NBA Conference in Denver This Week

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

Hello and Happy Saturday friends!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world. It's 4am on Saturday morning starting this, Things here are good, but T has left me yet again... odds are she will return, but in the meantime, I am solo here at RATHranch for a bit. I think I was telling our story and the stories of some of our partners/friends/BWC family. Not sure where I was going with it, but will see if I can pick up the thread and continue on. We have gotten the nicest notes of encouragement, and I have to say those make doing these well worth going back through our history.

The biggest thing going on here though is the NBA conference in Denver this coming week, still a fair bit of prep work still to be done. I have some responsibilities at the event as an NBA director, and T has more to do, as the secretary of the National Buffalo Foundation... so we aren't going to do our usual big booth display.

Y'all have bought most of the stuff we made this past year, so it's really not possible to fill a booth like we used to do. Did offer pre-orders for the show for the first time, has been successful. If you are an NBA member attending, and haven't gotten yours in, you have a couple hours before I lock it down.

We are super excited about the premier of Native, and should have some information on when DVDs or a streaming version is coming before too long. The premier is just about sold out, it's gonna be so much fun, but I am honestly a bit nervous about being on the big screen, and also have to write up a little introduction speech, that's gonna be fun, or a trainwreck of epic proportions.

Gonna try to not be longwinded here today, I have to finish packing product and display stuff, and all chores here fall on me this weekend, and T has me learning Japanese for the Tokyo Marathon trip next month, and I have to pack the overnight orders this morning. So, let's get into this.

I do hope that you enjoy our the last bit of the trip down amnesia lane... I had spent a chunk of time and wrote a piece on our first long event, the Calgary stampede, but after reading it, it was pretty depressing, so scrapped it, and went with some of the fun stuff. Starting again next week, will get back to the bison stories, I promise. Should have a fun conference recap then too.

Hope you have an awesome day!

Ron and the grateful but absent crew here at the BWC

Our newest employee here "Piggy Wrangler", Stacy's granddaughter, got frustrated that everyone else had a desk so she built her own out of glove boxes.. she is handling customer service for the forseeable future.

On the Road with The Buffalo Wool Co: Chasing Adventures and Connections

There's something exhilarating about hitting the open road as part of The Buffalo Wool Co—loading up the truck with racks of bison wool socks, hats, and scarves, and heading out to share the warmth and resilience of American bison fiber with folks across the country. For over a decade this was our way of life, crisscrossing the U.S. every weekend to set up at shows and markets. Drive thousands of miles, endure long setups in whatever weather Mother Nature threw at us, and stand in booths for hours on end. Sure, there were tough times—plenty of broke nights sleeping in the truck through cold, wet storms, huddling under blankets while rain hammered the roof—but the payoff was in the people we met and the stories we collected. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.

It wasn't just about selling products; it was about letting people feel the softness of bison down for themselves and watching their faces light up. Those grueling drives built our resilience, much like the bison we celebrate, and turned strangers into friends over shared cups of coffee and tales of outdoor exploits.

The longer events were always interesting, where the grind turned into pure fun or frustration. Take the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA—we did that one every February for 14 years straight. my first year, we got snowed in and I spent the day playing poker and eating pizza with Mike Waddell, Travis Mundt and the rest of the "Bone Collecter" crew. That was pretty awesome. This is also where we met our dear friend and bushcraft master, Kevin Estela, such a great guy.

The GAOS is a massive gathering of hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, and our booth became a hub for folks seeking gear that could handle real extremes. We'd chat for hours about bison's natural toughness, swap hunting tips, and even make lifelong friends among the Amish vendors nearby (who, by the way, appreciate quality wool as much as anyone). The energy was electric—demoing products amid the buzz of seminars, archery demos, and our favorite, the dock dog jumping competitions. Those ten-day marathons left us exhausted, but the connections and sales made it all worthwhile. We don't miss the constant booth life, but Harrisburg always felt like a second home. One year, a massive snowstorm hit mid-show, stranding vendors overnight; we ended up sharing stories and hot toddies with neighboring booths until the plows came through—turned a hassle into a highlight.

