Farlan Behunin Oral History - February 7, 2011

In an interview on February 7, 2011, Farlan Behunin discusses his life growing up on a ranch, starting with riding horses bareback at a young age and later buying his first saddle at 16 from money earned working on the Thompson Ranch. He recounts his early experiences moving cattle, living in tents in cold weather, and working alongside his parents on the family ranch, including his mother's extensive work in the garden and milking 28 cows by hand twice a day. Behunin shares anecdotes about his father's cooking in a Dutch oven on the range, the challenges of getting radio reception, and a humorous incident involving a "Miller" moth. He also talks about learning to drive tractors and Jeeps at a young age, the importance of good cattle dogs, and dealing with natural challenges like snowed-in cattle and bears. Behunin expresses his deep enjoyment of being with cattle and on the mountain, seeing it as "part of heaven." He then describes his 20 years working in oil fields and road construction, highlighting the shared element of hard work and long hours with ranching. He explains his return to Boulder for retirement, which for him means continuous projects and staying busy. Finally, he discusses the history of his family's land in Boulder, changes in the town over time, and the shift from common poaching to stricter laws, emphasizing the current challenges for ranchers to make a living in Boulder without other industries.