Japan Adventures & Wildfire Relief

The latest news from Ron & T of The Buffalo Wool Co. at RATH Ranch. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

Godzilla over Tokyo

Happy Saturday Friends!

Hope all is well in your part of the world.. Dad, T, Megs and I are having fun here in Japan. We stayed in the most amazing paper house in Kyoto.. It's been awesome having the daughter do all the travel planning, she really is excellent at it, shared a couple pages from her Japan guide in the stories below.. and if you are interested here is some of her earlier stuff.

We got to play with some very cool animals, saw amazing history and beautiful shrines, ate seriously delicious stuff, and met some really great people. Been a complete win all around.

We spent a week in Kyoto, was a truly magical experience, and now we are in Tokyo getting ready for the race tomorrow morning.

Megs found her name on the entrants list...

Will share some of the highlights here and as time permits, will try and write a blog post with more pics and stories. There are quite a few things worth writing about. This is our first time over here, and we have been keeping busy just having fun. There have been sacred bowing deer, warm and fuzzy snow monkeys, a couple of otters, and absolutely zero live Pokemon in the wild. Not gonna catch even one...However Dad and I did go with a guide fishing on Lake Biwa, and didn't manage to catch anything there either, but had a great time.

Will put the vacation stories "below the fold" so you might have to click the "See more" if you want to read all of it. I do hope you do, it has been a wonderful experience for us.

We did recieve 100 of the new red striped Camp Throw in from Faribault this week, and here is a good video about Faribault Mills, and how they were saved from closing and moving to Pakistan, and Nester Hosiery is really close on our next batch of socks, we should get them shipped as soon as we make it home. Excited to start refilling the warehouse... y'all did a heck of a job of emptying it out this past season. Clint has done a very impressive job of harvesting bison fiber, but there are less animals available this year, so it will most likely be a light harvest, and now it's time to get to work and make more stuff.

Other than that, have a couple stories we thought we should share...

Hope you enjoy the travelog today, just wanted to share some fun stuff.

Ron, T, Cecil, Meghan and the rest of the BWC Crew.

Meme of the Week

Recent Wildfires in Oklahoma and Texas (February 2026)

In mid-February 2026, severe wildfires erupted across northwestern Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, exacerbated by high winds and dry conditions. The largest, the Ranger Fire in Oklahoma's Beaver and Harper counties, scorched over 280,000 acres, with additional blazes affecting Texas, Woodward, and neighboring Kansas areas.

Ranchers have been hit hardest, facing massive losses including thousands of cattle deaths, destroyed fences, barns, and infrastructure. With pastures decimated, many are scrambling for emergency feed, as herds risk starvation without immediate hay donations. The fires have compounded ongoing drought issues, threatening multi-generational family operations and leading to calls for mental health support amid financial distress. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an emergency order easing transport rules to speed up hay and water deliveries.How to Donate and Help with Relief Efforts. Communities nationwide are mobilizing aid, with a focus on hay, fencing materials, and cash for flexible recovery. Key organizations include:

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture: Donations matched up to $30,000; give via PayPal or mail checks to support farm families.
State of Texas Agriculture Relief (STAR) Fund: For Texas producers; contribute via the Texas Dept. of Agriculture.
Texas Farm Bureau Panhandle Wildfire Relief Fund: 100% to impacted farmers; donate online.
Hay Donations: Contact the Texas Hay Hotline or local spots like Woodward Livestock Auction for supplies like hay, water, and snacks.

For more, visit state resources like Oklahoma's Wildfire Relief page or the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Disaster Center.

The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project

Really Excited about this personally... Ms. Lucille is a wonderful person, and more bison are always a good thing. This is a project we definitely support

A groundbreaking Lipan Apache-led nonprofit dedicated to restoring sacred connections between Indigenous peoples and buffalo (Iyane’e) in South Texas. As the first Native woman-led initiative of its kind in the state, it emphasizes Indigenous stewardship, regenerative agriculture, cultural revitalization, and food sovereignty to heal generational trauma, revive ancestral lifeways, through buffalo herd restoration. The site details programs like land healing via rotational grazing, community events for cultural resilience, educational resources, and active campaigns for volunteering, partnerships, and donations.

