The latest news from Ron & T of The Buffalo Wool Co. at RATH Ranch. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

Happy Bison Month, it's Day 5 Friends!

Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! I know we did, had a great family cookout and fireworks show at the oldest daughters house... was fun.

Let's see what we can come up with for this today... still have a lot of friends ranches to share, and there are always great bison stories we like to bring you.

Got a big truckload of socks showing up tomorrow, restocking Kenai, Yellowstones, Pro-Gear Crew, and our new lounge socks... this will be our largest delivery this year I believe... am working on a couple new things too. Can't wait to spill the beans when we can.

Did get these sport sock prototypes in last week, and sending a bunch to Buffalo NY this week, let them see what real performance socks feel like.

Hope you enjoy what we got in here today! Some fun stuff and a great ranch in Ohio...

Thank you for reading our stuff.

Ron & T, and the crew here at the BWC.

So, someone sent me this, not sure how I missed it... great stuff and they even mention us.

Shearing Buffalo was Promoted Over 100 Years Ago

from SheridanMedia (read the full article here)

Back in the late 1800s, when American bison were teetering on the edge of extinction thanks to relentless hide hunting, some forward-thinking folks had a delightfully weird idea: don’t just protect them — shear them like giant woolly sheep and make money off their fabulous winter coats.

In 1888, the Cheyenne Leader ran a pitch from a taxidermist suggesting we domesticate bison so we could harvest their thick, fluffy wool every year. By 1889 the Laramie Sentinel was hyping rancher Frank “Buffalo” Jones and his growing herd, complete with crossbreeding experiments to make the animals a bit more chill and the wool even finer.

Fast-forward to 1920 and the Sheridan Enterprise reported that Yellowstone was seriously considering giving its 500-bison herd annual haircuts to turn all that shed wool into warm coats and blankets — because bison wool is lighter, fluffier, and way better at trapping heat than regular sheep wool.

A century later, that gloriously old-school idea is alive and kicking thanks to Buffalo Wool Co. in Weatherford, Texas. They’re turning real American bison wool (the stuff the bison naturally shed every year — no bison were harmed in the making of these socks) into ridiculously soft, lightweight, and insanely warm socks, scarves, and caps. Their products are lighter than sheep wool but warmer, and they actually outperform it in brutal cold.So yeah… the same “shear the buffalo to save the buffalo” business plan that newspapers were floating in 1888 is now a thriving modern company keeping toes toasty across the country. History’s hairiest conservation scheme finally grew up and got profitable.

A surprise bison calf was born on Illinois prairie for the first time in about 200 years

One of my favorites is from Illinois, where conservationists were thrilled when a bison calf was born on Burlington Prairie in Kane County. It's believed to be the first bison born on that tallgrass prairie in roughly two centuries—a milestone that shows prairie restoration is working. The calf wasn't even expected, making it an especially joyful surprise.

Cherokee Valley Bison, Thorneville Ohio

more of our favorite people, Carrie and Jerrod Starr are doing it right.

click the image to watch their segment from "Native: Prodigies of an Icon"

Some stories are about hard work. Others are about taking a leap of faith. Carrie and Jerrod Starr of Cherokee Valley Bison have done both, building a ranch that reflects their passion for the land, their animals, and creating memorable experiences for others.

Their journey has been inspiring to watch, and it's exciting to see them add a new chapter by welcoming travelers through their HipCamp setup. It's a wonderful way for visitors to experience ranch life, meet the bison, and enjoy the beauty and hospitality that make Cherokee Valley so special.

On a personal note, one of the greatest privileges I've had was serving alongside Carrie on the NBA board. Her thoughtful leadership, dedication, and heart for the bison industry have always stood out, and it's been a joy to see that same commitment reflected in everything she and Jerrod have built together.

If you're looking for a unique stop on your travels, Cherokee Valley Bison is well worth the visit. You'll leave with a deeper appreciation for ranching, conservation, and the people who make it all happen.

Check them out here.

Bison Shepherd’s Pie

this is something we do here pretty regularly, usually I just use leftover bison roast and chop it up, put the gravy and bison in the bottom of a pie plate, blend the potato and carrots from the roast, top the meat/gravy mix, we do them in small 2 serving portions, and keep a couple in the freezer for easy meals on busy days. It's tough at the end of a long day to get to the kitchen and make something from scratch... we make a lot of our stuff in larger batches and keep easy freezer meals for just that reason.