December 2, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Christmas Gifts From Montana Ranching Families

If you have not already started your Christmas shopping this year, it might be a good idea to take a look at that list. We’re only a few weeks from the Holiday and there’s no better time to begin. Montana Stockgrowers has a few gifts that will help you share the spirit of Montana’s ranching traditions with friends and families across the country.

The Weak Ones Turned Back – The Cowards Never Started ($50.00; MSGA Store)

MSGA to reprint book “The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana”

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana celebrates the long tradition of ranching in Montana, highlighting the stories of 142 ranch families that have been living and working on the same land for over 100 years. Commissioned by the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) to commemorate its 125th Anniversary in 2009, the book honors the perseverance, courage and forward thinking of those who were able to pass their family ranch down the generations and help shape Montana as it is today. The Wills family in Potomac, Montana is one of the families featured in this book.

Big Sky Boots – Working Seasons of a Montana Cowboy ($45.00; MSGA Store)

Big Sky Boots

The first book of the Montana Family Ranching Series: a photographic story-telling project of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. In “Big Sky Boots” readers can journey through the ranching year and learn about the great people that take care of the land, livestock and their families. This first book focuses on the cowboys themselves; the men and the seasons. Throughout the book are interactive QR codes that allow readers to watch videos of the ranching families featured in each section. Proceeds from the book benefit our Research and Education Endowment Foundation.

Ladies and Livestock – Life on the Ranch ($14.99; iTunes Store)

Ladies and Livestock cover

This digital book is an exploration of the roles of Montana women on the ranch and features over 130 pages of stories, photographs and video features of the ladies who raise livestock, care for the land, and build their family’s legacy on Montana ranches. Not only are these Montana women working on the ranch, many have jobs in town, volunteer in their communities, and are involved in the legislation process of issues affecting agriculture. “This book is meant to be an educational tool for anyone who wants to learn more about where their beef comes from, and understand the lives of the people who raise the cattle. Ladies and Livestock is a journey through the life of a woman on a Montana ranch. Not only can a reader see photographs, but can hear the woman tell her own story and see the emotion on her face as she talks about how important her family is to her. Proceeds from the book benefit our Research and Education Endowment Foundation.

Montana Ranching Scene Cards ($15.00/10 cards; MSGA Store)

winter ranching note cards

Looking for a gift for someone who enjoys sending a note of thanks throughout the year? These blank cards come in a set of 10 cards, 2 of each design and come with envelopes. The cards feature scenes throughout the seasons on local Montana family ranches and are the perfect gift for that person who loves to drop a handwritten note of appreciation. Proceeds from the cards benefit our Research and Education Endowment Foundation.

Montana Stockgrowers Ranch Signs ($25.00; MSGA Store)

Montana Ranch Sign

Finally, looking for a gift to display around your place? Why not display a brand that has been around since 1884! Show your support for the Montana Stockgrowers Association on the front gate or on the barn door with this sturdy ranch sign that is sure to stand the test of time. 18″ x 24″; .032# Aluminum ranch sign displaying the Montana Stockgrowers Association logo and slogan – Keeping Tradition Alive… Ranching for the Future!

Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Rancher Christmas Gift Ideas
December 10, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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5 Reasons Why Big Sky Boots is the Perfect Christmas Present

Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Book Rancher Christmas Gift IdeasWondering what to get Dad for Christmas? Why not get him something he will enjoy for years to come! The Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Big Sky Boots makes the perfect Christmas present and here’s why:

1. CAN’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF IT—There are nearly 200 pages of  picturesque Montana ranches, great cattle and hard-working cowboys. Spend hours curled up in your favorite chair and flip through the pages, learning all about what it takes to run a Montana family ranch.

2. ENGAGING WITH CONSUMERS—Big Sky Boots is not just for your family involved in agriculture. This book can help teach the public about where their beef comes from…and what better gift for your New York City friend than something that showcases Montana family ranching!

3. SUPPORT THE STOCKGROWERS—Help support the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation, as well as keeping the Montana Family Ranching Series going strong through your purchases of the book.

Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Book Rancher Christmas Gift Ideas4. SPECIAL OFFER — Buy Big Sky Boots between now and December 15 and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Atlas Blizzard Rancher Relief Fund.

5. NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED—Big Sky Boots will arrive to you in a pre-assembled box. All you will need to do it put the wrapping paper and a bow on it and place it under the tree! It’s that easy!

Purchase your copy of Big Sky Boots from the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s online store.

 

Century of Montana Family Ranching History Book
December 2, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Gift Ideas: A Century of Montana Family Ranching

Century of Montana Family Ranching History BookIt’s hard to believe, but the Christmas shopping season is well upon us and the days of 2013 are counting down quickly. There are many gifting options out there for your ranching family, but some may be hard to choose from. The MSGA store is a great place to start and find some personalized gifts that really embracing Montana’s ranching heritage.

One of those gifts available in the MSGA store is a book that chronicles 142 Montana family century ranches. For a ranch to exist and continue in a family for more than 100 years is truly a signal of sustainability and Montana Stockgrowers is proud to have a book that chronicles both the good and bad times for these ranching families.

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana celebrates the long tradition of ranching in Montana, highlighting the stories of 142 ranch families that have been living and working on the same land for over 100 years. Commissioned by the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) to commemorate its 125th Anniversary in 2009, the book honors the perseverance, courage and forward thinking of those who were able to pass their family ranch down the generations and help shape Montana as it is today. While the heart of the book is the 142 ranch stories and accompanying historical photographs, there are also other treasures to be found within its pages, including 37 pen-and-ink drawings by Aubry Smith, photographs of MSGA’s presidents and executive vice presidents, a timeline of important events in MSGA’s history, historical sidebars, and timelines to help tell the story of ranching in Montana over the last century. This book demonstrates the importance of the relationship between some of Montana’s oldest and most enduring ranches and the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana tells the heart-wrenching and inspiring stories of the ranch families who have endured with great fortitude through the ups and downs of life on the sometimes unforgiving lands of Montana over the past 100 years. The book has all of the ingredients of a great story, with tales of love and death, success and failure, family and community. This collection of family histories tells the history of Montana, from a territory to a state, and demonstrates the sustainability of not only an industry, but a way of life. MSGA hopes that this commemorative masterpiece will be cherished by ranchers and non-ranchers alike for years to come.

“Great ranches are not made of the dirt, water, wind and grass that comprise their environment. They are formed and sustained by the character of the people attached to them… These are not just stories of Mon­tana ranches. They tell the story of America at her best…a superb tribute to the heritage of Montana and the American West.”
— Charles P. Schroeder, Executive Director, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

To get your own copy of the book along with several other Holiday ranching gifts, check out the Store at MTbeef.org.