Meet Your Ranchers

We're Al and Amber, and we're glad you stopped by!

Our family has been raising cattle on these Montana prairies since Al's grandfather homesteaded here in 1909.

The T Bar J brand was recorded in 1911, using the initials of Al's grandmother, Theoline Johanna. More than a century later, we're still raising cattle under that same brand.

This is short-grass prairie country, where the cattle graze beneath a big Montana sky, the deer and antelope are regular visitors, and the coyotes still howl at night.

We'd love for you to get to know the ranch, the cattle, and the people behind the beef on your family's table.

Featured in Abundant Montana

Abundant Montana is a go-to resource for locally grown food in Montana. Please read the article published about us

Good Montana Beef in 3 Easy Steps

1. Choose Your Beef — From our Taste the Difference Bundle to a freezer full of Montana beef, find the right fit for your family.

2. Place Your Order — Order your bundle or reserve your summer beef share with a deposit. We'll keep you informed every step of the way.

3. Enjoy Your Montana Beef — Delivered frozen to your door or by us personally. Fill your freezer with premium beef raised by a family you know and trust.

  • When you reserve a beef share from T Bar J Ranch, we donate 5 pounds of our all-natural Montana ground beef in your name to the Montana Veterans Meat Locker.

    It's our Montana 5 for Those Who Served commitment, and it's one small way we can say thank you to the men and women who have served our country.


    Twice a year, around Memorial Day and Veterans Day, we deliver beef to help fill the freezers of veterans and active-duty service members.


    Your family gets good Montana beef for your table, and because of you, a veteran or military family gets some, too.


    From our ranch to their freezer, with a heartfelt thank you.

Take Back Dinner, Time, and Control — Without Living at the Grocery Store

We put together a simple guide that shows how families make dinner easier — starting with what’s already in the freezer.

This isn’t a meal plan or a diet.

It’s how real families reduce grocery trips, decision fatigue, and weeknight stress — without needing a freezer or a big commitment.

Start here. Read it once. Let dinner feel lighter.

 Trail Sticks — A Little Montana Wherever You Go 

Whether you're checking cows, packing lunches, heading down the highway, or filling Christmas stockings, a good beef stick always comes in handy.

Our T Bar J Ranch Trail Sticks are made with beef from our ranch and come in five delicious flavors. There's something for everyone, whether you like a little heat or prefer something mild.

A little taste of Montana that's easy to take along — or give to someone special.

Shop Our Trail Sticks
  • Like Mother, Like Daughter… and Some Big News!

    Take Margaret, for instance. She's always had this little tuft of hair that sticks straight up on top of her head. Nothing fancy, just a cowlick that refuses to lie down. And this year she had a heifer calf.

    Read the Roundup 
  • No Browning, No Fuss — Supper Was Ready When We Came In!

    No browning. No extra skillet to wash. Just stew meat, onions, broth, and a few seasonings. Then I went to work filling shipping boxes. By the time Al and I came in at the end of the day, supper was ready.  And the minute we opened the door, we could smell it!

    Step Inside the Gate 

Featured on Velma Ilene's Blog

Velma is a real T Bar J Ranch Giveaway Winner and a newbie at bulk-beef buying.   She started her blog this past year covering her journey towards healthy eating. After winning our monthly giveaway, she wrote a heartfelt (and hilarious) review of her T Bar J experience, from ground beef  to beef sticks to honey.

It’s personal, honest, and a great read.
“There was no gimmick. No hook. Just beef.” – Velma

 Published right here on our blog, Inside the Gate