Raised in the West | Winter 2021

note from the publisher

We’re living in challenging times. Tough stuff is happening all around us. Many of the things we’ve spent a lifetime taking for granted will never be the same. Today the only certainty is uncertainty. But giving up is not an option. If there’s one thing that the past generations have taught us, it is to persevere, hang in there and keep going.

With that in mind, we’ve added a new series called, “Dusting off History.” We’ll be bringing back stories and uncovering new ones of historical times and events in our region. Just looking at the people in the photos of our first story tells us of the strength of the people that settled in an unknown territory and eked out a living. The hard work to survive, and even flourish, in sometimes very inhospitable surroundings shows us that the generations before us were tough, passionate people.

The articles in this issue are full of people that are also tough and passionate, and they are adapting to change and looking for ways to make what they do more productive and fulfilling. Our cover story is a young ranch family etching out a life that the generations before them enjoyed. Faced with uncertainties, their dream is to pass on to their children the values and work ethic that were instilled in them.

We traveled to Alder, Montana and met a multitalented ranch woman. Not only is she smart, capable and beautiful. She’s a successful actress. Her story will make you smile and appreciate her hard work.

We found a retired veterinarian who shared with us stories from her colorful career and we met up with a young entrepreneur who turned a hobby into a career. Both worked hard to get where they are.

We did an article on marriage and went straight to the experts, you! We profiled several marriages that have stood the test of time and highlighted some great advice from our readers.

A common thread weaving its way from the past stories to the present is that life takes effort. We must be deliberate, positive, and purposeful to survive.

As we continue into the new year, we will keep bringing you stories of hope and encouragement. We want to be the publication that you look forward to each season. The one that promises good stories about authentic people just doing life as best they can.

If we each work at living together and finding balance, great things are possible and great memories will be made.

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season, we will reap if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.

MELANIE FABRIZIUS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Melanie was raised on a farm on the banks of the Clarks Fork River in Belfry. Her life-long love of art led her to a career as a freelance graphic designer. When she’s not busy working, Melanie enjoys being with family, spending time with her dogs, camping, ATVing, collecting rocks and watching the sunset. Check out her art at www.melaniefab.com and follow her on Instagram.

KELLY MAXWELL

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Kelli Maxwell is a local marketer, influencer, podcaster and entrepreneur. A Billings native, Kelli grew several successful businesses in her twenties, before moving on to open her own marketing agency and start a podcast monetized with its own coffee company. Kelli specializes in all things content creation, branding and writing for her clients and her own businesses. You can learn more and reach Kelli at kelli@embermg.com.

BRIAN D’AMBROSIO

WRITER

Brian is the author of more than 10 books and his articles have been published in local, regional and national publications. In addition to journalism, Brian works as a licensed private investigator in Montana and Kansas. He may be reached at dambrosiobrian@hotmail.com.

JEAN PETERSEN

WRITER

Jean is a cookbook and children’s picture book author, freelance writer and weekly columnist with Western Ag Reporter for over 15 years. She and her husband live near the Beartooth Mountains in Red Lodge with their four children. Most days she can be found outdoors with her animals or on a hike, at her children’s activities, or cozying up writing and reading. You can find her at www.jeanpetersen.com.

STU HOEFLE

JACK OF ALL TRADES

Stu is a photographer, editor, and title twister. He’s also an encourager, entertainer and travel partner. He helps with story lines, asks great questions, and looks at every angle. When he’s not helping with the magazine, he’s helping someone else. He can be found with a fishing rod, a camera or a packed bag and promises, or threatens that he’s going to disappear someday to a sandy beach with a grass hut, an endless river or a mountain top…he won’t say which.

LAURIE CLAVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Nestled in the rolling grass hills of Judith Basin between the Highwood and Little Belt Mountains lies the perfect backdrop for the home of Laurie Claver Photography. As well as raising four boys and horses, with her husband, along the banks of Arrow Creek, Claver has found a niche for her amazing outdoor photography that takes advantage of Montana's natural beauty. Specializing in wedding and family photography, her images have garnered international attention and the admiration of her clients. Checkout her work at www.laurieclaverphotography.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

DAVID LENNARD

PHOTOGRAPHER

Scenic photography became David’s main activity after moving to the US from London in 2015. He specializes in wide and large format scenes that bring true-to-life clarity and vibrance to his images. David spent months in the Centennial Valley allowing the rugged beauty of the countryside to inspire his work as he worked on a video project. Check out his work at www.davidlennard.com.

IN THE

ACROSS

WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE //

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE CLAVER & CONTRIBUTED BY READERS

Marguerite & Leonard

In light of the romance of February, we asked several Montana couples what makes a successful marriage. What do they do to ensure their marriage is working and fulfilling, and is a partnership worth fighting for? There is wisdom in their words.

Leonard Dahl remembers the first time he laid eyes on his future wife, Marguerite. It was in between classes while he was attending the University of Montana in Missoula.

“I was walking across campus,” he said, “and walking toward me was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.”

Though he knew neither her name nor where she was from, Leonard claims he couldn’t get her out of his mind. Two years later, as fate would have it, they met.

“I knew it was her the moment I saw her,” Leonard said dreamily. “I couldn’t believe it!”

As he told the story, he glanced tenderly toward his wife. She gave him a little smile and shook her head slightly, as if she’d heard the story a hundred times and still gets a kick out of it.

“She was the girl I always dreamed about,” Leonard continued.

After graduating from UM, Leonard, who was from Sidney, took a job in Great Falls. Marguerite grew up on a ranch at Simms, just east of Great Falls and landed work just after graduating from high school. It was with GMAC, the very company where Leonard was working.

“I couldn’t believe it when I first saw her,” Leonard said. Still, it would be months before he had the courage to ask her out, but when he finally did, and she accepted, their destiny was sealed.

On their second date to a dance at Fort Shaw, Leonard brought up the subject of their age difference. He said he was too old for her and that their 10-year difference was a concern to him.

When Marguerite responded by saying that her mother was 15 years younger than her father, Leonard knew he had a chance.

