Caitlyn S

Counties of interest

Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Butte-Silver Bow, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis & Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park Livingston, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone

Planned Operation

Hay & Forage, Grain, Large Animal (cattle, sheep, goats), Small Animal (pigs, rabbits, poultry), Dairy, Vegetable, Fruit/Orchard

Check all experience and education that apply to you and your farming partners

Agriculture-related college degree, Farm/Crop management (over 3 years), Informal apprenticeship, General farming (over 3 years)

Land Tenure

Cropshare, Lease, Partnership, Open to other arrangements

Briefly describe your current occupation(s) and responsibilities and list previous agricultural employment and experiences. If you are currently farming or ranching, please state the size, type(s), and location of the operation.

We are 3rd generation farmers with the most experience in beef, dairy, goats, and sheep. We have some experience with hay (square bales), and have a strong desire to get into the grain industry. Our acreage size has varied between 40 and 100 acres over the years. We live in Missouri at present but are relocating to Montana. We are familiar - and proficient- with all aspects of livestock + care, except for branding cattle. We would need mentoring on that learning curve. Wife has experience with working horses and training dogs. Husband has Class A CDL and has experience hauling flatbeds and grain hoppers. We have 4 well behaved children, and we are a Christian family with old fashioned values.

Acreage

11-40, 41-100, 101-500, 500+

Farming Practices

Conventional, Organic, Other

Please elaborate on the type(s) of agricultural operation you plan on running.

Beef - selling direct to customers primarily, and selling to feedlots when prices are decent.

Dairy - This could be as few as 2 cows for personal use, or up to 5-10 cows for selling licensed products direct to consumer. This will be a case by case decision.

Poultry - We will most likely run a good amount of poultry through the grazing ground during spring + summer to increase the fertility levels of the soil.

Goats/sheep - These are optional, but since we have experience with them we will consider them if they seem like they will increase the quality of the land and not decrease it.

Hogs - we will seasonally use hogs to help turn compost that has built up in winter shelters. Hogs will not be put outside due to their destructive nature, and will generally only be on-farm for 1-2 months of the year.

Overall, our operation will focus on selling direct to the consumer.

Elaborate on the farming practices you plan on using.

We are willing to continue using practices that the landowner is accustomed to using, while slowly easing into our own methods as time goes by. We have experience with intensive grazing, using natural fertilizers, and many "alternative" (as they're called) methods to increase the health of the soil. Wife has over a decade of experience - in multiple states - with turning poor, "unusable" ground into pasture that supports 1 cow per half acre.

If you are interested in another type of business arrangement, please explain

We are open to hearing any arrangement ideas that a landowner may have.

Onsite Housing

Yes

Please elaborate on the kind of additional training/information that would help you:

-Cattle branding
- Grain Growing (wheat and barley in particular)
- Haying with round bales