40° and 60 MPH

What happened at the ranch this week?

This week felt like Montana Tough in motion. You might want to grab your work gloves and a water bottle for this one. 

🌅 Montana Tough Went Wide

Kieran, the hammer thrower we sponsor who coaches at Montana State,  shared a sunrise throwing video on Instagram this week and tagged our ranch. 

 

6,200 views and counting.

 

Sunrise Magazine even reached out asking about the clip.

 

If you’re new here because of that post — welcome.

 

Montana Tough isn’t a slogan.

 

It’s rolling up wire after moving cows.
It’s fixing trucks.

It’s chipping ice off the water tank at -10.
It’s feeding cattle in 60 mph wind.

 

It’s showing up whether anyone’s watching or not.

 

For Kieran, it’s throwing his hammer in all of the above.

 

Scarlet Went Back Out

Scarlet stayed close to the house while she healed.

 

We waited a full week after her stitches came out to make sure she was ready.

 

She stood at the fence looking for her heifer mates.

 

We decided she was ready, so we loaded her in the trailer.

 

She tried to look out the whole ride.

 

When did Al open the gate?

 

She didn’t hesitate.

 

Right out. Straight to her girlfriends.

 

No looking back.

 

Scarlet headed back home to her heifer friends

 

40 Degrees & 60 MPH

This morning was 40 degrees, and the wind was blowing 60 miles an hour.

 

Every heifer was tucked into the Taj Mahal when we went out to feed.

 

Smart girls.

 

They know where to stand when the wind comes hard.

 

All tucked in while the 60 mph wind did its thing.

Then the Feed Truck Pitched a Fit

The steering gear went out on the feed truck.

 

So we fed with the tractor.

 

Always be prepared with two ways to feed your crew.

 

The tow truck driver suggested we move closer to town if we’re going to keep breaking trucks.   We've got Chris on speed dial.

 

I reminded him that Al was driving this time.

 

(Last year’s snow incident was mine.)

 

We paid livestock assessment fees this week, too.

159 head.

 

All counted. All accounted for.

 

Bulk Beef Update

I made calls last night to make sure we didn’t leave any of our every-year customers out. This morning:

1. • Two 1/4 beef deposits came in
2. • One 1/2 beef deposit is on its way
3. • A returning customer grabbed a Slow Cook Bundle for St. Patrick’s Day
4. • One family is planning June ground beef

 

It was a strong morning of deposits — all from returning families.

 

When families find their rancher, they stay.

 

Sorting Calves & Why Deposits Matter

Next week we sort calves and take some to town.

 

Once they go to the sale barn…

They’re gone. And here’s something important:

 

A “yes” for summer beef doesn’t reserve an animal. A deposit does.

 

Deposits allow us to:

1. • Hold your beef out of the sale ring
2. • Feed it through finishing
3. • Cover processing with our butcher
4. • Secure your place in line

 

Without a deposit, no beef is reserved.

 

June UPS shipping is full. Local delivery and our regional routes remain open all summer.

 

Bulk beef and bundle UPS shipping is now moving to September due to the weather. (We won’t gamble frozen beef in summer heat.) We have steers finishing in August for fall delivery.

 

But right now we have 1¼ beef available for immediate delivery or shipment.

 

If you want beef before grilling season is in full swing, this is the window.

 

Because September comes after a long summer of ribeyes on other people’s grills.

 

And remember, for every bulk beef share reserved, 5 lbs of ground beef is donated to the Montana Veterans Meat Locker in your name as a thank-you to veterans for their service.

 

🍀 One Last Call for St. Patrick’s Day

If you’re planning brisket or a slow-cook celebration, 

 

Any Slow Cook Bundle ordered by Sunday night will ship Monday and arrive in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

 

We will continue shipping Slow Cook Bundles through spring while inventory lasts.

 

But Monday is the last day to ship in time for the holiday.

 

Low and slow inside.
Wind is howling outside.

That’s a Montana kind of celebration.

 

   Shop the Slow Cook Bundle →   

After we ship meat and sort calves, we’re headed to Texas to watch two grandkids show sheep at their first 4-H fair.

 

No — we’re not getting into sheep.

 

But we are proud.

 

4-H teaches responsibility, gratitude, and where food comes from.

 

Next month, we’ll start talking about our Pig Parade — 4-H pigs, outside raised, no mRNA vaccines, organically cured bacon and ham.

 

Plan if you’re a planner. Our 4-H fair is in July, and the pigs will be ready by the end of August. Shipping for pigs is in September-October, too.

 

Momentum on a ranch doesn’t look flashy.

 

It looks like wind.

A John Deere feeding cows.
Deposits.
Calves sorted.
Bundles shipped.
And families fed.

 

P.S. I read a poem on the radio this week about the day our heifers thought they were training for the Olympics.

 

If you’d like the full story before Tuesday, just hit reply and say “send it.”