Celebrating 70 years of marriage this year, the couple have

downs in the economy and drastic social change. Nevertheless, they said, they were able to deal with even the hardest things that might have come between them and moved on as a couple, devoted and dedicated to one another.

Even at 98, and in remarkably good health, Leonard still loves to date his wife and takes her out to lunch at least once per week. They enjoy each other's company and spend as much time with their familiy as possible.

“Of course, there’s been trying times,” Marguerite said. “But we learned early how to talk to each other. Leonard has never criticized me about anything. He’s always been thoughtful and kind to his entire family.”

Leonard added, “We haven’t disagreed on too many things over the years.”

“It helps that he has a good sense of humor,” Marguerite said. “He’s always made me laugh.”

“It helps that he has a good sense of humor.

ALWAYS

FALL, 1985!

Another couple with half the years the Dahl’s have, but just as devoted to their marriage had a few things to add.

Laurie Swartz remembers when she was first attracted to her future husband, Rich.

“He was a friend of my brother’s,” she said with a smile, “but so much older than me.”

Laurie was just a second grader at Broadview School and Rich was a sixth grader when she first took notice of him. Being the much younger sister of his best friend, it would be over a decade before he finally noticed her. By then he and Laurie’s brother were college roommates.

“She came up to visit,” Rich said. “And she had really grown up!”

The couple began dating and today, they share 35 years of marriage.

When they finally married, it was “between harvest and hunting,” Laurie said with a laugh.

With so many years of experience under their belts, the couple were open to share why their marriage has lasted and flourished.

“I never let a day go by that I don’t tell Laurie I love her,” Rich said, smiling as he turned to Laurie.

She agreed, saying, “Even if I don’t feel like it, I say it too. And if I am mad, I do something constructive with that anger … like clean the house.”

“Always say, ‘Yes, Dear,’” Rich said. After the two laughed, they further explained that it is meant to be said respectfully, not

Laurie further explained, “Saying, ‘Yes, Dear,’ to each other means that you’re listening to them. That you respect what they are saying and are hearing it. Even if you don’t agree, both of you need to know that the other one cares and is listening.”

Running a ranch outside of Broadview, the couple are together most of the time.

“We make sure to have time to do things outside of being together,” Rich said. “You need to have your own interests too.”

Laurie and Rich were quick to say that not all days, not even all years, are bliss. Tough stuff happens. It’s how you handle those difficulties that will either strengthen or weaken your marriage.

“Giving up is not an option,” Laurie said. “Even if it might seem easier. And don’t forget to do the simple things together like watch the sun come up. We have spent our entire marriage cultivating our faith, and without it, we wouldn’t have what we do.”

Laurie & Rich “I NEVER LET A DAY GO BY that I don’t tell Laurie I LOVE HER.”

Another couple celebrating 70 years, David and Pat Hale, a ranching couple from Ennis, said it’s really pretty simple.

“Number one, love, honor, respect and trust one another,” David said. “Pat is very generous. Coming from a ranch family, she always had to start everyone’s day with a big breakfast. That’s 25,500 meals she’s made!”

David and Pat, both in their 90s, were celebrated by friends and family this past summer. Their son Jeff said that they were Depression babies, and it shaped their lives. They learned to appreciate what was important and to value whatever they had.

Marta and Jeff McAllister of Billings also had a few words of advice. “Don’t hold anything inside,” Marta said. “It’s the holding in that starts to fester and cause issues. And don’t forget why you fell in love in the first place.” Marta and Jeff started dating in college and will soon be celebrating 40 years together.

“Always be considerate of the other person,” Jeff said ,and then jokingly added, “If all else fails, ask Alexa what to do!”

A common denominator with most of the couples was the notion of maintaining a sense of humor. Another was to be friends as well as marriage partners.

Here’s what others said about MAKING MARRIAGE

W RK and how long they’ve been married.

“MARRIAGE IS LIKE A GARDEN . If you tend to it, you will receive a fruitful bounty. If you don’t tend to it, weeds will creep in and destroy.”

— ROCHELLE BROWNLEE, 29 YEARS

“UNSPOKEN EXPECTATIONS willbeunmetexpectations.”

— HANNAH SHEELY, 6 YEARS

“Don’t make long-term DECISIONSon short-terms events.”

— JIM SOLLARS, 40 YEARS

“Never give up. Good times and bad, you can always make it! Your spouse should always be your BEST FRIEND.”

— SHANNON CRABLE, 26 YEARS

“Always remember to SPEAK POSITIVELY about your husband. Sometimes it’s hard not to want to vent to your friends about your spouse, but in the long run it has reminded me that anything negative I say will fester and create more problems.”

— LINDSEY HYLAND, 2 YEARS

KAYLA AND CHACE WALKER,DEC 2020 PHOTO BY LAURIECLAVER PHOTOGRAPY

— MIKE PENFOLD, 60 YEARS

“Try to only say thingsthat build up and nottear down! WithoutGOD in our lives, wewouldn’t have gotten this far.”

— KIM HOEFLE, 32 YEARS

“RESPECT their opinions, respect their feelings, respect their friendships with their families. You might not always agree, but you should always respect.”

— SHARI DESAVEUR, 39 YEARS

“We truly enjoy doing all kinds of things together and that makes our FRIENDSHIP the key to our marriage.”

— PATTI DUNBAR, 40 YEARS

— BECKY STEELE, 10 MONTHS

“COMMUNICATE. Don’t let it build up and explode. Never fight over money.”

— DAVID HOLYCROSS SR., 41 YEARS

“Learn how to say, ‘YES, DEAR.”

“You should have aPILLOW FIGHT EVERYMORNING when youmake the bed.”

