Chuck Wagon of the MONTH

AUGUST 2010

Rocking RR Chuckwagon is an authentic 1890 Perkins Grain Wagon built in Perkin, Illinois. Owners Susan and Russ Richins purchased the wagon several years ago and had it fully restored by Glenn Moreland of Texas Cowboy Outfitters at Fort Davis, Texas.

Today, the wagon is used for Chuck Wagon Competitions and Catering around the Phoenix, Arizona area. Susan and Russ have received several awards, earning  1st Place (Festival of the West) for Biscuit and Stew, 1st Place Dessert, 3rd place Potatoes along with 3rd place Over-all during the July (Pikes Peak or Bust-cook-off) with numerous other competition awards. 

Russ who works for the Arizona Fish and Game Department is a Law Enforcement Training Manager spending over 20 years as a Wildlife Manager for the Arizona State. He began outdoor cooking through Scouting and has mastered the art of Dutch Oven Cooking.

Susan loves cast iron cooking. The team performs training classes at various sporting good stores including Cabelas and at the Payson State park, Arizona. Susan stated the chuck wagon cooking started off with an International Dutch Oven Society "IDOS" convention at Camp Verde, AZ about seven years ago. "It looked like a lot of fun and a way to meet new people (that's the day we met Barb and Mark Wilkins who also perform Championship Cooking from both Dutch Ovens and the Chuck Wagon.  They attended several IDOS workshops entering that next March at the IDOS cook-off  Sportsman's Expo winning first place on bread. I was hooked and we haven't looked back," said Susan. After several years, they began assisting another wagon before purchasing the Perkin's Wagon. Today in addition to competition, catering and making great friends, Susan and Russ host several training classes where Susan emphasizes "If you can bake bread, you can cook anything."  For more information contact:  Rocking RR Chuck Wagon

  Susan and Russ Richins Photo Above

 

JULY 2010

Team “Withers Ranch” tied for first place best wagon during "Pikes Peak or Bust" Chuck wagon cook-off. The wagon is owned by Tina and Daryl Waite of Hugo, Colorado. The team purchased the wagon two years ago restoring the Wagon manufactured by The Northwestern Wagon Company of Ft. Adkisson, WI.   These manufactured wagon is rare today due the company burning down in 1906.

Tina and Daryle gathered as much research to restore this rare wagon.  “I only know of one other Northwestern wagon” stated Daryl.  The family worked together to restore the finish. Daryle has stripped the old enamel paint from the wood while Tina continued researching. Finding only one photo of Northwestern Wagons, Tina was able to get a custom blend of Milk Paint to finish this wagon as close to original.

Tina states, "I'm not sure if the chuck box is original to the wagon but it is an original chuck box. It is a working wagon where we feed the ranch crew during our brandings and the branding for several of our neighbors.  We cooked for 8 brandings this past spring. We also compete with it. We had done several dutch oven cook offs for quite a few years before purchasing the wagon. Now we can compete in a few Chuck Wagon Cook Off's with the wagon. It"s our "hot rod".




Shown is Tina and Daryle Waite with children, Chance, Caleb and Jessica.         "Team Withers Ranch"