Raised 2604_issuu

SPRING 2026

COMPLIMENTARY

TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE NATIVE BEES VS HONEYBEES

UP, UP & AWAY AERO PRO DRONE SOLUTIONS

PULLED UP BY HER BOOTSTRAPS KAILEY KERNS A COBBLER'S TALE

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contents 10 TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE

The Pollination Process of Native Bees vs Honeybees

16 JEAN’S CUISINES 18 A HORSE IS A HORSE OF

10

COURSE OF COURSE Miller’s Horse Palace

24 SADDLE UP FOR THE

CELEBRATION OF A LIFETIME Cody, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce

26 UP, UP AND AWAY Aero Pro Drone Solutions

32 THE WHEY TO AN UDDERLY DELIGHTFUL DREAM Hippy Cow Dairy

36 BUFFALO BILL CENTER OF THE WEST

38 A BURGEONING BLOSSUM BUSINESS

Third Day Family Farm

44 PULLED UP BY HER

26

BOOTSTRAPS

Kailey Kerns – A Cobbler’s Tale

50 OUT & ABOUT

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY STU HOEFLE

4 // www.raisedinthewest.com

SPRING 2026

44

Red Lodge

Songwriter Festival

June 18-20, 2026

Legendary Songwriters

Georgia Middleman Bridgette Tatum Gary Nicholson Darden Smith Even Stevens Gary Burr

18 Rising Stars 8 Downtown Stages 50 Plus Performances

Tickets ON SALE

www.redlodgesongwriterfestival.org

now hiring

RAISED IN THE WEST is growing... and we are looking for an

Advertising Sales Representative

publisher's note Spring has arrived!

Not that we have s u f fe re d t h ro u g h months of grueling winter - we are enjoying a late season snowstorm at the moment… Spring is the season of new life, it’s a time of hope as the land wakes up and blooms again.

New life is sprinkled across the landscape with calves, lambs and foals arriving in pastures; and the sun stretches days into warm weeks.

Yet it is hard to know what lies ahead for our country and our economy as we have entered into an unsettled season across our world. Uncertainty seems to be the rule anymore. Though, in that uncertainty, we find it assuring to see small business owners trying to continue to serve their customers well, hold true to their missions and do what they can to make the community around them a better place.

We feature several of those businesses in this issue.

If you are ambitious, love rural Montana and Wyoming, are comfortable visiting with potential advertisers and believe in our mission, we’d love to visit with you.

We offer a great commission package and residual income.

Want to learn more?

Contact Cyd at 406.860.0292 or publisher@raisedinthewest.com

6 // www.raisedinthewest.com

We visited Adam and Sarah Pedone from Edgar who have learned how to use drones to battle noxious weeds and are having great success in hard-to-reach areas where no other method of eradication has been successful.

We visited Miller’s Horse Palace, a venue at Laurel, that caters to horse-related events five days a week with ropings, cuttings, barrel racing and youth rodeos.

The place has become a gathering place for the horse community.

We feature a family-run dairy in Cody providing milk and cream to their customers with just 11 cows. It is a labor of love, but for the Nelsons, it is all about fresh and delicious.

And enjoy our story about a flower farm outside of Great Falls operated by the Daughtery family, a h u s b a n d - w i fe t e a m and their children who sell fresh flowers all summer but offer their customers beautiful tulips during the winter months.

We delve into the question of whether native bees or honeybees are the best pollinators in our backyard flower gardens - the truth stings a little.

Be sure to read our story about Kailey Kerns, the cobbler at Al’s Bootery in Billings who gives second and even third lives to beloved boots and shoes that their owners can’t bear to retire.

And check out Jean’s Cuisines - she’s been out foraging and gives some great ideas on how to prepare a forager’s bounty – including dandelion pesto!

As we move into spring months, we will continue to pray for the moisture the countryside desperately needs. We also will be praying for resolutions that will lead our country to peace both within and outside of our borders.

And as always, we want to thank our readers. We are ever grateful for you allowing us the opportunity to try to serve by bringing a story or picture or thought that might somehow brighten your day.

"How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom and His dominion endures from generation to generation." Daniel 4:3

PUBLISHERS CYD & STU HOEFLE 406-860-0292 publisher@raisedinthewest.com

ADVERTISING CYD HOEFLE 406-860-0292 publisher@raisedinthewest.com

DESIGN MELANIE FABRIZIUS ads@raisedinthewest.com

ADDRESS RAISED IN THE WEST PO Box 80267 Billings, MT 59108

©2026 Peaks to Prairie Media. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

IN

MONTANA’S

BIGGEST

CITY

From the Montana Renaissance Festival to the Big Sky Balloon Rally, Billings delivers unforgettable summer events that are as bold as the city itself. Discover what's happening at

www.visitbillings.com

.

best magazine west in the

contributors MELANIE FABRIZIUS, GRAPHIC DESIGN Melanie grew up on a farm in Belfry, Montana and is currently living in Billings. Her lifelong love of art led her to a career as a freelance graphic artist. Melanie enjoys camping, rockhounding, fashion and watching the sunset with her two dogs, Comanche Sue and Pistol Annie. Check out her art at www.fancymf.com

MELANIE LIMPUS, ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Melanie was born and raised in Billings and is a fifth generation Montanan. She moved to Wyoming in 2013 to attend the University of Wyoming where she earned a degree in Marketing. She fell in love with Wyoming and her husband, Blaine, and the two of them make their home in Lander. Mel enjoys climbing, painting (Acrylic Melon), skiing, biking, graphic design, and her crazy cat. She can be reached at publisher@adventuresinthewest.com

CAROLYN FRASER, COPY EDITOR Carolyn is the fourth generation from a Montana ranching family. Raised on a registered Hereford cattle ranch at Reed Point, MT, cattle and horses are in her blood. But so is writing. She has been freelance writing since high school for various agricultural publications. Married to John Deeney, the couple ranch near Grass Range and raise Hereford and Red Angus cattle. e.

AMY GRISAK, WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER Great Falls writer, Amy Grisak balances her life between the mountains and the prairie looking for stories that catch her interest. She’s an award-winning author and shares what she loves with readers, whether it’s finding gorgeous hikes in Glacier National Park or how to push the gardening envelope in our challenging Montana climate. She’s pub-

subscribe today!

25

$

lished several books which can be found at www.amygrisak.com

JEAN PETERSEN, WRITER Jean is a cookbook and children’s picture book author, freelance writer and has been

2026 FIVE ISSUES

Raised in the West P.O. Box 80267 Billings, MT 59108 raisedinthewest.com

8 // www.raisedinthewest.com

a weekly columnist with Western Ag Reporter for over 15 years. She lives near the Beartooth Mountains in Red Lodge with her four children. Most days she can be found outdoors with her animals, on a hike, at her children’s activities, or cozying up writing and reading. You can find her books at www.jeanpetersen.com

JANE GILVARY,WRITER Jane Gilvary is a freelance writer based in Cody, Wyoming. When she's not writing, you can find her exploring the backcountry of Wyoming and Montana to discover its hidden treasures. You can read more of her work at https://anecdotalamerica.substack.com/.

