This weekend Modern Farmer magazine invited me to takeover their Instagram account and share some photos of the hard working men and women in the Montana beef industry. It was exciting to share my cowboy photos with people who generally are unaware of what goes on behind the scenes on Montana’s ranches. Modern Farmer magazine is the #1 farm and ranch magazine in the country and is generally read by small boutique farmers, chefs, and foodies. So in working with the Montana Beef Council I was happy to help spread the good word about one of Montana’s most popular agricultural products.

In case you missed all of the action on Instagram this weekend I have included my posts to the Modern Farmer magazine Instagram account below. And if you are also on Instagram and have not yet followed me on Instagram, be sure to do so.

Hi! My name is @ToddKlassy and I am a farm and ranch photographer from Montana. I travel across the western United States throughout the year documenting the lives of farmers and ranchers for ad agencies, magazines, and businesses who either produce or consume agricultural products. This weekend I have been given the keys to the Modern Farmer Instagram account while I photograph cowboys and cowgirls during one of the most exciting times of year here in Montana…branding season. What you will see is photos of real cowboys and cowgirls; not the kind you see in movies or on dude ranches. These are real ranchers and their families, friends, and neighbors who travel great distances across the state of Montana to help brand cattle every spring. You can see more of my photos on Instagram at @toddklassy. And you can learn more about real Montana beef at @montanalovesbeef. #iamamodernfarmer #montana #beef #farmpics #ranchlife #cowboys #beefisbest #openrange #montanaphotographers #horses #rural #country #montanamade #farmtotable #knowyourfarmer #documentaryphotography

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 7:01am PDT

This is a photo of a cowboy and his horse as they prepare to round up cattle to be branded on the Mitchell Ranch near Cleveland, Montana. You won’t find Cleveland on Google Maps. They removed it from the map years ago. But it’s still there. If you search for Chinook, Montana and then search for the Cleveland Bar in Blaine County, Montana you’ll find it. Only the Cleveland Bar isn’t there anymore either. All that remains of Cleveland is a two-room schoolhouse that serves a small handful of children. Blaine County, Montana is larger than Delaware, Rhode Island, and Washington D.C. combined. Those places have a combined population of 2.7 million people. Blaine County, Montana on the other hand has a population barely more than 6500. But there are 10 times more cows here than people. #montana #beef #ranchlife #cowboy #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #horses #equine #ranching #rural #country #localfood #montanamade #farmtotable #knowyourfarmer #blackangus #chinookmontana #documentaryphotography @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 8:32am PDT

Once the cowboys and cowgirls begin gathering cattle, herds of animals move over the land in one large pod; like this herd of certified black Angus. These cattle are all pasture raised. Over 80% of the diet in their lifetime comes from eating the native grasses that have grown on these Montana plains for centuries. The ranchers here use grazing practices to prevent overuse of the land–which might damage the grasses their cattle consume. Very little else can grow here where the annual rainfall is only one inch more than what would be necessary to classify this region as a desert. So raising cattle here really is the best use of the land. #iamamodernfarmer #montana #beef #farmpics #ranchlife #cowboys #beefisbest #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #ranching #rural #country #localfood #montanamade #farmtotable #blackangus #grassfed @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 10:31am PDT

Branding is a community affair. And though it is hard work, branding season is something every man, woman, and child in these parts look forward to every spring. Family, friends, and neighborsóoften separated by many dozens of milesócome together to help one another on branding day. And one of the things everyone looks forward to is the food. After the herd is rounded up and before branding begins, everyone takes break and has a snack. They will all skip lunch on this day because a stomach full of food only gets in the way of the hard work ahead. They won’t eat a full meal until the animals have been branded. Doug Mitchell’s cinnamon buns on the Mitchell Ranch are legendary in these parts and are one main reasons I think the Mitchells manage to lure more helpers to their ranch on branding day than most. Here a cowboy’s daughter rides piggy-back as she enjoys one of Doug Mitchell’s famous cinnamon buns. #iamamodernfarmer #montana #beef #ranchlife #cowboy #beefisbest #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #family #rural #country #localfood #montanamade #farmtotable #knowyourfarmer #grassfed #documentaryphotography @ToddKlassy @montanalovesbeef

