FALL TOUR 2023 THREE FORKS, MONTANA
by Tim McCray Tim@ABPmag.com
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Sacajawea Hotel
SEPTEMBER 12TH - 13TH
BIG SKY
photos & artwork by Derek Sample Derek@ABPmag.com
It
was a rough start to the tour season this year. I had planned to fly out to Bozeman and meet with Derek. Well, his glass moonroof decided to blow up while on the way to Wyoming to attend the Best Beef in the West competition. That wasn’t the only challenge, as my dog was battling fleas, and I was losing. So, my plan B was to skip the Hereford tour and perhaps meet Derek in Nebraska. Plan C was something I wasn’t aware of quite yet, but it turned out to be the best option – getting myself and the dog out of the house for 2 weeks. So, after helping my wife spread diatomaceous earth all over our house, I picked up Derek at the airport, and we left for Montana, arriving the next day in Three Forks. It had been a long week for both of us, so after viewing the tour itinerary, we decided to sleep in and catch the latter part of the next day’s breakfast stop. We finally got some rest and hot showers and downed some caffeine to get on the road. While driving, we got a call from our friend Jon Bouma, who asked if we wanted to visit another breeder nearby for a few minutes before we started the tour. Jon had some work to do at the ranch, and visiting with him would be great. We just passed that exit, so we made a U-turn to what we thought would be a quick visit. We liked salvaging something from the morning since we were already behind. Jon introduced us to Jim Felton, whom we knew but never met. An hour later, we realized we’d been there too long and decided to head straight to the next stop for lunch.
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K & C Herefords Deer Lodge, MT
Cory & Keesha Dutton own K&C out of Deer Lodge, Montana. They run a small herd of polled Herefords, taking pride in focusing on quality rather than quantity for 40+ years. They sell yearling bulls in the late spring and private treaty heifer calves in the late fall after weaning. Derek and I talked to them for a few minutes as we stopped at Thomas Herefords, and their passion for the Hereford breed was impressive.
Thomas Herefords w/ Rafter Ranch
Gold Creek, MT
Richard & Shirley started Thomas Herefords as a romantic dream as newlyweds in 1957. Their children, Donna, Bruce & Terri Jo, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren continue to benefit,
AMERICAN BEEF PRODUCER
November 2023
