Blackduck , MN

Located in northern Minnesota , Little Timber Farms is owned and operated by fourth-generation farmer Rachel Gray and her family . Over the years , the farm transitioned from dairy and crop production to cow-calf and the current heifer development operation . Gray recognized that the nutritious grass would benefit growing heifers through effective rotational grazing , and her family strives to improve the operation through healthier soil and healthier cattle . The family also takes protecting the Red Lake Watershed seriously as water eventually flows into Hudson Bay . Due to the family ’ s conservation practices , the farm has become a haven for wildlife and waterfowl , and species diversity has increased .

Moore County , TX

With perennial water flowing and native grasses perfect for rotational grazing , Rex and Susan McCloy saw an opportunity to expand their extensive farming and cattle operation . A decade later , the Blue Ranch just south of Dumas in Moore County , Texas , is a benchmark for stewardship that yields highly efficient cattle production and a thriving wildlife habitat , while managing constant environmental improvements to the sundry rolling prairie in the northwestern Texas Panhandle . The McCloy ’ s goals are to achieve the highest levels of environmental , economic and social sustainability through holistic management practices ; improve riparian areas to reduce erosion ; create higher wildlife populations through improved natural habitats ; and promote sustainable grazing practices by advocating at the local level and beyond .

Hotchkiss , CO

LeValley Ranch in Hotchkiss , Colorado , is a commercial cattle operation that seamlessly integrates federal and private rangeland to support livestock production , wildlife habitat , and range vigor with plant diversity , while also directly connecting to consumers and their community through direct marketing of beef . For five generations , the LeValley family has been stewards of the land and they achieve their goals through an overall philosophy of land health and management that concentrates on allowing time to rest , grazing moderately , and creating pastures where they are utilized in a different rotation in consecutive years . Diversification has also played a role in the ranch ’ s success with income support from a big game and bird hunting enterprise as well as through involvement in the beef supply chain with Homestead Meats processing facilities and retail store .