Locavore’s Delight

Fall seems to start at a gallop in Granite County. As we wrap up the hay harvest, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. One often has to remember to stop and enjoy the moment. Stop, reflect and celebrate. 

This year we have many reasons to celebrate at our annual Autumn Harvest Celebration. We’ve just been honored by Forbes Travel Guide as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

Their brand new Verified List includes just 58 hotels from all over the world, judged on 900 standards and chosen as “top performers in the standards that focus on sumptuous comfort, as well as extravagant choices and conveniences afforded to guests… .The featured hotels lavish you at an unparalleled level from the moment you arrive.” ~ Jennifer Kester, Forbes Travel Guide

Our Autumn Harvest Weekend focuses on local Montana culinary and natural treasures. On Thursday, we’ll kick off the celebration with a Montana Craft Cider Dinner created by Executive Chef Josh Drage and paired with local Missoula-made ciders from Western Cider.

Perfecting Western Cider. Photo by Rio Chantal.

On Friday, we’ll be highlighting Montana’s cultural treasures at our Western Rendezvous. Saturday will culminate in a Fall Harvest Dinner featuring grammy-winning musical LeAnn Rimes. Other weekend activities include a Slow Food, Small Plates dinner, campfire session with ShoDown, Ranch Cocktail Party and a Happy Trails Brunch in the Granite Lodge. See the full itinerary here.

Western Rendezvous

The Western Rendezvous takes place in Camp Roosevelt and showcases the homestead roots that our Ranch was built upon. 

After guests dine on local fare and enjoy music by The Accousticals, they’ll try some favorite Western activities, like sapphire mining and fly tying. Our two newest additions include a showcase and in-house documentary about our Mission Mustang program and trainers, and a bee talk with Ranch Apiarist Kelsey, with live bees and the first sale of our very own Ranch honey!

Mission Mustang

Mission mustang is a new program which has been championed by Barn Manager Kari and curated by our very own wranglers, Ryon and Adency. Mission Mustang is a salute to the wild mustangs that roam the West and also an inside look at the intricate work involved in horsemanship. 

Our first Ranch mustang, Noble1.

“The purpose of Mission Mustang is to address the mustang crisis that currently exists in the United States and explain how The Ranch at Rock Creek is doing their part to combat the issue. Trainer Ryon Mendoza will share information about the plight of the Mustang: their population numbers are spiraling out of control and too high of a population means that horses begin to die of disease and lack of resources.” ~Barn Manager Kari Reasoner

The Ranch at Rock Creek adopted their first mustang in June 2018, a 3-year-old mustang from the Steens Mountains of Oregon. His name is Noble 1.

Our trainer Ryon Mendoza learns mounted archery with Noble1. Photo by Quinn Wilson.

Our trainer will take guests step by step through the process of training a wild mustang through patience and respect. This Rendezvous activity follows three long months of training and everyone is excited to see a documentary about cultivating a relationship between a human and wild mustang. 

Hive & Honey

During our Western Rendezvous, our Ranch Apiarist Kelsey Bruns will charm our guests with the the wonders of the honeybee world and a live observation hive.  In addition, this weekend is the release of our limited edition 2017 honey crop! 

“This honey is one that has a delicate balance of wildflowers and other local floral notes to make it a very approachable honey.” ~ Apiarist Kelsey Bruns  

We only have 160 jars, so we don’t expect it to sit on the shelves for long. For more information about our honeybee homesteaders and how they made this first crop, read Kelsey’s very own blog, Sweet Life of Bees: A Montana Apiary Story.

Celebrate the Season

These festivities all lead up to an incredible night in the Buckle Barn on Saturday. We’ll celebrate Western Montana’s local farmers and their hard work. Chef Drage will unveil the flavors and color of autumn’s bounty. All the while being swept away by LeeAnn Rimes and her sweet melodies. 

Join us as we hold on to Autumn’s magic for just a little while longer. Winter is coming…so let’s celebrate today! 

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