B Bar Gazette – August 2024
| B Bar Gazette |
| Issue #15 August 2024 |
| A dreary tone set by thick smoke clouds the Paradise Valley Floor. Fumes from fires across Montana have blown in over the last few weeks. One was the Shank Basin Fire, a 345-acre burn that Mihail was called on to help contain as a neighbor in Big Timber. Adding to the moody afternoon, a storm front from the West begins to plop acorn-sized raindrops on my windshield. I pray that this hyper-localized storm reaches the active burns in desperate need of nature’s extinguisher. Later, a torrential downpour is the welcome mat for Trina’s friends who came to celebrate her last day as Guest Operations Manager at B Bar Ranch. |
 Seasonal wrangler Joe is riding under a thick layer of fog. Photo taken by Boyd Hanagriff. |
| The next morning vibrantly hued sagebrush stands in an upward salute to the clear blue skies, emitting a fresh aroma for all living things to inhale. Along the Tom Miner Creek near the Ranch’s entrance, Mark notices cattle curiously examining a large grizzly sow with three cubs flanking away toward abundant plant proteins in unoccupied pastureland. One all too-comfortable Angus yearling earned a scratch on its snout from the predator’s three-inch-long claws, a warning to keep its distance. |
 A grizzly sow and her cub grazing the Triangle pasture. Photo taken by Kate Talley. |
| As new members of the herd, the black Angus have much to learn from the Ancient White Park cattle who have coexisted at B Bar Ranch for multiple generations. The heritage breed is tall, horned with black tips, drought-resilient, hearty, experts in self-defense, and suspicious of other creatures. Although the white-colored cattle are a small fraction of the total livestock in the basin, they are leaders in how to act in grizzly country. |
 An Ancient White Park among Angus in the Upper Reed meadow in Tom Miner Basin. |
| This week, two healthy and young Ancient White Park bulls moved 800 miles from Whidbey Island, Washington to the high plains of Big Timber. To tally a trio of new bulls, a calf was born! "Reboot" has genetics from some of the first bulls raised on B Bar for the original conservation of the breed. We look forward to cross-breeding the Angus and Ancient White Park cattle, which will foster the best-suited animal for their environment. We hypothesize the cross will allow the animal to convert feed more efficiently and improve the herd mentality. On top of that, the marbling and taste of these cross-bred beeves is something to look forward to. |
| To experience the majestic nature of the B Bar Ranch, join us for the Mountain Mindfulness Yoga Retreat on August 31-September 2, or at the next Ranch-to-Table dinner on September 7th. We look forward to sharing a taste of B Bar with you!Sincerely, Maryanne Mott Owner and General Manager |
 Reboot getting familiar with his new home in Big timber. Photo taken by Mihail Kennedy. |
| Our B Bar Family Maryanne Mott- General Manager and OwnerAmy Berndt- Administrative AssistantKenney Berndt- Maintenance Foreman Troy Lerwill- Maintenance Technician Mark Rose- Land & Livestock ManagerEl Stone-BookkeeperWillie Stewart- Business OperationsJackson Stewart- Marketing & SalesMihail Kennedy- Production ManagerShea Kennedy- Cattle & Grazing Coordinator Randy Mesce- Maintenance Technician |