Montana Farmer & Rancher Heritage Project

Sara J. Call Ihrie

My goal is to bring the experiences, stories, wisdom, and narrative of Montana's farmers and ranchers to the broader public and make them part of the permanent collective record of Montana so future generations can know and continue to learn of this legacy. I believe that stories are best told by the person that experienced them and therefore knows them best. This project was made possible by funding from the University of Montana EVST program along with a grant through the Matthew Hansen Endowment Fund.

Episodes

  1. 12/06/2020

    Ellen Pfister and Don Golder - Shepherd, MT

    Ellen's connection with her land runs deep, as does her history with the Bull Mountain Land Alliance. She believes that one of the best virtues of a rancher who lives as far off the road as they do is the ability to entertain oneself. She and Don both stay busy and entertained between all the work and a variety of recreational activities, including tending a few alpacas and a Bactrian camel. 28 minutes.

    Ellen Pfister and Don Golder - Shepherd, MT

  2. 12/06/2020

    Bill Davis - Sidney, MT

    Bill recognizes that ranching is all about the people: the people you work with, the people you sell to, and the people you meet. These interactions, Bill feels, are perfect opportunities for agriculturalists to share their stores and educate the public about the realities of modern agriculture, and to acknowledge that we are all part of the same food system, from producer to consumer. 12 minutes.

    Bill Davis - Sidney, MT

  3. 12/06/2020

    Lloyd Racine - Browning, MT

    Lloyd dabbled in the world outside of ranching early in his life before returning to the lifestyle that he finds most satisfying. He reflects on the unique struggles that Native ranchers face in agriculture, and considers the vast technological advancements that have happened in agriculture over his lifetime. But, he muses, "I was raised old school, and I just stay that way." 13 minutes.

    Lloyd Racine - Browning, MT

  4. 12/06/2020

    Steve and Ressa Charter - Shepherd, MT

    Steve manages his ranch using the method of Holistic Resource Management, which relies on an intensive graving model that mimics how wildlife herds graze. Above all, he believes in the virtue of finding an appropriate balance between the wild and domestic elements of the land. Ressa, his son, considers himself a "dilettante rancher," and outlines the struggle many young people from ranching and farming families face in wondering whether or not and how to continue the ranching legacy. 27 minutes.

    Steve and Ressa Charter - Shepherd, MT

  5. 12/06/2020

    Larry and Madge Pilster - Alzada, MT

    Larry has lived in the same place all his life, and running his family's sheep and cattle ranch is all he ever wanted to do. Larry shares his operation's plan for land stewardship succession, and stresses the importance of having such plans along with mentoring programs to help people reconnect with the sources of their food and to encourage the next generation to step in and take over. 9 minutes.

    Larry and Madge Pilster - Alzada, MT

  6. 12/06/2020

    Eric Bergman - Groundworks Farm - Great Falls, MT

    Eric and Audra founded Groundworks Farm based on an integrated ecological farming model that minimizes off-farm inputs. This hobby-turned-lifestyle is a dream come true—but that doesn't mean the work is easy. 9 minutes.

    Eric Bergman - Groundworks Farm - Great Falls, MT

  7. 12/06/2020

    Jess Alger - The Alger Ranch - Stanford, MT

    Jess's farm has been certified organic since 1999. He experiments with intercropping in his fields, and was harvesting a field of concurrently-grown peas and wheat when I visited. Jess and his hired hand, Laura, work creatively with their resources; they built a sorter to separate out grain from peas, for example, and they save seed when they can. He describes why he finds the organic model sustainable, and sneaks in a good joke or two, as well. 25 minutes.

    Jess Alger - The Alger Ranch - Stanford, MT

  8. 12/06/2020

    Betsy Indreland - Indreland Ranch Angus Beef - Big Timber, MT

    Betsy runs the Indreland Angus booth at the Livingston Farmer's Market during the summer, and she told me about their brand beef endeavor and explained her compassionate and realistic views on animal husbandry. Betsy recounted some of the trials and triumphs of her daughters, and the recording includes some of her interactions with customers. 25 minutes.

    Betsy Indreland - Indreland Ranch Angus Beef - Big Timber, MT

  9. 12/06/2020

    Shirley Halverson - Halverson Ranch - Big Timber, MT

    She "married and moved to the desert," trading life on a dude ranch (where eating lamb was like ordering lobster) for life on a sheep and cattle ranch—and she loves it. Shirley reflects on how to keep the ranch in the family—her husband Kevin's family homesteaded there in 1856—and the ways in which the economics have changed, as well as on the fortuitous opportunities for the sheep to be used in a noxious weed eradication program. 13 minutes.

    Shirley Halverson - Halverson Ranch - Big Timber, MT

  10. 12/06/2020

    Chuck Kohlbeck - Storey Hereford Ranch - Bozeman, MT

    Chuck manages the day to day work of the Storey Hereford Ranch, which has been passed down on his wife's side of the family since the early 1900s. He finds that even though the expansion and development of the area around Bozeman brings some stresses, he enjoys ranching and its benefits. As he told me after the recorder was shut off, "I'm not selling out; someday this is going to be the Central Park of Bozeman." 20 minutes.

    Chuck Kohlbeck - Storey Hereford Ranch - Bozeman, MT

  11. 12/06/2020

    Bob Lee - Robert E. Lee Ranch - Judith Gap, MT

    Bob and Kathy Lee have won numerous awards for environmental stewardship and ranch management. They believe in following one's dreams and working hard, and have developed a motivational presentation called "Ten Dimes to Make A Dollar" to help young agriculturalists be responsible managers. Above all, Bob loves what he does and considers it a privilege to care for our greatest renewable resource: grazing land and farmland. 32 minutes.

    Bob Lee - Robert E. Lee Ranch - Judith Gap, MT
  • 11 Episodes

About

My goal is to bring the experiences, stories, wisdom, and narrative of Montana's farmers and ranchers to the broader public and make them part of the permanent collective record of Montana so future generations can know and continue to learn of this legacy. I believe that stories are best told by the person that experienced them and therefore knows them best. This project was made possible by funding from the University of Montana EVST program along with a grant through the Matthew Hansen Endowment Fund.

Information