HONEYBEE WITH POLLEN SACKS ON ITS LEGS

ACROSS MONTANA 10 // www.raisedinthewest.com

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY GRISAK CONTRIBUTED BY RENT MASON BEES

Bee Bee

to

to

OR NOT

THE POLLINATION PROCESS OF NATIVE BEES VERSUS HONEYBEES

For over a decade, attention-grabbing headlines sounded the alarm about the decline of honeybee populations, implying an agricultural collapse if we didn’t have them. Yet, native fruits and vegetables have survived for over 300 years, since European settlers brought them to the New World in 1682.

According to Montana State University, North America is home to between 750 and 1,000 native bees and these perfectly adapted species have done a bang-up job of pollination for millennia. The good news is, with a little know-how, gardeners can host these gentle bees at home.

Native bees often go unnoticed. Small and shiny or big and fuzzy, species like mason bees and leafcutter bees, just to name a few, spend the season doing what they were born to do — pollinating flowers.

“Mason bees are champions in pollination,” explained Thyra McKelvie, Managing Director and Global Solitary Bee Educator at Rent Mason Bees. “They bellyflop on the flowers and are completely covered in loose pollen. Then, when they visit subsequent flowers, they pollinate each one as they go, boasting 95 percent efficiency. Three to five mason bees can pollinate an entire tree.”

They also tend to work in less-than-desirable conditions. “You’ll see mason bees out on a misty day, even if it’s cooler,” continued Thyra. “Even on chilly April mornings, it’s common to see native bees on Nanking cherry blossoms or early spring flowers, while the honeybees remain in their hives.”

Honeybees are not as efficient. When they visit flowers, pollen is gathered on the tidy little packets on their hind legs. As a result,

not as much pollen reaches the necessary parts of the flowers. But, because of their sheer numbers, honeybees are the preferred means of commercial fruit or nut production, as upwards of 60,000 bees per hive provide a focused and efficient effort for large crops.

North America is home to

750 to 1,000 native bee species

“However, farmers are now releasing solitary bees with their honeybees and it cuts the honeybees work in half,” Thyra said. “And not as many (honeybee) hives are needed.”

To survive, the honeybee colony must protect the queen and its honey stores. For mason and leafcutter bees, two popular solitary native bees, there is no hive to defend. The female native bee lays up to 15 eggs during her short lifespan. As a result, they exhibit no aggression, making them ideal backyard pollinators.

“Male bees do not have stingers at all,” noted Thyra. “And solitary bees do not have anaphylactic venom. Think of it like a rose bush with thorns. Solitary bees simply have small “pokers” used for protection.”

Mason and leafcutter bees are the most popular solitary native bee options for people to host in their home gardens, and the standard advice is to put up a “bee box.” These boxes, which might range from three inches square to four inches by 10 inches, are usually filled with bamboo straws or made from solid blocks with holes drilled to provide nesting chambers.

SPRING 2026 // 11

A single honeybee hive can contain up to

MASON BEE IN THE NESTING CHAMBER

60,000 bees

LEAFCUTTER’S NESTING BLOCK

LEAFCUTTER MAKING A NEST

12 // www.raisedinthewest.com

TINY LEAFCUTTER BEE

MASON BEE

Male bees

Unfortunately, this setup often leaves do not have the eggs and larvae stingers at vulnerable all to predators. In nature, the n e st c h a m bers are camouflaged making it harder for predators to find them.

Bank Locally.

“Researchers who study parasites and predators have found that nesting materials that can be opened and cleaned are essential for healthy mason bee populations,” Thyra said.

Using cardboard tubes and stacking trays that can be easily taken apart allows the nesting chambers to be opened, cleaned, and inspected so healthy eggs and cocoons can be harvested in the fall after the female has finished nesting. Once collected, they are refrigerated to keep them in hibernation until they are released outdoors the following spring.

Mason bees are early-spring pollinators, emerging when temperatures are above 55 degrees and are often seen on Nanking cherries, apple trees, strawberries, and honeyberries.

Main Office & Big Timber Branch Continental Branch 130 McLeod St | Big Timber, MT 32 Central Ave N | Harlowton, MT 406.932.5311 406.632.4373 www.ctznsbank.com

SPRING 2026 // 13

Mason bees are

% 95 efficient

pollinators

MASON BEES FLYING INTO NESTING CHAMBERS

Mason bees use mud in their nest building, and unless nesting chambers are provided, they are often seen going into holes in a building, but they are simply taking advantage of the space.

The nesting chamber is a little larger than the mason bee, roughly one-half to three-eighths inch in diameter, and several inches long. The female adds mud, then creates a pollen loaf to add to the individual section. When she has enough food stored, she’ll lay the egg, then cap the cell with a mud plug. She’ll do this for five to seven eggs in each nesting chamber, laying the male eggs towards the entrance because they hatch a few days prior to the females.

The eggs remain in stasis for nearly nine months before emerging in the spring and beginning the process again. When all the bees have hatched, the males mate with the females. Within a few days, the females begin creating their nest and starting the process again.

Leafcutter bees are our summer pollinators and begin their lives when temperatures are above 75 degrees.

Instead of mud, the female cuts tiny pieces of leaves to line the nesting chamber, wrapping them in a little leaf sleeping bag. As with the mason bee, she’ll fit six to eight in a single chamber.

“Once the temperature is 75 degrees, they’ll perk up, eat the pollen, and will then take four to six weeks to metamorphosize

14 // www.raisedinthewest.com

MASON BEE EMERGING IN THE SPRING

and grow into a full-grown bee,” Thyra said.

Eggs hatch before the end of the summer, then they spin a cocoon, and spend the winter in the larval stage within the nesting chamber until the summer warmth coaxes them awake.

As with any of our beneficial pollinators, if we don’t provide a healthy habitat, they won’t be there. It’s important for all species to have a solid food source, which means making sure there are plants blooming from early spring to fall.

Water is critical, of course, and it’s always good to have a few muddy spots to give the mason bees working materials. A shallow saucer of water filled with stones or marbles is also helpful.

Reduce or eliminate pesticides in your landscape. Even when products are organic or natural, they still can have detrimental effects on bees, especially mason bees who use mud to make their nesting chambers.

Bees of all kinds are vital to agricultural production and our own gardens. If you want to have the top-notch pollinators visiting your fruits and vegetables this year, try your hand at keeping mason and leafcutter bees, along with creating a welcoming habitat for the hundreds of other native bees that need love, too.

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SPRING 2026 // 15

With the blooming of spring, we often joke, if we didn’t have dandelions we wouldn't have any type of green or color in our yard. I’ve always enjoyed having the chance to make the most of our natural resources. So, when those sweet and savory herbs start to share their goodness at our doorstep, it’s fun to be able to walk out and freshly pick from the golden bounty. The dandelions come easily, as does the sage and mint. These are readily available around our home, but going hunting for morels is something I’d

love to say I’ve been successful at, but they’re not as easy for us to forage as the others. However, we do have a few expert foraging friends, and we’ve been lucky enough to be a part of their ‘no see ‘em, no tell ‘em where they`re hiding, harvest. These are a few recipes I’ve enjoyed creating from our local foraged findings, and we wanted to share them while they are bursting at the spring seams.

