Donning boots, jeans and camera, this past week end I headed over to the 3-day event, "Cowboy Gathering"
I would like to first clarify Cowboy Gathering. Cowgirls are also included. It is an opportunity for the western community to get together and enjoy music, food and horse training clinics. There were also western artists selling their artwork, trick rope demonstrations, and a big BBQ Cook Off.
What impressed me the most was the Chuck Wagon, and invention attributed to Charles Goodnight, a Texas rancher who introduced the concept in 1866.
Goodnight added a "chuck box" to the back of the wagon, to hold supplies. (like a kitchen cupboard) The term chuck is a slang word for food, not a nickname for Charles.
The canvas cover provided protection, from the sun or rain, for the "Cookie" on the long cattle drives from Texas to New Mexico.
The chuck wagon became part of history throughout the United States and Canada. If you are interested in reading more, click HERE. And click HERE, to read about the adventurous life of Charles Goodnight. Larry McMurtry's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove is a fictionalized account of Goodnight and Loving's third cattle drive.
You can see the chuck box on the back of the uncovered wagon.
No air inflated tires to cushion this ride.
Part of the chuck wagon display was a demonstration of dutch oven cooking with an open fire.
It is amazing how they can cook everything from stew, to biscuits and pies, in the large cast iron covered pot.
I think I will continue to make coffee in my electric coffee pot......
Meggie Mac
Sounds like fun Meggie, loving those cowboy boots, hope you had something tasty to eat out of those cooking pots. x
ReplyDeleteHow could I pass it up...especially since it was from a "Chuck Wagon".
ReplyDeleteI love that kind of food. And, eating outdoors always makes food taste better.
ReplyDeleteI agree...Just think how good hot dogs taste when cooked on an outdoor grill...
DeleteOh, it can't look more like the Texas in my head. Eating outdoors ia always nice. groetjes, Gerda
ReplyDeleteGerda...I must show you the other side of Texas. It is also big cities, tall buildings, museums, and ballet and symphony performances.
DeleteI'd love to be a cowgirl for a day! Looks like you had great fun!
ReplyDeleteAnd I would love to join you for English Tea with scones, clotted cream and lemon curd!
ReplyDeleteOh the chuck wagon, makes me want to take one of those out west vacations at branch that brings you out on a cattle round up and camps you out on the parries at night ...eating out of the ~chuck wagon .
ReplyDeleteDid you ever get your paint brushes out again Meggie ? An old west painting on the horizon :)
Hello Willow...I'm getting very close to the paint brushes. This week end, I'm going to try something with colored pencils.
DeleteGood for you, and I promise to check and see what my gadget phone is changing my words to before I post next time lol Darn smart phones changing words they think you are trying to write ...branch ...was suppose to be "ranch" ...and parries ..." prairies" , these new gadgets making me look illeteriate lol I can do that all by myself ! Hee hee
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