LEWISTOWN — It’s been said that ranches are all like snowflakes. They’re all unique and different but they all share similar qualities. And that’s exactly what brought three women together for a one-of-a-kind business.
Jessi Olsen, Abby Byerly, and Mariah Shammel live and work on family ranches in rural areas around Central Montana. Six years ago, they were casual acquaintances, from very different backgrounds.
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Olsen grew up in Grass Range and now ranches with her husband, Jeremy, along with their three kids and her in-laws southwest of Lewistown near Beaver Creek.
Byerly ranches with her parents on the family ranch she grew up on, Majerus Ranch on the banks of the Judith river.
Shammel, originally from Minnesota, and her husband Lyle run Angus/Charolais calves on Shammel Ranch near Hilger in the shadow of the North Moccasin mountains.
In 2018, after conversations at producer meetings, the three women realized that they shared a frustration at what they viewed as a disconnect between consumers and ranchers.
"There's this gaping void there that people just don't understand where their food comes from,” Olsen said. "And I think Covid really made that apparent. And so, between the frustration and noticing that gap there, we decided, let's get together and do something and try to take a little bit of control in our own hands.”
That’s how RanchHERS was born - emphasis on the H-E-R-S. It’s a direct to consumer beef business, jointly operated by the three partners, aimed at delivering quality products and educating customers about where the food they eat comes from.
They sell whole, half and quarter beef shares along with beef boxes and ground beef.
"We're not cranking out t shirts here,” Byerly said. "I mean, this is a two year plus project to get a steak on your plate. And it's blood, sweat and tears.”
And the project has taken off. Using select cattle from their respective ranches, RancHERS has expanded it’s foot print from central Montana to a nationwide customer base.
"The three of us have very different styles and personalities, different birth order even, which comes into play sometimes,” Shammel said. “And I think our differences are what makes us work really well together.”
Their story and their products have resonated with customers and consumers.
"I think that the amount of business based on wanting to buy from a female owned business, that's been more than we anticipated,” Byerly said. "I think people really are drawn to that."
There’s a misconception that the role of females on ranches can be limited to book keeping and domestic management. But that’s not the case.
"I think a lot of times women can be dismissed or overlooked in their roles in agriculture,” Olsen said. "And I think whether they're in the kitchen feeding the the calving crew or helping with the kids, or if they're out there in the negative temperatures, checking cows and getting things done. They play a crucial role."
Jessi, Abby and Mariah never set out to be female role models.
But if the muck boots fit?
There’s no harm in setting a good example for other women in Ag.
”It's helpful, especially as we see a decline in the population that are in Ag, for young girls to see women in a leadership or a business role within Ag,” Byerly said. "I think sometimes it's easy to assume that the woman is doing the cooking and doing the books. But I'm glad that we can be a face out there doing the hard stuff and lifting heavy stuff.”