BUTTER-FRIED MOREL MUSHROOMS

RUSTIC SAGE CHICKEN SKILLET

INGREDIENTS: • 2 cups fresh morel mushrooms • 2 tbsp unsalted butter or bacon grease • ¼ cup dry white wine or cooking wine • ½ tsp Kosher salt • ¼ tsp black pepper • 1 tsp garlic, minced • Splash of lemon juice (optional) • ½ cup flour (optional) DIRECTIONS: Slice morels lengthwise and rinse quickly in cold

water to remove dirt. Pat them dry with a towel. If desired, lightly dust mushrooms with flour for a crisp texture. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned. Add the garlic and the other tbsp of butter when the mushrooms are almost cooked. Turn the heat down to low, add the wine and let simmer for about a minute. Then turn the heat back up to medium to let the liquid reduce, careful not to let liquid cook out and the garlic burn. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish with a small squeeze of lemon, if desired. Great served with grilled steak or Rustic Sage chicken.

JEAN'S CUISINES 16 // www.raisedinthewest.com

INGREDIENTS: • 4 chicken breasts • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil • 6–8 fresh sage leaves • 2 tsp garlic cloves, minced • ½ cup chicken broth • 1 tbsp lemon juice • Salt and pepper DIRECTIONS: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 6–7 minutes per side until browned. Add sage leaves and garlic to the pan. Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and drizzle sauce over the chicken before serving. Enjoy with morel mushrooms or sweet mint ranch potatoes.

WRITTEN BY JEAN PETERSEN

SWEET MINT RANCH SAUCE INGREDIENTS: • ½ cup sour cream • 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint • 1 tbsp honey • 1 tbsp lemon juice • Pinch of Kosher salt DIRECTIONS: Mix sour cream, mint, honey, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Chill for 10–15 minutes so the flavors blend. Drizzle over grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, fresh fruit or vegetables-especially cucumbers or berries.

DANDELION PESTO INGREDIENTS: • 1 cup young dandelion leaves (packed) • ¼ cup sunflower seeds • 1 garlic clove • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese • ⅓ cup olive oil • ½ of a fresh lemon’s juice • ¼ tsp salt • ¼ tsp black pepper

Re ad l Lo ca

DIRECTIONS: Place dandelion greens, sunflower seeds, garlic, and parmesan in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times to break down the ingredients. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth but slightly textured.

Dandelion pesto can be stirred into pasta, grilled vegetables, as a spread under a chicken’s skin before roasting or smoking, or over a toasted sourdough crostini.

CHECK OUT ALL OF JEAN’S RITW RECIPES AT

raisedinthewest.com

• BY MONTANA AUTHOR •

Jean Petersen www.jeanpetersen.com

SPRING 2026 // 17

LAUREL MONTANA 18 // www.raisedinthewest.com

WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY STU HOEFLE

A HORSE IS A HORSE

OF COURSE OF COURSE M I L L E R ’ S H O R S E PA L A C E

The parking lot was bustling with horse trailers sporting license plates from Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Horses, children, dogs, parents – all convened at Miller’s Horse Palace, outside of Laurel, for the Montana Little Britches Rodeo series in late February.

“It’s a big deal,” Valee Miller, producer of the show said. “We’re the only sanctioned Montana Little Britches Rodeo in the state.”

“We renamed it Miller’s Horse Palace,” Teresa explained, “because we wanted people to know our plan was to keep it a horse center.”

The Millers have continued to host ropings, but they have expanded to hosting a number of other horse-related events.

Nearly fifteen years ago, Tomorrow’s Rodeo Champions (TRC), a youth rodeo organization meant to jump start aspiring youth with their rodeo careers, was started.

The weekend was packed with contenders as young as three-years-old competing in barrel racing by riding a horse led by a parent around the clover leaf pattern, as well as contestants up to age 19 competing in all regular rodeo events.

Bob and Teresa are proud that some of the great rodeo legends from Montana that started with TRC include Jess and Jake Lockwood, Sage Newman, Theresa Sorlie, Parker Breding, Haven Meged and the Tryan brothers.

The Horse Palace Equestrian Center was built in 1992 and designed to be a place for team roping. It underwent several owners before Bob and Teresa Miller took over ownership in 2004.

“For me it’s always been about the kids,” Teresa said. “It’s been wonderful watching so many of them grow up and become the champions that they are.”

SPRING 2026 // 19

BOB AND TERESA, CLAYTON AND VALEE

When son, Clayton, married Valee Couley, an accomplished barrel racer, large events really took off. Theirs was the first big wedding held at the barn and the transformation from a horse barn into an elegant wedding venue surprised their guests.

“I think they expected it to smell like a horse barn,” Valee laughed.

“But it didn’t. It was really beautiful.”

“Big events didn’t come around until we acquired Valee into our family,” Bob added smiling. “Now we host a lot of them, including weddings.”

The familiar red barn is located right off Laurel’s East I-90 exit, on Mossman Lane. The ten-acre facility offers room for families to park their trucks and oversized trailers, sprawl out a bit and stay for a while, with plug-ins, stalls, comfortable seating, and a full kitchen, which Teresa manages.

Commission, who in turn directed them to the Palace.

“It’s by far my favorite memory of everything we’ve ever done here,” Clayton said. “It was even better than when Garth Brooks did a communal rodeo event for kids.”

The Millers were given just enough warning to heat up the barn before the two large animals arrived for an overnight stay on their way to the Shrine Circus in Spokane. The two were bedded down in the large arena, which suddenly shrunk in size.

“They can’t drink cold water,” Clayton continued, “So I was filling large garbage cans out of the shower for them.”

The family transporting the animals slept right in the arena with them, but not before putting on a little show for the Millers that showed just how smart and entertaining the animals really are.

Events are booked year-round including Wrangler team ropings five days a week from October 1 to May 30; barrel racing jackpots from May 1 through August 30 and the top three cutting events in the state. When there isn’t a horse event at the barn, there might be a wedding, funeral, mystery dinner or craft show.

“They say that elephants won’t lay down if they don’t feel safe,” Bob said. “This was the only place on the road that they would walk in and lay down.” The Miller’s hosted the elephants for four years before the circus was no longer allowed to use them in their show.

One of the favorite stories the family shares is when they housed the Shrine elephants. Looking for a place that could accommodate two elephants, the circus reached out to Billings Livestock

“After 20 some years, we’ve become a communal meeting place,” Clayton said. “On a random day we might have four horse trailers pull up with folks meeting up to swap rigs or leave a horse or two.

20 // www.raisedinthewest.com

Since

1987

It’s become a crossroads for the western and ag communities.”

