ABOUT US
The Ranch was purchased in 1926 by my grandfather Bert Cottle. He was a true cowboy and spent most of his younger years gathering cattle all through Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. On one such cattle drive, he went through the dusty, sleepy little town known as Malta where he met his true love Ethel, who was the Post Mistress at the local post office. Later they married and they settled down in Malta working the ranch. They had one son, Jay. Ironically, even though he raised cattle, he also raised turkeys. Turkeys in those days were considered a luxury and he sold them ready to eat for $25, which was the main source of income for the ranch for many years. In addition, he also raised a few pigs, chickens, and sheep along with the cattle to help make ends meet and upkeep the ranch. In his later years, he moved strictly to cattle and Hereford was his breed of choice
Jay was the 2nd generation to run the family ranch. However, before doing so, he went to college at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, where he graduated from the Air Force ROTC program. While in college Jay met Julene. They were married soon after graduating and just before entering into the United States Air Force. Jay became a pilot and flew B-52 Bombers. After spending some time in the Airforce, he felt the need to return home and work the ranch alongside his father. He continued to fly and purchased his own plane that he used regularly to check the cattle scattered across the mountainsides. Honestly, he used any excuse he could find just to be able to fly. When he got older and hung up his wings, his eye never left the sky when he heard the sound of a passing plane.
We are the 3rd generation to run the Ranch. Before returning to the ranch, Rob spent 24 years in the Military. Putting up with him along this winding and bumpy journey was his wife Sheryl and their three amazing kids, Hailey, Megan and Justin. Returning to the ranch was not always the family’s goal as Jay would always say “ranching isn’t for everyone and it’s sometimes a hard way to make a living”. After bouncing around in the Military, they wanted to set down roots, live in wide-open country, and just slow things down. It was then decided it was time to return home and help run the ranch. They now have the 4th generation here on the ranch, and could not be more excited to keep this legacy going.
THE COWS
The ranch consists of approximately 140 head of momma cows, three dogs, and all sorts of wildlife that wander through. Even though the ranch started with Hereford cows, over the years we have been transitioning to Black and Red Angus. We grow our own hay, which is fed to the cows during the cold winter months. During the spring, summer, and fall they forage on native grasses in wide-open spaces. We do not implant or give any added hormones or antibiotics. When it is time to process, we use a local USDA inspected facility where it is dry aged for 14 days, sealed in Cryovac for freshness, and then frozen.
