Father and I Were Ranchers

The Moody family’s relocation to rural Colorado introduces them to a close-knit, supportive community of ranchers whose generosity and communal spirit help ease their transition. The rural community’s dynamic and cooperative nature becomes essential to the Moodys’s survival. Through shared resources, mutual assistance, and neighborly bonds, Ralph learns the value of interconnectedness, resilience, and support. These relationships reveal the strength of rural community life, where individuals come together not just as neighbors but as an extended family.

In Chapter 2, the family meets Fred Aultland, a neighbor who becomes a crucial source of support for the Moodys. Despite having just met them and with no obligation to assist them, Mr. Aultland immediately offers to lend one of his horses when theirs are injured, saying, “Hear you had a little hard luck with your team, and thought I’d drop in to see if I couldn’t lend a hand. I got half a dozen teams standing around eating their heads off at this time of year. Better let me lend you one ‘til yours get back on their feet” (22). His words exemplify the generosity the Moodys find in their new rural community. This act of kindness reflects the interdependence among neighbors and the commitment to mutual support that defines life in Bear Creek Valley.