Rancho Deluxe
This Patent Pending design is the largest portable corral on wheels ever built. 22’ long panels, 6’ tall. 600-800 head capacity, all of which has a total weight under 15,000lbs. With multiple gates, spring latches, multiple pen capabilities for sorting.
Rawhide Processor
by John McDonald
• Pull on highway at speed limit.
• Fits through any gate your pickup will.
• Stable on uneven terrain.
• Permanent sheeted adjustable alley.
• Transport wheels are permanent, no sliding off the axles and rolling out of the way.
• Wheels on each panel and electric over hydraulic jack eliminates lifting— saves time.
• Frame gates for sorting.
Bumper or gooseneck models. Head gate option, 22’ long panels, 6’ tall. New vinyl, sheeted temporary alley.
1-Oct Cagwin Farms Virginia, IL
1-Oct Copeland & Sons Nara Visa, NM
1-Oct Deer Valley embryo online
1-Oct Maplecrest Farms embryo online
1-Oct Mckenzie Land & Livestock Fort Stockton, TX
1-Oct Ridder Farms online
1-Oct Triple A Farms & Friends online
2-Oct Halfmann Red Angus Miles, TX
2-Oct Edwards Land & Cattle online
3-Oct Bayou Creek Ranch Lone Grove, OK
3-Oct Bertsche Cattle online
5-Oct Factory Direct f West Lafayette, IN
5-Oct Fawcett’s Elm Creek Ranch Ree Heights, SD
5-Oct Greenhorn Cattle Co. Waynesville, OH
5-Oct JAC’s Ranch Bentonville, AR
5-Oct Journagan Ranch Springfield, MO
5-Oct Lucas Cattle Co. Cross Timbers, MO
5-Oct Mann Cattle Company Caldwell, TX
5-Oct Perkins/Green Garden Angus f Lorraine, KS
5-Oct Point Pleasant Angus Bland, VA
5-Oct Southern Connection Knoxville, TN
5-Oct The Breeders Classic Gettysburg, PA
3-Oct Dudley Bros. Commanche, TX
3-Oct Lamb Bros. f online
3-Oct Topp Herefords f online
4-Oct Birk Genetics Jackson, MO
4-Oct Deer Valley Farm Okeechobee, FL
4-Oct Elwood Ranch Red Bluff, CA
4-Oct Greene County Angus Greenville, TN
4-Oct Mississippi State Elite Jackson, MS
4-Oct Ozark Farm Springfield, MO
4-Oct Prairie View Farms Gridley, IL
5-Oct 2 Bar/ Goode Angus f Hereford, TX
5-Oct Boyert & Core Charolais online
5-Oct Bradley Cattle Company/ Hankins Republic, MO
5-Oct Buffalo Creek Red Angus Wichita Falls, TX
5-Oct California Breeders Turlock, CA
5-Oct Cattlemen’s Delight Black River Falls, WI
5-Oct Central Kentucky Angus Assoc. Lancaster, KY
5-Oct Chain Ranch Canton, OK
5-Oct Clark Farms f Hustontown, PA
5-Oct Colyer Hereford & Angus f Bruneau, ID
5-Oct The Source Sessions Santa Margarita, CA
5-Oct Triple A Farms & Friends online
6-Oct Badger Southern Select Burlington, WI
6-Oct Cal Poly Bull Test San Luis Obispo, CA
6-Oct Du-Lynn Farms Berlin, OH
6-Oct Ozark Farm Fall Festival Springfield, MO
6-Oct Purple Reign Cattle online
6-Oct Snowshoe Cattle Co. online
6-Oct Wilder’s Aggie Traditions College Station, TX
7-Oct Bollum Family Shorthorns Goodhue, MN
7-Oct Express Ranches Yukon, OK
7-Oct Lazy JB Angus heifer online
7-Oct McEntire Red Angus Sweetwater, OK
7-Oct Neil Farms Northfield, MN
8-Oct 9 Peaks Ranch Fort Rock, OR
8-Oct Bar C Livestock online
8-Oct Cantrell Creek Angus Marshfield, MO
8-Oct Coleman Angus f Charlo, MT
8-Oct Explosive Cattle Co. Omaha, AR
8-Oct Fall Harvest online
headed to Reno to sell on November 2nd!