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

After their brief break from all the action, roping begins. Calves are roped and plucked from the corral one-by-one so they can be branded. Here cowboy Wally Bold of Big Sandy, Montanaóa veteran cowboyóropes himself a black Angus calf. Many of the ranchers in Montana use old school methods of raising cattle which have been handed down from generation to generation. The quality and care of their herd is very important to these ranchers. They spend their lives raising and respecting livestock and giving them the best life possible. Many who have never met a real cowboy might assume they are big and brash. And though they are surely very strong individuals, more often than not they are modest and quite reserved. And they are also very caring when it comes to their animals. After all, the beef they produce for you to eat is the same they feed their families–so caring for the livestock is very important to them. #iamamodernfarmer #montana #beef #ranchlife #cowboy #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #family #rural #country #localfood #montanamade #farmtotable #knowyourfarmer #grassfed #montanabeef #documentaryphotography #farmphotography

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 2:31pm PDT

Children on the ranches in Montana help on branding day too. Most children are riding horse with their parents as babies and then they will command a horse on their own (with a little bit of guidance) for the first time by age 3 or 4. They are perfectly happy working side-by-side with their mother and father on the ranch and seldom complain about not having the latest electronic gizmo or video game. Ask any kid in these parts and they would much rather have a new saddle or pair of leather chaps for Christmas. There aren’t many (if any) large corporate ranches in Montana. 97% of cattle ranches in the United States are family-owned. Here the cattle you see are raised by mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. Which means the animals are well cared-for. Which means consumers are buying the purest source of beef when they buy Montana beef. These ranchers won’t brag, but I’m not a rancher, so I don’t mind doing the bragging for them. 🙂 #ranchlife #ranching #family #kids #montana #chinookmontana #rural #country #horse #cowgirl #portrait #girl #localfood #montanamade #freerange #knowyourfarmer #farmtotable #agriculture #ag #bigsky #bigskycountry #farmphotography #farmpics @ToddKlassy @montanalovesbeef

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 4:33pm PDT

Here is an example of everyone working together on branding day. There are representatives from five different families in this photograph helping to brand cattle. It only takes a few seconds to brand a cattle and then they are immediately released so they can be reunited with their mother, who is often baying nearby. Despite these herds having hundreds and hundreds of animals (all of whom look nearly identical), it is amazing to see every calf standing alongside its mother at the end of the day. I don’t know how they do it. #ranchlife #workingtogether #ranching #family #kids #montana #chinookmontana #rural #country #horse #cowgirl #portrait #girl #localfood #montanamade #freerange #knowyourfarmer #farmtotable #agriculture #ag #bigsky #bigskycountry #farmphotography #farmpics #beef #iammodernfarmer @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 6:32pm PDT

M is for Montana. And M is also for Mitchell–as in the Mitchell Ranch–which is where I end the day photographing the spring ritual of branding cattle here in Montana. Tonight I will edit some photos for clients before driving 4 hours in the dark to Paradise Valley; just north of Yellowstone National Park for a much different landscape than the plains you saw in my photos here. Please be sure to tune into this Modern Farmer Instagram feed tomorrow as I share some of the my photos on a ranch in the shadow of the Absarokee Mountains. Thanks for following me on the Modern Farmer Instagram account. Tune in tomorrow at the same beef time and same beef channel for more behind-the-scenes photos of real Montana cowboys and cowgirls. If you have any questions at all feel free to ask them here or on my own Instagram account at @toddklassy. I will answer them all tonight or tomorrow. See you again tomorrow! #iamamodernfarmer #montana #beef #farmpics #ranchlife #cowboys #beefisbest #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #horses #ranching #rural #country #localfood #montanamade #montanabeef #farmtotable #knowyourfarmer #blackangus #grassfed #documentaryphotography

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on Apr 30, 2016 at 8:36pm PDT

Hello everyone! Welcome to day two of my use of the Modern Farmer Instagram account! My name is @ToddKlassy and I am a farm and ranch photographer from Montana. I photograph and capture video of the agricultural industry in Montana and much of the rest of the western states. My time is spent photographing the men and women who work hard to put food on our plates every day. This weekend I am honored to have been given the keys to the Modern Farmer Instagram account. So follow along as I document real working cowboys and cowgirls in Montana as they brand cattle. You have an opportunity to take a look at how one family in Montana’s Paradise Valley raise beef cattle. You will see them rounding up, roping, and branding cattle–and see the camaraderie share among family and friends as they work together to get the job done. I hope you enjoyed my photos yesterday and enjoy them again today. You can see more of my photography on Instagram at @toddklassy and you can learn more about real Montana beef at @montanalovesbeef. If you have any questions feel free to ask away. I am more than happy to answer your questions. #iamamodernfarmer #agriculture #montana #beef #horses #equinephotography #ranchlife #cowboys # #montana #montanaphotographers #montanamade #praymontana #documentaryphotography #bigsky #bigskycountry #mtbigskyseries #equine #horsephotography #equinephotographer #paradisevalley #praymontana

