.
Cattle Drive RideWhen: Approximately 8 to 9:30 a.m. once a week depending on the rotation of the cattle. Meet at the stables 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.
Cost: $120 per person, including lemonade and cookies. There is a maximum of four riders for this activity.
Call: (808) 826-6777 or (808) 826-7473
Notes: Participants must be at least 8 years old and in good physical condition. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Those under 18 must have written consent from a parent or guardian. There is a weight limit of 180 pounds for women and 220 pounds for men. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Kauai's North Shore is known for its intermittent showers. Scheduled rides go out, rain or shine.
Other tours: Princeville Ranch Stables' other options include a four-hour Waterfall Picnic Ride, a one-and-a-half-hour Country Ride, and customized two- or three-hour private rides. The stables' sister company, Princeville Ranch Adventures, offers four-hour kayaking and hiking excursions.
E-mail: pstable@aloha.net
Web site: www.princevilleranch.com
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based free-lance writer and Society of American Travel Writers award winner.