Reg # 4949650
Look for our elite embryo packages selling at the Nile in the On the rocks
Elite all breed FRozen sale October 16th, 2024
Billings, MT
Spring Bull Sale ~ Save the Date: Pacific Northwest Red Bull Rendezvous March 22nd, 2025
8-Oct Green Cattle Company online
8-Oct Grimmel Schaake online
8-Oct Powell Herefords Ft. McKavett, TX
8-Oct R.A. Brown Ranch Throckmorton, TX
8-Oct S Co Shorthorns online
8-Oct Vision Angus f online
9-Oct Montana Ranch Big Fork, MT
9-Oct R.A. Brown Ranch Throckmorton, TX
10-Oct Bieber Fever in the SE Swainsboro, GA
10-Oct GKB Cattle Desdemona, TX
10-Oct Grimmel Girls online
10-Oct Kern Cattle LLC online
10-Oct Lawrence Family Limousin online
10-Oct McGinn & Friends f Johnson City, TN
10-Oct Midwest Angus Coalition Booneville, MO
10-Oct Williams Angus f Gray, TN
11-Oct Cardinal Creek Cattle Company online
11-Oct Coal Valley Angus Parson, KS
11-Oct J&N Ranch Leavenworth, KS
11-Oct Red River Farms f Grand Saline, TX
11-Oct Smith Valley Angus Salem, MO
11-Oct Watkins Cattle Co. Harrison, AR
12-Oct Angus Alliance Carthage, MO
12-Oct Bullington Cattle Co. Baxter, TN
12-Oct Byergo Angus Savannah, MO
12-Oct Buck Cattle Company Madill, OK
12-Oct Chessie Creek Walterboro, SC
12-Oct Cody Cattle Co. Scandia, KS
12-Oct East Central Missouri Angus Assoc. Cuba, MO
12-Oct Evergreen Exclusive f Ellensburg, WA
12-Oct Heart of the Prairie Rush Springs, OK
12-Oct IBEP PT Springville, IN
12-Oct Jim D. Bellis Family Aurora, MO
12-Oct Judd Ranch f Pomona, KS
12-Oct Markota Angus Lisbon, OH
12-Oct McCloud Farms Jayess, MS
12-Oct Mohican Polled Herefords & Guests Glenmont, OH
12-Oct New Day Genetics Salem, MO
12-Oct Niobrara Red Angus Niobrra, NE
12-Oct Pembrook Cattle Co. Fairview, OK
12-Oct Perks Ranch Rockford, IL
12-Oct Pleasant Hill Farm Rockfield, KY
12-Oct Ponderosa Farms Taylorsville, MS
12-Oct Power Performance Pedigree Angus Mountain Grove, MO
12-Oct Snedden Ranch Maricopa, CA
12-Oct Star G Ranch Douds, IA
12-Oct Studer Family Shorthorns Anita, IA
12-Oct Schrag/ Nikkel Marion, SD
12-Oct Texas Angus Assoc. fall classic f Salado, TX
12-Oct The Black Label Grandview, TX
12-Oct The Magnolia Classic Starkville, MS
12-Oct The Power Gelbvieh & Balancer Mountain Grove, MO
12-Oct Thomas Charolais Raymondville, TX
12-Oct Thomas & Sons online
12-Oct Trinity Farms f Ellensburg, WA
12-Oct Vintage Angus Ranch f Modesto, CA
12-Oct Wild Indian Acres Carthage, MO
12-Oct Wilders Aggie Traditions College Station, TX
13-Oct Aces Wild Ranch Millsap, TX
13-Oct Brumley Farms Ranch online
13-Oct EZ Angus Ranch disp. Farmington, CA
13-Oct Ohio Shorthorn Breeders Assoc. Millersburg, OH
13-Oct Sullivan Farms online
13-Oct Weiker Angus Fayette, MO
14-Oct DeanaJak Farms New Enterprise, PA
14-Oct EZ Angus Ranch disp. Farmington, CA
NEXT LEVEL
14-Oct Indian Mound Ranch Canadian, TX
14-Oct Sullivan Farms online
14-Oct JK Angus spring born heifer Lisbon, ND
15-Oct Bernard Show Cattle online
15-Oct Bonnell Cattle Co. online
15-Oct Byrd Cattle Co embryo Red Bluff, CA
15-Oct McNally/ Graber Angus online
15-Oct Sandridge Select Perkins, OK
15-Oct The Girls On Film online
16-Oct NILE On The Rocks Billings, MT
19-Oct Ferguson Show Cattle Jefferson, OH
19-Oct Fink Beef Genetics Randolph, KS
19-Oct Fred Smith Company Clinton, NC
19-Oct Gerloff Farms Bland, MO
19-Oct Great Meadows Angus Assoc. Campbellsburg, KY
19-Oct Hansine Ranch online
19-Oct Lambert Ranch Butte Oroville, CA
19-Oct Linhart Limousin Leon, IA
19-Oct Mushrush Red Angus online
19-Oct Natural State Prime Angus Scranton, AR
16-Oct Peterson Prime Angus New Boston, MO
16-Oct Texas Angus Assoc. feeder calf Wichita Falls, TX
17-Oct Kirkes Black Angus Ranch Talihina, OK