PHOTO BY LAURIE CLAVER PHOTOGRAPY

Jean’s C uisines

MONTANA GUINNESS STEW

From The Big Sky Bounty Cookbook-Rustic Recipes

SERVES 6

• 3 pounds lamb, beef or elk shoulder with a little fat, cubed into 1-inch pieces

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

• 4 stalks of celery, large diced

• 2 large yellow onions, large diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup all-purpose flour with pinch each of salt and pepper

• Olive oil

• 12 ounces dark Montana beer, such as a porter or stout or Guiness

• 3 large russet potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks

• 2 quarts (8 cups) stock, half chicken and half beef

• 1 bunch rosemary, thyme and parsley, tied together (reserve some parsley for garnish)

DIRECTIONS: Season the meat with salt and pepper. Dredge all the vegetables except the potatoes in the flour, shaking off excess, and set aside. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add enough olive oil to coat bottom and heat to medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove and reserve. In the same pot, add the vegetables and saute until the flour is incorporated and is no longer visible on the vegetables, adding more olive oil if needed. Deglaze the pan with the beer, scraping up any caramelized bits. Add the potatoes and return the meat to the pot. Add enough stock to barely cover the stew and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the herb bouquet and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender. Remove herbs and garnish with chopped parsley.

CINNAMON ROLLS

• ⅓ cup softened butter

• 1 cup half and half

• 1 egg

• 3 ½ flour

• ⅓ cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 package or 2 ½ teaspoons yeast

CINNAMON SPREAD

• ½ cup butter

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ¾ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup cinnamon

FROSTING

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ⅛ cup butter, softened

• ½ to ¾ cups milk

DIRECTIONS: In a bread machine, combine and add butter and egg. Warm half and half in the microwave for 40 seconds, then empty into the bread machine canister. Add remaining ingredients-flour, sugar, salt and yeast, last. Select the dough option on the bread machine and press start. Once the dough is finished, remove from the bread machine and roll on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle shape. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan on medium heat combine the Cinnamon Spread ingredients. Begin with melting the butter, then add the sugars and cinnamon until mixed thoroughly. Remove from heat and cool slightly before drizzling mixture across the dough. Once the spread is evenly distributed across the dough, roll long side up and cut into 2-inch rolls. Flour spray a 9x12 pan and place rolls in the pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. In a separate bowl combine frosting ingredients and mix until it's the consistency wanted.. Spread frosting across the cinnamon rolls.

mber ason

BY CYD HOEFLE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LENNARD AND CONTRIBUTED BY AMBER MASON

TREASURE FROM THE TREASURE STATE

Amber Rose Mason is a woman who wears a multitude of hats. A ranch woman, horse trainer and actress, the petite woman is as much at home wrangling colts, roping calves and talking about grizzlies as she is in front of a camera.

Amber is passionate about a lot of things and her interests couldn’t be more diverse. Working side by side with her partner, Andy Peterson, the pair are a tremendous asset as ranch hands on the Ruby Dell Ranch at Alder, Montana.

On a recent January day, Amber had just returned from filming in Arizona and was bundled up against a cold winter wind, working cows with Andy. The pair moved 200 head from a nearby pasture into a holding pen to be treated. The temperature that morning hovered around 14 degrees, but it didn’t seem to faze the couple.

As Amber pushed the cows into a chute, Andy treated them one by one. Each knew exactly what the other needed without much communicating, and before long the cows were moved back out to pasture.

Amber and Andy have worked together on the Ruby Dell Ranch for the better part of 20 years. Andy grew up near Twin Bridges and Sheridan and has been working with livestock since he was 12.

Amber hails from Virginia City, where she grew up loving horses and acting. They both love the valley, the people and the lifestyle. It is hard work. As one season changes into another the work continues, but neither of them desires to give it up.

“It’s in our blood,” Amber said, and Andy agreed.

When the cattle aren’t needing care, or Andy doesn’t need Amber’s help, one or both of them are breaking and training horses.

Amber has a reputation for working colts, but is quick to give Andy credit for getting her started years ago.

“He taught me everything he knew when I first started working here,” she said. “It quickly became something I love doing.”

Amber owns and operates a business called In the Beginning Colt Starting. Currently, she is in the middle of helping a neighbor start 85 untouched Morgan horses. Every morning she spends five or so hours working 30 head of colts for him. In the afternoons, if Andy doesn’t need her help with the cattle, she works the colts the two of them own.

PHOTO BY DAMON TAYLOR

“We have about 20 horses we work on a continual basis,” she said. “At any time, six or seven of them are for sale. We try to work as many of them as we can every day.”

She’s patient in her approach. Some of the colts take longer to train than others, but her patience pays off, and the hours she spends with them are evident. She has a reputation for her work and always has another colt ready to start when she finishes one.

“Horses are exposed to so much on a ranch,” she explained. “I get them used to being saddled and ridden by getting them familiar and comfortable around anything they would be exposed to on a ranch. Trailing cattle, crossing rivers, roping calves, opening gates, and even getting used to a rider flopping a slicker around them.”

The Ruby Dell Ranch uses horses for most all the ranch work and Amber and Andy use the horses they’re training as much as they can. During calving season, they will circulate through several horses a day, getting them used to the working ranch lifestyle.

“There’s no better way to expose a horse than to use them,” Amber said. “Somedays we’ll use seven or eight of them, assuring us they will be well-rounded for ranch work.”

Calving starts in February and is a demanding time as the ranch calves out 1,200 head of cows. The days are long, and with the wind ripping down the Ruby Valley, winters can be harsh and cold.

By the time June rolls around, the couple is ready for the summer sunshine and warm temperatures, but there is no break. Amber and Andy trail 800 head of the Ruby Dell cows into the Centennial Mountains, where they spend the summer on Forest Service land watching the cows grow heavy on mountain grass and keeping them from predators. They spend most days on horseback circulating through the herd.

Living in in a camper, cooking food over a fire and continually being on the lookout for grizzly bears has made Amber strong, capable and dependable.

“I went from touring all summer with an acting group to taking care of cows in the mountains,” Amber said. “And I love it.”

Most days the couple track the cows and ride the fence lines on the lease.

“We don’t actually cowboy,” Amber quipped, “we fence.” The pastures that they rotate their cows around were fenced by the Forest Service over 40 years ago, so repairs are constant.

“We replace 100 or more posts every year,” Andy said. “It’s like spitting on a forest fire, it’ll be ongoing forever.”

The couple leaves the mountain once a week for supplies and food for themselves and their seven dogs. Otherwise, it’s just the two of them and an occasional visitor that might trek up the mountainside to see them. As tranquil as it sounds, there is very

“I went from touring all summer with an acting group to taking care of cows in the mountains. And I love it.”