“I’ve had people call as they drive by on the Interstate when they see a bunch of trailers here and ask if Teresa is cooking,” Bob added laughing. “They know they’ll get a good meal if they stop in.”

Clayton is a full-time farrier in addition to managing the Palace with Valee.

Convenient access from the highway makes it a perfect location for his trade.

done,” Clayton said.

There’s a lot of hats to be worn at the Palace, and the four members of the Miller family do almost all of it themselves.

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“It’s definitely family run,” Bob said. “The four of us and our granddaughter, Couley.”

AFTER 20 SOME YEARS, WE’VE BECOME A

Besides managing the event center, Clayton and Valee own Miller Ranch — C L AY T O N M I L L E R P ro d u c t i o n s and are the producers of the Glacier Chaser Classic, one of the largest barrel racing events in “I used to travel four or five days a week,” the state. In addition, they produce dozhe said. “But with a wife and daughter, I ens of barrel racing and rodeo events needed to do it differently. They can drop over the course of the year. off their horse and let me shoe while they go on into town and get everything

communal meeting place.

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It’s at Home on YOUR Range!

SPRING 2026 // 21

THE FAMILIAR ANTIQUES BARN OWNED BY TERESA

22 // www.raisedinthewest.com

“I want to own the world, Clayton wants to live in the world,” Valee said. “But we couldn’t do any of what we do without Bob and Teresa.”

From watching seven-year-old Couley while Valee produces events and competes, to providing the facility; it seems the family’s success is dependent upon one another.

Just across the interstate from the barn is yet another familiar red barn. Located right beside the truck stop, Teresa owns and manages the antique shop. When her father, Frank Pelican bought the truck stop in 1982, he also had an abundance of items he’d collected from farm auctions. When a friend sold him the barn, he relocated it to its present location and opened the antique store.

“When I’m not running the antique store, there’s a good chance I’m stocking the kitchen for another event,” Teresa said.

And Bob, a farmer at heart, raises hay across the Yellowstone River, not far as the crow flies, from the Palace. His efforts provide hay for the horses that are boarded at the facility along with the ones that Clayton and Valee own and train on their nearby acreage. His farming talent is evident in the condition of the ground in the Horse Palace arena – renowned as some of the best footing in the state.

The event center is one of only a few across the country that are privately owned. With the rising costs of insurance, taxes and utilities, the profit margin is slim.

“If we quit doing what we do here, I’m sure it would never be another horse place,” Bob said. “It’s a lot of work - but it’s a lifestyle that we all love.”

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SPRING 2026 // 23

for the Celebration ★ ★ ★ ★ of a Lifetime! ★ ★ ★ ★ In the heart of the West, Park County, Wyoming is gearing up for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. In 2026, as our nation marks its semi quincentennial—250 years of that dream we call America— Cody’s proud Western traditions and time-honored celebrations will take on an extra spark of meaning and joy.

Every summer, Cody draws visitors from across the region who know this town throws one of the most spirited Independence Day celebrations in the country: high-energy PRCA rodeos, three days of patriotic and family-friendly parades, fireworks that light up the Absaroka Mountain backdrop, and community gatherings that feel like something from a simpler time. But 2026 is different.

This year, those cherished traditions are more than just annual celebrations; they’re part of something historic.

Make Cody, Powell, and Meeteetse, Wyoming your destination in 2026. Here’s why this untamed and true Western gem should top your travel plans:

A Celebration with Real Western Heart April 18 – “Two Lights for Tomorrow” Kick things off under the stars in downtown Cody with Two Lights for Tomorrow. Inspired by the Paul Revere ride that helped ignite the American Revolution, the event places two symbolic lights at the historic Irma Hotel (a landmark built by Buffalo Bill Cody himself) to reflect on how freedom’s flame still guides us today.

CODY WYOMING 24 // www.raisedinthewest.com

June 6–7 – Frontier Festival & Chuckwagon Cookoff Settle into frontier flavor with authentic chuckwagon cooking at the Cody Stampede Rodeo Grounds. Watch skilled cooks prepare campfire classics the old-fashioned way, then cast your vote for your favorite dish. Add live music, a kiddie corral and vendors, and you’ve got a weekend full of Western fun.

June 14–21 – Field of Honor Flag Week transforms downtown Cody into sweeping displays of honor. Hundreds of American flags stretch across the Heritage Museum lawn, the courthouse grounds, and city parks in tribute to veterans and the ideals that helped forge our country.

June 29 – Authentic Cattle Drive & Street Festival (Meeteetse) Just west of Cody, in the historic town of Meeteetse, real working cattle shape up a genuine drive through town followed by an oldtime street festival. It’s the kind of Western experience you saw in pictures as a kid—except here, you live it.

June 30 – Xtreme Bulls For adrenaline seekers, don’t miss the Xtreme Bulls competition at Stampede Park—where fearless riders and powerful bulls put grit on full display just as America’s birthday weekend begins.

July 1-4 – Cody Stampede Rodeo Cody’s world-renowned PRCA rodeo kicks off on July 1. This

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year will be bigger than ever, with a full slate of rodeo events like roping, bronc riding, barrel racing, and bull riding. Rodeo clowns and special performances will dot each performance with fun and laughter. On July 4, crowds can watch Cody’s annual fireworks display starting at dusk and visible from any west-looking point in town.

July 2 – Kiddie Parade / July 3 & 4 – Cody Stampede Parade On July 2, kids decorate bikes, wagons and more in a smalltown patriotic procession. Then, the Cody Stampede Parade rolls downtown at 9:30 AM on July 3 and July 4, bringing vibrant Western flair and hometown pride together in an unforgettable spectacle.

July 5 - America’s Potluck invites neighbors and visitors alike to share food, stories, and that rare feeling of community in the West.

A Vacation Rich with History Cody, founded by the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody and nestled near the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park, is more than just a backdrop for celebration. It’s a place with living, breathing history at every turn. Visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to explore compelling Western art, Indigenous histories and frontier culture, wander the restored frontier buildings of Old Trail Town, or swing through the monumental Heart Mountain Interpretive Center for poignant reminders from history. Cody has a long list of unique attractions, shopping, and eateries to fill your schedule.

Whether it’s rodeos or solemn flag tributes, chuckwagon cookoffs or parade floats, every event tells a part of the American story.

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SPRING 2026 // 25

ADAM & SARAH PEDONE

EDGAR MONTANA 26 // www.raisedinthewest.com

WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY STU HOEFLE

Up, Up

Away

A

AERO PRO DRONE SOLUTIONS

A slight breeze started as Adam Pedone prepared to launch the drone. “Not enough to worry about,” he smiled. The drone lifted off, looking like a giant insect, with a wingspan of 13 feet, eight propellers, flashing red and green lights, and weighing 150 pounds.

Adam guided the aircraft up about ten feet in the air, made an abrupt turn and flew it over a nearby ridge, still visible, but at least 100 feet away.

“They are a blast to fly,” he said as he commanded the drone by remote control, while watching the screen as it flew. “I never get tired of flying them.”