17-Oct Oakdale Farms Rome, GA
17-Oct Stone Gate commercial f Flemingsburg, KY
17-Oct Thomas Angus Baker City, OR
17-Oct WGB Cattle online
17-Oct Wilks Ranch f Eastland, TX
18-Oct Brumfield Angus Farm Sawyer, MI
18-Oct Meadows Creek Farm Arcadia, FL
18-Oct Myers/ Tamme Valley Harrodsburg, KY
18-Oct NILE Billings, MT
18-Oct W4 Ranch Morgan, TX
19-Oct 3C Cattle Carrollton, MO
19-Oct Angell-Thomas Charolais Paris, MO
19-Oct Basin Angus f Billings, MT
19-Oct Basin Ranch f Myton, UT
19-Oct Bedwell Cattle Co/Lost Diamond B Isabella, OK
19-Oct Blackjack/ Pfeiffer Angus f Seminole, OK
19-Oct Bradley Cattle Springfield, MO
19-Oct Callahan Cattle Co. Edmond, OK
19-Oct Dixie Farms Angus Coushatta, LA
19-Oct Nowatzke Cattle Co. Michigan City, IN
19-Oct Rocking R Red Angus Bayard, NE
19-Oct Rogers Bar HR Collins, MS
19-Oct Seldom Rest Farm Niles, MI
19-Oct Seedstock Plus Carthage, MO
19-Oct Shaver Angus Norwood, MO
19-Oct Top Notch Angus Wheeler, TX
19-Oct Western Stockman’s Market Famoso, CA
19-Oct Whitestone Farm Aldie, VA
19-Oct Wolf Creek Angus Hawkinsville, GA
20-Oct Bloom Angus Farm Westville, IN
20-Oct Express Ranches Hereford Event Yukon, OK
20-Oct Frank/ Hazelrigg Angus Fulton, MO
20-Oct Reynolds Herefords Huntsville, MO
20-Oct The Exclusive Vol. IV El Reno, OK
21-Oct Davis Ranches online
21-Oct H2O Cattle Co./ Carrico Angus online
21-Oct Hinkle’s Prime Cut Angus Nevada, MO
21-Oct Hinshaw Show Cattle online
21-Oct Kester Herefords online
21-Oct Maplebrook Farms online
21-Oct White Hawk Ranch Buchanan, GA
22-Oct 111 Farms online
22-Oct BJR Summerford online
22-Oct Byrd Cattle Co. embryo online
22-Oct Hoover Angus f online
22-Oct Straight Limousin online
23-Oct Scott Angus Belles of the Grade f Belgrade, NE
23-Oct Cox Ranch Peaster, TX
23-Oct Micheli Ranch Ft. Bridger, WY
23-Oct Pine Tree online
23-Oct Poss Angus embryo Scotia, NE
24-Oct Able Acres online
24-Oct Blackstone Cattle Co. online
24-Oct Edwards Land & Cattle online
24-Oct Gold Nugget Angus f Deadwood, SD
24-Oct Jensen Ranch Louisburg, KS
24_Oct JMAR Genetics & Guests online
24-Oct Lone Star Gainesville, TX
24-Oct Oliver Angus-Southeast WYE online
24-Oct Roanoke Farm disp. Bernard, IA
24-Oct Rom’N Limousin online
24-Oct Western Video Market Cottonwood, CA
25-Oct Birch Creek Angus Ruby Valley, NV
25-Oct CK Cattle Hope Hull, AL
25-Oct Groendyke commercial f Jet, OK
25-Oct Hartley Creek Ranch Vinita, OK
25-Oct Hokie Harvest @ VA Tech Blacksburg, VA
25-Oct Royal Collection Charolais Kansas City, MO
25-Oct Sexton Genetics Okay, OK
25-Oct T Bar S Cattle Co. Billings, MT
25-Oct Yon Family Farms Ridge Spring, SC
26-Oct 7P Ranch Winona, TX
26-Oct 12 Star Angus Amite, LA
26-Oct 44 Farms Cameron, TX
26-Oct Bear Mountain Angus f Palisade, NE
26-Oct Cascade Spectacular Prineville, OR
26-Oct Debter Hereford Farm Horton, AL
26-Oct Dry Creek Farm Pell City, AL
26-Oct Janssen Angus mature cow disp. Earlham, IA
26-Oct Jamison Ranch Beggs, OK
26-Oct Lacy’s Red Angus & Polled Herefords Drexel, MO
26-Oct Ladies of the Royal Kansas City, MO
26-Oct L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Lyons, GA
26-Oct Mead Farms Versailles, MO
26-Oct Mississippi Red Angus Raymond, MS
26-Oct Nipp Charolais & Friends Wilson, OK
26-Oct Pennsylvania Fall Classic Waynesburg, PA
26-Oct Pieper Red Angus Hay Springs, NE
26-Oct Red Hill Farms Lafayette, TN
26-Oct South Texas Hereford Association Beeville, TX
26-Oct The Clear Choice f Milan, IN
27-Oct Able Acres online
27-Oct Celebrate Maryland Hereford New Windsor, MD
27-Oct Four Sons Cynthia, KY
27-Oct Ladies of Autumn @ Wall Street Cattle Lebanon, MO
27-Oct P Bar S Ranch Sand Springs, OK
27-Oct Perez Cattle Company Columbus, TX
27-Oct Schroeder Angus online
