Round Butte Kunekune Ranch

05/29/2026

What’s for Dinner?

After we harvest and butcher a hog here at Round Butte Kunekune Ranch, the meal we always look forward to is the ribs. There’s just something special about finally sitting down together after all the hard work and enjoying a meal that was truly raised with care from start to finish.

These ribs came from a kunekune barrow that we raised ourselves from farrow to finish. We slow cook them in the oven with paprika, rosemary, fennel seed, garlic, onions, and Real Salt until they become so tender they will almost eat like pulled pork. In our family, we believe nothing ever tastes so good it isn’t worth the wait.

We appreciate every animal and every life on our farm. There is deep stewardship in raising our own food, and it is rewarding to know exactly what our animals have eaten and how they are now nourishing our family’s bodies.

Home butchering a hog is certainly hard work, and we are thankful God gave Brett and I the strength to take it on little by little. Tonight we’ll enjoy the third and final meal of ribs alongside tender asparagus, fresh young salad greens, and walking onions all from the garden. Truly, every part of this meal was raised and grown here at home, and we feel so blessed to be able to raise food that nourishes our bodies and feeds our family well.

Meals like this remind us just how truly blessed we are.
~ Emily

05/28/2026

One of the ways we preserve our nutritious homegrown kunekune pork for our family is through pressure canning. This hog was home butchered, and it is rewarding knowing exactly how our food was raised and prepared from start to finish here on our the farm.
Simple ingredients, wholesome food, and shelf-stable protein dense food ready for busy ranch days. This pork was canned with just a small amount of Redmond Real Salt letting the quality and flavor of the meat speak for itself.
We love having convenient, versatile meals on the shelf that were raised right here at Round Butte Kunekune Ranch in Montana. God is good.

04/18/2026

Round Butte Kunekune Ranch update!

Today we are having our third herd evaluation completed through the IKHR - International Kunekune Hog Registry, and we are thankful for another opportunity to learn and grow.

Our first herd evaluation was on June 28, 2017, when our herd prefix was still RKKR and we were operating as Rainier Kunekune Ranch in western Washington. Our second evaluation followed in 2018, and now God has blessed us with the opportunity to continue the tradition today at Round Butte Kunekune Ranch in northwest Montana.

We have always believed there is value in having outside eyes look over your herd. It brings fresh perspective, honest feedback, and helps us keep improving the quality of the animals we steward. Growth comes when we stay humble and teachable.

PROVERBS 27:23 says
“Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.”

Grateful for how far the Lord has brought us, and trusting Him with what’s ahead.

04/17/2026

Today the Texas Livestock Guardian Dog Association featured one of the oldest livestock gaurdian dogs. This also happens to be the breed that we are working on our farm.

The Tibetan Mastiff

LGD Feature Friday - The Tibetan Mastiff is among the oldest livestock guardian dog breeds, originating in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Bred by nomadic pastoralists and monasteries to protect sheep, goats, yaks, and remote homesteads from predators like wolves and snow leopards, it’s known for independence, resilience, and territorial instincts. They are independent decision-makers with lower obedience tolerance, aloof with strangers, and form deep bonds with their flock or family. As night guardians, they become more vigilant at dusk and night. They have a large build with substantial bone, a broad head, and a thick, double coat suited for cold weather that sheds seasonally and requires maintenance. They stand 24–30 inches tall, weigh 90–150+ pounds, and mature slowly until 3–4 years old. Suited for properties with secure fencing and defined ranges, they excel in ranches needing predator deterrence but are less ideal for frequent human interaction or training. Early bonding with livestock is essential. Their guarding instinct and territoriality make them challenging for novice handlers, and they are sensitive to heat without proper shade, water, and coat care. Without clear boundaries, they tend to roam. Less common in North American ranching, they still possess core guardian traits useful in extensive grazing systems when managed properly.

04/09/2026

JOHN 16:33 says
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart;
I have over come the world."

Just like on the ranch, there are storms and tough seasons. But Jesus reminds us: even in the daily grind, we can take heart—He’s already overcome the world.

Trusting Him in every step, every sunrise, every challenge.

04/07/2026

Happy 4/06 Day from Round Butte Kunekune Ranch!

We feel truly blessed to call this incredible place home, where we can be sustainable under vast open skies, breathe in the fresh air, and cultivate our food and raise animals in beautiful northwest Montana.

Thank you, Lord, for entrusting us with this land, this life, and the chance to nurture it every day.

03/27/2026

Brett and I embarked on a trip to Kalispell, the major city in northern Montana, to do some second hand shopping and purchase feed for our livestock in Columbia Falls. We feel grateful that Elysian McIntyre recommended Fisher's Greenhouse feed shortly after our arrival in NW Montana. Our livestock has been thriving on it for years now. Today, we acquired 2000 pounds of feed for our hogs, which our helpful neighbor kindly unloads for us. We are blessed that God placed us in such a wonderful community.
During our visit, I took the opportunity to enter the greenhouse and purchase an assortment of salad and green bean seeds for our vegetable garden. Although it is premature to initiate gardening in Montana, I am known to push the boundaries with growing greens 💚.
~ Emily

09/12/2025

Could anyone help unravel the mystery of the green pepper in the first photo, which has unfortunately "misplaced" its plant's labeling tag that Brett had created?