Adam graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Earth Science Physical Geography and GIS (Geographic Information Systems). He started mapping using a Global Positioning System (GPS) survey pod to map the infrastructure of Bozeman’s fire hydrants, water valves and storm drains. But it was while working on a ranch in Stillwater County that he was introduced to the idea of using drones for weed control.

“I’ve always had an interest in aerospace,” Adam said. “So, I got my drone pilot’s license, and the certification and licensing needed to spray weeds and I haven’t looked back.”

It doesn’t take a trained eye to notice the noxious weeds growing across Montana’s rural landscape. From Canada thistle and field bindweed to leafy spurge and knapweed, the war on weeds has

been a continuing battle for decades. But it wasn’t until recently that drones became the new weapon to help eradicate the long list of invasive and noxious plants.

Adam’s timing is perfect. He and his wife - Sarah, also a drone pilot, own and operate Aero Pro Drone Solutions and two years ago they began offering drone services for weed control, fertilizer applications, orthographic mapping and imagery, and real estate photography.

The drone industry has exploded in the last several years. Because drones are considered aircraft, pilot's licenses are required for commercial flight, but not recreational. The FAA Remote Pilot Part 107 license prepares pilots to read maps and charts, to understand airspace regulations, comprehend runways, flight traffic patterns and weather systems.

“The easiest way to think of it, is that it’s a step or two below a regular private pilot’s license,” Adam explained. “You have to know about weather, clouds, radio communications and frequencies, aeronautical charts, runway numbers, theories of lift and aerodynamics and you have to pass a physical.”

The drone Adam was demonstrating had just been added to Aero Pro’s fleet. Adam and Sarah own five drones; each specifically selected for their capabilities. The new one can carry 26 gallons of liquid, double the capacity of the others, and will cover larger areas faster when applying fertilizer or eradicating weeds.

SPRING 2026 // 27

THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS WITH NOXIOUS WEEDS

that you can’t get to WITH A TRUCK OR A 4-WHEELER. TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT HIKING IN, HAULING CHEMICAL ON YOUR BACK, FIGHTING BRUSH, MUD, RATTLESNAKES...

drones are so much easier.

— ADAM

A smaller spray drone is used for more difficult areas such as hillsides, steep terrain, obstacles or isolated areas that are hard to access.

“There are so many areas with noxious weeds that you can’t get to with a truck or a 4-wheeler,” Adam said. “To say nothing about hiking in, hauling chemical on your back, fighting brush, mud, rattlesnakes… drones are so much easier.”

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Farmers and ranchers across the state are making the leap to drones for personal use. Many are using them to spray, fertilize, check fences and water holes and even to move livestock.

Though Adam is quick to say that he has taken all the legal steps to be in business to commercially use his drones, he understands why it's hard for many ranchers and farmers utilizing drones for private use on their own land to see the value of it.

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28 // www.raisedinthewest.com

“It’s likened to a driver’s license,” he said.

“Everybody that has grown up on a ranch has been driving since they were kids, the same thing is happening with drones on private property. I understand it and I appreciate it, but it’s the ones that are selling their services without a license that make it dangerous.”

“It’s a bit of the wild west right now,” he continued. “The regulations side isn’t keeping up with reality. The bottom line is that if you are doing anything commercially right now, you better have a license and all the certifications that you need to fly a drone.”

Adam has taken the steps to take the guess work out of aerial spraying by utilizing his mapping skills before he makes an

SPRING 2026 // 29

application. Using multi-spectral imaging, he can map out the area to be sprayed with his mapping drone and using specialized computer programs, he then calculates the application needs for the job.

This was especially helpful when he and Sarah were contracted by the Carbon County Weed District to target an established stand of Salt Cedars, a non-native, deciduous, willowy shrub that can grow to be over fifteen feet tall with a life span of about ten years.

Its root system reaches deep into ground water which enables the plant to suck from twenty to 200 gallons of water daily.

Using their drone, the Pedone’s first mapped the area and identified each of the Salt Cedar plants that needed to be destroyed. Then instead of a broad sweeping spray, they modified one of their spray drones to drop a single stream directly below it and spot sprayed 183 plants, eradicating all of them.

“Water is a precious commodity,” Sarah said. “Just getting rid of the Salt Cedars in that area equates to at least two Olympic size

30 // www.raisedinthewest.com

swimming pools of water being put back into the ecosystem per year!”

In addition to partnering with Adam in the drone business, Sarah, who has a Master’s degree in Public Health and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, has a full-time career as a Physical Therapist.

She works at the Joliet branch of the Beartooth Billings Clinic.

Her passion for helping people heal and her desire to be a blessing to others crosses over to the drone business as both she and Adam enjoy problem solving, interacting with people and customer satisfaction. The couple said that they are growing in confidence with each passing year.

“We’ve crashed a couple of times,” Adam said. “But we’ve learned how to be mechanics. We keep spare parts on hand and extra batteries, and we can fix most problems in the field as well as at home.”

Sarah added that an "unscheduled landing" last fall was an

unexpected blessing because the drone went down due to a manufacturer error while they were spraying an open field. The following day, they were planning to use the same drone to spray knapweed on a steep cliff behind the Stillwater Mine.

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“It was a $1000 repair, versus crashing the drone on the side of the cliff,” she said. “So we felt very blessed it happened when it did.”

The couple doesn't leave home without an abundance of parts and spare batteries.

Battery life is a constant component to be monitored. Their drones operate for about seven minutes per charge, so they keep a close eye on them.

“We’re very aware of our battery life and when it gets down to less than 10%, we bring it in to change.” Adam said. “It only took one time to train us to bring the drone back quickly. Each battery weighs about 35 pounds, so one long walk was all it took to monitor that closer.”

Along with the service side of their business, Adam and Sarah are also commercial drone dealers. American made drones will soon be replacing Chinese drones, since new models of foreign-made drones have been banned from the U.S, and Aero Pro Drone Solutions is working with U.S. manufactures to provide domestically built and customized machines.

“Ingenuity in American made drones is progressing rapidly,” Adam said. ““American-made drones now have the opportunity to outcompete China-made drones. The industry is only going to get better, and we’re excited to be part of it.”

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“We’re blessed to have this business,” Sarah added. “We have a lot of fun doing this together. God’s been gracious.”

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SPRING 2026 // 31

The

Whey to an Udderly Delightful

Dream ★ ★ ★ HIPPY

CODY WYOMING 32 // www.raisedinthewest.com

C OW D A I RY ★ ★ ★

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANE GILVARY

MARK AND MARY NELSON WITH DAUGHTERS SADIE HOWARD AND MAGGIE HARON AND THEIR 16TH GRANDCHILD, IRIS JANE

Dairy farm owners will do a lot of things for their cows, and at the Hippy Cow Creamy in Cody, Wyoming, they even dance for them.

True story. The Hippy Cow Instagram features dancing sisters who refuse to take themselves too seriously, and the cows seem to like it that way.