27-Oct Six’s Shorthorns Wind Ridge, PA
27-Oct Source Sessions: CA Central Coast Santa Margarita, CA
28-Oct Buck Ridge Cattle Co. Seymour, MO
28-Oct Chimney Butte Ranch Mandan, ND
28-Oct Dal Porto Livestock f Brewster, NE
28-Oct Oak Hollow Smiths Grove, KY
28-Oct TRM High Cotton Fort Payne, AL
29-Oct R&R Land & Cattle online
30-Oct SpringLake Angus disp. Lynch, NE
30-Oct Texas Hereford Assoc Buffalo, TX
30-Oct Wooden Shoe Farms Blackfoot, ID
31-Oct ECP Cattle online
31-Oct Marcy Livestock disp Chadron, NE
1-Nov Andras Stock Farm f Manchester, IL
1-Nov Bet On Red online
1-Nov Bucksnort RR Ranch/ Faith Angus McEwen, TN
1-Nov Cornhusker Classic Kearney, NE
1-Nov Downey Ranch Wamego, KS
1-Nov Quaker Hill Angus Louisa, VA
2-Nov Barnett Angus Ranches Washington, GA
2-Nov Bet On Red Reno, NV
2-Nov Burns Farms Pikeville, TN
2-Nov Chatel Farms Reidsville, GA
2-Nov CLM Replacement Female & Bull Galt, CA
2-Nov Fox Hollow Farms Hulbert, OK
2-Nov Henke Angus Salisbury, MO
2-Nov Irvine Ranch Manhattan, KS
2-Nov Jungles Shorthorn Farm Kathryn, ND
2-Nov Kraus Angus Dyersburg, TN
2-Nov Menzie Cattle Co. Springfield, MO
2-Nov MC Livestock Greenville, VA
2-Nov Mystic Hill Farm Culpepper, VA
2-Nov Rafter DP Farm & Ranch Enid, OK
2-Nov Raised with Respect™BQA Training Fort Worth, TX
2-Nov SERAA Columbia, TN
2-Nov Star Creek Ranch Silo, OK
2-Nov Seedstock Plus Osceola, MO
2-Nov TJB Gelbvieh Chickamauga, GA
2-Nov Ward Bros. Plattsburg, MO
2-Nov Worthington Angus Dadeville, MO
2-Nov Wright Charolais Kearney, MO
3-Nov DJS Shorthorns Laurel, NE
3-Nov Missouri Hereford Assoc. Sedalia, MO
3-Nov Triangle J Miller, NE
4-Nov Circle S Ranchg Herefords Female Sale Stewartville, MN
4-Nov P&R Herefords Trail, OK
5-Nov Landgren Ranch f online
Fall of 2024’s “ELITE GELBVIEH EVENT”
SHOOTIN' THE BULL with Mountain View Meats
Interview & Artwork by Derek Sample Derek@ABPmag.com
Meet the Uthmann family!
Derek: Hi Nicole and Tyler. Introduce us to your family and what you do on the ranch.
Nicole: We are a sixth-generation ranch based in Virginia Dale and Fort Collins, Colorado. My husband and I, along with our two sons and my husband’s parents, run a cow/calf operation and a small feed yard. I oversee marketing and selling our beef and help with the accounting. Last month, we won the Best Beef in the West competition again at the Rendezvous Beef Roundup in Riverton, Wyoming.
D: Yes, that’s impressive. Especially since you placed in the top four each year for the last few years!
Nicole: Our first year, back in ‘21, we won first place. The second year, we won second, and then fourth last year. This year, we won first place again. I think that's just a testimony that we're consistent in our program.
D: Is there a specific breed that you're raising?
We were thrilled to be in the top 4 for the next couple of years. As I watched them grill up the New York Strips this year and looked at those steaks, we don't know whose is whose, but I thought, wow, there are so many nice-looking steaks. I was worried we might not make the top 4 again, so I'm thrilled and shocked that we won 1st place again.
D: Did you try something different this year, or just deliver more steaks from your freezer?
Nicole: Nothing different we've done this year or any year. In fact, it was a last-minute decision this year. I grabbed some New York Strips and Ribeyes from the freezer. They looked well-marbled and took them to the competition.
Nicole: We have purebreds, but mostly, we run Angus and Hereford crosses. We also buy calves from dairies for Angus Holstein cross. The 1st year, we won with a straight Holstein; this year, it was a Holstein Angus cross. It was Holstein that won last year, too!
