STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Sagebrush Saturdays at the Rinker Rock Creek Ranch are back.
The first will kick off on Saturday, June 1, with a guided wildflower walk led by Tess O’Sullivan of The Nature Conservancy. O’Sullivan is equally fond of sagebrush and native grasses so expect a tutorial on those, as well.
A free barbecue will follow from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The deans of UI’s College of Natural Resources and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences will provide an update on the research the University of Idaho is doing on best ranch practices involving cattle.
A second Sagebrush Saturday, focused on “Science in the Sagebrush,” will follow from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 13. This one is tailored to students in grades K through 12 and will examine soil, wildfire, plants and livestock.
A third Sagebrush Saturday, titled “Home on the Range,” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 21. This one will focus on the cattle operation and how ranch managers deal with the threat of wildfire.
Sagebrush Saturdays are sponsored by the University of Idaho, The Nature Conservancy and the Wood River Land Trust.
Drive west out of Hailey on Bullion Street and continue on it as it turns into Croy Creek Road. Follow this 4.5 miles to the large metal sculpture of an elk, signifying Rock Creek Road on the left. Follow this another 6.5 miles to the barn.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.