Perhaps that's why the Nelson family—Mark, Mary, and daughters Sadie Howard and Maggie Haron—have enjoyed rather rapid success given that none of them had ever milked a cow before starting out on this fantastical hippy cow journey. Once visitors enter their charming storefront at the far end of Blackburn Avenue in Cody, their unique family approach to selling raw milk becomes evident, and it all began with a forsaken Jersey cow named Darla.

Sitting in their quaint shop and chatting over coffee, the Nelsons love to tell the story of Hippy Cow's origins. Sadie shares with enthusiasm that her family had been buying raw milk from a neighbor who owned a Jersey cow named Darla.

"It was the best milk I ever had. My mom tried it, and we all wanted to get on the distribution list,” Sadie said.

Eventually, the opportunity came along to buy Darla when her original owners had to move, so the daughters, rather spontaneously, bought the cow, called Dad, and sheepishly confessed, "Umm, we bought a cow. And we're going to need you to build a barn."

Three years later, the Nelsons and their daughters boast eleven of the finest Jersey cows in the West that produce nearly sixtytwo gallons of milk a day. They've also opened an enormously popular storefront where they sell Darla's deliciously creamy and smooth raw milk for both subscribers and walk-ins. She still produces the most milk.

"We laugh about Darla, because she taught us how to handle cows,” Mary said. “So patient. And she provides the most milk, even now. We have no idea where she's from. But we know she's a Jersey cow and Jerseys produce the best milk with the most butterfat content."

The Nelsons acquired six Jersey cows from a retiring dairy farmer in South Dakota who sold them what remained of his herd. The cows come from high quality stock, bred with the number one Jersey bull in the United States at the time. They brought a great return on investment with one of them giving birth to twin heifers on a Sunday morning, surprising everyone.

"One Sunday morning before church, we were all dressed up and went into the barn to milk real quick,” Mary explained. “I hear Sadie shout, 'Oh my gosh! There’re twins!'"

Currently, Hippy Cow has eleven cows that provide about 450 gallons each week. The Nelsons seem content to grow and develop at a steady pace, careful not to stretch beyond their capabilities.

SPRING 2026 // 33

Hippy Cow Creamy i s l o c at e d at 164 Blackburn Unit A Cody, Wyoming

34 // www.raisedinthewest.com

GUARD DOG – RUBY JANE

"One day at a time," Mary said. "It just seems like the Lord is pushing us to grow."

To date, the Nelsons have avoided taking on debt in this whole endeavor, grateful to build the dairy little by little, through hard work and resourceful management, a successful strategy so far. Mark proudly reported, “We've never borrowed any money. We only do things as we can afford them, and sometimes it's tight."

Nelsons care about their cows' diet, because a healthy diet means better tasting and more nourishing milk. Mark said their cows eat a high-grade feed that's locally sourced.

Sadie added that since their family drinks the milk their cows produce, they want to ensure that their cows consume a healthy diet. "We inspect it daily. We drink it ourselves."

The Hippy Cow store marked the next logical step in the Nelson's dairy farm journey, born out of necessity more than anything else. In the beginning, they sold their raw milk to subscribers who would drive down to the trailer where Mark operates his log cabin restoration business. Then, their Aunt Molly began baking organic sourdough bread to sell in the little trailer-turned-dairy-store.

“We were getting contacted by other vendors wanting to put stuff in our tiny shop,” Mark continued. “We simply ran out of space, plus we bought more cows and had a lot more milk."

The shop on Blackburn Avenue is two doors down from Mark's restoration business, and less than a mile from the dairy farm. The shop sells a wide variety of local wares—organic coffee, farm fresh eggs, local artwork, pastries, muffins, artisan candles, homemade ice cream, Hippy Cow t-shirts, and cultured butter rolls. In terms of security, the store relies on the fiercest of guardian dogs, a twopound Yorkie pup named Ruby Jane who greets all visitors with a tail wag and a wiggle.

Quality raw milk production runs deep for the Nelsons, and in a small town like Cody, they bear a serious commitment to their customers, who are also neighbors and friends. Mark and Mary tell the story of a local family with a young son plagued with persistent health issues.

With concern in his voice, Mark explained, “He started drinking Hippy Cow raw milk and it radically helped his health. If we're not clean, if we're not doing what we need to do to make sure we're producing quality milk, it will affect that little kid. That's the challenge and a responsibility."

“A verse hanging on the wall of the shop reads, ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.’"

Sadie said. "It's a good reminder that God's brought us this far, so he's going to keep it going."

SPRING 2026 // 35

Buffalo Bill

center of the west Five museums. One campus. Centuries of Western history, art, culture, and wildlife converging in a single destination. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West commands time, attention, and curiosity— but travel schedules often demand speed. This curated list cuts through the scale and points directly to the Center’s most powerful objects and displays, delivering a high-impact experience within a single visit. Located in Cody, Wyoming, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West brings together Western art, Plains Indian cultures, firearms innovation, frontier history, and the natural world of the Greater Yellowstone region. These ten highlights represent the core of the experience—works and exhibits that define the institution and leave a lasting impression long after the visit ends. Come visit us!

CODY WYOMING 36 // www.raisedinthewest.com

WHITNEY WESTERN ART MUSEUM 1. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Buffalo Bill—The Scout (1924) This monumental bronze marks the physical and symbolic origin of the Center of the West. Commissioned after William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s death, the sculpture arrived with Whitney’s land donation, setting the foundation for everything that followed. Power, motion, and legacy converge in one commanding work that stands watch just outside the north-facing window of the Whitney.

2. Albert Bierstadt, The Last of the Buffalo (ca. 1888) Scale, movement, and meaning dominate this iconic painting. Bierstadt captured a vanishing landscape while confronting loss—of wildlife, Indigenous lifeways, and unfenced land. Few works communicate the stakes of westward expansion with such emotional force.

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3. U.S. Model 1875 Gatling Gun Battery Industrial design meets historical consequence in this landmark weapon.

7. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Poster

The Gatling gun reshaped warfare through unprecedented firepower, earning a central place within one of the most comprehensive firearms collections in the world.

4. John Moses Browning Workshop This faithfully recreated workshop highlights the mind behind some of the most influential firearm designs ever produced.

John Moses Browning’s innovations echoed across continents, industries, and decades, beginning inside a modest workspace like this one.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveled to Europe on eight separate tours, cementing Cody’s international fame. This large format poster advertises an appearance before Queen Victoria during the show’s first London tour in 1887, reflecting both the spectacle of the production and Cody’s status as a global celebrity.

8. William F. Cody’s Hide Coat, ca. 1870 Crafted from buffalo hide with fur trim, this coat blends frontier function with theatrical presence. Worn by Cody as an Army scout and later on stage, it embodies the transition from lived experience to legend.

DRAPER NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

PLAINS INDIAN MUSEUM

5. Gray Wolf Exhibit

9. Nez Perce Buffalo Hide Tipi, ca. 1850

Restoration, resistance, and ecological change collide in this compelling exhibit. The return of wolves to Yellowstone reshaped ecosystems and ignited national debate, making this display one of the museum’s most thought-provoking stops.

