The Ranch
8 Month Cattle Ranching Apprenticeship near Avon, Montana
This is a 3rd generation family ranch Jim and Carrie Bignell run the ranch along with their two children Kaye and Brian Bignell. As a family their priorities are to manage the ranch in a way that is sustainable for generations to come. They do this by closely managing the grazing as to not overgraze and keeping up on spraying weeds to keep the land in the best shape possible. Our current main focus is further developing stock water systems on the majority of our spring and summer pastures to help better distribute the cattle for grazing by having available freshwater in all parts of the pastures.
The Bignell’s raise Black Angus cows and sell 35 bulls per year. Location and size of the ranch requires a lot of time spent on the back of a horse .
Regenerative Practices
We rotate all of our cattle in bigger pastures about once a month that are on native range pastures. We also summer 100 pair on irrigated ground that we rotate every 4 days into different small paddocks. We monitor the winter snowfall and spring rains very closely and adjust the amount of cattle per pasture if there is currently or likely to be a drought. We decrease the amount of cattle per acre if it looks like a drought is coming because it is much easier to be proactive when it comes to drought than it is to be reactive. If you overgraze during a drought year it is very difficult for that land to recover. If a drought seems likely, we will adjust the order in which we graze the pastures based on which ones have the best stock water that is likely to withstand a drought and use those pastures last to ensure adequate stock water for the cows.
The Mentors
Jim and Brian Bignell
Brian Bignell
Is 34 married with two kids. He received a bachelors of science from Montana State University in Livestock Management in 2013. While receiving his degree he took classes in AI (artificial insemination), pregnancy checking, and animal nutrition. He’s since been home on the family ranch for 11 years helping with ranch management and day to day operations.
Jim Bignell
Ranch owner and final decision maker. Jim was born and raised on the family ranch with his two brothers, but split off from his brothers and has been ranching on his own since the early 90s. He and his wife Carrie have been ranching together ever since. They raise bulls and AI 300 head of mother cows every year.
The Apprentice
What will an apprentice do?
Apprentice will help with day-to-day tasks including but not limited, calving which is composed of night checks of first calf heifers, identifying potential calving issues and assisting in birth, vaccinating and treating sick calves. In summer months apprentice will assist with flood irrigation (using tarp and shovel to force water onto hay fields). Haying requires long hours on a tractor cutting hay with a sickle bar, raking and baling. Apprentices will also help with the AI (artificial insemination) process and can be involved as much as they would like. Other tasks include fixing fences, moving cows, assessing grass and pasture management, helping with the mineral and vaccine programs, stockwater building and working with NRCS on a EQIP contract.
What skills and traits are required in an apprentice?
- Some horse experience due to mountain pastures
- Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
- Willingness to live rural and far from larger cities
- Desire to learn something new everyday
- Upbeat pace and highly motivated individual
Skills that An Apprentice would expect to acquire:
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Skills that you would expect to acquire:
- Safe use of equipment on the ranch, including trucks, trailers, atv’s, and tractors.
- The care and feeding of cattle and horses.
- Fencing basics on hard fences and building temporary electric fences.
- How to assess the pasture for condition and quality and when to move livestock in or out of each pasture.
- How to irrigate a hay field and maintain our irrigation ditches.
- How to move and sort and load cows, on foot and horseback.
- Knowledge about artificial insemination
Nuts & Bolts
Start Date: Ideally, March 1, 2024 but could have an apprentice start as early as February to help with calving.
Length of Apprenticeship: 8-9months
Stipend: $1,400 per month. The apprentice will be put on the payroll as a W-2 employee with workers compensation insurance provided by the ranch and administrative and working conditions in full compliance with local labor laws. .
General work hours: 6 days a week 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m with an hour off for lunch. There are days you will be expected to start work early and work past 6 pm. Once we start a project, sometimes we need to finish it on the same day. Calving and haying seasons will be longer.
Housing: Apprentice will live in a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom house with living room and kitchen. The house has reliable internet and Dish TV. The house can be heated with a wood stove and propane heater. A washer and dryer is provided in the house
Internet availability: WiFi will be available in the apprentice house. Cell service can be unreliable away from headquarters.
Cell Service: Cell service can be unreliable away from headquarters.
Time off: In general, you will receive 1 day per week off, TBD. We are flexible at slower times of the year. In the slow season you can request time off in advance.
Visitors: Visitors are welcome with prior notification to Bignells.
Food:We provide breakfast and lunch every day on work days. The house has a full-service kitchen where you can prepare other meals.
Pets: Open to an apprentice bringing pets (cats/dogs) will discuss in our interview. Working horses are welcome.
Horse Use: We will move cattle on horseback at times, so while we can teach you to ride and work on your horsemanship while you are here, it would be helpful if you are a comfortable rider.
All the fun stuff: No smoking is allowed. Alcohol is allowed after work, unless it becomes a problem with work performance. Drinking is not tolerated while we are working and it will be cause for immediate removal. In addition, marijuana use is not permitted on the ranch.
Health insurance: The ranching lifestyle has inherent dangers. While personal health insurance is not required to participate in the apprenticeship program, it is strongly encouraged. We carry Workmen’s Compensation to cover injuries that occur while on the job, though we strongly encourage safe behavior at all times and hope such an incident will not occur.
Ranch Vehicles: We will provide vehicles for work use. A valid driver’s license and a clean driving record for use of work vehicles is required.
Personal Vehicle: While apprentices will not be asked to use a personal vehicle for work purposes, the apprentice will need the flexibility of his or her own vehicle on their days off in order to run personal errands such as purchasing groceries and for travel.
Additional items an apprentice should bring: Bring any personal items you need. The house is fully furnished including bedding and towels. The kitchen is also furnished with all dishes, pots/pans, and appliances including toaster, toaster oven, microwave and coffee pot. Both riding and work boots are recommended (can be the same, but lace ups are not suggested for horseback riding). Muck boots are also recommended as is head covering/sun protection. We have saddles and tack for your use, but you’re welcome to bring your own if you have it.
Living at Bignell Angus Ranch: Avon is a small town of 114 people. It has no gas station or grocery store but does have a restaurant. There is a community of people in their 20s and 30s who have come back to their family ranches. For grocery shopping and other amenities Avon is 30 min from Helena. There is access to the mountains for outdoor activities. This apprentice would be 20 miles from Mannix Ranch who will also host an apprentice.
Quivira Coalition Activities: This apprenticeship is offered through Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program. The full cohort of apprentices on regenerative ranches and farms across the west will attend an April orientation, participate in supplemental education Zoom calls, complete skills checklists with their mentors, and attend the annual REGENERATE Conference in November. Apprentices are also required to write several reports during their apprenticeship that will be posted in the New Agrarian Voices blog on the Quivira website.