D: How did you become interested in entering that 1st year in ’21?
Nicole: I think I heard about it through Facebook. There was a beef competition, and we had just started selling our beef to consumers during COVID. We had been doing direct sales for about a year. So, I thought, why not? Let's try it. We placed 1st that year.
D: Did you all head out to the Rendezvous Roundup again this year?
Nicole: Yes, we’ve gone the last four years. We’ve watched it grow and expand, and it's exciting to see. This year, there were more new judges and influencers. It was sold out and was a much bigger event than last year. There were many more vendors, and I feel like much more of the public was there this year, too.
D: You mentioned you didn’t grow up in agriculture but married into this ranching family 25 years ago? What has that experience been like for you?
Nicole: Raising cattle and being in this lifestyle still feels new. Different from the city cul-de-sac I was raised on. It’s sometimes challenging, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything—a lot of learning. Our sons, Tyler and Jace, are the 6th generation of raising cattle on our ranch in Virginia Dale. In 2015, my in-laws decided they wanted to finish their cattle, so we bought a feedlot in north Fort Collins, Colorado. The family also farms in Nebraska, and we are part owners in a processing facility in Wyoming. Plus, my husband has a trucking company and forestry business. It can get overwhelming. There’s a lot of moving parts.
D: How did you start with the direct-to-consumer part of your business?
Nicole: During COVID, we were about to sell some of our beef to JBS, and COVID was rampant among all their employees. They shut down for two weeks and we couldn't take our cattle to them. Then, there wasn’t any meat in the grocery stores, so people constantly called us to buy our beef. But the biggest hurdle was finding a processor at that time. Everyone else had the same idea since all the processors were booked about 2 to 3 years out. Eventually, we ended up finding a processor that was 4 hours away that would work with us. It wasn't ideal, but we made it work. That launched our direct-to-consumer business, where we started selling
our beef straight to the customer instead of going to the large packers. We also met with another couple in Wyoming who was starting their own processing facility and were looking for partners. We partnered with them, and now we have our processing facility in Wyoming, which isn’t too far away from us, about an hour and a half.
D: So much better than 4 hours each way every week.
Nicole: Yes, hauling the cattle that far was more stressful for them and us. Now, we can oversee the processing and have some say in it, and it is much closer
D: Did you have a storefront, or were you delivering locally?
Nicole: We were selling out of our office at the feed yard. We started selling wholes and halves and realized many people can't afford that or probably don't have that freezer space. Then, we broke it down into small bundles.
Eventually, we received lots of requests for more specific cuts. We had a large freezer in our office at the feed yard until we opened a small farm store. We took an employee house and turned that into the store so people could stop and buy cuts. Overall, I would say that our customer base is about 50/50 online or in person, plus some farmer's markets.
D: Then are you at the storefront during the day?
Nicole: Yes, we have set hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 5. I also have some high school girls helping me run the store. They do a great job and work hard.
D: So, Tyler, how old are you now?
Tyler: I’m 21.
D: What do you find yourself working on or liking the most here on the ranch?
Tyler: I like the feed yard and working cattle. That’s what I like the best.
D: Do you hire extra help?
Nicole: We hire extra people to help with feeding and running tasks at the feed yard. But it's mostly our family running everything. We also run the cow-calf up at our ranch, about 45 minutes away, which was homesteaded in 1903. My in-laws live up there. My husband and I also have a ranch near them where we raise a small number of cows. Tyler took over managing the feed yard where we feed out other people's cattle and our own. We also raise dairy heifers for a local dairy and some bulls for our customers. Our partners oversee the processing facility in Hawk Springs, Wyoming. We're all separate entities, but we're all working together towards the same goal of raising cattle.
D: How do you keep these operations/ranch locations straight in your head?
Nicole: We have weekly meetings with our family in our feed yard. Sure, it does get chaotic trying to keep up with all our entities.
D: Have you tried to find help out there in the muck?
"award-winning beef" has helped us sell beef. The 1st year we won, I didn't know what to do with it or how to market that. Since then, I've watched the other winners use it in their marketing, and I’ve gained some ideas to help promote ours.
D: So, Tyler, tell us more about what you are up to here at the feed yard in Fort Collins. Do you like it?
Nicole: We've considered hiring additional people, but it’s hard to find the right people and be able to afford them.
D: Everybody I talk with wants good help, but they can't find it. I think that’s the unicorn right now in our society. So, back to the Best Beef wins, do you use that as part of your marketing?
