About
the Ranch
The ranch was founded in 1910 by Nick Schultz’s Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother, Great-Uncles, and Grandfather. Our three sons are an integral part of our daily operations, we do lots of things as a family and we include each other in many facets of our operation. We are excited to have an individual that wants to be here and learn from our family.
More Story
We are a fourth-generation cattle ranch. We are a cow/calf operation, selling steers in the fall, wintering the heifers, and marketing them at various times throughout the year. The Schultz Ranch uses rotational grazing and low-stress cattle movement throughout the year and works with numerous government agencies to monitor bird species, herbaceous species and percent cover. Our ranch goals center around increasing our intensity of rotational grazing through the use of electric fences in order to better utilize our resources and improve soil health, increasing direct beef sales of our grass-fed and finished beef, and maintaining and increasing ranch profitability to make our operation more sustainable for our children.
Regenerative Practices
Our goals center around the word improvement:
- Improved grazing efficiency through electric fence utilization and water development (leading to better water infiltration and soil health)
- Improving on the Red Angus genetics of the cow/calf program through artificial insemination
- Increased direct beef sales of our grass-fed beef
- Maintain/increase ranch profitability to make our operation more sustainable for our children.
Tour
the Ranch
The Mentor
Nick and Marti Schultz: Family is important to us, and anyone that works here becomes an extension of our family. We work together as a family often and take the extra time required to get everyone involved in a project.
We would like to mentor an apprentice because my wife and I enjoy it. We enjoy the “youthful exuberance” that young adults bring to the ranch. I usually enjoy the question ”Why?” That question helps me maintain a good reason to do the things we do, to question the things I do out of habit or tradition, and it keeps me thinking how to work outside the normal paradigm. I have been training young adults for years now. I hired and trained young adults for three years while I worked for the Bureau of Land Management and I have hired seasonal help since I took over the ranch from my parents.
The Duties Of
The Apprentice
What will an apprentice do?
- April: Assist in calving; Assist in treating sick calves; Assist in feeding; Helping neighbors’ brand; Assist in some farming; Assist in conventional fencing and electric fencing; Spraying weeds
- May: Assist in calving; Assist in treating sick calves; Helping neighbors’ brand; Assist in some farming; Assist in conventional fencing and electric fencing; Spraying weeds
- June: Start artificial insemination protocol; Assist in artificial insemination process; Manage fencing and electric fencing; Manage spraying weeds; Assist in preparing haying equipment for haying season; Assist in irrigating
- July: Operate machinery to make hay; Manage Fence and electric fencing duties
- August: Operate machinery to make hay; Manage Fence and electric fencing duties
- September: Spray weeds; Assist moving cattle by horse back; Fix what we broke in April, May, June, July, and August
What skills and traits are required?
What skills will an apprentice acquire?
Nuts & Bolts
More Details
Living on the Ranch
Town Information
We are located between Grass Range (10 miles of gravel) and Winnett (16 miles of kind of gravel). Both are small towns with basic facilities: local grocery stores, churches, gas stations, post offices and bars. Winnett even has an outdoor pool open in the summer! If you’re a musician, a country music lover, or a Two-stepper, Grass Range is mighty proud of their “Jam Session” every third Sunday of the month. We get our mail in Grass Range and you are welcome to receive mail at our PO Box in our care.
We are 40 miles from Lewistown where there is a chain grocery, banks, movie theater, bowling alley, library, mechanics, tire repair facilities, etc. Lewistown has many community events that you can look into through their Chamber of Commerce page including a large Cowboy Poetry gathering in August, the Chokecherry Festival in early September, and rodeos, headline music, and car derbys at the Central Montana Fair in July.
Billings is 100 miles away (less than a 2 hour drive) where you will find any major shopping opportunities and large venue events at the Rimrock Arena as well as Billings/Logan International Airport.
There are many beautiful drives you can take on your off days. We are only 50 miles from the beautiful Missouri River and Missouri Breaks country. There are ample hiking and fishing opportunities close by or within easy driving distance! There is different landscape each direction you travel from here.
Housing
We have a bunkhouse available. We expect the house to be kept tidy and left as clean as it was when you arrived! Your last paycheck will not be handed over prior to the house inspection. If it is left dirty, one day’s pay will be withheld.
Laundry
There is not a washer or dryer in the bunkhouse, but you will have access to use ours when needed. This has never been an issue with prior seasonal employees. Please bring your own detergent that may be kept in the laundry room.
Internet Service
We have internet available, however, it is up to the applicant to pay for the service.
Cell Service
There is intermittent cell service depending on the carrier you have. If cell phone use is abused during the work day, you will be asked to leave your personal device behind and you may or may not be given a ranch phone.
Visitors
Visitors are allowed for two days at a time. Prior discussion about ranch activities and what is convenient for the Schultz family and the ranch business. Housing is for the intern only, there will be no extra people allowed to live with the apprentice for the duration of the apprenticeship.
Food
We would provide lunch every day on work days. The bunkhouse has a full-service kitchen where you can prepare other meals.
Pets
No pets permitted
Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol
It is ultimately preferred not to have tobacco around, but will be allowed in limited areas. No smoking is allowed in buildings, or areas where there is a lot of dry grass. We also ask that it be kept out of contact with our children. Alcohol is tolerated 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.
Vehicle Info
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. Some of the trucks are manual shift so you must know or be willing to learn to drive one.
Personal Vehicles
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.
Work Hours / Time Off
Working Hours
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m with an hour off for lunch – Sunday through Friday. 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. We are flexible which day you take off if you need to conduct business in town. Most everything in Lewistown, Grass Range, and Winnett are closed on Saturday and SundayTime Off
In general, Saturday or Sunday will be the preferred day off. However, we are flexible which day you take off if you need to conduct business in town. Most everything in Lewistown, Grass Range, and Winnett are closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Health Insurance
Explore
Apprentice Stories
Check out past apprentices and what they have to say about their experience.