Cowboy's Roots | Southwest Florida
MAN
Family Pictures USA. Once you see America through Family Pictures, you'll never see this country the same way again. In Immokalee, we meet third generation cowboy and poet, Clint Raulerson, and get a closer look at his family history through his family photos. Ranching and farming, in general, is a family, usually a family business. It's gotten more corporate in the last few years, but a lot of family heritage is held onto through what we do. I hear some dogs, is that-
CLINT
Yeah, those are my cow dogs. You gonna let them out now? Yeah, they're ready to go to work. I'll come with you. Okay. (Music) (Whistling) And what's the name of your horse? My horse's name is Calvin. Hey Calvin. Come on out. Let's go. (Whistling) Wow, so is this the way you usually start your day? Sure, today we're just gonna push some cattle around, move 'em from one pasture to another, so. And are you doing a kind of similar job that your dad and grandfather did? Absolutely. We do things these days pretty close to what they did a hundred years ago, as far as the cattle business. Still to this day, the best way to handle cattle is on a horse. You said I could get on Calvin, Sure. So, what do I need to know to handle Calvin? Only thing I can tell ya, hang on. (laughing) That I will do. Okay, no, he's great. Calvin's awesome. Okay. I'm glad I did a little bit of yoga today. There ya go. Hey Calvin, how ya doing? He's really concerned with you. (laughing) All right, here we are. This ranch has a lot of history for me and my family. My grandfather worked here in 1930. And my father was born right here. Your dad was born here. Yep, my dad was born a hundred feet from where we're sittin'. And I get to ride a horse on the same ground that my grandfather rode almost 90 years ago. (music) Growing up cowboy, I wore spurs on my boots. I knew very young that it came from my roots. I came from a long line of cowboys, they say. My grandad came from Basinger way. Down to Immokalee, to a land, so wild. It wasn't a place for the meek or the mild. He rode a good horse, and a good dog was a must. In the deep swamps, those and God were all he could trust. Now he watches me do this job I love, from somewhere up in Heaven above. And it's for this reason, I sit my horse with such pride. Because it's for the men before me that I ride. (music)
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