by Macey Mueller
With an average annual rainfall of just 11 inches on their Malta, Montana, ranch,
Leo Barthelmess and his family are taking an intentional and innovative approach to
managing their valuable forage resources. Using “virtual fencing” technology that
involves advanced GPS tracking collars on each of their nearly 500 commercial Red
Angus cows, the family operates a precise and effective intensive rotational grazing
program across 25,000 acres of private and public land.
by Kate Rasmussen
Bryant Jones bought the Willow Basin Ranch in southwest Montana shortly after graduating
college. He soon began exploring the possibility of selling a conservation easement
to help pay down the loan he took out to buy the property. Although a number of entities
specialize in conservation easements, Bryant quickly settled on The Nature Conservancy
(TNC). Ninety five percent of his ranch in the foothills of the Blacktail Mountains
is sage grouse habitat. TNC has a primary interest in preserving sage grouse habitat
and was eager to work with Bryant on an agreement to keep the Willow Basin grassland
intact forever.
by Kate Rasmussen
When the Alderspring Ranch began summering cow-calf pairs in their BLM and Forest
Service leases outside of May, Idaho, they needed to figure out how to manage the
impact of their cattle on the landscape and keep wolves from taking a toll on their
bottom line. Melanie Elzinga and her father Glenn, founder of Alderspring, hauled
horses and riders to their 48,000-acre public range every day hoping the human presence
would be enough to keep the wolves away. Their effort helped with their wolf issue
but the time and resources it took didn’t pencil out. In 2015, Glenn launched a new
approach to the challenges they faced on the remote allotment by starting a range
riding program.
by Kate Rasmussen
In 1993, Glenn and Caryl Elzinga began their direct-to-consumer business by selling
conventionally raised beef in retail stores, restaurants, and farmers’ markets. Glenn
admits these outlets were not financially profitable but were invaluable learning
opportunities that would pay off later when the couple began selling beef products
online. “Selling in farmers markets helped me understand not only my customers but
also what their interests are and helped me conceptualize how they wanted the product
presented,” Glenn said. The Elzingas learned there was a demand for organic, grass-fed
beef raised on sustainably managed land and that selling locally wasn’t going to pencil
out.