It also highlights achievements such as grants for Indigenous food justice and media features on reviving buffalo to foster sovereignty and balance.At the heart of this inspiring work is Lucille Contreras, the CEO and Founder—a Lipan Apache descendant whose visionary leadership drives the project’s mission, making her a profound source of inspiration for Indigenous empowerment and environmental harmony.

We should have Med and Large Sleep Socks, Casual Crew and Yellowstones (hopefully a few Trekkers too) restocked in the upcoming week or so. Have been wearing a pair of the new Casual Crew 3.0's from Nester Hosiery over 30 days now, and they are a big improvement over the prior ones... just flipping awesome. Can't wait till we can get them out there. I believe you are gonna love em.

Got the new Red Stripe Throws up on the slte last night, and the 3rd Run of the Ponchos... already down to 11 ponchos as of this morning, when I restocked them, people ordered like crazy, They won't last through the day... as fast as these are moving, and I would bet the blankets will probably be gone soon today as well. Both rounds of Grey ones went really fast. Completely out of those now. If you want either, I recommend grabbing them quickly. And just in case you missed the video about Faribault at the top, here it is again Click here to watch really love working with these wonderful people.

Paula and Piggy Wrangler have also bagged up more soil amendment, it's pretty much time to get it in the ground. We also now have 10lb bags...

The BWC/Fairbault Red Stripe "Camp Throw"

299

Buy now

The BWC/Fairbault Buffalo Poncho

295

Buy now

The Bowing Deer of Nara

Our adventure in Nara, Japan, was so much fun. It was just me, T, Dad, and Megs, wandering through the lush expanses of Nara Park on a crisp afternoon. The ancient temples loomed in the background, but the real stars were the hundreds of free-roaming sika deer—considered sacred messengers of the gods in Shinto belief.

As we bought packs of shika senbei (special deer crackers) from a vendor, the deer approached us curiously, their soft eyes gleaming with anticipation. What amazed us most was their polite "bowing" ritual: when you hold out a cracker, many deer will dip their heads in a gentle bow, as if asking nicely for the treat. This behavior, we've learned, is a learned trick passed down through generations in the park. The deer associate the bowing motion—originally perhaps a natural head-lowering gesture—with getting rewarded by visitors, turning it into an endearing form of communication. T and Megs giggled as they bowed back, handing over crackers, while Dad captured the moment on his phone. It felt like a magical blend of nature, culture, and whimsy— a memory we'll cherish forever.

"Hey, hey, we're the Monkees And people say we monkey around, But we're too busy singing To put anybody down."

Ron's note, there was more howling than actual singing.. but it was fun.

The trek up the hill to see the snow monkeys in Japan's Jigokudani Yaen-koen was an unforgettable escapade. This has been high on T's bucket list for a long time. We set off from the trailhead at the base, embarking on a moderate climb up the forested hill that leads to the park. The path wound about 3/4 of a mile through lush evergreens, with a steady and fairly steep incline that got our hearts pumping—wasn't too strenuous, but enough to build anticipation as we crossed a river bridge and ascended steps carved into the hillside. It took us around 45 minutes, with Megs leading the way and Dad spotting wildlife along the route. At the top, we were greeted by the iconic Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys.

The fun part is that for feeding them, they had cut apples available, and instead of the monkeys being in the cage... they put the people in there, and let the monkeys come get food when they wanted it.

They played all around us, not scared of us and really enjoyed showing off. These resilient primates are native to Japan and famous for their clever behavior: they soak in natural hot springs (onsen) to relax, a habit unique to this troop in the volcanic Jigokudani valley.

With their expressive pink faces and thick fur, they lounged in the steaming pools like spa-goers, occasionally grooming each other or playfully splashing in the pools. We watched in awe as a few approached curiously, their social dynamics on full display— and there might just be a little tiny one with a big stuffed animal in our hotel room now. Someone had to free him.