Nicole: Yes, I use it on my social media and our website to let people know we’ve been in the top 4 for the past 4 years. I can’t fit it on my beef labels, but I use it as a big part of my marketing. I’m learning more every day about how to improve our marketing. Using
Tyler: I'm happy doing what I do here, running the feed yard. Plus, I would like to grow and sell more meat and feed more cattle. I think our farms are where we could grow a lot more. There's more room for expansion out in Nebraska. I think we realized that here in North Fort Collins, the feedlot is probably not a feasible long-term thing since we are dealing with rapid encroachment in this ever-growing town. We're getting pushed out of Fort Collins. It's such a booming population and used to be very Ag friendly. We have Colorado State University, an agricultural land grant university, but it's not as Ag-friendly as it used to be. Plus, the development here is going crazy. We're losing many of our fields that we get silage off of to new homes, and I don't know how much longer we'll be able to have our feedlot in North Fort Collins.
D: Yeah, that’s tough. I’ve been seeing that a lot as I drive all over this country and talk to people. Everybody’s running from something, and they want to live some place new, which usually brings heartache for the locals. I’m sorry you must deal with that. In the meantime, do you guys have any time for hobbies or things you like to do in your spare time?
Nicole: Besides the feed yard and farming, that's our hobby. My husband and I also have a trucking and forestry business, so we keep busy all the time. We usually don’t have time for anything else.
D: Is that sold to local mills, or how does that work?
Nicole: Most of the jobs we do are through the NRCS. They have a specific goal of what they want removed. The wood is usually sold as firewood, or we turn it into mulch for landscaping or cattle bedding.
Tyler: We let it dry out and sell whole tree firewood. There are many customers around here who like that. They would like you to load and deliver a few logs. Everything else gets chipped and ground. Much of that’s at the feedlot since we use it as bedding and whatnot.
D: Let’s step back, Nicole, to where you didn’t grow up in agriculture. Where did you grow up, and what career plans did you have?
Nicole: I grew up an hour south of here and came to Colorado State University to pursue a career in physical therapy. While completing my physical therapist assistant degree, I met my husband. During one of my summer jobs, I was driving a silage truck on a farm for harvest. We met when his parents had a dairy. Growing up, I've always wanted and longed for the agricultural lifestyle. My sister and I both did. So interestingly, she now has a ranch in Wyoming, and I have one in Colorado.
to fulfill their desire for a more natural lifestyle. This area has a great target audience. The downfall is that we're getting developed around, our feed prices are much higher, and our cost of doing business is much higher. Fuel has gone up astronomically, labor costs are out of reach, and we can’t afford to pay anybody as much as the construction crews can. North Fort Collins used to be rural, but it's all blending. A lot of our silage fields are becoming developed, and silage costs have increased by 40%.
Tyler: Well, between that and the big dairies.
Nicole: The dairies want the silage too, and we can't afford to compete with them. So, it’s getting harder to find farm ground.
Tyler: Right now, our Nebraska farms grow enough hay. All our alfalfa comes from the farms we grow. We grow most of the whole corn, too.
Nicole: We've used a broker for many of our commodities, and I think we're trying to get straight to the source instead of going through a middleman. We hope to raise it ourselves or find ways to get it straight from the distilleries or brewers.
D: Tyler, what was your first real job?
D: What’s it like living and working in one of the fastest-growing towns in the country?
Nicole: It’s bittersweet because this is a prime location to sell our beef with so many people moving into the area. Figuring out the marketing and how to reach those people has been a struggle, but this is a great area to sell to. Most people in this area want to purchase goods directly from the farmer and the rancher
Tyler: My first real job was when we bought the feed yard. Before school, I had to go to school and help the guys with feeding. I started working at the feedlot and now manage it.
Nicole: He also grew up operating tractors, helping on the ranch, and doing various tasks for our logging projects. Our businesses have always hired our boys to work.
D: OK, what are your thoughts regarding the current state of our industry?
Nicole: Many crazy avenues are going on right now.
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One of my biggest frustrations is when we sell our cattle to JBS, our prime CAB cattle are going to China. So, they’re importing beef from every other country instead of where we find the best beef available, right here in the United States.
D: Yeah, it’s sad that there’s this big, round egregious circle of food in imports and exports, all so that JBS and other packers can make more money.
Nicole: Yes, selling directly to consumers is something we can do to help our industry and keep our cattle here in our community while doing our best to stop the whole middle traveling and middleman stuff. Also, the cattle industry is so high with prices now that it's good and bad. Trying to sell directly to consumers, I think there's a ceiling of how much people will pay for beef. I can't keep increasing my Ribeyes and New York prices and expect people to continue to buy them. I’m not sure where we’re heading but keeping it local is something we're excited to do, and hopefully, that’s beneficial for us and our community.
D: Right. Since you’ve become successful with your beef sales, are you finding that you still sell to JBS?
Nicole: We only do that if we have an excessive amount of cattle that are ready, and we can't get it sold to the community. We haven't sold to JBS in quite some time.
D: That's great to hear! Now, tell me whether you deal with any challenges as a woman in this industry.