— AMBER ROSE MASON

AMBER MASON & ANDY PETERSON WORKING ON THE RUBY DELL RANCH

real danger with the ever-changing elements and predators. Grizzlies are becoming more and more prevalent and find the cows an easy food source.

“We have a very healthy respect for them,” Amber said. “They are part of the ecosystem and we appreciate that, but they do need to be managed better and the trouble bears need to be removed.”

The couple has a rule that they never split up while they work, and the dogs are always with them.

“I’m certain that our dogs have saved us more than once from a bear encounter,” Andy said.

In all the roles that ranch life has exposed Amber to, and as much as she loves the Montana ranch life and hard work, she also has a successful acting career.

“Growing up in Virginia City, it was just a natural thing for me to be in the plays,” she said. “I started when I was about 10 and every summer, I did acting at the Opera House until I was older and joined the Brewery Follies.”

She studied acting at the University of Montana and after graduating, spent three years pursuing film in Los Angeles before her mother became ill and she decided to return home. It was while caring for her mother that Amber decided to stay in Montana, work on the Ruby Dell Ranch with Andy and audition for films when her schedule allowed it.

The ranch life gives her the opportunity

to take time off to pursue her acting career, and she’s acted in dozens of movies over the years.

“I love authentic roles,” she said. “The period films are my favorite. And if I can ride a horse, I’m all the happier.”

DOING WHAT SHE LOVES!

PHOTO BY DAVID LENNARD

She’s been compared to actress Meryl Streep, with her slender build and amber hair. In late December, she returned to the ranch from filming on “12 Westerns in 12 Months,” an ambitious project that cast her in the role of leading lady in the film, “Heart of the Gun.”

Evidence of Amber’s active ranch life will be obvious in the film, as she does all her own stunts, including baling out of the second story of a barn, racing across the prairie on horseback, packing a pistol and using it. The film promises suspense, mystery and a little romance when it debuts in November on Amazon Prime.

In wrapping up her active lifestyle and narrowing it down, Amber ended by saying, “I just like to pour myself into whatever I’m doing and give it my best shot.”

“I love authentic roles. The period films are my favorite. And if I can ride a horse, I’m all the happier.”

— AMBER ROSE MASON

PHOTO BY DAVID LENNARD

CAST AS SARAH, THE LEADING LADY IN THE UPCOMING MOVIE

OF THE GUN”

WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY STU HOEFLE

Todd Family Meats

RANCH FAMILY DIVERSIFIES

Seven-year-old Anna Todd sat up straight as she looked over the steering wheel. Too short to reach the pedals, she was concentrating hard on keeping the truck going straight as her dad and brother pushed hay off the back of the flatbed. Hungry sheep bunched up behind the truck, excitedly diving in as the broken bales fell off. Even though she was driving across a wide-open, level field, doing less than a mile an hour with her mother sitting beside her, Anna’s grin showed she felt the importance of her job.

Her brother, Garrett, 9, felt it too and took his role seriously as he cut the twine on the bales with his pocketknife and carefully pushed a part of each bale over the end of the flatbed. Watched closely by his father, Gary, Garrett did most of the feeding himself. As soon as the feeding was done, he pointed out the beginning of his flock. George, the first sheep to the truck and by far the tamest, was introduced with pride.

“He was a bum,” their mother, Heidi, explained. “He’s as gentle as ever. The kids bottle fed him, so they are pretty attached. We have sheep because Gary has the love of sheep in his blood. His grandparents were huge sheep ranchers here in Sweet Grass County.”

Heidi and her husband Gary are the parents of Garrett, Anna and 3-year-old Emme. In addition to sheep, they also run cows,

both on tracts of leased land outside of Big Timber. As young ranchers they have high hopes for their future and the future of their children. The idea of owning their own ranch is a reality that seems far into the future, but the young couple are determined to see it happen.

It’s not easy being a rancher today. Fluctuating markets, consumer habits, mother nature and costs of materials are only a few of the variables that affect the bottom line. Add to that increasing land prices and it is nearly impossible to pencil out a profit just raising cattle.

But like so many young ranchers, Gary and Heidi Todd have a dream, one that they are passionate about. They want to secure a future for themselves and their children in agriculture. It will take a lot of work, perseverance and determination, but these two seem a perfect fit for the job. And, they believe, they have found a niche with their new business, Todd Family Meats.

The aim of Todd Family Meats is to provide-ranch raised beef and lamb, delivered from the pasture to the consumer’s dinner table. The difference in what the Todds offer is that they have a hand in every step of the process, starting with select breeding, through the birth and growth, to finishing and finally butchering of the animal.

The aim of TODD FAMILY MEATS is to provide-ranch raised beef and lamb, delivered from the pasture to the consumer’s dinner table.

“Gary has an extensive meat background,” Heidi said, “and mine is in genetics, so we make a good team.”

Fifth-generation Montanans, the Todds aren’t afraid of hard work. Gary is a full-time butcher. He was involved with collegiate

carcass and meat judging and spent years as a state meat inspector and USDA beef grader before joining Pioneer Meats in Big Timber.

Both were raised in Sweet Grass County and attended high school together, where they were sweethearts before marrying 14 years ago. Heidi was raised on a ranch and works from home for the Simmental Association, in addition to raising the children. She loves opportunities to educate consumers about protein sources and agriculture and believes that everyone in the ag industry needs to work together to ensure its survival.

“The idea for our company evolved when we realized that consumers wanted more education about their food sources,” Gary said. “Especially this year when things became so crazy.”

As with most ranches, to make the economics work, the Todds knew they had to diversify beyond just selling their calves.

“You have to in this industry,” Gary said.

“The kids help us feed and care for the animals. They don’t know anything different than being with us, no matter what we’re doing. We’re raising them the way we were raised.”

— HEIDI TODD

Still, what they are trying to accomplish is a lot of hard work. A typical 8-to-5 schedule means little to these two as they care for their livestock and work on their new business while still working at their other jobs.

Gary takes his lunch hour to race outside of town to feed hay to his cows pastured along the Yellowstone River. He then heads to his sheep at another location and drops bales for them before heading back to work. The couple also trade ranch work for pasture on Heidi’s parents’ place.