Then there's the D.C. Holiday Market, which we tackled for 12 solid years in the heart of D.C standing in a tent in front of the National Portrait Gallery. Our first season, we had the RV and camped outside of town, two trains and almost an hour to get home every night... that was a bit tough, but 30 days of D.C. hotel was way too much for us back then.

The Market itself was so much fun, twinkling lights, festive crowds bundled up against the winter chill, and our stall overflowing with cozy bison wool goodies perfect for holiday gifting. It was a whirlwind of meeting thousands of people from all walks of life—tourists, locals, even fellow vendors who'd become like family.

We'd travel with artist friends like Avner and Kate, sharing adventures beyond the market, from spotting bears to chasing the northern lights on road trips. The long hours melted away in the joy of holiday cheer, hot cider breaks, and watching customers walk away warmer and happier. The back of the box truck became our shipping office.. and T would use her little grocery cart and take packages to the post office twice a day.

Events like these weren't just work; they were celebrations of community, resilience, and the simple thrill of sharing something special. I remember one particularly chaotic setup when a sudden downpour soaked everything—we laughed it off, dried out the gear with improvised heaters from nearby stalls, and still had a fun day, proving that a little adversity just makes the victories sweeter.

We (and other fellow vendors) used to play a little dinner game, not because we wanted to, but out of necessity, if we didn't cover booth expenses for the day, it was crackers and peanut butter in the room, if we made a little bit, we might be able to order pizza or grab a burger, if we had a really BIG day, we called it "Steak Night"... not that we ever went out for a steak, but it made us feel good that we had done something right. I remember the first couple of years, we really couldn't afford to eat out in D.C. so we brought a crock pot and our little Foreman grill, and would make bison chili or stew or whatever we could for our market friends. It was getting to share this experience that made it fun.

We couldn't resist the fiber festivals either, where the wool crowd really got what we were about. The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was a favorite; we'd bring special blends like our "Crabcakes" yarn—a mix of bison down and mulberry silk that flew off the shelves. The vibe was all about craftsmanship, with spinners and knitters geeking out over textures and colors. One time, a group of enthusiastic crafters turned our booth into an impromptu knitting circle, sharing patterns and stories while sampling our fibers—it felt like we'd stumbled into a warm, woolly family reunion.

Up north, the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck was pure magic every October. Set in that stunning Hudson Valley with fall foliage exploding in reds and golds, it was a feast for the senses. We'd demo spinning bison wool, chat with farmers about sustainable ranching, and soak in the crisp air. The place has this timeless charm—winding roads, historic barns, and crowds passionate about heritage breeds. One memorable year, we got caught in a surprise early snow, turning the grounds into a winter wonderland; instead of packing up early, we bundled up in our own gear and kept going, turning potential customers into fans who swore by our socks for the trek home.

These days, we've scaled back to just a handful of events a year, focusing more on our online presence and building our little farm life in Texas. But reflecting on those road warrior years reminds me how much fun it was to build The Buffalo Wool Co one handshake at a time.

From The Herd Bull: Bison Mounts

The newest Bison Shoulder mount has arrived. Wow. It's just got beautiful coloration ..gold and blond all through the neck, cape and shoulder. And it is a big big boy. I love the positioning they used on him in this mount; so natural, just like when they turn out in the pasture to look at you.

If you want massive, you'd have to go harvest your own to find a larger, more impressive bison shoulder mount than this one. Fur is tight; horn caps are very large and perfectly curved. (one has had a screw set in); can't see it unless you look. Little crazing on the nose, but you wouldn't notice.

The Big Bison Mounts

Stuff we still have in stock

Mike at the Knitting Mill has delivered another round of our Bison Beanies, so those are back in stock finally, as well as the Ladies Ultralight Diamond gloves. I got some of both dyed yesterday, so there are natural and black available.

The Pure Prairie socks are being knit this week, and will get those back up shortly... Faribault has promised the ponchos and blankets will be back in stock by the end of the month as well.