Rare and monumental, this buffalo hide tipi represents Plains Indian ingenuity, artistry, and resourcefulness. Multiple hides sewn with sinew demonstrate advanced engineering rooted in cultural tradition.

6. Grizzly Bear Sow 104

10. Northern Plains Buffalo Horn Bonnets, ca. 1870s–1880s

This widely recognized story confronts the realities of shared landscapes. The life and death of Grizzly 104 expose the challenges of conservation within a modern world, leaving a powerful emotional and scientific impact.

Spiritual authority and social distinction find expression in these striking ceremonial bonnets. Worn by members of honored societies, they symbolize leadership, vision, and deep cultural connection to the buffalo.

SPRING 2026 // 37

blossum business THIRD DAY FAMILY FARM

VAUGHN MONTANA 38 // www.raisedinthewest.com

PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMY GRISAK AND CONTRIBUTED BY THIRD DAY FAMILY FARM

If there is one flower that defines Third Day Family Farm it may be tulips and the farm at Vaughn, Montana has plenty of them.

For the past seven seasons, Virginia and Jason Daughtery and their family have offered vibrant bouquets of home grown flowers to the Great Falls Farmers’ Market, as well as subscription customers and local retailers. But its tulips, offered during the winter season that make the farm extra special.

When gardeners are done for the season and only dreaming about next year’s flowers, Virginia is planting tulip bulbs.

"Our tulip season is our favorite," Virginia Daughtery said. "It's a

pretty fabulous flower."

Bulbs arrive at the farm in late autumn and after spending weeks chilling in the garage, they are brought out around Christmas to force them by increasing the heat and light.

Within weeks, fresh, local tulips brighten even the harshest winter day.

Living in Vaughn, 20 miles outside Great Falls, Virginia, and TULIPS her husband Jason both enjoyed farm-related upbringings and wanted a similar experience for their children, which inspired her to delve into growing flowers to sell.

In the beginning, she planted the classics including zinnias, cos-

SPRING 2026 // 39

BEAUTIFUL BOUQUETS AT THE MARKET

mos, and sunflowers, among dozens of additional varieties, and soon realized that instead of growing 75 different flowers, it would be better to concentrate on high value ones not commonly grown in home gardens in Montana, with the goal to provide flowers for eleven months of the year.

“We had no idea what we were doing when we started,” Virginia admits. In their second year of business, an August blizzard abruptly ended the season. "It was the shortest season ever. We learned that we have to get things in earlier and that we have to cover. We couldn't do it otherwise."

It didn't take them long to flatten the learning curve and figure out how to utilize their green houses past the growing season.

Tulips carry the farm through winter and into spring, rounding out Virginia's ambitious eleven-month production goals. She hopes to scale up dramatically.

“My goal with the tulips is to hit 100,000," she said. Although they'll have to stretch well beyond their garage space.

Tulips aren't just a crop; they've become an anticipated experience for locals. During the colder months, Virginia hosts events such as "Tea and Tulips,” where guests gather at the farm to create VIRGINIA READY TO PLANT

40 // www.raisedinthewest.com

SNAPDRAGONS

RANUNUCULUS

their own bouquets and savor a taste of spring.

Two, 75-foot-long tunnels anchor early production. Ranunculus and anemones are early season flowers with roughly 5000 plants tucked inside the farm’s greenhouses. Instead of starting everything by seed, plugs are planted in January and the flowers are blooming by Mother's Day. Another favorite is lisianthus, which has a delicate, rose-like appearance found in colors ranging from purple, rose, blush, and bicolor hues.

"We have 5000 of them. They're fabulous, and their vase life is terrific," Virginia said proudly.

Dahlias, by contrast, are both showstoppers and high maintenance.

They must be dug every fall and stored throughout the winter because they won't survive Montana's cold.

In spring, they're protected under hoops to guard against frost.

Although they require extra effort, they dominate late summer bouquets.

WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE DOING WHEN WE STARTED.

IT WAS THE SHORTEST SEASON EVER. WE LEARNED THAT WE HAVE TO GET THINGS IN EARLIER AND THAT WE HAVE TO COVER. WE COULDN'T DO IT OTHERWISE. — V I R G I N I A D AU G H T E RY

Flower bouquets are not created solely with annuals, and Virginia has leaned into perennials to create stability in both the field and her design palette. Some of these choices are what separate homegrown bouquets from the store-bought versions, such as the blue-tinged equinox and sea holly, both of which have a thistle-like appearance that adds a new level of interest to the design.

"At least with perennials they'll come back every year,” she said.

Three years ago, the family planted more than 300 peonies, including luminous yellows and the lush,

SPRING 2026 // 41

Run Date: TBD

We know ag financing like you know work-life balance.

Author: TH

double pink ‘Sarah Bernhardt.’ This year, those plants should begin producing in earnest, marking a major milestone for the farm. Peonies represent long-term thinking for Virginia and her family. Even though it's years of patience before seeing the rewards, once established, the peonies will deliver armfuls of fragrant, high demand blooms.

Pub/s: Raised in teh West Traffic: 12/11/25 Trim: 4.75”w x 4.75”h Bleed: n/a Color: CMYK Version: 1

While perennials provide a unique framework, annuals steal the show.

Snapdragons remain a staple, blooming reliably into fall and offering velvety spires in a broad range of colors. Nigella, also called love-in-a-mist, contribute delicate foliage surrounding its striking seed pods.

Bells of Ireland, which reportedly smell like lime-flavored Skittles to some people, add height and a brilliant green tone. Each chosen not just for their beauty, but for longevity in the vase.

For over a century we’ve supported the people who are the heart of ag. You deserve a financial partner who works as hard as you do.

Last year, Virginia and Jason expanded their reach by installing a flower farm stand called “The Porch," giving customers direct access to bouquets, baked goods and other gifts throughout the year.

AgWestFC.com

On-farm activities continue to grow, as well, transforming Third Day Family Farm from a production space into a gathering place with upcoming classes for hands-on gettogethers with friends.

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AGWEST 18274-130 Work-Life_4.75x4.75_Raised in the West_v1.indd 1

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Still, the daily reality remains labor intensive. After bed preparation and planting in the spring, it's constant weeding, watering, covering, uncovering, harvesting, and arranging… always with an eye on the weather.

While many romanticize flower farming, Virginia knows firsthand that beauty is built on grit.

"It's nonstop in the gardens," she said.

The work is deeply satisfying. The care invested in each bloom visible in every bouquet. What appears serene in that golden light of a summer evening is in truth, the result of relentless planning and a willingness to learn from every setback, including August blizzards.

DISTRIBUTED BY THE PEPSI-COLA BOTTLING CO. BILLINGS, MT

42 // www.raisedinthewest.com

PEONIES

homegrown

flower bouquets

NIGELLA

✔ ZINNIA - Can be direct-seeded in the garden and features gorgeous blooms on sturdy stems. ✔ SUNFLOWERS - Choose smaller varieties with multiple blooms per plant.

