Mission Falls Ranch
Some call it the middle of nowhere. We call it the center of our world.
- Joan Mason
History
Mission Falls ranch is a cattle and sheep ranch originally founded in 1920 and named in 1940 for the view of the Mission Falls. In 1985, it was purchased by Lynn and Joan Mason after Lynn's retirement from the USFS. For the next three decades, they raised Gelbvieh cattle, Arabian horses, and Dorper/Katahdin sheep. Shortly after they began ranching, they decided to buy their first Border Collie. The dogs have been part of the ranch ever since. Border Collies are twice the help of hired hands with a work ethic that can't be beat, are our best buddies and companions, and they work for food and love. It became Joan and Lynn's mission to breed the best line of working Border Collie....dogs who will fill the needs of people who love them like we do. After 35 years of ranching, Lynn passed away in 2020 and Joan decided to officially retire from dog breeding. Passing on the ranch to her youngest daughter and son-in-law, Heidi and Geof Rohrlach, she currently lives in Ennis, MT with her fiance and their many cats and dogs. Joan is still painting... mainly oil and mixed media paintings, of animals and other images, which are a natural outgrowth of the beauty around the valley. They are a reflection of life on the ranch. She studied and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from Michigan State University. Color and Line are her passions! Geof and Heidi also have extensive agricultural experience. Geof was born and raised on a 2000 acre sheep ranch in South Australia and completed a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture from Roseworthy Agricultural College, which is where he met Heidi. After they married and moved to the U.S., he first pursued a career in agriculture before eventually joining the military as a nurse. Currently, he works as a Family Nurse Practitioner for Tribal Health in St. Ignatius, MT. Heidi spent her teenage years growing up on the Mission Falls Ranch and was a member of the Future Farmers of America for several years. She successfully raised pigs and cattle and intended to complete a bachelor’s in botany until she switched to accounting. She recently completed a Masters in government contracting and currently works as a financial controller for a government contracting company. They have five children, four living in Montana and one living in Texas. They also have eight cats, four border collies, a turtle, and more chickens, goats, and cows than they ever imagined they would own.
Mission Statement...
The ranch is a prime example of native Montana habitat. Mission Creek, which flows directly through the property, is a riparian habitat known for the many species that travel between the Mission Mountains and the valley below. To preserve local native ecosystems and regenerate the land, we plan to create a sustainable cattle ranch through a combination of regenerative agriculture and silvopasture to promote native plant growth and biodiversity. We strive to balance the conservation of our native ecosystem with grass-feed beef and agricultural production. Our main source of revenue will be our mini cattle which are a great source of beef and have a smaller environmental impact. We are also planting native willows, pines, and elderberries throughout our pastures to reduce erosion, increase native biodiversity, and provide shelter for our cattle. We will raise goats for meat and weed control, as well as free range chickens for eggs. Our meat and produce will be a healthy, locally grown food source for local communities. In the coming years, we will be exploring additional markets in the areas of freeze-dried herbs, cut sunflowers, eco-tourism, hay, photography, and wine making. We are currently building strategic partnerships with consumers interested in local, sustainably grown, high-end foods.
Livestock & Produce
At Mission Falls Ranch, we use silvopasture, a style of mixed land use which combines trees and grazing livestock. Typically, this practice uses native grasses, fertilization, and rotated grazing to promote plant and animal health. Research has shown silvopasture to improve wildlife diversity, soil quality, and environmental impact. In addition to our pasture animals, our chicken and turkeys are free range and spend most of their time roaming over ten acres of land. Our ducks are enclosed for safety but enjoy a full garden for shade and exploration.