Nicole: I haven't found any problems being a woman in this industry. I know many women cattle ranchers, and they handle the financial side of the business, too. My
mother-in-law has always been in the cattle and dairy business, and she's been a great businesswoman. My biggest challenge is not growing up in the industry, not knowing the lingo and how to talk about agriculture and cattle with people. But then, on the other side, I understand the consumer side, which greatly helps us. Education. The biggest thing I've been doing with my consumers is educating them on how we grow cattle and what we do because there are a lot of myths out there.
D: Do you belong to any organizations that help you with this?
Nicole: Since I didn't grow up in the industry, I signed up for the Colorado Ag Leadership Program, a 2-year commitment. We travel around the state looking at different Ag entities, businesses, and issues. We also travel to the state capital and DC to see how the laws are made and talk to our politicians. We even do an international trip, like this year, we are going to Cambodia and Thailand to see agriculture from a different point of view. All of that has opened my eyes and helped educate me.
D: Do you belong to any other organizations?
Nicole: We're part of the Colorado Livestock Association, the Colorado Cattlemen Association, and NCBA. We’re also involved in our local Larimer County Stock Growers because it's important to have a group of people we connect with and can work with.
D: Are you dealing with any displaced wolf issues around here?
Nicole: Yeah, wolves are a big issue we're addressing. We’ve had wolves cross our ranch without problems. Our friends in Walden have had many issues, though. Another Colorado issue is they want to close the slaughterhouse in Denver.
D: Yeah, I read about that. It will even be on local ballots in November. That’s usually the kiss of death, especially in a big city that is becoming more liberal. They’ll lose many important jobs by just allowing activists and the PETA types that won’t stop until they get what they want, even if it’s not for the better of the community. I know everybody’s been working hard to fight that one. Let’s talk about the wolves for a minute.
Tyler: We deal with wildlife all the time up at our ranch. We have bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and various predators. That's just part of living the lifestyle, but it's a different game with the wolves because we're not allowed to do anything to protect our lives and livestock.
D: Well, those Dino Ribs look good on Instagram! How about any challenges you deal with daily that you’d like to overcome?
Nicole: We've discussed our challenges as an ag producer in North Fort Collins, including our challenges with the feedlot and keeping the business going and thriving in this area. It's tough. Also, I think working with family creates a lot of stress for all of us.
D: Yeah, I hear that a lot too. I’ve seen some families falling apart that I thought worked so well together. It’s tough.
Nicole: That’s why we start every family meeting with a prayer, asking for patience and the ability to work with each other. We need to remind ourselves that we need to work it out.
D: Do you have any mentors that help or have helped you with your journey to success?
Nicole: I would have to give credit to my in-laws. They're the ones who were in the beef industry and the dairy business. They're the ones that I've learned from over the years. I'd also have to say that our nutritionist has mentored us, teaching us how to feed cattle and guiding us through that, along with our veterinarians, who help us ensure they're healthy.
D: OK, side by side or horseback?
Tyler: Probably horseback if we're moving cows.
Nicole: Yeah. If we're moving cattle, it's horseback. Otherwise, we do have some 4-wheelers to check on things.
Tyler: Recruiting high school girls is easy since they love to ride horses.
D: Are they in Ag?
D: The politicians couldn’t care less since they treat the wolves as their new pets and get their names in the papers. OK, what’s your favorite cut of beef?
Nicole: Ribeye is my top choice, but flat irons have recently become my second favorite.
Tyler: Probably a New York, or I’m usually happy with whatever my mom cooks up.
D: Is there a favorite or popular cut or bundle your customers often request?
Nicole: Many customers smoke their meats, so they like the Thor's hammer, Tomahawks and Dino Ribs.
Tyler: Plus, the Tomahawks and Dino Ribs are just short ribs with bones sticking out.
Nicole: I would say most of the people I've hired come from some Ag background, whether that's growing up with horses or small farm. A lot of them are part of FFA or 4-H, like my boys did.
D: 4-H was beneficial at a young age for me too. Do you guys ever get to get away? Take a break?
Nicole: I honestly don't ever get to get away. There's always something that needs to be done. If there is a ‘getaway moment,’ it’s going up to our ranch, where it's nice to get away from the city. We have to work cattle and check fences and stuff like that, but it's different. More peaceful, relaxing work.
Tyler: I guess I’m like my mom. I mean, this is my passion. I enjoy work every day so I'm on vacation every day.
Nicole: It’s bittersweet because we allowed Tyler to do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to go off and pursue something else, he was more than welcome to. Of course, we have a lot of family businesses, and he was welcome to join us in any of those. He chose to take over the feed yard. I'm proud of that because we do need younger people in agriculture. There are a lot of people who are getting too old to do the farming and ranching, and we need some younger generations in there. At the same time, it's a job with a lot of work and time, and not the greatest pay. I've always felt bad that he's wanting to take over something that is a burden, but I am proud of him for wanting to continue agriculture.