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 6:33am PDT

Steam rises from the cattle on this cool May morning once the cattle on this Montana ranch are rounded up and gathered in the corral. Then the sorting and counting quickly begins. This is the only time of year these animals will be huddled this closely together. They are usually scattered across the plains. In less than 30 to 45 minutes the cows will be sorted, separated, and released so they can go back to spending their days outside eating grass, playing, and exploring the open range. Almost every day a mob of mule deer share the grassy fields of the Paradise Valley with these cattle. Many years ago before Montana became a state and its frontier was tamed there were no fences. Even today much of the land is designated “open range.” Cattle wander far and wide as they graze on grass. The spring roundup allows the ranchers to separate each owner’s stock. The annual spring roundup has as its principal purpose the finding and branding the year’s annual crop of calves. And there are a lot of new calves every year. Montana, the 4th largest state, has little more than one million residents, but it also has nearly three times more cows than people. #iamamodernfarmer #beef #cowboy #herd #corral #working #documentaryphotography #horse #blackangus #localfood #openrange #montanaphotographers #freerange #farm #ranching #rural #country #grassfed #ranching #angus @montanalovesbeef @toddklassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 8:57am PDT

This is Jim Melin, one of Montana’s more experienced cowboys. He is coaching his grandson about the finer points of roping cattle. Jim has lived and ranched near the tiny town of Pray, Montana his entire life. Not many people can say they have worked the same job and at the same “office” for as long as the typical Montana rancher can…AND still say they love their job. Jim admits the Paradise Valley has transformed a lot in the many years he has lived and worked here. And although there is constant pressure from the outside to sell his land because of its proximity to the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, Jim says, “There are some things more important than money.” He also says he wants to make sure his children and grandchildren have a place to ranch if and when that time comes, which is often the case here on family ranches in Montana. “It is an honest way to make a living and I’d hate to see that opportunity vanish one day for my family if that’s the life they choose.” #iamamodernfarmer #cowboy #work #knowyourfarmer #ranching #ranchlife #documentaryphotography #praymontana #montana #montanaphotographers #localfood #montanamade #montanamoments @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 10:31am PDT

Up until the 1980s white-faced and red bodied Hereford cattle dominated the ranchland of Montana. Somewhere around the 1980s, though, ranchers discovered the black Angus breed. They found Angus did better in Montana’s extreme temperatures and harsh climate. They large muscle mass also brought more money at the end of the year when steers were sold. Montana’s black Angus beef has become a favorite of chefs and consumers in large part because of its marbling and quality. Montana’s grass fed cattle spend much of their lives eating good, clean grass grown on Montana’s pastureland and then converting it into a food for us that is delicious, but also rich with healthy proteins for our bodies. I’ve made a career of photographing Montana’s ranchers who are committed to providing the best lives possible for their animals. This means allowing the cattle roam freely on open pastures and rotating pastures often to maintain fresh supply of grass for them to eat. These animals spend their days grazing on Montana’s native grasses and then taking long walks to troughs or streams filled with sparkling mountain waters. #blackangus #cattle #cow #calf #ranchlife #ranching #agriculture #beef #farmpics #montanaphotographer #montana #ag #farmphotography #farmlife #rural #country #montanamade @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 12:32pm PDT

Many people have a stereotypical image of what a cowgirl is supposed to be. Just Google the word “cowgirl” and see for yourself. Even some of the best western photographers fall victim to this archetype. Many see cowgirls wearing Daisy Dukes and walking around saying “aw shucks” with a thin blade of wheat straw in their mouth. I’m here to tell you that real working cowgirls are nothing of the sort. They are beautiful, yes, but they are also rugged, hard working, supportive, nurturing, dedicated, and in many instances they do the exact same work as the men. Some even do it better. Real working cowgirls also seldom wear a cowboy hat when they are working because they get in the way with their long hair and fall off. In this photo I caught Dani Jones, of Havre, Montana clutching the reins with her mouth while riding her horse Kidd, a nine-year old Sorrel mare. “My hands are often too small to hold on to both the reins and the rope. So in the heat of the moment so I had to improvise,” she said. That’s the spirit of a REAL Montana cowgirl. #iamamodernfarmer #cowgirl #ranching #countrylivingforever #ranchlife #horsephotography #equine #working #woman #documentaryphotography #ranching #ranchlife #countrylivingforever #montanamade #montana #montanaphotographers @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 2:52pm PDT

