Earlier this week, I was visiting with some people from the eastern United States. We were talking about cattle and what type of land we run our cattle on. I explained that my family and I live in the high desert, which means a lot of brush.

Brush? From their mildly bewildered looks I could tell I needed to do a little more explaining.

Sage brush, rabbit brush, bitter brush…you know, BRUSH!

I am always amazed at the heights some brush can reach. If you are on foot, it feels as though you are walking through a maze. On horseback it is more manageable, but you have to keep a close eye on the calves to make sure they don’t get turned around and headed the wrong way. Brush provides habitat for game fowl and other wildlife.

It also provides the ideal setting for a giant game of bovine hide and seek.