“There’s not much free time,” Gary said. “But we love what we’re doing.”

As often as possible the three children are along too.

“We’re trying to teach our kids to love and

respect the lifestyle that we’re trying to give them,” Heidi said. “We expect them to help out.”

Earlier in the day, Garrett pointed out his cows while they were feeding. His generous grandfather earmarked a young heifer for each of the children to jumpstart their own herds. He now has two cows mixed in with his parents' herd.

“The kids help us feed and care for the animals,” Heidi continued. “They don’t know anything different than being with us, no matter what we’re doing. We’re raising them the way we were raised.”

Back at the processing plant located

just east of Big Timber, Gary proudly showed off his first whole beef, cut up, wrapped, labeled and ready for delivery. The trays of clear-wrapped packages showed beautifully marbled, deep red meat, enough to feed a fortunate family for quite some time.

“It’s all been such a process,” Heidi said. “And we’re proud of each step we’ve accomplished. Just look at these awesome labels!”

Offering packages of a quarter, half and whole beef carcasses, the Todds are taking orders now for March to April delivery. They have plans to add lamb to their selections and hope by late next year to offer packages of meat cuts for consumers who want less than a quarter, or a specific cut.

Though Gary does all the butchering himself and is the source of the meat, Pioneer Meats will handle the transactions for now, and with the near completion of Pioneer Meats retail location in Big Timber, customers will be able to choose any cut directly and conveniently.

“We’ll keep evolving as our calves are ready to butcher and our customer list keeps growing,” Heidi said. “We want to fill a need for people who want to know where their beef comes from, how it was raised and treated and how it’s cut up. And we want to raise our kids helping us every step of the way.”

TERRY

BY BRIAN D’AMBROSIO

Several years ago, the negatives of the photographic jaunts of John Lawrence Breum (1881-1981) were discovered by his descendants in a shoebox covered with dust. Capturing the towns of Fallon and Terry, and the adjoining Badlands, Johnny’s photos, which include a self-portrait purportedly from 1902, linger largely unseen.

While many of them have yet to even be processed or digitized, approximately 70 of these pictures, striking representations of eastern Montana in the early 1900s, are on display at the Prairie County Museum, in Terry.

Indeed, Breum’s visuals of the settlers and pioneers and the mysterious adventures that descended on the plains and its adjacent Badlands in the early 1900s are not just visually stunning but significantly enlightening. Preserved in sharp feature, there are images of a load of XIT horses crossing the Yellowstone on Ed Weisner’s ferry, as well as pictures of a group of picnickers making the same crossing.

There is an image of a pair of dapper barkeeps and brewmasters positioned in the front of a tavern advertising “Golden Grain Belt Beers.” There are cowboys in white sheepskin chaps ready for work, or taking a breather, or unwinding at chow time. While many of the details about the subjects have been lost to history, there are a number of known facts to be shared about the photographer and the experiences of Breum’s vivid life.

John Lawrence Breum was born in Ord, Nebraska, on Jan. 13,

1881, of Norwegian parents, Gunilda and Louis Breum. The Breum family homesteaded at Taylor, North Dakota, in 1883. When John was orphaned at 5 years old, he and his seven siblings were divided among different families. Before he was a teenager, he was venturing through eastern Montana, employed as a trail hand, herding packs of horses originating from North Dakota.

Breum came to Fallon with his brother Herman and wife in 1893. According to journals on file at the Prairie County Historical Society, “Johnny had heard stories of sidewalks and bright lights. Actually they got off at Conlin in the tall weeds and saw only a section house. A friend rowed them across the Yellowstone River in a rowboat.”

During the winter of 1894 he attended a one-room school in Terry, working for his room and board in the Jordan Hotel.

According to the Breum family journals, John, an avid gardener and hunter, registered to vote in 1902, and he never missed a presidential election. John carried out ranch work for John Van for several years. “At this time there were huge stockyards in Fallon where the elevators now stand, the wings extended a quarter mile across the flat. Fallon was then the largest cattle shipping point in the northwest.”

In 1908, “Johnny,” as he was known to his family and friends, was appointed Fallon postmaster, a position he held until around 1914. The post office was located in his home, not an unusual arrangement at the time.

OFF HISTORY

XIT cowboys at the Bunkhouse. John Williams, Emmet Glidwell, Al Denby, Si Robenson, Louis Weisner, Bob Fudge, B. Bird and Charlie Clements. Undated

John Lawrence Baum with 14 coyote pelts. John Van’s horse barn, 1902

When he was 17 or 18, he played violin for dances in the Fallon area. He would travel to the local ranches on horseback with his violin strapped to his back. The plan would be to arrive at the ranch in time for supper, where many neighbors would be gathered for the dance. He and his fellow musicians loved to perform and socialize, so much so that the conviviality would sometimes extend from sunset to sunrise, and two days or more elapsed at breakneck speed.

He was a member of the Terry Montana Corn Belt Band, which formed in 1909 and re-formed in 1915. Breum and his ragtag pack of cohorts traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1927 to present President Calvin Coolidge a pair of chaps and perform at a celebration of his birthday. There were 70 people in the party, including John and Clara, who did the cooking for the crowd. The couple made the nearly 300-mile trip in a Model T Coupe, part of a caravan of 22 cars.

In addition to being a cattle rancher and a fiddler, Johnny, as it turned out, was an early incarnation of the documentary

photographer, depicting things such as cowboys on the ferry, at the sleeping tent and bunkhouse, as well as the nature of ranching roundups and calf brandings. Through the scope and extent of Breum’s camera, we see sheep grazing near the headwaters of Cabin Creek and the men in primitivelooking machinery harvesting wheat in Fallon Flats in 1908, as well as XIT cattle obediently fording the Yellowstone River.

When the Milwaukee Road brought the railroad through the Fallon area in about 1906-1907, Breum was there to preserve images of the required digging, clearing, and construction. Perceptive to the archival and commercial nature of his photography, he even sold some of the images to the company and the crew. One existing photo, taken on the 4th of July, depicts the Northern Pacific Bridge over Fallon Creek.