D: Tyler, are you also involved in your dad’s trucking and/or forestry business?
Tyler: Yeah, I was logging yesterday. I think 50% of my jobs are in a truck. I'm always moving hay or equipment or something else.
D: Do you have a favorite kind of truck you like to drive?
Tyler: Peterbilt, definitely.
D: What about runarounds? Ford, Chevy, Dodge?
Tyler: I have a couple of Fords with Dodge engines.
D: Impressive and great choice. I just returned (lemon) my new F150 with a bad engine and transmission. But I’ve always been a Ford person through and through.
Nicole: We're a Ford family. My husband has a passion for Mack trucks and Caterpillars bulldozers. So, there's quite a few of those around here.
D: Any thoughts on global warming?
D: What about Jace, your brother?
Tyler: He just graduated high school, and his goal is to take over the farming in Nebraska after he finishes up his associate’s degree in welding.
Nicole: We also gave him the same option to go do whatever he wanted, and he gravitated more towards farming, although he still wanted to be involved with cattle.
Tyler: You know, going through high school, we got that shoved down our throats, and I feel like the focus is wrong. They're trying to go after agriculture, and we're already at the top of our game doing what we can. But then, when driving through Denver, as far as you can see, it’s all cars driving every which way. You know? Let's look at those deficiencies and see where the problem is.
D: Well said Tyler. I need you by my side when I meet with Al Gore.
Nicole: Has the Netherlands been severely restricting agriculture lately? So, where do they think our food will come from? How do you feed the growing population that's going to hit, what, 10,000,000,000 people by
2050? We don’t need to be attacking agriculture; we need food.
D: Yeah, it’s interesting I just read that Bill Gates just bought some more farmland to sit on it. Maybe he’s growing crickets, I don’t know. He’s psychotic and has no idea what he’s doing. What’s on your bucket list?
Nicole: I’d like to travel more internationally since there’s so much to see and learn. As I mentioned earlier, I am traveling to Cambodia and Thailand with the Colorado Ag Leadership Program later this year, and I am looking forward to that.
Tyler: I want to grow our operation, expand it.
Nicole: Here’s our youngest son, Jace. What do you want to do, Jace?
Jace: Well, Tyler and I grew up here, and we wanted to do everything together. But then we decided that it's probably better for Tyler to focus on the feed yard and I focus on the farms. That way, we can maintain a better balance while we expand our operations, which is what we’d like to do.
D: Jace, what’s your favorite truck around here?
Jace: Kenworth. I also have a ’55 Willy’s pickup.
D: I love that—one of my favs. Ok, where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Tyler: Weaned off from Grandma and Grandpa.
Nicole: Retired while watching Tyler and Jace grow this business. I’d help them as needed, but I really want to see them make this their own. They can do whatever they want with it, hopefully we have given them a great operation to continue with.
D: OK, last question. What advice do you have for younger people who want to get into this business?
Nicole: I think it's finding different niches and different opportunities that aren't the traditional ways of marketing and selling their cattle.
Tyler: Finding the niche where people want to return to the source to buy their food, which is the trend that needs to happen.
Nicole: In our area, people are becoming more interested in visiting our place, seeing where their beef is raised and learning about it. Farmers markets are becoming popular around here because people want to buy directly from the farmers. I think that's the trend. They're usually very disappointed when they go to the grocery store, especially after buying from operations like ours.
Tyler: If you want to own the business, it's the hardest time to get into it right now because of large-scale ag. So even considering expanding, it's a huge challenge because we don't have the opportunities or money that large-scale Ag does.
D: Anything else you’d like to share?
Nicole: I do get some crazy customers and challenging questions, but I really enjoy marketing and selling directly to the public. I love educating, interacting with people, and seeing how they react to our beef because they give us great feedback. I also love seeing my kids working at the businesses.
Tyler: I love working with animals and the lifestyle. I’m lucky to do this every day.
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SATURDAY
OCTOBER 5, 2024
12 P.M. • NOON
Consignors Include:
Reed Stock Farm - Hampton, MN
Boettcher's Brookview Acres - Fairchild, WI
Starck Century Farm - Cadott, WI
Steiny's Herefords - New Lisbon, WI
Windy Hills Herefords - Roberts, WI
Sale Location: Jackson County Fairgrounds Black River Falls, Wis.
FIREBALL 881K 20826276 • BD: 10/13/22
This powerful Fireball son out of a Quantum dam may be one of the best bulls we’ve sold to date. Physically, he is truly a specimen! His data indicates he has the genetic potential to be an Angus “Changemaker.” Calving ease, growth, moderate stature and top of the breed for endproduct merit place him in an elite category of young Angus sires.
THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of our 2024 Dixie Valley bull sale customers! to all of our 2024 Dixie Valley bull sale customers!
