This is a tough question! It’s like asking me to pick my favorite color –my answer depends on my mood, my surroundings, and the season. In this moment, my favorite bird is the Common Redpoll. Large flocks of them have been descending on our yard every morning for the past few weeks. It is fascinating to watch them move in unison: landing, eating, and then taking off abruptly only to land again just a stone’s throw away. I love their bright red caps and the variety of reddish hues on the males’ chests (what the field guide aptly refers to as a “variable pink wash”). If you ask me in a month, I’ll likely say my favorite bird is the Sandhill Crane, which will be returning to Montana by mid-March. Their rattling calls will echo across the prairie for months and become part of the fabric of our daily lives. We have the pleasure of watching a pair raise their young in our pastures every year, and the transformation that occurs in just six short months is marvelous.

This summer we are excited to begin a trial of multi-species grazing with our new flock of Icelandic sheep. About five years ago, we subdivided 4 large pastures into 14 smaller units. We now rotate our cattle more frequently to spread grazing pressure evenly across the landscape and incorporate periods of rest for each pasture. Cattle and sheep prefer different types of plants, and grazing them in succession can improve pasture quality, decrease weeds, and increase biodiversity. Raising sheep will also give us the opportunity to diversify our income stream and provide lamb and wool to our community.

It has been vital to me to find and nurture community. Living in rural areas can feel isolating. Our business is just my husband and myself, so we often go through our day-to-day lives without seeing other people. But even in our small community, there are always neighbors that we can call on to help us when we’re in a pinch, and to whom we are eager to lend a hand. I’ve also found a tremendously supportive community in the Women in Ranching program coordinated by the Western Landowners Alliance. Virtual calls, email conversations, and annual gatherings bring this group together. I have a network of knowledgeable, inspiring, and compassionate women ranchers with me wherever I go!

I’m doing it! Being a rancher and selling beef directly to consumers is a dynamic job that keeps me on my toes. I love working outdoors –moving the herd, checking water tanks, and feeding with our team. Even fencing has its moments! I also love connecting with our customers at farmer’s markets and through weekly deliveries to Billings. People in Montana often have stories to share about growing up on ranches and working with horses. Or they may be new to it all and are curious to learn what it’s like to live on a ranch. I enjoy talking with people about the animals we raise, and the connection between healthy landscapes and nutritious food. I also love how our work on the ranch is deeply connected to the seasons. It is very grounding to have routines that we repeat in harmony with nature’s cycles.

If you live in the Billings, Lavina, or Bozeman, you’re in luck! Coulee Creek Ranch will deliver your online order here, or you can visit a Billings Farmers Market near you during the summer months.

Prairie Chickens are beautiful and fascinating birds that are native to this area. They are most notable for their elaborate and dramatic mating rituals. They have SO much going against them. My goal is to make their lives easier with good management practices.

I have sub-irrigated alfalfa that has been farmed or hayed for decades. For the past two years, I have grazed it rotationally, using cattle to build soil health. Grazing rather than haying gives nesting birds time to raise their young. Young birds can scoot out of the way of cattle much easier than they can a tractor/mower. Alfalfa weevils have been a problem for both of the past two years, but the alfalfa was able to recover, produce and thrive under managed grazing, without chemical intervention. There are thousands of beneficial insects for every harmful insect and surviving weevils without chemicals is a major victory for pollinators, as well as birds and other wildlife in the area.

Who has been your most influential woman mentor? Without a doubt, it would be my mom. She loved the outdoors, loved cattle and all creatures, and was committed to the value of conservation. Right behind that, to be an Audubon enthusiast, was my grandmother. One of my earliest memories is sitting by her at the window while she used her “1923 Bird Guide” to teach me to identify sparrows, blue jays, and robins outside the window. It was fascinating to me that such little things were so important to her.

I lived in Chicago, Illinois, for four years; Portland, Oregon, for nearly 30 years; Florida for five years, and Georgia for nearly a year. And I can say without a doubt, there is nowhere I would rather be than South Dakota.

The Sandhill Crane. They are beautiful, incredible call, and their link to prehistoric times is powerful. Their presence defines our mountain valley where the ranch is.

We have several interesting efforts. We’ve seen great success recently with our regenerative grazing and the improvement in soil health and habitat. However, one project that has been especially inspiring, is our work to strengthen our riparian zone for the future. It is critical habitat for a huge variety of birds and by putting in exclusion fencing, we are seeing hundreds of baby trees grow that would before have been eaten by the elk and deer. Creating this nursery to ensure a strong riparian zone as a present AND future refuge has been rewarding.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Over lunch, I would ask her about the obstacles she had to overcome as a pioneering woman in her field and whether she regretted the decision not to step aside and retire earlier.

Three hours in the car with our dog after he got skunked. We stopped at a coffee shop on the way home and bought bags of ground coffee and just kept our noses buried in the bags.

Kristi and our next featured rancher Jaimie Stolzfus started Cowgirl Meat Co to sell the beef from P Bar Ranch. You can support both women from anywhere in the US by clicking here to place your order!

Robins-I love hearing them in the spring-full of hope and cheer!

We are very passionate about regenerative grazing and managing the ranch holistically. Not only does it help our land and soil, but it helps our wildlife and bird populations as well as produce nutrient-dense, grass-finished beef.

Any advice for women looking to pursue a career in ranching? Ranching is tough but very rewarding and I would encourage any woman looking to pursue ranching to go for it! The best way to learn is through experience so find a place that will teach and encourage you. Get connected in women ranching groups, if possible, to have a great community of support around you.

I feel blessed to say ranching in Montana and raising my family here is a dream come true!