While no record exists as to the basis of Breum’s initial introduction to photography, in one written account he

Yellowstone Bridge, Fallon, MT. Undated

Johnny Breum 6: Fallon, Montana, undated photo.

Johnny Breum, also an avid fiddlist, was a member of the Terry Montana Corn Belt band which formed in 1909 and re-formed in 1915. Breum and his ragtag pack of cohorts traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1927 to present President Calvin Coolidge a pair of chaps and perform at a celebration of his birthday. Undated.

Tavern Between Fallon and the Stockyard. Undated.

noted that he used a camera with glass plates, 6 x 8, fixed on a tripod. South of the Fallon depot, he had built a tar-papered shack with a stovepipe for a chimney where he lived and developed his pictures.

Breum’s photography exposes his passion for the surrounding Badlands, their curious table-top rock formations, and their irregular (and seemingly endless) craggy nooks and stony alcoves, places that he labeled with names such as the Balanced Rocks, the Lion’s Lookout, and the Hole in the Wall. Some of Breum’s available photos include Custer’s Pillar near Glendive, Indian Creek Rock, north of Fallon, and a mammoth ice barge on the Yellowstone River.

Despite his evident affinity for this special territory, Johnny Breum and family moved from Fallon to Seattle in 1948, and he died in Washington state in 1981. Several years ago, Terri Smith, a friend of Johnny Breum’s granddaughter, Cheryl Breum, contacted the Prairie County Museum about the surprising discovery of his photography collection, an unorganized assortment of negatives said to be found in a small cardboard shoebox. Approximately 70 of them were eventually developed and then later compiled and self-printed in a thick portfolio booklet by Terri and Cheryl and were donated to the Prairie County Museum, in Terry.

Some of these booklets were donated to the Prairie County Museum in Terry, perhaps not coincidentally, home to a pair of galleries celebrating the much greater known work of pioneer photographer Evelyn Cameron (1868-1928).

NOW OPEN THE RHOADSIDE EVENT CENTER

It has been a busy 11 years since Pam Gable took over the Blue Cat Bar & Grill. Over the years she has built it into a business that has fed and entertained folks from Billings to Hardin and from Roundup to Wyoming. Her watering hole is busy. It is one of Huntley’s main gathering spots and the place to be when events are happening.

Thanks to the success of the business and the faithfulness of her patrons, when the lot next to the Blue Cat became available, Pam and her partner, Randy Rhoads, decided to build an event center, believing it would be well used.

“Our community needs an event center,” Pam said. “It’s that simple.”

It proved to be anything but simple. Ground was broken in August of 2019, and when the work was halfway done, the country was suddenly turned on its heel by the pandemic. Materials were harder to get and costs were more than anticipated. The finishing date was pushed back several months and then several more months. Still, that did not stop Pam and Randy from moving forward.

The work was contracted out to as many locals and clientele of the Blue Cat as Pam could use and much of the finishing work was done by the couple and Randy’s brother. They have plenty of stories of how things were done and sometimes redone through the course of construction.

“Pam’s a perfectionist,” Randy said. “She knew what she wanted this place to look like and she made sure it happened.”

The floor is polished concrete, the slick surface a dancer’s delight. It also makes for easy arranging of furniture to accommodate different functions. Using earth-tone colors, Pam wanted the place to feel cozy yet spacious, creating a feeling of warmth in the

winter, but cool in the summer.

Upper mezzanines flank each end of the building, making great use of the space and allowing for extra seating. Rebar railings were rusted and clear-coated to give a clean industrial look that allows patrons to easily see the activity below. Tucked beneath one of them is a stage large enough to accommodate large bands or a wedding party. There is a large upper deck outside the southfacing mezzanine that overlooks a frequently used roping arena and a covered patio just outside the main floor, which opens to the area that will become a courtyard.

An astute businesswoman who admits she sometimes lacks a filter, Pam expects a lot of her employees, but she is also very generous with them.

“I have amazing help,” she said. “And I try to take care of them. I need to stay open and in business so that my employees can make a living, too. We’re in this together.”

But underneath that sometimes tough exterior is a tenderhearted woman with a sense of humor. She has a reputation for clever sayings and political posts that light up her front sign and keeps her community on its toes.

“I do manage to get myself in trouble now and then,” she laughed.

Already being used, the Rhoadside Event Center (a play on Randy’s last name, Rhoads) made its debut in the fall of 2020 with several events. At Christmas, the couple hosted the Cubby’s Christmas Tree, an annual event in memory of a young man in the community killed in a car accident. The tree was covered with cards listing the needs of underprivileged children in the area.

“I have a heart for kids,” Pam said. “All kids, 4-H, FFA, Boy and Girl Scouts. But the Christmas tree really gets to me. Kids

ask for things like a haircut and food. It’s heartbreaking.”

The event has gone on long enough that some of the first recipients have come back to bless the current ones.

“It just shows the power of community,” Pam said. “It’s how we do things down here. Randy and I can’t wait to have our place full every week to share events with our community.”

RANDY RHOADS AND PAM GABLE

A DIFFERENT LOOK AT Food Suppliers

For Tom Tschida of Nash Farms in Fromberg, joining the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub was another way to showcase everything he and his family produce on their 120-acre property. Tom and his parents raise 100 percent grass-fed beef, and with the demand growing, he thinks he’s found a great niche.

Still, he understands the economics of agriculture and the need to diversify. In addition to his beef, Tom also has an orchard with more than 60 trees he hand-planted. When the fruit is ready, Tom offers apples, plums, peaches and sour cherries. But that’s not all. Tom also sells duck eggs from his own flock.

“There’s a market for everything we sell,” Tom said. “The hub just makes it way easier for us to find customers.”

The Yellowstone Valley Food Hub was started in 2017, when a number of local producers brainstormed about ways to reach customers. They knew education was at the top of the list. They felt they could bring local producers and customers together and educate both sides: the customers on what is available locally and

the producers on the specifics of what customers want. Finding a balance helps producers stay in business and money stays in the community. It’s critical for smaller ranchers and farmers in Montana to know they can count on local support to sustain their livelihood.

