The Rocky Mountain Buffalo Association held their fall ranch tour on September 8. The group toured Beaver Creek Buffalo Ranch near Goodland, Kansas. This uniquely managed native grassland is an oasis in northwestern Kansas. It consists of several contiguous ranches that total approximately 4,000 acres.
The ranch is a joint venture of Ken Klemm & family and Peter Thieriot & family. Their dual purpose is to be the premier supplier of pure grass-fed and finished buffalo meat, and be the industry leader in providing grass-based genetics for ranchers in the U.S.
The tour included views of the pastures, a demonstration of Ken moving a herd from one pasture to another, a trailer ride for an up-close view of one herd, and a walking tour of fencing and working facilities. Additionally, Ken provided an exceptional garage space with tables and chairs for the group to comfortably eat lunch and discuss multiple important topics.
Ken provides a wealth of knowledge as someone who is consistently trying new things. His experiences with the following made him a valuable resource for the group:
- multiple sales approaches (i.e. online, farmer’s markets, direct sales to restaurants),
- grass and grain finishing,
- food labeling, and
- so much more.
“You are never done learning,” said Klemm.
For attendees, the fall tour was a great opportunity to learn, network and chat. Representatives from four non-member ranchers in attendance (which we love to see). The group eventually started talking about why they were in the bison industry. Ken eloquently summarized his view that we want to impact the bison, but they really impact us for the better.
Up next: The Rocky Mountain Buffalo Association has planned a robust spring conference for March 2-3, 2019 that you will not want to miss.