A Blue Jacket & A Red Coat and Crown
As a young girl, Claire Murnin had lofty dreams. She wanted to show cattle and be a princess. When she met Sally Yon, a former American Angus Queen, an everlasting goal was fostered.
“She was like a Disney princess to me,” Claire said. “But she also showed cattle and I wanted to be like her. I wanted to show cattle and be a princess of Angus cattle too!”
The Final Farmer’s Almanac
For as long as I can remember, the bright orange Farmers‘ Almanac has been part of my family’s life. My dad picked up a copy every year at Gamauf’s Hardware, and it was always kept at hand.
Rural Veterinarian Relishes Vocation
“It’s a great day for preg testing,” Dr. Katie Rein said recently on a cloudy, 40-degree afternoon. “Cows do better when there are no shadows, so, it should go well.”
Katie was pregnancy testing around 200 cows for one of her many clients. She’d driven from her clinic in Harlowton to the Sargent Ranch south of Shawmut. Everything was ready when she arrived.
No Skimpin’ on the Ski Hill
COLD!! I knew it was going to be a cold day. It was February. The house was cold, so I burrowed deeper under my quilts and thought about the day to come and the separation from my warm nest.
My family was at our “Red Lodge House” for the weekend to take advantage of a fresh dump of snow on the Mountain…
Jean’s Cuisines - Winter Issue 2026
As the orange and yellows colors of autumn transition to white blankets of snow, it's time to cozy in by the wood stove and let the warmth shake the cold from our bones. In our home, most evenings, our kitchen is filled with smells of baking bread, simmering soups, smoked meats, savory potatoes and sweet treats.
Plan Ahead for Planting
It’s the New Year and seed catalogues are beckoning us to look ahead to spring. Winter is the perfect time to plan summer gardens to be ready to go once the weather is warm enough for planting.
Publisher’s Note - Winter Issue 2026
Abraham Lincoln once said, “It’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”
As 2025 wound down, we visited the Producer Partnership facility near Livingston and met with rancher and founder, Matt Pierson. Matt started the non-profit just five years ago and has donated over 350,000 pounds of meat to schools and food banks across Montana.
Producer Partnership
In 2006, the USDA coined the term “food insecurity,” as an official designation of not only hunger but also the lack of access to nutritious food. Fast forward to 2020 when food insecurity was running rampant because of the pandemic. Grocery stores, unable to keep stock on their shelves due to unstable food chains, forced many to turn to food banks to tide them over, causing extra strain on the system.
Live Limitless
Alli Allen, Miss Rodeo Montana 2025, recently returned from nine intense, activity-filled days at the Miss America Rodeo pageant in Las Vegas. She ended her year-long reign as a top ten finalist in the pageant and made her last public appearance at the Montana Circuit Finals in January.