For Sara Hollenbeck, of Molt, the farmers’ market in downtown Billings was the best way for her to promote her lamb. Sara and her husband launched High Five Meats several years ago and had been successfully promoting it using social media and attending farmers’ markets. But when the opportunity to join the hub came up, she jumped on it.

“We had been selling our lamb meat by the quarter, half and whole,” Sara explained. “This offered us a way to sell cuts as well. People are nervous about buying too much of something they might not like or don’t know how to prepare, so offering specific cuts allows them to try what we sell and see what they think.”

The Hollenbecks also sell their beef through the hub.

GATHERING GROCERIES WITH THE YELLOWSTONE VALLEY FOOD HUB

“We believe in using as much of the animal with as little waste as possible,” Sara added. “Through the hub we can offer unique cuts that aren’t available in the grocery stores.”

The heart, liver and oxtail are examples of unusual cuts producers have offered to customers as well as short ribs, bone broth and kidney fat.

“Kidney fat is used in ways that lard would be used,” Sara continued. “It’s even used to clean guns.”

The hub was working through ways to expand both their customer base and add additional producers when the pandemic hit. When the shelves in groceries stores and big box stores started emptying faster than demand could be filled, calls started coming in. Ground beef especially was in demand. Yellowstone Valley Food Hub rose up, and then things started to happen.

— SARA HOLLENBECK

“We wanted to grow,” Sara said, “but we exploded! A good thing for sure, but we were scrambling to keep up.”

The regular number of clients doubled through the summer. When the demand doubled, so did the work. Distribution points were added, and customers started using the hub as one of their regular food sources through the week.

Half of the customers have stayed on through the fall and winter. Though with the short growing season in Montana, the number of weekly customers has backed down to just over 100.

“We’re still working through things and taking cues from customers and the market,” Michele Schahczenski, general manager of the Hub, said. “We’re always interested in talking to producers, especially with different products, and we’re on the lookout for veggies with a longer growing season. Currently we have 10 members and 10 non-members that supply the food we sell. We have a trajectory to grow, but right now we’re limited in our infrastructure.”

Plans for the future include a delivery truck, more producers and of course more customers. Customers order through the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub website and once a week, volunteers and producers meet for the weekly aggregation at the warehouse located in Billings to fill the orders. Later that day, teams go to distribution points around town and in Red Lodge to deliver the food.

Alan Christensen of ABC Gardens showed up at the aggregation of producers with the last of his garden crop. Because they are root vegetables, he still offered carrots and potatoes.

“Carrots are like sugar beets, in that they are sweeter after a frost,” Alan said. “I have my carrots in raised beds, which don’t freeze as hard as the ground does, so I can keep them for several months longer than typical gardens.”

“Through the hub we can offer unique cuts that aren’t available in the grocery stores.”

SARA HOLLENBECK AND ANNIKA CHARTER-WILLIAMS DISTRIBUTE BAGS OF GROCERIES AT ONE OF THE WEEKLY DISTRIBUTION POINTS

His carrots were a beautiful orange, crisp and clean and seemed to be going into most of the orders.

“I’m almost out of them,” he said. “It’s time now to start planning for next year’s garden.”

Today’s orders also included pork from Silver Tip Pork out of Bridger. Rhonda Hergenrider raises pigs with her father and uses the hub as one of her sale points.

“We buy babies and feed them out. Right now, we have 75 of them in various stages,” Rhonda said.

It takes about six months for the piglets to be ready to butcher. In addition to pigs, her family raises sugar beets, malt barley and pinto beans.

“The pigs are my passion,” she said. “The hub has helped me to be part of direct-to-consumer marketing. There’s a real disconnect between consumers and producers and we’re making a difference in bridging that gap.”

Several produce contributors only serve the hub during the summer months, but for Swanky Roots, it’s a year-round outlet. Verronaka Evenson and her mother, Ronna Klamert, started their aquaponics business in 2016 and are able to offer fresh, leafy greens year-round. During the summer, the pair also grow a massive garden to sell produce and just recently added 150 laying hens to their operation.

“We’re gathering 100 eggs per day,” Verronaka said. “We hand wash them and carton them for the hub.” Sold by the dozen, the demand for farm fresh eggs is growing as people learn about the addition to their offerings.

The women joined the hub when it was just an idea and have been faithful contributors since.

“Collectively, we’re all trying to reach more customers,” Verronaka said. “There’s a lot of people that want to support local but have no idea how to do that. We’re educating them on what’s available in our community and how they can have great food that’s been produced right here.”

HOEFLE

HOEFLE

It took some time before Nichole Croteau Baker allowed her passion to blossom. A native Montanan, Nichole grew up near Canyon Ferry. She attended MSU and graduated with 3 bachelor’s degrees. She met and married her husband and had a successful corporate career in Seattle, WA.

Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city and relocating to a remote location in Montana took some adjusting. The sound of traffic was replaced by silence, the paved streets by a one lane dirt road. Open skies replaced the skyscrapers, fresh air took the place of exhaust and neighbors became dependable friends. Nichole and her husband have adjusted and now they can’t think of a better place to live.

Nichole turned her hobby into a successful business. She’s the founder of Lazy Daisy Soaps, a skin care product company that prides itself on the fact that all of the products produced are made using only natural, organic ingredients, beginning with fresh, raw goat’s milk from goats that Nichole raises and milks herself.

“I am Lazy Daisy Soaps,” Nichole said with a laugh. “I’m the one caring for the goats and milking them, I am the researcher and scientist and the one making the product.” She puts in long hours, not only caring for the goats and making the product, but also doing all the marketing.

“When I’m not taking care of the goats, or making soap and lotion, or at a tradeshow or farmer’s market, I’m filling my on-line sales. But,” she’s quick to add, “I really love what I do.”

It all started when Nichole was growing up, not far from where she and her husband own their small farm. As a young woman, she suffered from sensitive skin and especially reacted to artificial fragrances. “I started experimenting with ingredients way back then,” Nichole said, “Years later, when we lived in Washington, we had a real problem with blackberry bushes and were told that goats like to eat them. So, we acquired a couple of goats and that was the beginning of making soap and lotion from their milk.”

