B Bar Gazette – January 2024
| B Bar Gazette |
| Issue #8 January 2024 |
| Howdy B Bar family, The ground temperature in Big Timber is -40, reaching as low as -60 with wind chill. Mihail and I meet on his 10th work anniversary and decide that a phone call would be the warmer option before his favorite dinner: B Bar burgers. He suggests that salt, pepper, and butter to grease a cast-iron pan are the best ways to enjoy the taste of our grass-fed and finished beef. |
 Mihail looks proudly at his daughter, Elsa, as she feeds the herd in sub-zero temperatures. |
| Mihail says that, unlike you and me, the cattle stay nice and warm outside during these cold snaps with thick winter hair, acting as a shell covering an insulating layer of fat. To compensate for the increasingly intense chill, the herd's grazing will increase by 20% this week. We have anticipated this so there is plenty of winter forage and supplemental hay for the 155 calves who are adjusting to the B Bar since their arrival in the last few weeks. With the uptick in feeding, additional fermentation and heat are produced in the rumen, the first chamber of their four-chamber stomach, thus keeping them warm and able to maintain their condition. |
 The Crazy Mountains as seen from B Bar Ranch, Big Timber. |
| Between training calves, building a new corral, implementing a land and livestock tracking program, and downtime for long-term thinking, the production team in Big Timber is busy this “off-season”. We hope that you all are staying warm and that the new year brings opportunities for learning, purpose, and togetherness. Sincerely, Maryanne Mott Owner and General Manager. |
| Our B Bar Family Maryanne Mott- General Manager and OwnerAmy Berndt- Administrative AssistantKenney Berndt- Maintenance Foreman Troy Lerwill- Maintenance Technician Mark Rose- Land & Livestock ManagerTrina Smith- Guest Operations ManagerEl Stone-BookkeeperWillie Stewart- Business OperationsJackson Stewart- Marketing & SalesMihail Kennedy- Production ManagerShea Kennedy- Cattle & Grazing CoordinatorNina Jenson- Ranch Hand |