Nestled at the base of the Snowy Mountains near Buffalo, Montana, it is easy to see how the Mountain View Ranch acquired its name. This third-generation family ranch is currently owned and operated by Cory and Clarajean Merrill along with their oldest son Weston and his wife Shannon. Their acreage is home to a commercial cow-calf beef herd and hay fields of alfalfa and grass, which is used as feed.
The obvious focal point of the ranch is the gorgeous red barn. Recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Big Barn has hosted concerts, dances and weddings, as well as the much-anticipated Annual Harvest Ball held every Labor Day weekend. The Big Barn will also be featured in an upcoming Montana PBS production of Barns of Montana and is prominent on the Mountain View Ranch Facebook page.
Offering a first-hand look at the agricultural lifestyle is one way the Merrill’s feel the gap between urban and ag populations can be narrowed. Whether that is an onsite visit or a story shared on social media, giving an insider’s view of the day-to-day functions of a ranch is crucial. Shannon and Weston work hard to effectively tell their family’s agricultural story and recognizing the change in consumer requests, they work to keep agriculture innovation part of their business.
Generally speaking, people fear what they do not know, so seeing and experiencing agriculture first-hand, people can gain a better understanding and therefor do not have to be afraid or skeptical of it. If you want to hear more of Mountain View’s story, follow the ranch on Facebook or check out their producer reports in this winter’s Prairie Star or check out their interview on the Yellowstone Public Radio’s feature of Field Days.
