Ranching
I'm a fourth generation Montanan and have been active in the family cattle and sheep ranch since I was old enough to earn a dollar a day. My kinship with the western landscape, its people, animals, and challenges, has been formed by my family’s pioneer and ranching history in Montana, now stretching over five generations with a legacy ranch which we as a family have owned and operated since 1907.
history at a glance
My great grandfather, Henry Sieben, came to Montana in his late teens in 1864. His passion was horses, he liked cattle, but sheep turned out to be the businessman's choice, and Henry had business sense.
In the early through mid 1900s, many ranches in Montana and other Western states were sheep ranches. The adage that ranchers of the time raised sheep for money and cattle for prestige had some element of truth .
Many ranches in Montana were built by sheep. Before the days of wool and lamb imports, and when wool and cotton were the primary fabrics used in clothing, sheep ranching was substantial in Montana.
Over time, with changes in markets and labor supply, among other factors, many ranches changed from sheep to cattle. Ours is one of those.
From the left: me, my brothers Whit and Chase, my father Hank, and my grandfather A.T. Hibbard. Circa 1965
the ranch now
Although we do have some sheep, the ranch is now a cattle ranch. We calve in mountain pastures in June, wean calves in November, and keep them on the ranch until the following October. Our family values the ranch for its legacy, its beauty, its magnificence, and its spirit. We're blessed to be its stewards and we take the charge seriously
find out more about my family ranch