Children are everywhere on branding day. It is interesting to observe them as they watch their parents gathering, roping, and branding cattle. The vast, vast majority of ranches in Montana are family owned and it becomes obvious how traditions are passed down from one generation to another. Some are old enough to chip in while the youngest members of the brood just watch. But they are always watching and learning. I think a rancher’s family is one of the most important ingredients how Montana beef is made. These ranchers are passionate with what they do and the animals they raise. #iamamodernfarmer #family #children #agriculture #ranching #ranchlife #farmpics #praymontana #child #horse #horsephotography #documentaryphotography #equinephotography #equine #rural #country #toddler #montana #montanaphotographers @ToddKlassy

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 4:31pm PDT

This is a close-up photo of a cowboy’s hands. I think it helps illustrate the story of the Montana cowboy. In this photo the cowboy is holding a rope. Aside from the horse the rope is probably a cowboy’s most important tool. They use it to snag cattleómany times larger than them or their horse at times. I witnessed several cowboys recently roping a full grown bull so they could pluck porcupine quills from its nose when that oversized Angus got a little too curious for its own good. In this photo you also see the cowboy’s hands resting on the saddle horn, which is unique to western roping saddles. Saddle horns are often wrapped with rubber like it is here or some other material such as mule hide, which helps the rope grip the horn. As soon as a cowboy or cowgirl ropes a calf they need to quickly wrap or “dally” the rope around the saddle horn, which is done at great risk to the cowboy or cowgirl. Many ropers have broken and even severed thumbs if they get caught in the dally at the wrong time. Ranching, like a lot of manual labor, can be hard on the hands. Look closely at these hands and you will see how rough and gritty they are. They exemplify the hard work a Montana cowboy does on the ranch every day as they tend to the herd. #iamamodernfarmer #cowboy #ranching #ranchlife #countrylivingforever #longlivecowboys #bigsky #bigskycountry #cows #farmphotography #farmlife #farmpics #work #documentaryphotography #montanaphotographer #praymontana #beef #calves #cattle #livestock #agriculture #montana @ToddKlassy @montanalovesbeef

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 1, 2016 at 6:31pm PDT

Well that’s all she wrote folks. My weekend is finally over and so too is my taking the reins of the Modern Farmer Instagram account to share my farm and ranch photography. As the cowboys and cowgirls walk their horses back to the barn and get ready to sit down and eat supper I want to thank Modern Farmer for allowing me to share my farm and ranch photography on their Instagram account this weekend. It was a pleasure to share my job as a professional photographer and photos of Montana’s hard working beef producers with its many readers and followers. I hope everyone enjoyed seeing Montana’s cowboys and cowgirls though my lens. But I just make the photos. The men and women in my photos deserve most of the credit. They are lifeblood of the Montana economy. Montana beef is some of the best beef in the world. What’s more, when you serve Montana beef you are serving more than just meat; you are serving a food that is produced by the caring hands of men and women who take great pride in what they do. Even if they are far too humble to tell you so. If you haven’t already please follow me on Instagram at @toddklassy, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/toddklassyphotography/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/todd_klassy, and/or my website at http://www.toddklassy.com. And also be sure to follow @montanalovesbeef too where you will see more of my photos of Montanaís ranching families through the year and find great inspiration for those of you who are chefs and foodies. Thanks again everyone! Instead of saying good-bye I will just say, “Meet me in Montana.” https://youtu.be/8xlpOjcyst8 🙂 #iamamodernfarmer #equine #cowgirls #horse #bestofequines #youandyourhorse #worldbesthorses #equinephotography #horsephotography #beef #horsesofinstagram #horsephotographer #equinephotographer #ranchlife #openrange #freerange #ranching #montanamade #grassfed

A photo posted by Modern Farmer (@modfarm) on May 2, 2016 at 2:21am PDT