Anticipated rains, Expo nears

Rancho Agua Viva

Calving, ear tagging, taking weights and cow checks are keeping the ranch employees busy this time of the year. Additionally, fields are worked and irrigated for late summer planting in hopes to grow more feed for the cattle.

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Ranch hand Fernando checks the cows at the rented ranch in the mountains. Dark skies in the distance give hope for rains to water the earth.

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Meanwhile at Headquarters, irrigated pastures are utilized for grazing the commercial and backgrounded cattle.

Joel and Fernando take weights on the backgrounded cattle.


Expo - Final week of practices

Expo Esperanza will be held on Friday and Saturday, August 7 & 8. A visit to the campus of Casa Vida y Esperanza would find you observing summer staff helping the kids finish their projects. Kids are busy in the shop with industrial arts projects, in the arena with horses, on the grounds with dog practices, in the dining hall practicing piano and on the stage preparing for performing arts.

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The Fatted Calf Summer Intern Brecken Beyer spends his mornings giving pointers during horse practices…

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and helps the participants practice dog agility & obstacle course in the afternoons.


In Memory

Horacio, former employee of Carnisimo, was taken from this life the end of July. Until a recent decision to change jobs, Horacio worked at Carnisimo for 9 years. He also was a judge for music and performed on the entertainment stage several times through the years at Expo Esperanza. Prayers for his children, family, and friends left behind.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom
— Psalm 90:12

2020 Summer Intern, Expo update

Brecken Beyer, Purdue University

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Brecken is from Magdalena, MX and currently is a sophomore at Purdue University pursuing a degree in Agricultural Systems Management. As an intern, Brecken is in charge of teaching Barrel racing, Horse showmanship and Dog obstacle course and agility. Additionally, he will be teaching classes in the project areas of Entomology, Agronomy and Musical Instruments to the children at Casa Vida y Esperanza. Brecken was involved in Expo as a participant from 2014-2018 and brings a wealth of experience, language skill, and project knowledge to the summer program. From the internship, Brecken hopes the gain a greater ability to lead and develop others. The Fatted Calf is very blessed to have Brecken Beyer on the team preparing for the 2020 Expo.

As a Fatted Calf Intern, one of the things I am most looking forward to is helping the Expo participants overcome the various challenges they face as they work with the animals such as overcoming their fear of picking out a horse’s hooves or helping them train their energetic dog to listen and run through an obstacle course.
— Brecken Beyer

Expo 2020 preparations update

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Preparations for Expo Esperanza are well underway.  With the arrival of TFC Intern and the Summer Volunteers at Casa Vida y Esperanza, the children are gaining more knowledge and experience with their animal, static and stage projects to be showcased the in early August.  With staffing changes and restrictions because of Covid 19, modifications have been made to prepare and execute Expo 2020.  Nonetheless, the kids, staff, and Expo enthusiasts are looking forward to another great summer!

Planning this summer’s event are CVE staff members Kendra Neihouser, Denver and Katie Slagel, and Cassidy Wulf.  As house-parents at CVE and their investment in past Expos, they make a great team to design and modify the Expo activities to best meet the needs of the children at CVE.  In addition to changes of the Expo planning committee, Covid 19 restrictions have limited participation to CVE residents and children of staff members only and projects will be judged by the CVE staff and summer volunteers instead of volunteers from the Magdalena community.

Check out Expo Esperanza’s facebook page for more information and posts regarding the happenings in preparation for Expo Esperanza to be held August 7 and 8, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/EXPO.Esperanza/