“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

While the old adage is one of merit, for most it falls short of reality. But the oft heard yet rarely achieved saying perfectly embodies Shawmut, Montana rancher Gene Taber.

Tenderhearted and compassionate, yet relentless and determined, Scott Miller loves getting to the heart of the matter, whether it’s a friend in turmoil, or a community in crisis.

In addition to Julie, the cowgirls, ranging in age from 64 to 77, consist of Charlene Netzer, Kathy Wyman and Cherie Gatzke, and all live on ranches within five miles of each other. They love to ride so much they hire themselves out to area ranches when extra help is needed to gather and sort cattle. 

“I believe my calling right now is to serve on a greater level,” Judy Wagner said. “I love investing in others.” 

DuWayne and Carrie are a strong couple, grounded by faith, loved and admired in their close-knit community, and respected and cherished by their boys and families. They are the kind of neighbors everyone wants; generous, kind, helpful, and always encouraging. 

As Tom Mattingly recounts his early years, visions of a life a century ago emerge. On the ranch where he and his family lived, work was done by horses, there was no telephone, television, or mobile radio for communicating and there were certainly no cell phones.

It’s time to begin planning for holiday baking and who doesn’t love to bake cookies and receive them! These recipes are perfect for a cookie exchange, an open house or as a gift for the neighbors. Several are easy enough for little ones to help and others can be frozen, so you can get started with your baking now.

As often as we have room, we try to include a feature on individuals we call “Colorful Characters.” These are typically folks in Montana who exemplify the spirit and character of a life well lived under the big sky.  They could also be called “salt of the earth,” because they are authentic and real.

The partnerships developed over the years at Montana Silversmiths remain one of the company’s greatest achievements. With well over twenty national associations ordering buckles and awards for events, tens of thousands of handcrafted buckles are custom designed each year and awarded to deserving champions and winners.

The adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” perfectly describes Tim Walker’s work. His black and white pictures are rich with contrast, depth, detail, and emotion – and he can capture it all in an image of anything from wildlife to people.  Tim is not a photographer, he’s an artist, but his work is so realistic it’s often mistaken for a photograph.

Tucked into the heart of Montana is a little-known gem called the Lewistown Community Labyrinth Garden. The flower-lined paths at the geographical center of the state, right in the middle of Lewistown beckons visitors to take a relaxing stroll.

A four-mile hike with a 3,100-foot elevation gain to Scalplock Lookout in Glacier National Park can be one of endurance and maybe even some pain, but it is one of beauty.

Offering beauty which parallels the national parks, over 50 state parks are scattered across Montana for residents and tourists alike to enjoy. One of those treasures is on the far eastern side of the state, less than 50 miles from the North Dakota border. Just a few minutes off Interstate 94, solitude and an immersion in nature and history can be easily appreciated at Makoshika State Park. 

Lisa Swanson’s husband, Scott, always told her if they ever returned to Glendive, they were going to buy the local greenhouse – the one he grew up across the street from and the one which first employed him.  Years later, his dream came to fruition, but it was Lisa that turned it into the business that it is today.

After fifty years, it’s safe to say Montana Silversmiths has touched the lives of thousands. Heirloom belt buckles and jewelry are passed from one generation to the next while preserving “the story behind the buckle.”

With the end of gardening season upon us, vegetables are almost done producing. Here’s several recipes to use up the last of the garden vegetables and to enjoy the autumn crop of apples.

Kaycee Monnens Cortner doesn’t remember life before horses, and she can’t imagine life without them now. She started riding as a two-year-old on her parents’ ranch, picking up a natural aptitude as she grew. Years later, she’s so in tune with horses she has made a career performing equine body work.

With every new agenda, crazy idea, and viral protest seemingly arising each day, division continues in our country and we feel ourselves becoming more like our parents and grandparents as we look back yearning for “the good old days.” It’s more important than ever to stand on truth but deciphering truth from fiction and genuine from artificial can be a challenge. That’s why we’re determined to keep our publication as authentic as possible.  As we traverse the state, we are fortunate to cross paths with many genuinely authentic people, and we jump at the chance to feature these individuals in the pages of Raised in the West.

Throughout May and June, Tuesdays are Bonnie Ferguson’s favorite day of the week. That’s when the delivery truck brimming with plants and flowers pulls up to unload at the greenhouse she owns with her mother, Kelli Brewer, just outside of Big Timber, Montana. 

Folklore or not, ghost stories and other entertaining tales abound over the 13 decades The Pollard has been standing at the corner of Broadway and 11th in Red Lodge, Montana. The stately building has seen much change since its opening on July 4, 1893.