✔ SNAPDRAGONS - Eye-catching colors and shapes Bloom well into fall.. ✔ COSMOS - Delicate blossoms are prolific throughout the summer. ✔ STOCK - Their fragrance only is worth growing them; plus they hold up in a vase for well over a week.

TULIPS

✔ OREGANO - Not only is it good in the kitchen, oregano blossoms make exceptional fillers in a bouquet.

RANUNCULUS

✔ NIGELLA - Delicate and Lacey, nigella also makes a good filler. ✔ PEONIES - Peonies will live for generations and add a sense of opulence. ✔ SCABIOSA - Also called pincushions, this longlasting flower comes in a wide range of colors.

ECHINOPS

SEA HOLLY

SPRING 2026 // 43

BILLINGS MONTANA 44 // www.raisedinthewest.com

WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY STU HOEFLE

Pulled Up

By Her Bootstraps K AI LEY K ERNS – A C OBBL ER’S TAL E

“I found out in art school that I don’t like making things, I like fixing things,” Kailey Kerns began. Kailey is a cobbler, and a bit of an anomaly in a profession typically dominated by men.

It takes artistic skill to be a cobbler - and the ability to understand the construction of boots and shoes - and how to use machinery twice as old as you are to repair them. But Kailey has managed to master all of that and at barely 30 years old, she’s found a niche in one of the world’s oldest professions.

“I got started almost entirely by accident,” she said. With a Fine Arts degree in Sculpture and an interest in theater, Kailey was living in Phoenix and at the height of her career constructing props and sewing costumes for Shakespeare in the Park when Covid hit.

“The industry went down and I had a choice,” she said. “I could either try to find work in a big city during lockdown or come home. I chose home.”

Kailey found a job in sales at Al’s Bootery, but her curiosity soon led her to the back of the store – into the shoe repair shop.

owns both Bighorn Boots, which he purchased in late 2022 and Al’s Bootery which he bought six months ago. “When Al Jenkins came back from the war in 1945, he did boot repair in a shop he called, New Method Shoe Repair.”

As the story goes, the bootery created itself. Al had a public telephone which he allowed people to use. And when they made a call, they would tell people that they were at Al’s bootery. The description of the location morphed into the name of the business.

KAILEY OFFERS A COOL MIX OF

passion and skill

SET AND SHE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AT WHAT SHE DOES.

Shortly after, along with offering repair, the shop began selling boots and shoes.

The shoe repair service came and went depending on if a cobbler was available.

When Ethan was considering buying the business, he took that into consideration.

“Kailey sealed the deal for us,” Ethan said.

“She is the reason we pulled the trigger on continuing to offer shoe repair. She offers a cool mix of passion and skill set and she just keeps getting better at what she does.”

Kailey came with experience with shoe alterations – repairing, decorating and accessorizing them for shows. So, her interest, years before Ethan bought the business, was piqued when the need for boot repair came up.

— ETHAN FORNSHELL

For over 80 years, Al’s Bootery has been a staple footwear business in Billings, specializing in western and work boots. Dating back to 1911, Al’s began as a shoe repair shop in the General Custer Hotel, (currently Jake’s Downtown). It was moved to its current location in the late 70s.

“Al’s has an amazing history,” owner, Ethan Fornshell said. Ethan

“It was a facet of what I had already been doing,” she explained.

“And that excited me.”

She found she was a fast learner and good at what she learned.

SPRING 2026 // 45

GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE

50+ YEAR OLD HAND CRANK ADLER SEWING MACHINE

46 // www.raisedinthewest.com

STEP INTO THE

West

A WESTERN TRADITION SINCE 1945 • 80 YEARS

Under the tutelage of Helena cobbler, Mike Ryan, as well as learning from the store’s previous owners and spending time with the now retired cobbler, she’s picked up just about everything there is to know about repairing boots and shoes.

“There’s definitely parts I like to do more than others,” she said. “Heels are my happy place. Releveling them, getting everything to sit nicely. It looks so good when a new heel is put on a boot.”

She showed an example of a pair of well-loved boots that had a slanted riding heal and the owners asked for a lower, more stable roper’s heel.

In a shop that hasn’t changed much over the decades, using sewing machines that are at least 50 years old, Kailey has learned not only to use them, but to repair them as well.

“They are so well built,” she said.

“They are heavy and simple to run.

But on occasion, they do break down.”

One of the sewing machines that Kailey operates uses a hand crank.

The “thump, thump, thump” of the needle as she punched through layers of leather and rubber on a torn boot seam demonstrated the strength of the machine.

“I like using this machine when I have a repair like this because I can control the speed better,” she said.

“It’s harder to control the speed on the electric one.”

Beyond the two sewing machines, a couple of other relics are still being used: one for making custom-sized nails and the other for stitching soles. Kailey uses both machines.

In another area, she demonstrated using the biggest piece of equipment in the shop: a multi-phased grinder.

BILLINGS, MONTANA 406-245-4827 SPRING 2026 // 47

WORK BOOTS WAITING FOR KAILEY’S ATTENTION

After designing and replacing a heel, the sides need to be ground down. As Kailey takes the heel down to the desired level and sands the edges, she moves down the machine from a coarse grade to a finer grade before she’s satisfied with the result. Behind her, a press machine is used to replace soles.

“I brush glue over the replacement soles and soak them in water for a couple of hours to make them pliable. This machine then presses the new sole onto the bottom of the shoe,” she explained.

The shelves lining one wall of the repair shop continually rotate from repair jobs to finished jobs. A tag attached to the boots tells Kailey what the customer expects. At any given time, there are over sixty pairs of boots and shoes wanting her attention.

“I’m about three weeks out on repairs,” she said. “Since I’m a one-person-show, I can’t promise repairs any sooner.”

That doesn’t seem to bother most of her customers. Many are repeat patrons bringing the same boots or shoes back repeatedly to extend their life.

“People develop an affinity for a favorite pair of footwear,” Kailey continued. “I have one customer who has brought a pair of boots back to me six times. A good pair of western boots, if you take good care of them, will last through three or more sets of soles.”

Kailey said she’s seen shoes that are over twenty years old that are loved and cherished by their owners who are unwilling to replace them with new shoes.

“When you get a good pair of boots broke in and comfortable, it’s hard to justify buying new ones,” Kailey said. “I’m a big fan of fabrication and returning things to their former glory.”

CUSTOM SIZED NAIL MAKING MACHINE

48 // www.raisedinthewest.com

(866) 601-6646 l AGRIBESTFEEDS.COM

Enhancing The Lives

Of Farmers & Ranchers

before

after

SPRING 2026 // 49

OUT

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★★★★★★★

ABOUT 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1. Lunch at the Irma celebrating 40 years!, 2. Tromping through the snow with the grandsons, 3. Grandkids make the world go round, 4. She’s becoming quite the cook under Grammy’s tutelage, 5. Celebrating Mel’s 31st birthday in Cody, 6. We love what we do!

50 // www.raisedinthewest.com

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