Nichole currently has two nanny’s that she milks, both are Nubian goats well known for their high-quality, high-butterfat milk, which makes a perfect start to her products as it is easily absorbed into the skin and allows for quick hydration of dry parched skin, a big problem for many because of the dry air in Montana.

Nichole is as passionate about her goats as she is about her skin care line. “I’m actually a goat farmer,” she laughed, “a highly educated one!” She quipped referring to the fact that she has three degrees and a herd of seven goats.

“But look around,” she said as she raised her arms out from her side and turned a complete circle, “Look where I live!” From the middle of the goat pen two mountain ranges can be seen and the Missouri River is just five minutes away. It’s easy to see that Nichole enjoys her country lifestyle and is in her element.

Nichole’s skin care products are made in small batches in her garage turned studio. She’s always in the search for new fragrances. “Nature inspires me,” she said, “I take a hike and breathe in the fresh air and the surroundings and come home and try to duplicate what I experienced.”

One of her latest fragrances was developed using hops that grow in the area. Over four years ago, Nichole started transplanting the vines around her house to use as shade. The vines have since

grown strong enough to cover her house in the summer and help to keep her home cool.

“The health benefits of hops is huge,” she said. “I thought why not add it to the soaps and lotions.” Blending in a mixture of rose, grapefruit and frankincense oil, Nichole has come up with a product that naturally relaxes and aids in sleep.

“It’s been really popular,” she said.

One of her other favorite fragrances is Hello Sunshine. “It’s sweet, citrusy, warm and bright,” she explained, “all about positive thinking!”

And positive thinking is what empowered Nichole to swim against the current and turn a hobby into a passion that not only supplements financially but allows clients to enjoy a natural product at its finest.

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“I’m the one caring for the goats and milking them, I am the researcher and scientist and the one making the product.”

— NICHOLE CROTEAU BAKER

Seasoned Veterinarian Has BeEn doctoring for decades

Diana Scollard’s dream of becoming a veterinarian began at the tender age of 6 when she watched her first C-section at her parents’ cattle ranch outside of Bozeman. Her fascination blossomed into reality when she attended school at MSU and later in Colorado, where she earned a doctorate in veterinary science.

When it came time to look for work, she found a position as a veterinary assistant in Absarokee and began a career that has spanned 40 years.

From mentoring with respected vet Ray Lien in the early 1980s to owning her own veterinary clinic to being the primary vet at Billings Livestock Commission (BLS), Diana pioneered a number of veterinary practices and had a very successful career in a male-dominated line of work.

“I never thought about not being able to do something,” Diana said as she reflected on her career from her home along the Stillwater River. “I might have had to prove myself in the beginning, but I was capable, clean and fast, so my reputation quickly became one of competence.”

A large-animal vet, Diana found a need in those early years of

doing the pregnancy testing for the large cattle ranches that dotted Stillwater County.

“Back then, there were only about 12 herds around here, but they represented over 15,000 cows among them,” Diana said. “Most ranchers were still using live bulls and birth weights were heavy, so in addition to preg testing, I did a lot of C-sections.”

When the opportunity to purchase a veterinary clinic in Absarokee came up, Diana jumped on it and added small-animal care to her practice.

“On the days when it was below zero and the wind was howling, I really liked taking care of cats in my warm office,” she laughed.

A few years later, when she decided to sell her practice, she found she could not give up practicing, so she started working a couple of days a week at BLS. A two-day-a-week job might sound like easy work, but it was hardly that. Diana would preg test all the cows coming in for the sales, which some weeks meant testing 500 to 1,000 cows. It was grueling work, and she often enlisted the help of her husband and two sons.

“I took advantage of them, but they were good help,” she said.

— DIANA SCOLLARD, DVM

“Still, my sons to this day would say, ‘The origin of hell is the vet shack at BLS!’”

Her husband, J.O. Miller, added that she fired him during one sale. They had tested 5,000 cows in six days. The crew was bonetired, the cows ready to be finished.

“The cows were backing me up as I tried to push them forward,” J.O. said. “I didn’t see the lariat rope tied across the alley in back of me and as I backed, I tripped over it and fell over backwards. Well, you can imagine just about how much of a mess 5,000 cows would make in six days. Next thing I knew I was making a snow angel in the pile of shit. But it didn’t end there, they took me to the vet shack and hosed me off.”

Supposedly the couple were exchanging words that matched their moods and Diana yelled that he was done. J.O. said that was a relief, but it seems the firing didn’t last. The next time Diana needed help, he showed up.

In those early days there were no computers used for tracking. Everything was done by hand. When the testing for brucellosis was required, Diana and her crew had to manually collect blood from the cow and take it to the lab to have a five-minute test run to determine if the cow was contagious or not.

All of the testing results and the health certificates for each animal had to be handwritten. Diana remembers bringing stacks of them home for her boys to help her fill out, sign and send. After the Livestock Commission, Diana worked for six years at Origen, a bull stud business located south of Billings, doing their international health certificates.

“It was nerve-wracking for sure,” Diana explained. “We had to manually keep track of their ear tags. In one transaction there were three different times we had to match numbers. Three different times we could mess up. You just can’t do that with hundreds of vials of semen. That was just one time that computers made work easier.”

After a successful career, Diana is content being home, though she stays busy. She spends her days working the ranch cattle, playing with her horses and dogs and helping her son build their farm-to-table business, selling their beef directly to consumers.

“I do like to stay busy,” Diana said. “It keeps me young!”

“I never thought about not being able to do something. I might have had to prove myself in the beginning, but I was capable, clean and fast, so my reputation quickly became one of competence.”

OUT ABOUT

CRISS CROSSING THE REGION

A mild winter in Montana usually means a dry summer. We love the open winters but sure need moisture.

We always appreciate a beautiful sunset. Crossing the Yellowstone River.

A glimpse of the Crazies while on a story! What an incredible view!

New Year’s Day at the Rhoadside Event Center. It’s time to start living again!

The beautiful Ruby Valley at Alder, MT

Evidence of God through His sunset just outside our café. Our “side job,” that takes way too much time.